Meeting net zero targets for buildings, an entirely new approach is needed. Charles Gillott, PhD student in Engineering at University of Sheffield, in an article on The Conversation website, says we must stop demolishing buildings and replacing them with new ones. What are your views? We have reusable cups, bags and bottles: so why … Continue reading To meet long-term carbon emissions targets, we must stop demolishing buildings should start using the carbon spent in the past to avoid the emission of more in the present
Category: buildings
UK’s new Heat and Buildings strategy leaves energy efficiency in the dark
Britain’s new Heat and Buildings strategy has finally seen the light of day. But energy efficiency has been left in the dark once again as the spotlight falls on the supply of heat. Andrew Warren, chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation, discusses the issue in a column in the November/December issue of ENERGY IN … Continue reading UK’s new Heat and Buildings strategy leaves energy efficiency in the dark
Not taking embodied emissions in buildings into account could mean overshooting carbon emissions targets by several decades
Ljubomir Jankovic, Professor of Advanced Building Design at the University of Hertfordshire, in an article on The Conversation website, discusses the importance of accounting for embodied carbon in buildings if we are to fully come to grips with net zero emissions. Embodied carbon: why truly net zero buildings could still be decades away Carbon dioxide … Continue reading Not taking embodied emissions in buildings into account could mean overshooting carbon emissions targets by several decades
The new heat and buildings strategy boosts the UK’s credentials as a global leader yet it has ignored some critical actions
With much fanfare, the UK government announced its heat and buildings strategy last week. Ran Boydell, Visiting Lecturer in Sustainable Development at Heriot-Watt University discusses the strategy to see if it is fit for purpose to help Britain achieve its net-zero objectives in an article on The Conversation website. Heat and buildings strategy: the … Continue reading The new heat and buildings strategy boosts the UK’s credentials as a global leader yet it has ignored some critical actions
Strong message to give priority to reducing energy consumption
Martin Rossen, former Chief of staff at the Danish Prime Minister’s Office and now Senior Vice President, Head of Global Communication and Sustainability at Danfoss A/S provides a strong argument on the Politics.co.uk website that decision makers somehow forgot that the greenest energy is the energy we don’t use. He argues that energy efficiency is … Continue reading Strong message to give priority to reducing energy consumption
Better energy efficiency is not a key issue for the large majority of home buyers in UK
With increasing energy prices, awareness of climate risks and better understanding of the many benefits of better energy performance, for the majority of buyers in Britain, better energy efficiency is not a key issue. A news item in the Estate Agent Today website discusses the findings. Is this true in your country? Energy Efficiency … Continue reading Better energy efficiency is not a key issue for the large majority of home buyers in UK
The environmental impact of construction
The world's cities are growing — and the billions who inhabit them need places to live and work. But how does all that construction affect the planet? Martin Kuebler discusses the environmental impact of construction in an article on the Deutsche Welle website. Building: What's the big deal for the environment? Ear-splitting jackhammers and whining saws, unexpected delays and clouds … Continue reading The environmental impact of construction
What does it take to improve the energy performance of Britain’s homes?
When I worked at the International Energy Agency in the 1980s, we were discussing how Britain had to give more attention to improving the energy performance of its building stock, given how poor quality they were overall. In 1990, the then Department of Environment even published an excellent report of a survey on “Attitudes to … Continue reading What does it take to improve the energy performance of Britain’s homes?
Recent Chinese study suggests that there may be clues to changes in past weather conditions in buildings
The study from researchers at Nanjing University in China provides an eloquent reminder of how natural variation in the weather has been an influence on architecture throughout history, often as much as changing styles and tastes. Florian Urban, Professor of Architectural History, Glasgow School of Art, reviews the results of the study in an article … Continue reading Recent Chinese study suggests that there may be clues to changes in past weather conditions in buildings
New JRC report on progress of member states in implementing the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
With a new draft proposal for revising the EPBD coming soon, it is timely that the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre has published Progress of the Member States in implementing the Energy Performance of Building Directive. Overall, the EPBD policy framework laid down the foundation for: i) setting cost-optimal minimum energy performance standards in new … Continue reading New JRC report on progress of member states in implementing the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
