Category Archives: best practice

Green Schools

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green school /grEn skül / n. a school building or facility that creates a healthy environment that is conducive to learning while saving energy, resources and money

To help educate and encourage construction firms and others about the benefits of sustainable schools the US Green Building Council have recently launched a site dedicated to Green Schools  According to the site, green schools, on average, save $100,000 a year, use 33% less energy, and reduce solid waste by 74%. They also increase learning potential, reduce teacher absenteeism and turnover, and provide opportunities for hands-on learning.

The site contains a number of resources, but listening to the 9min video of students talking about environmnetal stewardship as a result of their green building is very strong.  “the new building had no new smells – which is good because those smells are only chemicals” 

With criticism of the green aspects of our Building Schools for the Future it would be good to hear of similar ‘awareness‘ resources in the UK.

Carbon neutral or zero – defined?

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Another excellent report from the Centre for Integrated Sustainability Analysis, Carbon Sense and Sensibility offers a definition of carbon neutral by looking at 11 websites that offer carbon neutrality calculators and services (offsets).

The definition is based around the idea of concept of measuring a carbon footprint and then seeking to cancel out that footprints with some kind of equal but opposite behaviour or consequence.

A must read for any organisation considering offsets to achieve neutrality or any carbon offset

.. you need to ask questions about just what carbon you are responsible for, how it is being measured and then exactly where the carbon credits have come from, how reductions have been verified and how you will know that once you have paid for those reductions they are retired so that nobody else can buy them …

gulp…

This then is very different from zero carbon -where activities are not neutralised but reduced to zero through ‘improvement’ activities and just doing things differently, and certainly not through offsetting.   (and the Code for Sustainable Homes calls for Zero Carbon – not carbon neutral ?)

A zero energy building (ZEB) or net zero energy building is a general term applied to a building with a net energy consumption of zero over a typical year.In October 2007, The Uk Green Building Council warned that few zero carbon homes were actually being built as as the criteria for carbon neutral stamp relief was so stringent. However, although “It’s not a legal obligation that zero carbon homes are built now”, “building regulations are being increased in line with the Code for Sustainable Homes over the next nine years”

Is collaboration working? – your views sought …

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The Strategic Forum, as apart of the Accelerating Change programme set the industry a target for 50% (by volume) of the UK construction industry to be undertaken in an integrated manner by the end of 2007. As we approach that milestone, the question is are we achieving that target

This target also appears as the centerpiece of the Defra / Strategic Forum Strategy for Sustainable Construction currently out for consultation.

Last year the Constructing Excellence Building Estates (formely Be) held an inetegrated workshop, comprising of the top 100 thinkers and practitioners of integrated working in the (built environment) industry and asked the question are we on track to this target. The conclusion was illuminating:

How are you doing as an organisation to (achieve this target):

Well Ahead 19%

On Course 19%

A Bit Behind 27%

Nowhere Near 35%

How are we doing as an industry to (achieve this target):

Well Ahead 0%

On Course 3%

A Bit Behind 38%

Nowhere Near 59%

Recently the Collaborative Working Champion group of CE, as part of their ongoing collabaoative state of the industry survey found that only 27% of the industry was fully collaborative, and 35% partly collaborative.

Now, throught the SF, I have been asked to publisice a further much wider survey that needs your input:

The Strategic Forum for Construction is seeking information from firms in the construction industry about their experiences of the barriers to project team integration and supply chain integration. This information will be used to develop a programme to further promote integration within the industry.

The Forum would like to hear from all interested parties – their questionnaire can be completed on line or downloaded here and http://www.strategicforum.org.uk/itgs.shtml All returned information will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Barriers so far identified include:

  • Industry Culture
  • Industry Capabilities and Capacity
  • Procurement, Contacts and Payments
  • Engagement with the Supply Chain
  • Understanding of Cost v Value v Risk

A detailed review of each of these barriers is also available on the Strategic Forum website.

View document on Barriers to Integration MS Word

At the same time, the Construction Clients’ Group (CCG) is launching a survey of its own members in November. Their aim is to establish how many CCG members are practising an integrated approach. This can be completed at

http://www.constructingexcellence.org.uk/sectorforums/constructionclientsgroup/

Martin Nielsen, who chairs the Forum’s Integration Task Group, said: “We want as much of the industry as possible to respond to this survey. The views of clients and companies from all parts of the supply side are welcomed. Their responses will help to shape the future work of the Strategic Forum.”

Mike Davies, Chairman of the Strategic Forum for Construction: “We are hoping that through these two surveys we will get a real feel for whether project team integration and supply chain integration are increasing across the industry. We are also hoping to learn from these surveys how some of the key barriers to integration can be overcome.”

Please take the time to respond. Comments also welcome here !

Green buildings on a mass scale?

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An interesting article over at worldchanging, looking at a progamme being piloted by USGBC (US Gren Building Council) to … allow large companies to design, build and certify a green prototype facility–and then replicate that design all over the country.

It’s ideal for large retail operators with buildings that are more or less the same from city to city–companies like Starbucks, Lowe’s and Best Buy, all of whom happen to be participating in the pilot program

said Brenda Mathison, Best Buy’s director of environmental affairs. “The reality is that 60 percent of all energy use in the United States comes from commercial buildings, and we decided to take action on that.”

Carbon Zero Builders Wanted – 2

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Just announced through Building – Galliford Try and Affinity Sutton Group housing association have been selected by English Partnerships to jointly pioneer one of the first major carbon neutral developments in the UK. named as the preferred bidder on the planned redevelopment of the former Graylingwell hospital site in Chichester, Sussex, creating 800 carbon neutral homes.

See previous post on isite here

An interesting project to watch to see how much of the carbon reduction to neutral is achieved through offsetting and that achieved through real action in design, construction and technology

Fringe climate events at conservative conference, Blackpool

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There is an impressive series of fringe events being organised by Climate Clinic along side the conference next week in Blackpool. Of note is the Ask an Architect event on Monday and Tuesday, hosted by the RIBA, billed as

Get advice from some of Britain’s best green architects on creating new, environmentally friendly buildings or improving the energy performance of existing buildings. Understand the science of climate change and get advice from the science experts – Met Office Sustainable Energy Advice – learn about easy steps you can take to be more energy efficient – Energy Saving Trust

I am hoping to get to some of these events and will feedback through here.

Updated -comments here: conservatives, blackpool and the built environment

Details at Climate Clinic

Carbon Accounting for the Construction Industry

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Noticed this (free) Envirowise event in Loughborough on 30th Oct.   Delighted to see David Hampton (Carbon Coach) is one of the speakers. I plan to attend and report back through here, and hopefully track down that elusive Construction Carbon Calculator.

For Lancashire Best Practice Club members – this is the type of event we need to host here in Lancs.  I will investigate.

Project Management – yesterday today and tomorrow

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Last night I presented to the NW CIOB Students meeting at UCLAN on the topic of project management, modern methods – subtitled OM yesterday today and tomorrow.  The slides in pdf format are available over on the events page.

LBPC Event 20 September – demo projects…

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A reminder that the Lancashire Best Practice Club demonstration project event is scheduled for this Thursday – details on the events page.

There is one change to the published programme in that Phil Wright, Managing Director, will be speaking on behalf of Birse Coastal in lieu of Andrew Mason.

Measuring carbon savings in existing buildings

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It has long been recognised within the blogosphere at least that the biggest contribution the built environment can make to national and global carbon reductions is through existing building stock, not only through the drive for zero carbon homes by 2016 for example.

And in case we need reminding why existing buildings are key, Cyril Sweett estimate that by 2050, 60% of UK buildings will still predate 2006 Building Regs, with corresponding high fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Barring a massive technological improvement in electricity generation at source, our only option is to address existing stock. (Elemental)

Today is the start of the CIBSE 100 days of carbon clean up.

It is good to see programmes like this that address the existing building stock. Signing up to this programme will give you the guidance and tools to reduce energy and carbons within your buildings, including TM22 – the CIBSE guide to measuring carbon savings. For example are you aware of the following carbon emission factors?

  • Natural Gas: 0.194kg CO2/kWh
  • LPG: 0.235kg CO2/kWh
  • Oil: 0.265kg CO2/kWh
  • Biomass: 0.025kg CO2/kWh
  • Electricity: 0.422kg CO2/kWh

Bit of a difference there between electricity and biomass!
Check out the CIBSE programme and make a saving and contribution today.

Making refurbishment a green opportunity

In addition CIBSE are hosting the Great Refurbishment Event

or refurbishment of commercial buildings both on client or consultancy side, then the Great Refurbishment Event held at The Royal Society, London on the 24 October 2007 is a must attend event for you. Experts throughout the building services world will share with you their strategies and techniques to take you from the planning stage through to integrating your refurbishment into improving your energy performance.