By Beatrice K Otto
GOVERNMENT RESPONSES
WHAT WILL THEY HIT ME WITH (NEXT)?
In the last 10-15 years there has been a proliferation of policies, conventions, frameworks, directives and regulations governing sustainable development, with an emphasis on the environment, energy, carbon and climate change issues.
Since buildings are responsible for about 40% of EU final energy consumption, improving their energy efficiency could reduce their carbon emissions by 22%. This has led to the EU Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings which became national law in January 2006. The Directive will create a common methodology for calculating the integrated energy performance of buildings and requires minimum standards for energy performance in new (and some existing) buildings, as well as energy certification for all buildings and inspections of boilers and heating and cooling systems.
Part L paragraph
Another EU Directive, on end use energy efficiency and energy services, sets a target for a 9% cut in energy use from 2008 to 2017. It will become national law in May 2008.
The UK government has mandated that all new government buildings must achieve high ratings on the Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM): Excellent for new buildings and Very Good for existing buildings. Since public buildings comprise about 40% of the construction industry's work, the impact could be significant.
WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE?
http://www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/carbontrust/climate_change/iocc4_2.html
The Carbon Trust website provides a neat and brief introduction to some of the national and international governmental responses to climate change and greenhouse gas reduction.
http://www.dti.gov.uk
The Sustainable Construction Strategy Report 2006 can be downloaded from the DTI website. Although at a big picture level, it gives insights into government policy on sustainable building design. Annex B provides a brief overview of relevant building regulations.
WHERE CAN I SURF MORE?
DIRECTIVES & LEGISLATION
http://www.netregs.gov.uk/netregs/legislation/ A good place to help you keep up with, and even ahead of, current and emerging legislation.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/energy/internat/ecbuildings.htm
http://www.diag.org.uk/
http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2003/l_001/l_00120030104en00650071.pdf EU Directive on Energy Performance in Buildings was implemented at national level in January 2006.
http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/20040022.htm The Sustainable and Secure Buildings Act allows building regulations to consider sustainability more broadly to include not only environmental improvements, but also furthering sustainable development, and the reduction of crime.
http://www.communities.gov.uk/buildingregs The Update to Part L of building regulations came into force in December 2005 and sets standards to reduce CO2 emissions. It will look at overall CO2 emissions against a target value and will take into account any renewables used.
http://www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/climatechange/policy/ccl.htm Climate Change Levy (CCL) became effective in 2001 as a price signal to reduce energy use and emissions in industry, commerce and the public sector. It's complemented by Climate Change Agreements in which energy intensive industries can negotiate an 80% discount on the CCL in return for meeting agreed targets to reduce carbon emissions.
http://www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/climatechange/policy/renewables_obligation.htmlThe Renewables Obligation (RO) obliges electricity suppliers to source a growing proportion of their energy from renewable sources, with a target of 15% by 2015.
CODES & STANDARDS
http://www.breeam.org/
http://www.breeam.org/offices.html The Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) can assess new and existing buildings. Its widely used BREEAM for Offices assesses office buildings. It has four levels of assessment: Pass, Good, Very Good or Excellent.
http://www.usgbc.org
Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED(TM)) Green Building Rating System is one of the leading systems for rating sustainable buildings, devised by the US Green Building Council. It has several levels depending on the number of credits achieved in various categories:
- LEED New Construction (LEED-NC) aimed at new buildings
- LEED Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) is for the design of tenant fit outs in leased office space
- LEED Existing Buildings (LEED-EC) concerns the performance of existing buildings and can cover upgrades in the systems and operation of buildings even if the building is not substantially changed
http://www.dti.gov.uk/sectors/construction/sustainability/codesushomes/page13697.html Code for Sustainable Homes is described on the DTI's web-page on sustainable construction.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/energy/betterbuildings.htm There is also discussion about whether to develop a Code for Sustainable Buildings (CSB).
http://www.greenguard.orgGreenguard certifies low emission products for the indoor environment, including adhesives, appliances, ceiling, cleaning systems, flooring, construction, insulation, office equipment, office furniture, panels and moveable walls, paint, textiles and wall coverings. Although a US standard, their Allowable Emission Levels provide a great benchmark for suppliers.
INCENTIVES
http://www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/ Quantifying the UK's Incentives for Low Carbon Investment , by the Carbon Trust, provides a guide to the incentives, worth about £1.3 billion, provided by government to encourage business and consumers to tackle carbon emissions.
http://www.ltcs.org.uk/
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1996/Uksi_19961527_en_1.htm The Landfill Tax is a fiscal incentive to minimise waste, which will increase until it reaches £35 per tonne.
www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/aggregates/index.htm
The Aggregates Levy aims to encourage the use of recycled aggregates by taxing virgin aggregates at £1.60 per tonne.
http://www.est.org.uk/housingbuildings/funding/lowcarbonbuildings/ The Low Carbon Buildings Programme supercedes the Clear Skies programme, and provides grants for renewable energy micro-generation projects, including for business.
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