Almost half of the UK's carbon emissions are due to buildings.
- This is from their construction, maintenance and demolition.
- They also need energy for heat, light and to power equipment.
- There is a carbon cost at every stage.
- The construction industry also uses large amounts of natural resources and makes a large amount of waste.
Careful design and construction can keep to a minimum the cost to the environment in a number of ways.
In 2012, we started to use a set of Building Environmental Standards. These apply to all our new and refurbished buildings.
Projects with a capital cost of £500,000 or more undergo a BREEAM assessment:
- Building.
- Research.
- Establishments.
- Environmental.
- Assessment.
- Methodology.
It is a voluntary standard within the UK.
Smaller projects apply an internal checklist that covers six key areas:
- Energy. Design for low energy use, conservation, efficiency and renewable.
- Water. Water conservation and recycling, minimising flood risk and surface water pollution, managing ground conditions.
- Biodiversity. Site assessment, species protection and habitat enhancement.
- Materials. Construction materials, fixtures and fittings, paints and finishes.
- Waste. Construction and demolition waste, design to minimise waste in use.
- Travel. Car park, walk and cycle.
Useful links
BREEAM Standards. These are the standards used to rate buildings in terms of their environmental credentials.