Green guru
The right noises
Government ministers have announced their good intentions at Ecobuild but they need to convince us all that they have an integrated green policy
Neil Jefferson on building sustainable homes
Building truly sustainable new buildings isn’t just about regulations
Reality check
Rick Wheal, consultant at Arup, on why our approach to sustainable building has to change
The tide is turning
The nuclear new build programme is in trouble and the UK is in desperate need of clean and secure energy. So, says Julia Barfield, it’s time we pushed ahead with the Severn Barrage
Green is good for business
Tim Yeo remembers when sustainability was a dirty word for the business community. Now as an MP he sees the industry taking the lead and willing the government to do more
Upskill for a new world
SMEs should put themselves in the frame for low-carbon building work through the Green Deal, says Mark Farrar. But that is just the first step towards a new, green-focused industry
Green and growth in an eco-village
The green economy needs to be driven by entrepreneurs not just government. Tim Byles explains how his JV with Bill Dunster aims to do just that with their eco-village in Devon
Refitting for the future
Refurbishing our ageing buildings to become more energy efficient would address so many issues
Race for the prize
Building’s Green for Growth campaign calls for the roll-out of display energy certificates to commercial buildings. British Land’s Justin Snoxall explains how this could work
Better building performance is a stimulant to growth, not a barrier
Keeping consequential improvements would have meant more jobs, cheaper bills for home owners and less reliance on energy imports
Energy efficiency measures are a benefit not a burden
With the UK’s power capacity margin falling to low levels, demand side reduction is vital to keep the country in business
Spread your wings
Building and Ecobuild have launched the Global Clients Group, bringing you the latest insights from clients driving the sustainability agenda
The 'conservatory tax' is dead. Long live consequential improvements
Ministers should ignore ‘conservatory tax’ media hysteria and press on with consequential improvements, says Andrew Warren
Recycling materials: The great recovery
Some of the core materials construction uses have become scarce - eventually everything we use will be. We have to stop jettisoning materials and design so they can all be recycled
Deepest green credentials
The Living Building Challenge provides the opportunity to hit the highest conceivable sustainability targets
How should green building labelling work?
The success of the newly launched BREEAM for Domestic Refurnishment scheme depends on finding a balance between admin costs and a large enough market
The FIT is is still regressive, even after Supreme Court victory
The linking of the feed-in tariff to a home’s energy rating is just one of a series of blunders made by the government contributing to a missed opportunity
New refurbishment funding is a missed opportunity for energy efficiency
A pot of £70m is being distributed to bring empty properties into use - and what better opportunity to undertake a deep low carbon retrofit?
Sustainability: Nothing but 'faddy ideology' for the government?
Verbal faux pas are just one symptom of the coalition’s growing apathy towards the promotion of the green agenda in construction, says Richard Steer
What about conservatories in the Part L consultation?
It’s high time the government took the opportunity to regulate energy wasting conservatories
Closing the energy performance gap
The government’s proposal to accredit housebuilders as part of its Part L consultation should raise standards
Energy Act, Green Deal and EPCs: Key legal points to remember
From April 2012 new regulations relating to the energy performance of buildings come into play, ahead of the roll-out of the Green Deal in October
Carillion's purchase of Eaga: Blinded by the sun
In April, Carillion bought Eaga - a company with big plans to install PV panels on 30,000 homes - and rebranded it as Carillion Energy Services. Seven months later, government feed-in tariffs have been cut in half, and all 4,500 jobs are on the line. So was the £298m purchase a catastrophic error? Building reports
Green Deal proposals: Deal or no deal?
The government wants to reduce our utility bills and cut emissions at no cost to itself. Its answer is the Green Deal, published last week: get private investors to offer loans to pay for insulation. So what kind of reaction have the proposals received?
Life for BioRegional after Quintain
Co-founder of BioRegional disappointed by end of Quintain joint venture but says valuable lessons can be learnt
Feed-in tariff cuts: No solar gain
The dramatic and sudden cut to the feed-in tariff has put the solar power industry in fear of its future, and led many to doubt the government’s commitment to the wider sustainability agenda. Vern Pitt talks to those affected by the perceived U-turns, delays and climbdowns
New feed-in tariffs: The impact for the construction industry
As feed-in tariffs for PVs continue to hit the headlines, what are the key changes are being proposed, and what is their potential impact?
Delivering low carbon buildings in practice
We’re very good at delivering low-carbon buildings on paper, but when it comes to actual performance, we’re where we were 20 years ago. Richard Guy says it’s time to get serious
Who's to blame for our lack of zero-carbon homes?
Are housebuilders failing to build to zero-carbon standards - as suggested by minister Andrew Stunell - or is the failure to build due to a flaw in the targets?
Suppliers won't invest in Green Deal without consumer demand
Only 31% of UK manufacturers have products suited to the Green Deal according to a Chartered Institute of Marketing report
All mapped out
Open mike The UK is in danger of losing its way when it comes to local energy generation projects. But an energy map can guide councils and landowners to a low-carbon future, says Robert Shaw
Overheating: It's getting hot in here …
Neil Jefferson, director of the NHBC and chief executive of the Zero Carbon Hub
Tackling the energy performance challenge
Neil Jefferson, director of the NHBC and chief executive of the Zero Carbon Hub
Cutting carbon: The long and winding road
At Ecobuild this week, the Green Construction Board launched a routemap on how the government can meet the 2050 carbon reduction target. Fasten your seat belts …
Sustainability is for sharing
Establishing a new educational model for sustainable building design could be a smart idea, but only if the whole industry works on it together, says Chris Wise
Exploiting the green market
The green agenda is poised to create thousands of jobs and real growth. But imagination and commitment are needed to grasp this chance, says Willmott Dixon’s Chris Durkin
Green Deal must be affordable
The Green Deal will only be successful if the public knows for sure that they will save money
CHP vs heat pumps: Which system will win out in the long term?
It looks like the days of combined heat and power plants are drawing to a close
Neil Jefferson on the prospects for zero carbon in 2013
Clarity from government on policy issues is needed to make 2013 the year we start to deliver targets and standards for new-build homes
The energy reforms are progress – but now we need action
Without a decision on long-term decarbonisation, the cost of capital will rise and building more plants will be more expensive
We must keep the Code for Sustainable Homes
Abolishing the Code for Sustainable Homes as part of the government’s review of housing standards would be a retrograde step
Passivhaus blog: Stirley Community Farm
The Green Building Store are transforming a derelict barn into a Passivhaus-standard, all-purpose education centre
Green Deal: It's not too late to save jobs
The Green Deal faces another setback – but with pragmatism and ambition the scheme can still be a groundbreaking success
Sustainable materials: Wood first?
Design teams need the freedom to decide which material will give the best sustainability outcome
We need a bridge to stop insulation work collapse before Green Deal
There are worrying gaps opening up in the government’s flagship green scheme
Why all the outrage over the 'conservatory tax'?
Misunderstanding, emotion over taxes and a lack of knowledge about the Green Deal have contributed to a bad public image for consequential improvements
What will the world look like in 2050?
The built environment may not look radically different in the future but major change is needed to meet sustainability demands - and we need a plan now
'History of mis-selling could threaten Green Deal success'
Careful oversight of the Green Deal is needed to prevent breaches of the code of conduct leading to the swift discrediting of the concept
Sustainable buildings: Leaner but greener
We have to resist the temptation to think that sustainable buildings are too expensive in a downturn. Clever, low technology design and a change of mindset are called for, says Ken Gillespie
Eco-towns: Back to the garden city
Strategically planned large-scale development is back on the government agenda, but this time it’s less eco-town, more leafy suburb. Building reports
The Green Deal: Sustainability suspended
The government’s half-hearted approach to the Green Construction Board and now the Green Deal suggests a worrying lack of commitment to the eco agenda, says Richard Steer
The Green Deal: We're not getting insulation pre-assessments right
Insulation pre-assessments are key to the success of the Green Deal - but most are being carried out using completely the wrong method, warns sustainable building expert Neil May
What skills will SMEs need to prepare for the Green Deal?
The first report has been published on the skills needed for Green Deal retrofits, and Mark Farrar explains what this means for SMEs
Solar industry lobbies MPs overs FITs cuts
Campaigners prepare to lobby MPs over the 50% cut in solar feed-in tariffs. Read live coverage here
How can we make the most of the public estate?
New structures for property management and ways of working can lead to leaner and greener public assets
FITs: Time for a rational response
Feed-in tariffs should have been brought down gradually over a period of time instead of the knee-jerk reaction we’ve seen
FITs due a haircut but government has butchered PVs
There is some merit in cutting subsidies for a technology with falling costs but a sudden U-turn seriously harms sector
Right to renewable energy: Solar eclipse
There is no law guaranteeing a right to energy from renewable sources, meaning that users could have their work undone by a developer plonking a building in their sunlight
Monitoring is answer to Stunell's green fears
Monitoring buildings’ energy performance is essential to achieve our low carbon goal – if we fail in reducing emissions it will have serious consequences
Why PV panel installations fail
The feed-in tariff will see an explosion in solar PV installations but no current standard can mean a wrong specification and a leaking roof
