Buildings have been identified as having the most economic potential to mitigate climate change by 2030.

The findings were revealed in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 4th assessment report published on 17 November 2007.

The report states: “Buildings offered the largest share of cost effective opportunities for green house gas mitigation among all of the sectors examined, including transport, power generation, agriculture and industry”.

Following the publication of the report Don McLean, managing director of building simulation provider Integrated Environmental Solutions, has called for industry to make a greater commitment to addressing sustainability. He said: “We need to break this cycle of greenwash that continues to confuse and offer excuses for inaction. Building design professionals must step out of their comfort zone and recognise that there are in fact ways to design highly efficient, better performing buildings that actually cost less.

“The industry is currently only scratching the surface when it comes to using the technologies available to it to substantially reduce energy use in buildings. Such solutions can provide the same level of service and in many cases reduce lifecycle costs, providing reductions in CO2 emissions as well as a net benefit rather than a cost.”