Sustainability news
Solar tariff to be slashed 25% in August
Further cuts to the FIT subsidy of 3.5% scheduled every three months under new cost control mechanism
Skanska, Kier and Breyer join Green Deal Finance Company
Contractors among 21 new members of the group
Biology centre uses own walls to control temperature
University of Warwick’s Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology includes phase change material that absorbs and re-distributes heat
Labour slams ministers over FITs confusion
Government misses legal deadline to impose latest round of solar feed-in-tariff cuts
Triple glazing in offices increases carbon footprint
Exclusive whole life carbon research shows extra cost is not offset by emissions reductions
Sustainability issues
Offshore wind farms: Winds of change
Tidal turbine technology is changing fast and offshore wind turbines are getting bigger, so the government-backed firm Narec is investing £80m into its testing facilities to simulate the harsh conditions at sea. Thomas Lane explains
Housing ventilation: Bit of an air con
In the race to build ever more airtight homes, it appears that housebuilders are sacrificing air quality, with some 95% of new dwellings failing Part F ventilation standards
Sustainable buildings
Special report: M&E in retail
With seven of last year’s top 10 BREEAM-rated retail stores to its name and its first energy centre about to open, the John Lewis Partnership is setting the pace when it comes to carbon-free shopping
Sustainable supermarket: M&S's new Cheshire Oaks store
At this enormous store in Chester, M&S is putting its Plan A sustainability programme to the test. And from the zero-waste policy to the innovative use of natural materials, all the evidence suggests that this is one plan A that is actually working … Building reports
Sustainability costs
Whole-life carbon: Prestige offices
Using the example of a building in the City of London, Gareth Roberts of Sturgis Carbon Profiling explains how new European standards for whole-life carbon assessment can make big savings
White Paper
Sustainability comment
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
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
Passivhaus
Passivhaus goes global
Chris Herring reports from the 2012 International Passivhaus conference in Hanover