Last Wednesdays (April 18th) Guardian Society supplement was a must read series of articles under the theme of Building the Future. The supplement, a collaboration with Think 07 addressed Sustainable Building for the 21st Century.

Copies of the supplement are available from Guardian Professional

Introduction
The built environment accounts for 50% of all the UK carbon emissions. Construction materials contribute a further 10% of total carbon emissions, whilst we in the industry produce a third of all waste – said to be 31 million tonnes per annum (that’s 1 tonne per household)

The supplement articles include:

Back to the drawing Board
Kisrtsy Gogan a partner at Futerra, puts the case for rethinking our industry – in relation to achieving carbon zero emissions.  I am always reminded of Einstein in realtion to ‘rethinking’ – “we cannot fix todays problems with the same patterns of thought that created them ”

Time for business to show leadership
Targets may be in place for zero carbon housing – but now is the time to turn attention to targets for the business and other private sectors – argues Heather Stewart, economics correspondent for the Observer

Good intentions of political gestures?
Will costs be the barrier to zero carbon homes – or will costs reduce as everyone builds to zero carbon standards?

A brand new way of living
Sustainability is not jut about carbons – its about mixed facilities and communities co-existing

The transport Equation
Re-visiting the car in cities issue

Lessons from Elsewhere
Swedish case studies – proving carbon zero and communities based facilities work, the project at Malmo was an inspiration for housing minister Yvette Cooper to push forward with the carbon zero targets for homes.

Homes for Zeros
What technologies will we need into the future?

Half a million honmes a year will need a green make over
Are we doing enough to address the existing housing stock?

The new power generation
…”the construction industry no accepts that it must urgently change the way it has operated for many years”…. Changes are coming thick and fast – but unlike the other sectors the construction industry plays catch up …

Think 07 – London May 01 – 03 It is time to build as we mean to go on ….. I will be attending parts of this three day event and report back on key issues

Relevance to the north west – and the Lancashire construction best practice programme is clear – our innovation event in July, hosted through UCLan will address many of the issues raised in this supplement.

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New UN report underlines how often simple and low cost energy savings measures can help deliver the Kyoto targets and beyond. The right mix of appropriate government regulation, greater use of energy saving technologies and behavioural change can substantially reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the building sector which accounts for 30-40 % of global energy use.

From the press release: BuildingsCan Play a Key Role in Combating Climate Change

Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, said:“ Energy efficiency, along with cleaner and renewable forms of energy generation, is one of the pillars upon which a de-carbonized world will stand or fall. The savings that can be made right now are potentially huge and the costs to implement them relatively low if sufficient numbers of governments, industries, businesses and consumers act”.

“This report focuses on the building sector. By some conservative estimates, the building sector world-wide could deliver emission reductions of 1.8 billion tonnes of C02. A more aggressive energy efficiency policy might deliver over two billion tonnes or close to three times the amount scheduled to be reduced under the Kyoto Protocol,” he added.

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Combining design that is fit for purpose and climate change will increasingly be the challenge that faces our industry. The Guardian report on the 9th April may well hint at things to come:

Teachers yesterday demanded the right to walk out of hot classrooms during soaring temperatures, claiming “glasshouse” schools were putting children’s safety at risk.

David Brinson, from the National Union of Teachers, said: “How can children stay safe, be healthy, enjoy and achieve if they are in an environment that is at best uncomfortable and at worst downright dangerous.”

New schools, such as privately-sponsored city academies, built with large glass windows may “look wonderful” and win architecture prizes but they were “completely unfit for the purpose”.

Eek

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