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sustainability & energy saving solutions
building in sustainability from the start: turning regulation into value
The era of sustainability being either a design aspiration or an optional extra has passed. With tightening regulations, escalating energy costs and the race to net zero, sustainability has become a fundamental design parameter. But more importantly than that, it’s becoming Anna Maclean, CEO and co-founder of SRE tells ABC&D more...
It would be fair to say that historically, sustainability has been treated as a compliance box ticking exercise at the end stages of a building’s design. However, this had led to both inflated costs and assets that simply don’t perform as well as they could. The truth is, the earlier sustainability is embedded into a project, the greater the benefits – not just in carbon and energy performance, but in cost certainty and market value. Early integration – reducing risk and unlocking value One enduring myth is that sustainability adds cost. In reality, early- stage sustainability integration is one of the most powerful tools for cost control, risk management and value enhancement. A design team’s influence over a building’s energy and carbon
outcomes is greatest during RIBA Stages 1 and 2, which cover the early stages of a project when the brief is developed, key requirements are defined, and the overall concept design is established. Early collaboration allows architects and sustainability consultants to shape orientation, form, materials and systems before they are fixed. This early leverage far outweighs what can be achieved through late-stage specification changes or retrofit. Early integration also future-proofs projects against fast-evolving
regulation. The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) will continue to tighten, and the forthcoming finalised version of the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard (UKNZCBS) will formalise expectations for net-zero performance.
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