Sustainable Design and Construction Drivers
Kate MillsSenior Sustainability Consultant, BRE
UK sustainable development strategy - March 2005
Principles: • Sustainable consumption and
production
• Climate Change and Energy
• Protection of Natural Resources & Environment enhancement
• Creating sustainable communities
• Regionally developed
And three key themes:
• Involving people
• Government leading by example
• Getting serious about delivery
Legislation
• “Duty to prepare “community strategies”, for promoting or improving the economic, social and environmental well being of their areas, and contributing to the achievement of sustainable development in the UK” – Local Govnt in Scotland Bill (2003)
• “Any person or body creating a Regional Spatial Strategy or a Local Development Plan must exercise the function with the objective of contributing to the achievement of sustainable development” – Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004
The drivers
• Scottish Executive Guidance “Choosing Our Future: Scotland’s Sustainable Development Strategy” - 12: Making the Links: Built Environment
•Scottish Executive Construction Procurement Manual - Sustainable Development section of website - Applies if audited by Auditor General for Scotland
•Sustainable Development Policy Into Practice: New Buildings – Scottish Executive April 2006
The drivers
• Communities Scotland – Sustainable Housing Design Guide and Housing Quality Assessment Programme
• SPP 1 – inclusion in development plans of measure to promote sustainable development
• SPP 3 – energy efficiency and use of resources• PAN 72 – local materials• PAN 67 – sustainability of housing developments• PAN 63 – provision of space of recycling
The drivers
• SUDS requirements under Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2005
• Architecture and Design Scotland (www.ads.org.uk)
• BREEAM for Schools
• NEAT for NHS
• BREEAM for offices, industrial units, retail
The drivers
• SE support Considerate Constructors Scheme
• Guidance from the Architecture Policy unit www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Arts-Culture/arch/initiatives
• SUST and RIAS Sustainable Design Accreditation Scheme
The drivers
• Tougher building regulations – consultation March 06
• Raise levels of energy performance, incentivise the use of low and zero carbon technologies, inc micro-renewables and promote low energy lighting in new home
• Energy Performance Directive of Buildings Directive
• Ability to dry washing indoors - building regs
Other Legislation and Policy Drivers
• Energy White Paper – 60% CO2 reduction by 2050
• Better Building Summit – Code for Sustainable Building (CSB)
• OGC’s - Achieving Excellence in Construction Suite
Other drivers
• Strategic Environmental Assessment for public sector strategies, plans and programmes
• Environmental Impact Assessment
• Stakeholder pressure and accountability
• Environmental policies, statements and EMS
• Competition between developers?
Future drivers
• Future revision of Scotland’s Climate Change Programme
• Scottish Sustainable Procurement Action Plan (end 06)
• PAN 45 – planning issues for micro renewables
• SE consultation on site waste management plans and recycled content targets
• SBSA, Planning Group and Architecture Policy Unit publications on use of natural building materials
Code for Sustainable Buildings
• “National” Code for Sustainable Buildings
• Government and the building industry to adopt a single Code for Sustainable Building………….and that this be based on BREEAM / EcoHomes
The Code - What is it?
• Single Code for Sustainable Homes, with clear minimum standards for key resource efficiency (energy, water, waste and use of materials).
• Plus optional Liveability elements, (Lifetime Homes, Security, Soundproofing, Private External space, Daylighting, Home User Guide).
• Five performance levels from basic “one star” up to carbon neutral “five star”• Scoring minimum of 30, up to a level of 100• Must do criteria augmented by optional “tradeable” elements
• Manifesto Commitment - from April 2006 all new homes receiving central funding will meet the new CSB.
• No plans for “Non-Domestic CSB”….and…
• Only in England!
Response to the Code - What’s happening here?
March 06 - public consultation on extending certain Standards, due into force in May 2007
March 06 - SBSA report “Sustainable development policy into practice: new buildings”
• Existing and proposed measures to promote the sustainable development of new buildings
• Regulatory standards and guidance • Conditions of public funding and guidance
Contact:-Dr Linda Sheridan
Scottish Building Standards Agency
Building (Scotland) Act 2003 led the UK by introducing powers to make building regulations to further the “achievement of sustainable development”
Industry benchmarking
• First survey of 13 of UK’s largest listed house-builders
• More than 50% of them lag behind best practice
• The leading companies demonstrated that sustainability can be integrated into mainstream business practices
• Public disclosure on sustainability is lacking.
WWF in conjunction with Insight Investment January 2004
Why - UK Property industry overview
• 8 % UK GDP• 1.5 m people employed• 170,000 Companies• 90 m tonnes of waste• CO2 emissions related to construction- 60%• Aggregate consumption - 260 m tonnes / yr• Timber consumption - 60% of UK total• Buildings responsible for > 50% of UK CO2
UK Energy Use by Buildings
Industrial9%
Offices4%
Hotels3%
Retail5%
Others7%
Sports2%
Health & Education
7%
Housing63%
Housing
63%
Source BRE
Why?
• Policy into practice• Remit• Knowledge and training• Policy, systems and processes• At the start• Time and budget• Setting the brief• Getting the right integrated team• Informed clients
Why?
• Conservative constructors• Contracts for engineers• Speculative development• Quantitative benchmarks and targets• Monitoring• Accountability