GREEN MATTERS
Focus on the built environment
Martin Fahey, head of sustainability at Mitsubishi Electric says that focus on the built environment is essential if the UK is meet climate goals.
A
s the UK recovers from the COVID-19 global pandemic, one important topic of conversation has been looking at how we plan for a ‘green
recovery’, and a more environmentally friendly future. Governments around the world are working out what life will look like after lockdown, many are seeing this as a once-in-a-lifetime strategic opportunity to tackle the other great threat of our time; the climate crisis. There are growing calls within the international community that any economic and social recovery plans take into account the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, and there are suggestions that a green global recovery could spur global GDP by as much as $100tn.
The upcoming COP26 in Glasgow later this year will also focus on agreeing a package to achieve the net- zero carbon emission target by 2050. In addition to post-pandemic recovery and the
net-zero target, there are also other plans in place to reduce carbon emissions in the Capital. The London Plan, set out in 2011 and recently updated, focuses on new build projects, and changing the way they are
40 June 2021
heated and cooled, in order to bring carbon emissions in London to 60% lower than 1990 levels by 2025.
The built environment and air conditioning A big part of how the world recovers and goes greener is how it handles its built environment. The Government has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2050, and according to the UK Green Building Council, the built environment accounts for around 40% of the UK’s total carbon footprint. While a lot of this comes from construction, as well as electricity usage for essential services like IT, a significant portion of this carbon reduction can be made through changes to how buildings are heated, cooled and ventilated. Many modern buildings these days will have some
element of air conditioning inside to ensure an optimal productive environment for occupants. Commercial buildings are increasingly airtight and filled with heat- generating office equipment and lighting, so keeping temperatures stable and comfortable often requires air conditioning. So, to help buildings reduce their
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