Letters
Teamwork does exist – but it seems
to be in a parallel universe
So a report by the Specialist Engineering Alliance
(SEA) finds that “building teams must work
together to ensure sustainability” (April, page 9).
istock/webphotographeer
Reading this was like being transported
to a parallel universe in which Sir Michael
Latham’s 1995 Constructing the Team report
had never been published. This report identified
fragmentation as a major problem for the
industry and, together with Sir John Egan’s
Rethinking Construction report published three
years later, kick-started a massive effort to
modernise the construction industry.
The SEA is, of course, absolutely right to claims on sea levels. Responsible building economic expert, undiscovered by rigorous
say we need to work in integrated teams – but engineers already strive to reduce energy use auditing and governance. It is the same economic
why do we need reminding? Those of us who (and carbon emissions). experts who invented carbon trading – should
were paying attention back in 1995 have long Global warming is a natural phenomenon this concern us?
since forged links within the supply chain and but so is latching on to fashionable trends. Let Whether we like it or not, we in CIBSE
become active in third-party organisations like us spend more time on properly engineered are into the prediction game in a big way, we
the UK Green Building Council. But the SEA’s projects and less on evangelism. We may even are profoundly ‘sustainable’, nearly every article
report suggests that, for a large chunk of the save more carbon. Who knows, the unusual in the Journal declares this intent. But to be
industry, the concept of integrated teams is still achievement of having a few satisfied clients ‘sustainable’ you have to know what is going
a novelty. may one day become the norm. to happen in the future, you have to predict
If the industry had embraced the teamwork J H R Hampson CEng, CIBSE Fellow with accuracy: getting it wrong is not ‘nearly
idea more enthusiastically first time round, sustainable’, it’s just wrong. Can we predict
achieving the UK government’s sustainability My crystal ball remains cloudy on the future with accuracy? I can offer no helpful
goals might not be the daunting task it is climate change future predictions; as I have grown older my crystal ball
today. I read Nick Cullen’s article about climate change has got cloudy. How’s yours?
Gerry Mitchell doubts in the March Journal, and then Martin John Cooknell
Head of innovation, Saint-Gobain Isover Ratcliffe’s response in April (page 14). I look
forward to Martin’s pleasant prediction that the Take the LEED on doing nothing
We need to keep an open mind UK climate will in the future become like the Your article on LEED (March, page 42) states:
about climate change south of France, but my off-the-wall hypothesis “Current LEED APs will have two years to
Martin Ratcliffe’s rebuttal of Nick Cullen’s is that geography, latitude and the Atlantic jet opt into the new system to avoid losing their
column by cherry-picking the IPCC report stream will intervene, and the UK climate will qualifications, by agreeing to CPD requirements
(March, page 20; April, p14) has to be countered remain as disappointing as it is now, so I won’t and demonstrating basic experience with one
by another statement from it: “The last time order the sun awnings just yet. LEED project.”
the polar regions were significantly warmer It seems a reasonable hypothesis that six Having reviewed the US Green Building
than present for an extended period was about billion of us must affect the planet, and carbon Council website, this statement appears to be
125,000 years ago ...” No buildings existed then, emissions are a likely part of this, so personally I incorrect, as there is an option to: “Do nothing;
to influence that. have chosen to save energy. Every light source in remain designated LEED AP without a speciality
When the primary goal is to reduce carbon, we my house is a low-energy one, I have changed title in the LEED Professional Directory.”
need to be convinced that this can meaningfully them frequently for the latest version, baffling Edward Humphries LEED AP , USA
influence climate change. CIBSE is a learned my poor wife who often wanders the house in
institution, and we must keep open minds. We semi-darkness! I save energy and recycle where CIBSE Journal welcomes article proposals from
have a responsibility to society as a whole. I can.
any reader, wherever you are – whether it be
letters, longer opinion pieces, news stories,
Those who are convinced that man-made Martin believes expert climate predictions. I
people or events listings, humorous items, or any
carbon is the predominant influence on climate wish I could share his faith, but I may be blinded ideas for possible articles.
should turn their attention to transportation, by doubt and cynicism. In my lifetime, the end
Please send all letters and any other items for
agriculture, industry, electricity generation and of our human civilisation has been predicted
possible publication to: bcervi@cibsejournal.
land use, where greater savings can be made. by experts several times, through population
com, or write to Bob Cervi, Editor, CIBSE Journal,
Applying their logic would mean that we growth, famine, nuclear war, pandemic, bird flu,
Cambridge Publishers Ltd, 275 Newmarket Road,
Cambridge, CB5 8JE, UK. We reserve the right to
should focus more on coastal protection than Sars, ozone depletion, and even the infamous
edit all letters. Please indicate how you wish your
on buildings; but we would also need to be millennium bug. In 2009 the world economy
letter to be attributed, and whether you wish to
convinced there is substance to the alarmist lies in ruins, for reasons not predicted by any
have your contact details included.
18 CIBSE Journal May 2009 www.cibsejournal.com
CIBSEmay09 pp18 letters.indd 18 5/1/09 2:53:43 PM
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72