Press Releases

Green Guidance

Wednesday 2nd January 2008

As the UK continues to go ‘green,’ a whole vocabulary has emerged over recent years relating to the different activities, systems and standards designed to measure and monitor eco-friendly performance.

Some of the terms are well-known, others a little more obscure.

Now sustainable office design specialist Morgan Lovell has developed a guide to some of the terminology businesses are increasingly encountering in their day-to-day activity.

The information is only intended as a guide, but gives an insight to the sheer volume of detail companies now need to digest to get to grips with green matters.

Carbon neutral

Many companies are striving to help the environment by working to reduce their carbon footprints.

Being carbon neutral simply means calculating the carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by a particular activity or business and then balancing that with an equal investment in renewable energy or reforestation. This process is also called ‘carbon-offsetting'.

FTSE4Good

FTSE4Good is an index for socially responsible investment set up by FTSE, the well known financial index provider.

The FTSE4Good index covers three areas: working towards environmental sustainability; developing positive relationships; and upholding and supporting universal human rights.

BREEAM

BREEAM stands for the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method.  It is used to assess the performance of building across a series of categories including good design, energy use, sustainable materials, air and water pollution, access to public transport, land use and water consumption.

Credits are awarded in each category and then used to produce a single overall score and a rating on a scale of Pass, Good, Very Good or Excellent.

LEED

LEED is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building rating system. The standard has come to the UK from America, and it is becoming an increasingly well-known method of rating the sustainability of a building.

ISO 14001

One of the best known terms in sustainability, ISO 14001 is the most widely recognised international standard for environmental management systems. It is recognised as having emerged from the Rio Summit held in 1992. The summit led to a commitment to protection of the environment across the world.

Energy Performance Certificates

One to watch, Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) were initiated by the European Union in 2003 and are now set for introduction by the UK Government.

All residential, public and commercial buildings will be required to hold an EPC and the law states that when a building is sold or rented out, a valid EPC (not more than 10 years old) must be made available by the owner to the prospective purchaser or tenant.

The final rating for a building is represented on a scale from A to G, with A being the highest rating.

Environmental Compliance for Non-Hazardous Waste

This refers to new rules from the Environment Agency which states that from October 30, 2007, all non-hazardous waste must be pre-treated before it is disposed of at landfill sites. This rule only previously applied to hazardous waste.

Companies have a duty of care to describe their waste properly and only give it to someone authorised to handle it.

Any company which decides to send waste to a landfill site should find out if it is treated first. Treatment covers a range of processes from the simple act of sorting waste for recycling to reducing its hazardous nature.

Forest Stewardship Scheme

This scheme gives businesses and individuals the chance to use sustainable timber products.

The Forest Stewardship Council is a global organisation backed by environmental pressure groups such as Greenpeace and the World Wide Fund for Nature.

A certification scheme is in operation, which easily allows companies to identify timber from sustainable sources.

Carbon Trust

The Carbon Trust is a not-for-profit private company set up by the UK Government in response to the threat of climate change. It aims to accelerate the move to a low carbon economy through its work with British businesses.

The trust offers advice on low carbon technology and on incentives available to help companies reduce their CO2 levels.

Energy Saving Trust

The Energy Saving Trust is a not-for-profit organisation jointly funded by the Government and the private sector. It aims to promote energy conservation and reduce CO2 emissions.

The trust manages phase one of the Low Carbon Building Programme and provides free advice through a network of regional centres.

The trust asks all businesses to commit to reduce CO2 emissions by 20 per cent before 2010.

Building Regulations Part L

Part L of the Building Regulations refers to conservation of fuel and power.

The regulations, introduced in 2006, set high standards for the design and construction or refurbishment of buildings.

These include new requirements for energy performance ratings including the setting of maximum CO2 limits.

Sustainable Office Design Checklist

A free download at www.morganlovell.com/sustainability.  This is Morgan Lovell’s step-by-step guide to creating a ‘green’ office interior.

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