Wooden skyscrapers: a low-carbon, low-energy alternative

Wooden skyscrapers are increasingly being built all over the world. Warren Mabee, Director, Queen's Institute for Energy and Environmental Policy, at Queen's University in Ontario discusses the benefits of skyscrapers built with wood in an article on The Conversation website. Wooden skyscrapers could transform construction by trapping carbon emissions All over the world, architects … Continue reading Wooden skyscrapers: a low-carbon, low-energy alternative →

Councils across Britain are failing to enforce energy efficiency regulations for rental properties

Fewer than 20 councils in England and Wales have taken any enforcement action against landlords for renting out cold and draughty properties. Madeleine Cuff discusses the problem in an article on the inews website. Little punishment for landlords flouting energy efficiency rules designed to protect renters Councils are failing to enforce energy efficiency regulations … Continue reading Councils across Britain are failing to enforce energy efficiency regulations for rental properties →

Four important market failures why there is slow growth of energy efficiency with commercial building owners and operators

Mark Shahinian, Vice President, Alpha Development, at Gridium writes on the utility dive website about his views why there has been slow growth of energy efficiency in the commercial building sector. Setting free the dancing bear: A practitioner's view of how to break open energy efficiency Energy efficiency is the dancing bear of the electricity … Continue reading Four important market failures why there is slow growth of energy efficiency with commercial building owners and operators →

Is it time to change our priorities for mitigating GHG emissions from energy efficiency improvements?

I’m worried that the energy efficiency community will be accused of fake news. I think we have deluded ourselves into thinking that energy efficiency really will be the most cost-effective way to achieve impressive greenhouse gas emission reductions. We’ve been saying that for years, but… Let’s just look at buildings. There are lots of initiatives … Continue reading Is it time to change our priorities for mitigating GHG emissions from energy efficiency improvements? →

Two main methodologies for assessing the energy performance of new homes find much in common

It seems that a long-running dispute between the Passivhaus community and other green homes experts here has been resolved through a detailed piece of technical research which has compared the two main methodologies for assessing the energy performance of new homes. It would appear that the two sides are not as far apart as they … Continue reading Two main methodologies for assessing the energy performance of new homes find much in common →

Arguing for “intelligent rehabilitation” of existing buildings

Our homes and old towns will be uninhabitable by 2050, warn the architects Sébastien Clément and Emmanuel Mille, and the philosopher Thierry Paquot, who argue for an "intelligent rehabilitation" of existing buildings in an article on Le Monde website. For a heritage policy consistent with the climate emergency June 2020 was the warmest month … Continue reading Arguing for “intelligent rehabilitation” of existing buildings →

New EEA briefing on benefits through circular economy actions in the buildings sector

Improving efficiency and reuse of materials to construct houses and other buildings can open significant new opportunities to further reducing greenhouse gas emissions, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing released this week. Greater circularity in the buildings sector can lead to major cuts in greenhouse gas emissions The EEA briefing, ‘Cutting greenhouse … Continue reading New EEA briefing on benefits through circular economy actions in the buildings sector →

Northern Ireland’s unique context, particularly in energy, will require further innovation and a strategic joined up approach to improve energy performance of its buildings

While decarbonisation of the heat network remains one the toughest challenges, an energy efficient building fabric is needed to be both effective in cost savings and emissions reductions. Patrice Cairns discusses the situation in Northern Ireland in an article on The Irish News website. Overhaul of energy performance in existing housing stock essential Under … Continue reading Northern Ireland’s unique context, particularly in energy, will require further innovation and a strategic joined up approach to improve energy performance of its buildings →

The challenge for architects to integrate all design requirements including improving energy performance but also coping now with the 100-year viral pandemic

We have developed complex codes, regulations and guidelines to achieve goals such as structural safety, fire safety, adequate ventilation and energy efficiency, and to anticipate extreme scenarios such as 100-year floods. The question for architects now is whether and how the 100-year viral pandemic will change architectural design and building operations. This is the challenge … Continue reading The challenge for architects to integrate all design requirements including improving energy performance but also coping now with the 100-year viral pandemic →

Housing retrofits must be the ‘number one investment priority’ for the UK’s post-Covid-19 recovery, as lockdown confines Britons to overheating homes

Madeleine Cuff writes about the vulnerability of British homes but the same can be said for many countries. What are your views? Lockdown has revealed 'vulnerability' of UK homes to climate threat, government advisers say As the country bakes under a heatwave, the Government’s climate advisers have warned British homes are ill-prepared to cope … Continue reading Housing retrofits must be the ‘number one investment priority’ for the UK’s post-Covid-19 recovery, as lockdown confines Britons to overheating homes →