Keeping the focus on sustainability

Will the focus on sustainable solutions remain a priority if the construction market cools? Lorna Stork, ESG Director at SIG UK outlines why she thinks it will

Those of us with long memories will remember the Code for Sustainable Homes, with its original target of 2016 for the introduction of zero carbon new homes in the UK. The global financial crisis of 2008 effectively scuppered that programme and the question is: is it different this time? 

I genuinely think it is – for three main reasons.  Firstly, the effect of climate change is becoming more apparent every year and there is a national and global consensus around the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions.  The UK has been ahead of the curve in this regard, being the first country to declare legally binding targets to become a net zero carbon economy by 2050.

Secondly, I would argue that the current energy crisis should give additional impetus to the carbon reduction agenda by focusing on the financial cost of consuming energy.

Finally, I think that this time around we have collectively invested properly in the move towards sustainable building. Product innovation, technical advances and new ways to measure and demonstrate low carbon emissions have all been developed in the last decade. Not only do we have to continue, I think there is a genuine consensus that we will.

UK Building Regulations lay down the direction of travel for new buildings and we are in the middle of the implementation of the Future Homes Standard, currently requiring a 31% reduction in carbon emissions compared to the 2020 regulations.

This time we really do know how to build high-performance homes that are approaching zero carbon in use. It’s challenging and the technical team at SIG UK is frequently involved in providing product solutions to meet increasingly stringent thermal conductivity targets for the external fabric of new homes.

The game-changer this time, however, is the recognition of the importance of embodied carbon.  We can’t hope to get anywhere near our national carbon reduction targets if we simply ignore the impact of the manufacturing process.  There is no point in striving to create buildings that generate no carbon emissions in use if they have achieved that result by using materials that have themselves generated huge amounts of carbon during their manufacture.

Developers, housebuilders and even main contractors are starting to publish their zero carbon commitments, fully aware that these can only be met if the supply chain works together.

As a major distributor, we have produced its own zero-carbon roadmap but, like everyone else, we are only able to control the emissions from our own business operation.  With targets in place to eliminate carbon emissions from our transport fleet, offices, and warehouses, we also need to work with product suppliers to find or develop lower-carbon products.

We’re in a great position to stimulate the development of such products as we can provide an immediate distribution channel for promising new offers, helping to build a market fast for emerging businesses.

And we are also in a position to help responsible customers make the right environmental choices which is not as easy as it might appear.

Until very recently there was no commonly accepted method for calculating the embodied carbon of any product. It’s still not a precise science, but Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) provide the most comprehensive information.

EPDs consider the whole lifecycle of a product, taking into account: the carbon emissions associated with the extraction of raw materials; the manufacturing process for the final product; any emissions associated with its performance in use and emissions associated with its disposal at the end of its life.

With a common calculation process it becomes possible for customers to make product choices based not only on technical performance and cost but also on carbon emissions. We are certainly seeing more requests for this type of information and are encouraging our suppliers to provide the carbon calculations for their products.

The more entrenched this way of thinking becomes within the supply chain, and the greater the investment in zero carbon options, the less likely it becomes that any government could unwind the progress made to date.

So far there is no sign of any weakening in commitment from the top. Most commentators expect Building Regulations in England to follow those of Sweden, France and other European nations and impose limits on the total embodied carbon allowed in new buildings.

In addition, I’m expecting to see greater regulation around existing buildings. Any rental property already needs to demonstrate its energy efficiency with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Currently the requirement is for all such properties to have an EPC rating level E but the door is clearly open to raise the standards further.

And finally there is cost. Successive governments have struggled to find the right incentives to encourage homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their homes – but a 100% increase in central heating cost might just make that process a little easier.

It is a bit dispiriting to consider that, had the original targets been maintained, we would have been building zero carbon homes for six years already. However, I think that we have crossed a line.  The pace of change is accelerating and the growing economic case to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels will speed it further.