Carbon (CO2e) emissions and their contribution to climate change are the most important ‘sustainability’ issue today.
Many governments around the world have now passed primary legislation mandating massive reductions in carbon emissions. Within the UK, the Climate Change Bill and subsequent Low Carbon Transition Plan, have established the roadmap we are all to follow in de-carbonizing our economy over the next few decades. For the property industry, the European directive CEN TC 350 and the UK Government’s November 2010 IGT report ‘Low Carbon Construction’ are the next stages in this process.
Alongside the changes that this legislation will make to all our lives, there will be many opportunities through various financial incentives and tax breaks that will operate in parallel to emission reduction pressures.
Identifying these benefits early, understanding how they can be implemented successfully and how they impact on building design will become part of the long term growth plans for many in property.
In addition many consumers and investors are becoming increasingly aware of successful carbon management being linked to good business performance and see carbon emissions as a key differentiator in selecting goods and services.
“ The challenge of carbon reduction… probably the biggest change management programme that the industry and the society it serves has faced since the Victorian times.” – Paul Morrell, IGT Report on Low Carbon Construction, November 2010.
