Now the good news is that the UKGBC have started a consultation on the development of the Code.
The document can be downloaded from here, and a discussion area has been set up on the be2camp forum.
Now the good news is that the UKGBC have started a consultation on the development of the Code.
The document can be downloaded from here, and a discussion area has been set up on the be2camp forum.
The UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC) has announced the panel of experts that will shape the Code for Sustainable Buildings to complement the government’s consultation on its target to make all new buildings zero-carbon from 2019.
The task group comprises:
• Bill Bolsover, chief executive, Aggregate Industries;
• John Connaughton, partner, Davis Langdon;
• Ian Coull, chief executive, Segro;
• John Frankiewicz, chief executive, Willmott Dixon;
• Alistair Guthrie, director, Ove Arup & Partners;
• Ken Hall, managing director, Prologis;
• Bill Hughes, managing director, Legal & General Property;
• Daniel Labbad, chief executive UK, Lend Lease;
• Sunand Prasad, president, RIBA; and
• Ant Wilson, business unit director, Faber Maunsell.
This group is impressive and will be influential, but I fear for the wrong reasons.
I cannot help but think we again fall into the trap of trying to solve today’s problem with the mindset that created them.(*) I have no problems with any individuals on this panel, indeed from their profiles scattered across the web, they are without doubt passionate and well informed on sustainability, but collectively do they represent too narrow a view of our industry. It is appreciated that the task force will take evidence from sub groups and work groups, but at strategy level …
The UKGBC have in the past stated that this Code would be an open source document which is the right way forward. Lets hope that the panel adopts open source approach during the development as well as in the document itself. This is an important issue for our sector and cannot be done behind closed doors. For example:
Unfortunately unless there is a truly open and representative approach to the Code development, it will, like the Strategy for Sustainable Construction and the Code for Sustainable Homes be largley ignored, misunderstood or perceived irrelevant to those at the sharp end of the industry.
(*) from Einsteins famous quote “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”