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Sustainable energy
Sustainable buildings initiative


Sustainable energy index

Buildings have immediate impacts on the environment, both in their locality and in the locations that provide materials for construction. It is vital therefore, that we act now to turn the principles of sustainable development into practice in our buildings. We must ensure that we minimise harmful impacts, as far as we can, for those who come after us.

This is why the Deputy Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Environment and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry jointly convened the Better Buildings Summit on October 21st. The summit, an Energy White Paper commitment, brought together all the key stakeholders and was very successful in promoting the key role that sustainable buildings will have in helping Government meet its energy efficiency goals.

A key outcome of the summit was the establishment of a Sustainable Buildings Task Group. Sir John Harman, Chairman of the Environment Agency, and Victor Benjamin, Deputy Chairman of English Partnerships, jointly chair the group. The group has been tasked with identifying specific, cost-effective improvements in the quality and environmental performance of buildings which industry can deliver in both the short and long term. Further actions that Government could take to facilitate faster progress will also be identified.

What makes a building sustainable?

  • A building that leaves as small an environmental footprint as possible, is economic to run over its whole life cycle, and fits well with the needs of the local community.
  • A building that is energy and carbon efficient, designed to minimise energy consumption, with effective insulation and the most efficient heating or cooling systems and appliances.
  • A building built with good access to public transport in mind.
  • A building built with a minimum of waste in its construction and looks to maximise re-use of on-site materials such as waste soil.
  • A building designed and constructed to enable its occupants to use less water, through, for example, the installation of more efficient fittings and appliances.
  • A building designed to make recycling and composting easy for the occupants.

Key drivers for the summit and for further consideration by the Task Group include:

  • Buildings contribute almost half - about 46% - of the UK's carbon dioxide emissions. Our homes alone contribute about 27%.
  • Demand for water has risen and continues to rise. More than half - 56% - of water supplied is used by households.
  • Buildings also have significant impacts in terms of the use of natural resources such as timber and materials in their construction; and construction and demolition waste is a significant waste stream.
  • Demand for housing continues to grow, meaning increasing pressure to find land for development.

For more information on the Better Buildings Summit please see the links below. DTI host the main summit pages as indicated below.

External links

Internal links

 

 
  Page published: 3 December 2003
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