| Sectors & Activities/Development, Construction & Regeneration Concern about climate change means that much attention is focussed on development and construction. More than half of CO2 emissions within the UK emanate from buildings. While the manufacture of concrete (alone accounting for 5% of CO2 emissions) and other materials accounts for a further 10%. At the same time there is increasing social and economic pressure for increased development, particularly new housing. The urbanisation of semi-rural and some rural areas, brings with it the risk of exacerbating certain climate change problems, such as the threat to biodiversity. There are three main responses that the Government has made to the problem. The first is regulation intended directly to cut CO2 emissions arising out of human activity. Chief amongst these is the April 2006 revision of Part L1/L2 Building Regulations, which impose maximum CO2 emissions for new buildings, encourages the use of low or zero carbon systems and introduce mandatory minimum standards of air permeability and lighting efficiency in new buildings. It is through the progressive tightening of these Regulations the government aims to achieve its ambitious target of all new homes, public sector and commercial buildings being zero carbon by 2016, 2018 and 2019 respectively. This approach is complemented by the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2007, which are rolling out requirements for Energy Performance Certificates to be produced upon the construction, sale or rental of all residential and commercial buildings. Plans for ten new ‘eco-towns’ are also being finalised. They are planned to be zero carbon, be large enough to support jobs and facilities in order to minimise commuting and be exemplary in at least one area of environmental sustainability. The government is aiming is to build half of these new developments by 2016 with the remainder following by 2020. The second response is regulation intended indirectly to reduce emissions, notably planning law which requires Environmental Statements to accompany planning schemes for all significant urban developments. It is now mandatory for new homes to be rated against the Code for Sustainable Homes. The Code measures the sustainability of new homes against nine categories of sustainable design, rating the 'whole home' as a complete package. The Code will also form the basis for future changes to building regulations in relation to CO2 emissions from and energy use in homes. As much a third of the total housing stock could be built between now and 2050, the Code aims to ensure these homes are built to high standards of sustainability. The third response is for the Government through its various agencies to sponsor and facilitate business activities which help reduce overall CO2 emissions. In this area real opportunities arise for imaginative low carbon forms of development. One major challenge is to find ways of making existing housing stock energy efficient, which ultimately is about encouraging changes in behaviour at the domestic level and planning life-cycle maintenance programmes to increase efficiency in older housing stock. However, pent-up demand for new housing means that the pressure on the industry to build is as great as ever, although there is room for cautious optimism. The building design and construction industries are devising viable and imaginative methods for combating or mitigating the effects of climate change; notably through the integration of renewable energy sources and recycling systems into design solutions both small and large. Projects such as BedZed in South London and Solar City in Sandwell in the West Midlands show what can be achieved. Real value is added through observance of best practice in the design of low-carbon or carbon neutral development, and scoring well in the BREEAM ratings (which can increase the commercial value of a building). The revamp of the BREEAM system reflects the move towards more exacting standards. The updated ratings are more stringent, introducing minimum requirements for energy and water consumption and compulsory post construction certification addressing how the design operates in practice. The new scheme further ensures the industry’s continued responsiveness to these challenges by offering additional credit for innovative projects and the creation of new top rating ‘outstanding’. Also crucial is the emergence of a new generation of specialist developers and contractors who, together with environmental and geotechnical engineers, are employing highly effective land reclamation technologies and who are increasingly prepared to invest in sites which only a few years ago mainstream developers would have regarded as untouchable. This legacy of post-industrial sites in many of our large conurbations now offers hope of environmentally sustainable construction and development. A constant dialogue is needed between public and private sectors at regional and local level for the planning of provision in health, housing, education and recreation, focussing upon recyclable land. We are currently helping numerous clients in the public, private and voluntary sector to address these issues and pursue carbon neutral and zero carbon developments. Our experience includes:
Paul Mountain, Partner
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