Green is go

Just as ‘CHAV’, ‘bling’ and ‘having it large’ have become part of everyday speech, ‘sustainability’ is le buzzword du jour kicking off industry dinners across the land.

The government certainly utters it at every opportunity and appears committed to a ‘sustainable’ future. But what does it mean for construction? There needs to be a concerted effort towards an efficient use of resources including labour, materials, energy and water, protecting the environment from the impact of emissions and waste and recognising the needs of everyone involved with that construction – from workers right through to the end user.

Here CM gauges the pressure industry will be under to change, and even though the underlying message appears to be ‘ignore sustainability at your peril’, the apparent cost and ingrained resistance to change and more regulation means that there are still voices of opposition from within.

Blair’s backing

The government, which is the single largest client of construction, has already signalled its commitment to the sustainable agenda.

Over the past few years, it has announced a series of strong measures the industry will have to address in order to get with the sustainability programme.

There are two major initiatives expected to spark off a real change.

First, the creation of a single national standard or code for sustainable buildings (CSB) – a concept the government hopes that all sectors of the building industry will aspire.

The CSB is being developed by government and Industry and aims to promote sustainable building practices. It is set to be the standard for all sectors of the building industry and is expected to be rolled out next year.

It originated after the Government created Sustainable Buildings Task Group (SBTG), noted that much of the industry had yet to subscribe to more sustainable practices, despite the plethora of guidance available.

The code is intended to be used on all new housing funded by government. It will apply to all new buildings, starting with housing, and possibly extended to refurbishments of existing buildings. It will centre on required outcomes or outputs and a series of performance levels – which will have specific requirements. There will be minimum requirements for energy, water, waste and materials efficiency.

But this code has already sparked debate. The BRE believe the code should adopt its own assessment package that can establish whether a house or flat is environmentally friendly. Known as EcoHomes, it covers areas like energy, water, transport and pollution.

BRE is keen to stress that assessments are independent and performance is met with a rating of pass, good, very good and excellent.

Both the Housing Corporation and English Partnerships have adopted BRE’s EcoHomes standard. And over 40% of new social housing\is assessed by the nationwide network of independent EcoHomes accredited assessors.

David Strong, Managing Director of BRE Environment says the code should be compulsory for new housing developments, currently it is voluntary. However the body charged with setting up the code wants to explore all options first.

How robust it will be is anyone’s guess. But the Sustainable Development Commission – the independent government adviser on sustainable development - says it will push for stretching standards for new and existing buildings.

Second, ministers are already beefing up draft proposals that could dramatically change the way companies work on public sector projects.

Why you could lose business

New standards will be placed on any procurement of a built environment project carried out for a public sector client including the government and possibly a local authority or the police.

The measures should be announced in the summer. Full details are not known but areas expected to be covered include energy performance of buildings, compulsory membership of the Considerate Constructors‘ Scheme for Contractors, sustainable timber, assessments of the environmental and social impact of a project, and standards for design. In return the government has said it will pay contractors promptly. A spokesman for the Office of Government Commerce said: “As and when the draft is signed off, these standards will become mandatory across all public sector projects.”

Therefore, failure to get on the sustainable bandwagon could result in companies losing out on business. Other overwhelming factors designed to drive the agenda through the heart of the sector are enshrined in law, meaning that the Industry cannot think about burying their heads in the sand and pray sustainability will go away.

In February, the Kyoto Protocol came into force. The international agreement, which is legally binding, sets targets for countries to cut their greenhouse emissions, which are considered to be responsible for global warming. According to the Environmental Agency, about 10 per cent of the energy consumption is used in the production and transport of construction products. This energy used in building services accounts for half of the UK emissions of carbon dioxide.

Although the UK has been successful in cutting emissions, it will not reach its reduced rate of 20% by 2010. But it is committed to reaching its own target of 60% by 2050.

In a major speech on climate change last year Tony Blair said there was a need to stimulate innovation in new low carbon technologies as well as development in renewable energy. ”Wind power is expected to be the primary source of smart, renewable power,” he said.

“We need both to invest on a large scale in existing technologies and to stimulate innovation into new low carbon technologies for deployment in the longer term. There is huge scope for improving energy efficiency and promoting the uptake of existing low carbon technologies like PV, fuel cells and carbon sequestration,” Blair added.

The industry IS giving sustainability lip service, but very few schemes make a difference

Bill Gething

Dave Hampton, chairman of the CIC’s sustainable development committee, says it pays to be responsible. He says Blair is right to focus on a low carbon economy. He adds: “It has been said that carbon will be the currency of the 21st century, so we urgently need to start facing up to a future without fossil fuels, and designing that future.”

Regulation regulation regulation

The Sustainable and Secure Buildings Act 2004 came into force last September. This addresses sustainability for the first time by specifying aims of preventing waste, conserving fuel and power and protecting the environment. The Housing Corporation states the act will also require steps to cut various emissions as well as “producing compliance certificates and reports in relation to these matters signed off by those actually implementing the work”. Major renovation projects will require a person on site to ensure environmental needs are satisfied. There is also a duty on developers to recycle or reuse materials where possible.

Also, next year’s European’s Commission’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive means that all air–conditioning systems and boilers will be subject to mandatory inspections.

There is also the much talked-about plan for creating sustainable communities – sustainable construction will play a major part in this. Launched in 2003 by the government, it sets out a long-term vision covering the next 20 to 30 years to improve housing and planning in a bid to create communities that people will want to live. The government has already pledged a total of £38bn to the venture and has sought the advice of builders, developers and planners to raise the environmental quality of buildings.

The government has specified that at least 10 per cent of a project’s materials value should derive from recycled content. WRAP, a body that promotes sustainable waste management, says this is achievable. Research by Taylor Woodrow and Costain indicate most housebuilds are reaching beyond this and there is a potential to increase this to 20% with cost savings.

But even with all of this compelling evidence, is the industry backing sustainability? Responses are split.

Bill Gething, chairman of the RIBA Sustainable Futures Committee and a partner in Feilden Clegg Bradley Architects, says a lot of people are giving it lip service, but “very few schemes make a difference”. The industry needs to understand that all three strands - economic, social and environmental - of sustainability need to be adhered, Gething maintains.

No long-term responSibility

Last year, conservation campaigners WWF-UK, as part of its ongoing sustainable homes campaign, polled 13 of the UK’s largest housebuilders and noted that they are recognising the importance of sustainability.

The report, Building Towards Sustainability rated Berkeley Homes and Countryside Properties as leading the pack. Companies were examined in areas such as their impact on the environment and society, strategies and risk management. It also highlighted that most companies do not report the methods taken to reduce their negative impacts.

It said housebuilders were addressing issues such as waste and have not , it added, started to take responsibility for longer-term environmental impacts of their developments.

Paul King, director of WWF’s campaign, says: “This report should dispel any notion that investors aren’t interested in sustainability. Responsible house builders should consider how their developments can contribute to creating a more sustainable future for local communities... this, coupled with the current shortage of good quality newbuilt housing in the UK, means that the need for more sustainable homes in the UK is urgent.”

However, the BRE’s Strong says there are those actively against sustainability. “There are forces in the industry and they are very influential, who oppose change. They claim that the construction industry is already over regulated,” he says.

His sentiments are echoed by Bill Dunster of Bill Dunster Architects, who adds that some people deny there are environmental problems and would rather the status quo remain, as “any change is expensive and troublesome,” he says.

Costing sustainability is another hot topic. Many in the industry argue that it is expensive and carries with it a higher risk. Dunster refutes these arguments and adds that considerable savings can be made. A short report by construction consultants says there are a number of measures that attract little or no extra cost such as natural ventilation, solar hot water systems and low-water toilets.

WRAP says its own research with contractors and builders show that “technically compliant, higher recycled content options are readily available at no extra cost and often with significant cost savings.”

Strong adds: “They also say that to deliver Ecohomes adds significant costs. This is a myth. There is no discernible additional cost to achieve EcoHomes Pass or Good requirements. Greater attention to detail and more intelligent design and working practices are often the key to improving sustainability.”

Carillion, which has a committed sustainability programme, has also showed that sustainability can result in direct savings. By developing a system for sustainable accounting, it was able to show that design, construction and maintenance phases for the construction of the Great Western Hospital, in Swindon, equalled an estimated £1,639,788 in direct savings.

Ian Coull, chief executive of Slough Estates and chairman of the Sustainability Forum, says that the scope of the industry makes it hard for everyone to grasp sustainability. But change will come, he predicts, as it all comes down to supply and demand.

He says it is up to the industry to show it can be socially and economically responsible and estimates that the next five years will be crucial in trying to get this right.

“There may be people who try and scupper it, but they will not be vocal about it. This is about saving the planet for future grandchildren.”

And you can’t really argue with those words, can you?