The rest of the industry is waking up to designing carbon-neutral buildings, but the education sector has been addressing energy efficiency for decades. Once the motive was cutting costs; now it is all about reducing emissions, Alan Fogarty writes
found out at Building’s two-day Net Zero Live conference
A selection of the panelists from Net Zero Live. Top row (L to R): David Pinder, chair at the Green Construction Board, Marion Baeli, partner at PDP London, David Bownass, head of UK net zero design consulting at JLL. Bottom row (L to R): Hannah Vickers, chief executive of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering, Scott Crease, residential leader at Max Fordham, Lynne Sullivan, Good Homes Alliance and Green Construction Board
Whether it is Boris Johnson setting out ambitious carbon cutting targets for the UK or US president Joe Biden hosting a climate summit - both of which took place last month – global leaders are finally starting to take environmental policy seriously and make it a top priority.
The following cases were heard on February 15
David Gregory, aged 41, of Avenue Bernard, Brackley, drink-driving, no licence, no insurance; disqualified 18 months, fined £80, surcharge to fund victim services £34, costs of £85 to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Liam Patrick Kieran Blanchfield, aged 20, of Barrack Road, Northampton, breached court order; fined £90.
Northampton Magistrates Court
Craig Anthony Church, aged 35, Obelisk Rise, Northampton, assault; community order to carry out unpaid work, pay compensation of £100, surcharge £90, costs £620,
Anthony James Revell, aged 34, of Packwood Crescent, Earls Barton, driving while disqualified, taking vehicle without consent, no insurance; disqualified 12 months, carry out unpaid work.
Colin Bees, aged 34, of Colwyn Road, Northampton, drug-driving, failed to stop after an accident; disqualified 18 months, carry out unpaid work, surcharge £95, costs £85.
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Lighting has been revolutionised since 2013 by the widespread adoption of LED technology so minimum standards have been increased.
A significant change, and one that Fogarty has been closely involved with, is in moves to improve and focus attention on finished building energy performance. The current route to compliance, which is using a software tool called SBEM, produces a target emissions rate for the building being designed by comparing it with a so-called compliant “notional building” which is the same size and shape.
Designers have the flexibility to change building elements, for example increasing the performance of the building envelope so they can fit less-efficient building services (subject to minimum standards). Fogarty says there is a misconception that the target emission rate relates to how much energy the finished building will use.