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Sustainable Building Guidelines Established in the UK

December 23, 2010 Environment No Comments

Sustainable building practices have become essential as energy use escalates and greenhouse gas emissions rise; but until now the property industry has not had a standard by which sustainable building compliance could be measured. A homeowner or business owner looking to make a UK property investment should know that sustainable building considerations are just as important as the location and facilities offered by their preferred property, and now the Green Property Alliance has addressed this challenge by producing an industry-wide guide on how to measure the sustainability of commercial buildings.

This guide is the first of its kind in the UK, and establishes the ground rules for sustainable building measurement methods in the commercial sector.

The Green Property Alliance report outlines methods of measuring and reporting on the environmental performance of UK bricks and mortar, and a better understanding of these means sustainable building products can be used in future construction projects. If you’re looking to put your London property fund to use and invest in commercial property, you should know that the guide also includes an approach to calculating energy use, water use and waste generation in commercial buildings.

Commercial properties account for one fifth of carbon emissions in the UK, and the importance of sustainable building solutions is greater than ever. It is hoped that these guidelines will encourage the use of sustainable building technology and design. While it is sometimes difficult to report accurately on the performance of sustainable buildings due to the differing responsibilities of landlords and tenants, the report outlines some comprehensive ways in which the compliance of each party can be measured and improvement can be encouraged.

This green guide aims to help all property organisations speak the same language when it comes to sustainable building, and usher in a more environmentally friendly approach to commercial properties in the UK.

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The Green Building Sector is Growing on a Global Scale: McGraw Hill

November 22, 2012

green buildingAccording to a study by leading US consultancy McGraw Hill and engineering firm United Technologies, the UK is one of the most dedicated countries in the world in renovating and developing green buildings. The global survey examined the construction sectors of 62 countries, which revealed some interesting insight into the growth of the green building sector in different countries, as well as reasons for the overall growth in the sector on a global scale. The findings show that workers in hi vis vests are more likely to be working on green building projects than before. Some of the findings of the green building survey can be found below:

Green Building Statistics and Figures

  • Around 69% of firms in Singapore are planning green building renovation projects in the next three years, followed by the UK at 65%.
  • On a global scale, the green building sector is growing despite poor economic conditions. Over half of all participating firms (51%) stated that more than 60% of all work from 2012 up to 2015 involved green building projects. This is a massive increase compared to the three years leading up to 2012, where only 28% of firms could make the same claim.
  • The report showed a general shift in attitude towards green buildings. In the past, the renovation and construction of green buildings was viewed as a niche market but today it is seen more as a business opportunity. This is due to green buildings improving energy efficient, lowering energy costs and giving value to the bottom line. Companies stated that the top reasons for green building projects included client and market demand (33% and 35% respectively). In 2008, the most common reason for green building projects was ‘doing the right thing’.
  • Other top reasons for green building projects included lowering operational costs (30%) and advantages for branding (30%).

The above points, as well as other finding published in the McGraw Hill report, show that green building construction is a market that is not only supported by eco activates, but also varied businesses and governments, from corporate entities to safety wear manufacturers. As such, the green building sector as well as the green economy is expected to enjoy significant growth over the next few years.

New Green Building for Durham University

October 24, 2012

The City of Durham in North East England has just become home to a new green building; Durham University’s new administrative building, the Palatine Centre, is now open after four years of careful planning. The centre brings together all the university’s student services under one roof. The much-anticipated administrative headquarters also house the new Durham Law School and the extended Bill Bryson Library.

Following the implementation of the “Green Deal”, the majority of UK construction workers will have put their work boots and overalls to use on at least one environmentally friendly construction site in recent months; and this latest UK building is no exception. The Palatine Centre is Durham University’s greenest building to date, and has received an “Excellent” rating through the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM). The £50 million building was constructed using recycled or eco-friendly green materials; approximately 90% of construction waste was also recycled or reused.

Eco-Friendly Building Design

Durham’s Palatine Centre also includes the following green technologies:

  • 160 photovoltaic panels
  • 65 square metres of solar thermal panels
  • sedum roofing
  • rainwater harvesting

Benefits & Behaviour

“Our Carbon Management Plan is not about restricting of limiting the activities of the University” says Professor Tim Burt, Dean of Environmental Sustainability; “but is instead about making the University more efficient, eliminating waste and saving money that can support the academic activities”.

Instead of merely providing students and staff with an eco-friendly environment, this green building is also designed to encourage them to make everyday behavioural changes that will benefit the environment. A combination of dedicated recycling areas and renewable energy sources make it easy to conserve electricity and water on a daily basis, while the Palatine Centre’s cafeteria serves freshly cooked meals and will be continuing the University’s “love food, hate waste” campaign.

This green building will certainly serve as an inspiration to local construction teams looking to lace up their safety trainers and get involved in more environmentally friendly construction products. The University’s green building will be unveiled today by Nobel Prize winner Sir Paul Nurse.

New Commercial Property Energy Regulations Set for April 2018

March 6, 2012

The UK government has imposed new energy regulations on the performance of all commercial buildings that will come into effect on April 12th 2018. Although the set date is still some time to come, real estate investors, landlords and tenants should already be thinking about the massive implications it will have on the commercial property market in general.

The energy performance certificate regulation is a new legally backed system that gives all commercial buildings a green rating in accordance to how energy efficient they are. If commercial buildings do not meet government requirements by the set date, landlords will legally be unable to let out their office buildings to potential tenants. Furthermore, commercial real estate cannot legally be bought or sold unless it has the necessary energy performance certificate. Commercial real estate can only re-enter the property market once satisfactory energy efficient adjustments have been completed.

When the 2011 Energy Act was announced, two fifths of all commercial properties fell outside the government requirements, which is an indication of just how much green work needs to be done. Energy performance regulations state that all commercial properties must have a minimum energy performance certificate rating of E (the rating ranges from A to G). Any international law firm or corporate body would advice commercial real estate investors to plan their energy efficient upgrades in a timely manner to avoid any unnecessary costs or legal difficulties. At the very least companies should have already familiarised themselves with the new energy regulations, in order to start seeking professional and legal advice on how to effectively make their commercial property energy efficient.