Local Authorities set to trial green construction practices

The Local Government Task Force (LGTF) and BRE have joined forces to form a new LGTF working group known as WellBuilt! The Local Authority Sustainable Construction Network.

The aim of WellBuilt! is to urge local authorities to follow Rethinking Construction principles of partnering and whole life costing to achieve more sustainable construction practices.

It will also encourage authorities to consider the social and environmental advantages of sustainable construction and to use national and local performance indicators to measure success. This is particularly relevant to local authorities, as government's Best Value reviews now take into account sustainability issues.

WellBuilt! will continue work started by the Local Authority Sustainable Construction Network. It will be supported by both organisations, as well as sponsorship from the DTI construction research programme.

WellBuilt! will be chaired by Trevor Pugh, director of environmental services for the London Borough of Harrow. It will trial a model action plan, to be launched in 2002.

By 2004, the group aims to have created a self-sustaining network of local authority officers, charged with supporting and disseminating best practice in sustainable construction.

Pugh comments: "This is not just another green initiative. Sustainable construction is about the wider Rethinking Construction agenda. It is about taking a long term view of major investment."