SUSTAINABILITY 083
Left and below right The new train station at Meridian Water, which has been named London’s ‘greenest development’ due to its close proximity to parks and waterways
What are the expectations for carbon neutrality in the UK and internationally? What should be the priorities right now for architects and designers, and how can they work with clients to enhance the sustainability credentials of their projects?
With the release of the sixth carbon budget, a 78% reduction in emissions by 2035 is enshrined in law. To get anywhere near this will require huge efforts across all sectors. Clients and investors need to be selective about the types of projects they get involved in – refurbishment of existing buildings rather than new build and allocating budgets for low-carbon measures. Design teams should be measuring the life-cycle impacts of their projects and proposing solutions that reduce these. Manufacturers also need to be measuring their impacts, finding low-carbon alternatives and publishing their data in environmental product declarations.
Where is the main progress currently being made at present, and in which areas is there still a lot more work to do?
A lot of progress has been made in energy consumption, thermal efficiency of buildings and on-site renewables. Tese aspects have become common practice and building regulations have tightened up considerably on new builds over the past three years, but there is still a huge amount of work to do with the energy consumption of existing buildings.
Are developers leading or following the campaign for carbon neutral?
A small handful of market leaders have made promising starts and set some ambitious targets. However, there is a huge chasm between corporate-level target setting and practical application on the ground. On day-to-day projects we are still hearing the same excuses from project managers and design teams afraid of the potential risks and costs of transitioning to low-carbon design. Tose that accept this are often finding added benefits beyond the carbon savings, particularly over the life-cycle of the building.
bregroup.com
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RIGHT AND ABOVE RIGHT: PETER LANDERS PHOTOGRAPHY
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