Development, Construction & Regeneration
Climate change has focussed attention on development and construction because more than half of the UK’s CO 2 emissions emanate from buildings, with the manufacture of building materials accounting for a further 10%.
An easy answer to cutting CO 2 emissions would be to stop construction; but obviously that’s not possible because of the increasing social and economic pressure for development, particularly new housing. The Government has formulated three solutions, the first of which is regulation intended directly to cut CO 2 emissions arising out of human activity.
The April 2006 revision of Part L1/L2 Building Regulations imposes, amongst other things, maximum CO 2 emissions for new buildings and encourages the use of low or zero carbon systems. The government aims to achieve its ambitious target of all new homes, public sector and commercial buildings being carbon zero by 2016, 2018 and 2019 respectively.
October 2008 saw the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates (EPC), designed to help improve the energy efficiency of buildings, with a certificate required whenever a building is built, sold or rented out.
The second solution is regulation intended indirectly to reduce emissions, notably planning law which requires Environmental Statements to accompany planning schemes for all significant urban developments.
It is now mandatory for new homes to be rated against the Code for Sustainable Homes which measures new homes against nine categories of sustainable design and forms the basis for future building regulations in relation to CO 2 emissions from and energy use in homes.
The third solution is for the Government to facilitate business activities which help reduce overall CO 2emissions and this presents real opportunities for imaginative low carbon forms of development.
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Making the existing housing stock more energy efficient requires a change in behaviour and planning life-cycle maintenance programmes. Although demand for new housing puts the industry under pressure to build, there is room for cautious optimism.
The design and construction industries are devising viable and imaginative methods for combating climate change, notably through the integration of renewable energy sources and recycling systems. Projects such as BedZED in South London and Solar City in Sandwell in the West Midlands show what can be achieved. The revamp of the BREEAM system has introduced minimum requirements for energy and water consumption and compulsory post construction certification, addressing how the design operates in practice. This ensures the industry continues to develop by offering additional credit for innovative projects.
The emergence of specialist developers and contractors who are able to reclaim land that only a few years ago would have been unusable, offers the hope of environmentally sustainable construction and development for post-industrial sites in many cities – now we can even recycle the land.
You see, we understand the issues better than most and that’s why we are currently helping numerous clients in the public, private and voluntary sector pursue carbon neutral and zero carbon developments. Our experience includes:
- renewable energy projects
- waste management and recycling projects
- development partnerships for the regeneration of post industrial sites
- formation of business alliances
- drafting contracts
- advising on funding agreements and structures
- making complex procurement processes easier to understand and manage
Paul Mountain, Partner
Head, Construction
T: 44(0)800 763 1344
E: paul.mountain@martineau-uk.com |
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