Category Archives: comment

Local Authorities, Green deal procurement, local supply chains and partnerships

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DECC have issued Green Deal guidance for Local Authorities that suggests LA’s should champion the initiative to help drive economic growth, unlocking billions of pounds worth of investment, support local jobs and local supply chains

Potential benefits to local authorities are likely to be:
• new sources of revenue to deliver energy efficiency retrofits;
• help to reduce fuel bills for local residents and businesses;
• opportunities for local economic and physical regeneration;
• support for wider local strategic priorities (better health outcomes, reduced fuel poverty);
• support for the maintenance and generation of local jobs and skills.

To deliver the Green Deal locally there are broadly three approaches local authorities might choose to adopt:
• Provide – the Green Deal directly to their local residents and businesses, co-ordinating finance and delivery;
• Partner – work in partnership with commercial Green Deal providers and community  partners to deliver and facilitate delivery; or
• Promote – by acting as advocates for the Green Deal locally

The guidance suggests usisg existing partnerships  to deliver the Green Deal – it will be to see how existing frameworks could be adopted.

For those wanting to be involved in Green Deal installation work this is a key document for understanding the potential role of Local Authorities and a spring board for understanding individual client intentions.

Download a copy here 

 

Green Deal Help

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I am often asked what can contracting organisation do to prepare for green deal.  My response is, in line with the green deal awareness programmes we run:

Work: understand green deal. How work will flow?  Who will be the providers, the clients, who will procure?

Delivery: understand what is required (standards and accreditations) in order to deliver green deal related work

Organisation: understand what changes you may need to be a green business

Visibility: understand green deal, be part of green deal discussions and be visible as a green deal player. Social media is invaluable here with twitter and linkedin having huge potential to learn and share.

If you would like more information, guidance, or our fact sheet on greening your business please do get in touch or leave comment below.

Blog Links:

More than just a Green Deal (Slide Share presentation)

Green Deal Consultation Paper

Green Reskilling

PAS 2030 Unnecessary Burden or Necessary Control

Green Deal Update Sources

 

Green Deal and ECO Consultation Paper

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The DECC Green Deal and ECO Consultation paper was issued on the 23rd Nov 2011

Download from here 

Comments and observations to follow once I have digested the 238 pages.

Please add any comments of your own …

 

 

For more information check out my More than just a green deal presentation and other presentations made at the recent Lancashire Construction Best Practice Club preparing for Green Deal event.   Please get in touch if you are interested in Green Deal Clubs.

Green Deal Assessor Standard issued for consultation

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DECC have issued their draft standard ‘Specification for the provision of Green Deal Advisor Services‘ for consultation.

The standard, albeit in draft throws more light on what Green Deal will eventually look like. From first read my comments:

Useful terms and definitions section

It would appear charges for the assessment can be made.

The customer has the option to take the Greendeal assessment to other providers.

If no EPC or an invalid EPC (or DEC for that matter) is in place the Greendeal assessor would be required to produce/update the EPC, presumably at a charge?

If charges for the GD assessment cannot be included in the overall Green Deal Plan this does raise concern on take up of green deal improvements?

The standard does seem light on a requirement of the assessor to also assess the structural capacity of the building or home to take the proposed Greendeal improvement measure.

Overall, are we seeing another piece of the greendeal jigsaw falls into place?

Download the draft document from here

Reinvigorating built environment sustainability leadership

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An excellent blog post on sustainability.com suggests what a reinvigorated agenda for change may look like.

We could learn a lot from this, for new and reinvigorated leadership in sustainability within the Built Environment sector, particularly in the UK as we move into a new era of green deals, PAS 2030’s and a renewed focus on improving our existing building stock:

Simple: For most, the discussion remains new, the lexicon confusing. We need to quickly and clearly cut through that to reach new audiences.

Fresh: People are jaded. They haven’t given up, but need to be convinced that the next change effort will be different, more meaningful.

Connect: Too many experience sustainability as intellectual, abstract, not very well connected to the here and now. (We need to revisit our understanding and connection to natural cycles of the earth, seasons, solar and lunar, the core purpose of sustainability)

Systemic: Progress to date has been limited because it is too often a single company or other actor leading only within a narrow scope. Solutions must now begin to cross traditional boundaries, create new coalitions and value networks and drive change to scale.

Adaptive: Uncertainty abounds, and yet cannot remain an excuse for further delay or loss of momentum . We must anticipate and react quickly to setbacks, sharp curves and emerging issues, and above all, keep moving.

Collaborative: Even with the explosion of supporting technology, collaboration remains a messy and difficult affair, but if new coalitions are to propagate and succeed, the agents involved must embrace and practice vastly more of it.

Distributed: Globalization and the democratization of communications run counter to the old “cult of the elite.” Leadership is perhaps now far more likely to be bottom-up than top-down, but even if not, the crowd will have the final word.

Policy-Independent: There is consensus (and frustration) that government remains either unwilling or unable to respond. We need a pathway to success that welcomes government if they will play a role, but is not in any way dependent on political leadership.

Re-Generative: While we can – and should – start by revisiting and distilling the wisdom of those who pioneered the sustainability movement, we must also invite present-day and future leaders to augment, refresh and build upon it. In this way, we may create a virtuous cycle of innovation and insight needed to propel us forward.

And I would add:

Visibility, Let’s make use of the explosion and ubiquity of the communication and dialogue tools that social media provides, to increase visibility of best practice, to learn and to share.

Link to original post

Can social media drive built environment sustainability?

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Can social media drive built environment sustainability?

Over the last few weeks I have been working with Ryan at the Construction Network and the team at Sustainability Now on an exciting project to bring social media discussions into the free to attend virtual online Sustainability Now event on the 9th and 10th November

There are two main linked themes to this initiative, a unique sustainability social media ‘list’ and an online social media lounge

The listing, in collaboration with Peerindex ranks UK sustainability twitter users on authority in sustainability and is derived from other lists recently curated by the Construction Network (eg Architecture with Su Butcher and Built Environment Paul Wilkinson for example). It includes all aspects of the built environment from civil engineering to FM to PR to architecture to products to construction and more.

Being ranked on authority in sustainability we will see some surprises when the list is launched at midday during the show. Those with low a Peerindex score, or low activity may well see themselves quite high on authority listing, whereas those with very high activity or Peerindex scores may not rank in the top 100 at all.  Quality not quantity perhaps?

Peerindex describe authority as the measure of trust; calculating how much others rely on your recommendations and opinion in (sustainability), and is one component of the overall PI score. ie, it is where people will go for sustainability information on twitter (At least to UK sources, we may well expand to a global list next time)

The second exciting initiative is the social media lounge. Over the two days of the show a number of social media practitioners and advocates will be in a virtual lounge discussing the use of social media in the built environment, and in particular how it can be used to drive sustainability.

Those in the lounge will include @gb_news and @greenbuildexpo, @EEPaul @CKEgroup, @SuButcher @KirstieColledge @priteshpatel9 @KLHSustain @carinawtweets, @DIEMltd.

Amanda Jones @Peerindex will also be online to answer questions on the sustainability list, alongside myself and Ryan (@fairsnape and @ryanbriggstcn)

For more background information see:

Sustainability Now Registration Page

Social Media Lounge Residents 

Sponsors and Supporters 

 

 

Green Build News Article

 

 

The Great Construction Green Reskilling

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Last night I attended an interesting and informative “The future green skill needs of the construction industry” Round Table discussion, hosted by The Guardian.

The panelists Mark Farrar, CITB, Brian Berry, FMB, David Bownass, WSP and Gareth Jones Carbon Zero UK, were chaired by Jane Dudman from the Guardian.

A full report of the round table will appear in the Guardian on 16th Nov, but here are my thoughts on construction green skills future needs

Understandably the attention and focus was on trade green skills and the green deal which Mark Farrar from CITB referred to as a ‘targeted hot spot’ for the industry.

And yet the need for green skills in construction will permeate to all levels and roles and is far wider than the Green Deal although this may well be the catalyst, even a trojan horse.

Leaders and directors will need the skills to be able to act as role models, embedding green thinking across the organisational value chain,  to be able to look at all aspects of construction and  the organisation, including the organisations future direction through a sustainability lens.

Unless construction board rooms have a green agenda, commitment to addressing organisational skill needs could be transient. (See A Low Carbon Diet for Construction Boards)

Those involved with procurement, finance and quantity surveying will need skills to balance costs and value with sustainability, appropriate sourcing and social localism issues, and, be able to make informed decisions

Site managers, planners and supervisors require skills to balance sustainable construction, lean construction, reduced waste, reduced carbon, understand closed loop resources with the time old juggle of bringing the project in to quality cost and time. All this along side understanding increasingly complex constructions and green installations.

At trade green skills level the panelists agreed on the need for multi-skilled, multi competent persons and approaches, all needing a new approach to supervision and planning.

Getting it right first time, a systems thinking approach to quality along with closed loop resource concepts remain alien to the bulk of construction practice, training and education.

The re-skilling of the industry looks like a mammoth task when one considers the training implications, again not only of trades but of under graduates, management courses and CPD from the institutions

The environment skills map drawn up by IEMA represents a useful approach to environmental management skills that in the main can be read across to construction management.

But green skills are not the only future skills required, as we move to BIM, IPM, Collaborative and Lean construction … We need to ask why has our training investment, training organisations, education systems and institutes not delivered the needed skills on the correct scale.

Sustainability has been on the agenda for at least a generation since Brundtlands Sustainability Development definition in 1987.

Its nothing new.

Back in 2007  Rob Hopkins in the Transition Handbook forecast –

In 2011, the Government initiated the concept of the Great Reskilling in the training of construction industry workers.

Are we nearly there?

FIT Changes and affect on large scale solar PV installations

Notes from #govtoday Sustainable Community event from Oris session talking large scale solar PV installations

Consequences of recent changes to #FIT’s particularly on multi installation include …

job losses,

lack of confidence in sector

stock write offs,

lost investment in training and skills transfers,

Lost investment in community based training initiatives,

Missed opportunity in battle against fuel poverty

Mistrust from private investors which could well affect future initiatives

Industry a victim of its own success – boom and bust

Industry opinion

Support cuts in line with falling PV prices

Early cut of period before end of consultation unexpected unreasonable and draconian

Returns on HA investments already marginal – so why reduce further?

Investment is a business – without it fighting fuel poverty would not be realised

hence

Cohesive and strong industry lobbying expected …

Understanding CSR in Construction

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Perhaps we need to clarify what we understand by CSR in Construction?

Whether we mean Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Sustainable Responsibility or even Carbon Social Responsibility is somewhat irrelevant and I am comfortable with all definitions. What is important of course is how we approach, manage and embed CSR within the organisation.

Probably one of the least effective CSR approaches would be one that is scattergun, uncoordinated and of a tick box nature to enable us just to tick the CSR box for bids, company literature and websites.

CSR starts with understanding the organisations impact, on social, sustainability, education, employment, on the planet, on communities and more. Once that impact is understood, measures can be planned and implemented to minimise or eliminate those impacts. CSR needs real  commitment to integrate responsible practices into daily organisational  operations to address impact.

CSR, as I recently quoted on twitter it is about striving for zero impact and a closed loop system that addresses resources used.

Sources of CSR inspiration I suggest delegates on my CSR events and workshops check out, as they  have significance within construction, include

Yvon Chouinard and the essential reading: Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman""  (http://amzn.to/otp3vT)  that includes a chapter on how Patagonia as client extends it’s CSR and  environmental values to construction projects.

Secondly the late Ray Anderson, (Interface Flooring) probably the most influential CSR and Sustainability thinker in the built environment. His Mount Sustainability and Zero Mission thinking has inspired many.   Check out Confessions of a Radical Industrialist: How Interface proved that you can build a successful business without destroying the planet""  (http://amzn.to/r00VAJ)

And  for current CSR thinking within the built environment and beyond, check out  the news feeds and articles from leading CSR thinkers on CSRWire.

A recent article written for CSRWire explored the link between CSR, carbon management and localism within construction and FM which fired an interesting debate on a possible new thinking for CSR – Carbon Social Resposnibility

I await to see who will be the first construction organisation in the UK to become members of what I view as the best commitment possible to CSR – the 1% for the Planet movement. That’s one percent of turnover going to offset the impact your organisation may have on the environment. Commitment yes, but perhaps just a fraction of the cost of really addressing construction impact.

(This post was written in connection with the linkedin CSR in Construction group)

Green Deal PAS 2030 – Necessary Control or Unnecessary Burden?

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What may well become one of the most significant UK standards in refurbishment, eco-refits and green deal, possibly up there with ISO 9001 and CDM, PAS 2030, has been released in draft for consultation through the BSi. (PAS is a Publicly Available Standard)

PAS 2030 will become the installation standard for Green Deal and other green refurbishment type agreements. Installers would have to be accredited under PAS 2030 in order to operate under Green Deal schemes.

From PAS 2030 introduction: It is intended for use by any entity undertaking the installation of any products and/ or systems designed to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings but particularly where those products and systems are to be installed within the remit of the United Kingdom Green Deal Financing Mechanism.

This PAS includes requirements in respect of installation processes, process management and service provision and includes criteria relating to installation methods, equipment and tools, product and material suitability and the training, skills and competence of the people undertaking such installation.

DECC, sponsors of the standard are silent on the issue and status on their Green Deal website. You have to dig deeper into the minutes of the Green Deal Installer Accreditation & Qualification Forum to understand the importance of PAS 2030

DECC clarified that:

PAS 2030 sets the standard for Green Deal. Certification bodies apply the standard and are accredited by UKAS

Those certification bodies accredited then pass on details of their members to go onto the Installer Register (managed by the Oversight Body).

Only those on the register can operate under the GD

The consultation is open until the 24th october, contractors, subcontractors. installers and others looking to be involved in GreenDeal are urged to read the document and make comment during the consultation period

On reading the draft document, discussing with contractors and clients, my comments are:

  • Size of the standard is intiallay daunting – 175 pages
  • At least in the short term, until further awareness and training is completed, it could well exclude those SME’s not already ISO 9001 accredited or familiar with concepts such as Process Management, Process Control, Non Conformities and the like)
  • There appears to be a requirement for a comprehensive installation plan for each measure / property. (measures range from SV Panels to Loft Installation to Window Replacement)
  • With less than 12 months to launch of Green Deal very little time for SME’s to put a PAS 2030 system in place or included in their other systems and to be accredited. I also assume accreditation would include audit of projects as well as the system, introducing a chicken and egg scenario
  • Additional cost of preparation / accreditation could be a barrier if not viewed as an improvement investment.

There are omissions in the standard which suggests it has been written with old school thinking rather than sustainability advocate thinking. Even the title, 2030, has huge relevance in the world of climate change, a connection not recognised or acknowledged, despite the stated prime political purpose of Green Deal is to contribute to the UK CO2 reduction, with 2030 being a key milestone.

The standard is also silent or light on sustainable construction themes such as sustainable procurement, carbon management, waste or appropraite sourcing. No reference is made to other government sustainable construction standards or strategies

PAS 2030 could or should present an opportunity to further embed sustainability within the industry. An opportunity missed if the draft is not radically amended.

Chief Executive of CITB-ConstructionSkills, Mark Farrar said:

“With the Green Deal on the horizon, it is important that firms who want to stay one step ahead of the game take part in this consultation. All installers will have to be certified to PAS 2030 standards and without the required accreditations, they may lose out on business come next October. But, the accreditation has to be realistic and that’s why it’s so important to make sure all firms are consulted properly.

Brian Berry, Director of External Affairs at the Federation of Master Builders said:

“The PAS 2030, setting the standards for Green Deal installers, is an important consultation for everyone in the building industry. It will impact on the future delivery of retrofit work so it is crucial that businesses take the time to look at it and offer comments before it is set in stone.

We plan to trial the PAS 2030 approach with contractor (Emanuel Whittaker) and client (Salix Homes) working together on a eco refurb project in Manchester – more updates soon.