News News in Brief
Fire inquiry studies refurbs The second part of a London Assembly investigation into fire safety in tall and timber- framed buildings has considered the impact of refurbishments on residential blocks, and the difficulties in identifying competent persons to carry out fire risk assessments. Previously the Planning
and Housing Committee heard evidence about the role of planning and building regulations. A report is expected to be published by September.
Construction ‘stressed’ Construction and property workers are more likely than any other profession to turn to drink as a way of coping with work stress, a new survey of 3,000 people by Medicash has shown. It also revealed the industry suffers from the highest rate of sickness absence.
www.medicash.org
Regional funding support A two-year, £1bn regional growth fund has been set up by the government to replace the Regional Development Agencies in a bid to support capital projects in areas hardest hit by public spending cuts. Both private bodies and public-private partnerships will be able to apply for funding, which will be used to help tackle issues such as planning and housing.
New parliamentary group The new All-Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment has been officially launched. The group will introduce a Commission on Excellence in the Built Environment to challenge ideas, thinking and expectation from outside the parliamentary and construction boxes.
Sprinklers bill is back Lord Harrison’s re-drafted Private Members Bill for domestic sprinklers has been re-introduced to parliament. The government will now assess the impact of sprinklers for residential use, including the cost and benefits of installing them.
Huhne outlines coalition’s ‘green deal’ for homes
n
The government has pledged a major overhaul of the UK’s
existing homes to save energy, carbon and costs. Chris Huhne, Secretary of State
for Energy and Climate Change, told delegates at the UK Energy Summit that the government intends to launch its Green Deal, which will better insulate up to 14 million homes street by street and aid the economic recovery. Speaking at the event he said:
‘At the moment, we may as well be burning £50 notes outside our front doors. We use more energy per home than does Sweden.’ Under the deal, previously
proposed in the Conservative party manifesto, energy companies and high street stores will help guide customers through a ‘simplified process’ to get their homes insulated, with the cost paid back through future energy cost savings. Those in fuel poverty will be
A bit of Rome
in Cumbria A £6m ‘sustainable’ heritage attraction is to be built in Cumbria, UK. Hadrian’s Wall Heritage is behind the Roman Maryport Visitors’ Centre project, which will eventually house local Roman artefacts. Preliminary work started in January, with work on site expected to begin in 2011. Multi-disciplinary consultancy Capita Symonds will provide a wide range of building and other services.
F-gas needs enforcement, says report
The Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Board (ACRIB) is calling on the UK government to start enforcing the EU’s F-gas regulations. A report by ACRIB into the effectiveness of the regulations found that it needs better policing to ensure compliance. The regulation aims to contain, prevent and reduce emissions
8 CIBSE Journal August 2010
of fluorinated greenhouse gases emitted by technologies in the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps sectors. The recommendations in the
paper will form the basis of the UK input to the EU’s review of the regulation, which is due in July 2011. The report has been backed by
all ACRIB member organisations, including CIBSE.
CIBSE’S Non-Compliance
Costs Campaign to highlight low compliance air-conditioning and f-gas legislation was launched earlier this year. It is supported by a number of organisations. The campaign’s demands include passing responsibility for enforcement from trading standards to a new body.
www.cibse.org/noncompliancecosts www.acrib.org.uk
www.cibsejournal.com
Chris Huhne... promising homes overhaul
given extra help, Huhne said, and local authorities would help energy companies to reach those who live in houses most in need of better insulation. The government is now looking
at applying the principle to businesses, too, he added.
The creation of a Green Investment Bank (GIB) has also been proposed by the coalition, which would see the Carbon Trust, the Energy Technologies Institute and the Technology Strategy Board’s low carbon programme scrapped and taken over by the GIB. A recent report by the Green Investment Bank Commission concluded that: ‘The disparate collection of institutions and funds, often with similar objectives and very little accountability for the delivery of specific goals, has resulted in duplication and inefficiencies.’ It also said businesses and investors found it hard to navigate the bureaucracy. The report added that up to
£550bn could be needed between now and 2020 to meet the UK’s climate change and renewable energy targets.
http://snipurl.com/yc3mg
Lefteris Pitarakis/AP/Press Association Images
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