The report from the Committee on Climate Change certainly seems to be stimulating response in political circles as the stark nature of the findings demands that attitudes also need to change.
Whether anything, particularly in the mess of current circumstances, does come out of Westminster is another matter, as the traditional construction lobbyists have a curious habit of inhibiting change.
For all the bluster about being “world leaders” on energy efficiency and the environment, the UK remains stubbornly behind the curve in moving towards a Zero Carbon economy.
However, there are signs that sectors of the industry are moving to stimulate action to reduce our environmental impact – currently achieved by using resources inefficiently to create buildings that are energy hungry, have a limited useful life, and are not particularly comfortable to live or work in.
Particularly refreshing is the Architects Declare movement which is rapidly gathering pace – and signatories – since its launch just two weeks ago. This is a great opportunity for the architect to raise building standards and professional status by promoting what is both good for the client and also for the environment, moving away from the “bottom line” dictat which has prevailed for far too long in the industry.
We have the knowledge and ability to counter the effects of Climate Change, at the same time eliminating energy poverty and improving general standards of living. The stimulus of Architects Declare is just what the construction industry needs to recover some respect in the eyes of all those experiencing the consequences of the Performance Gap and poor building standards.
As a proven and practical method of construction, BecoWallform eliminates the performance gap and raises the building standard for a Zero Carbon result. It’s not rocket science but this method of building does produce results – using existing resources. System detailing is approved to Passivhaus standards, simplifying the design of the building fabric and speeding up the building process.