SNC-Lavalin joins UN Race to Zero campaign
SNC-Lavalin has joined the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Race to Zero global campaign, alongside joining the business ambition for 1.5°C commitment.
NABERS UK: Energy efficiency rating for offices
The Better Building Partnership’s Design for Performance initiative, in partnership with NABERS and the BRE, has launched the NABERS UK energy performance rating scheme for offices. BRE’s Ruby Smith takes a look.
Green light for £100m net zero Fife college
The Scottish Government has approved plans for the first net zero education building at Fife College, as Balfour Beatty is appointed official contractor.
The Heat & Buildings Strategy: Warm welcome or under fire?
The government has published the Heat & Buildings Strategy, its plan to incentivise householders to replace their old gas boilers with low-carbon alternatives, such as air source heat pumps. Here, PBC Today rounds up reaction to the strategy.
Decarbonising Construction: Industry must move faster to curb emissions
The UK construction industry needs to move more urgently to cut carbon emissions by adopting challenging targets, applying whole-life carbon assessment to public procurement and updating design and performance standards, according to a new report by the National Engineering Policy Centre.
Countdown to COP26: A greener future for construction
With global attention on Glasgow this autumn, we look at what the built environment professionals can expect from the COP26 international summit of 2021.
£1.7bn Swansea renewable tidal lagoon to create thousands of jobs
Swansea’s renewable tidal lagoon ‘Blue Eden’ will create thousands of jobs during and after construction, placing Wales at the forefront of renewable energy innovation.
Actis joins expert speakers at roofing masterclass
Actis regional specification manager Amaret Chahal was among the expert speakers at a roofing masterclass at the recent Offsite Expo at the former Ricoh Arena in Coventry.
Counting carbon for a more sustainable future
Andrew Stolworthy of SFS explains why the company is embarking on a journey to start tracking how much carbon is embedded within its products.
CLC confirms line-up for COP26 built environment event
The Construction Leadership Council Council (CLC) has announced the line-up for its event at the COP26 climate conference next month.
Major projects and the net zero challenge
The underwhelming performance of the Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme will unfortunately not come as a surprise to anyone familiar with the history of major government projects. The underlying issues behind these failures must be addressed if we are to meet net zero ambitions, warns Andrew Baldwin at the Association for Project Management.
Actis presents STA award to passivhaus housebuilder
Actis northern region sales director Jemma Harris has presented Passivehaus specialist Greencore Construction with a Custom and Self Build Project of the Year trophy at the Structural Timber Awards.
£5k grants to encourage homeowners to install low carbon heating
The government has set out its plan to incentivise people to install low-carbon heating systems to reduce the UK’s dependency on fossil fuels.
Wates, Arup and HKS join forces to decarbonise NHS estates
Wates, Arup and HKS Architects have joined forces to drive forward decarbonisation within hospital infrastructure, focusing on existing NHS estates.
Meeting carbon targets through retrofitting
The UK must embark upon a comprehensive retrofit programme of its existing housing stock if it is to achieve net zero carbon by 2050, says Simon Storer, chief executive of Insulation Manufacturers Association.
Better incentives crucial for built environment’s net zero transition
The built environment will be crucial in achieving the transition to net zero – but businesses need a blueprint for the way forward and better incentives to undertake the necessary investments, argues Steve McGregor of DMA Group.
Bouygues E&S to deliver Cambridge renewable heat network
Bouygues E&S has been appointed to deliver a renewable heat network project at the Cambridge Comberton Village College.
Cement manufacturers accelerate shift to net zero concrete
40 of the world’s cement and concrete manufacturers have joined forces to accelerate the shift to net zero concrete, pledging to cut CO2 emissions by 2030.
Carbon offsetting doesn’t go far enough in the demolition industry
Ben Griffiths, safety, health, environmental and ops director of Rye Group, argues that the demolition industry needs to do more to safeguard the environment beyond carbon offsetting.
Willmott Dixon bags Oxford leisure decarbonisation deal
Willmott Dixon has been appointed by Oxford City Council to deliver an extensive decarbonisation programme across four of the city’s leisure centres.
Actis Boost R Hybrid Roof will come into its own this winter
An insulating breather membrane specifically designed for roofs will come into its own this autumn and winter, as it will help stave off the effects of the weather as temperatures plummet.
Green light for £450m Sunderland battery manufacturing plant
Sunderland City Council has approved plans for the UK’s first at-scale battery manufacturing plant at the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP).
Net zero for existing buildings: Fabric First investigation
How can greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment be neutralised in order to meet the UK’s net zero ambitions?
Costain bags hydrogen storage facility contract
Costain has been awarded the concept development and FEED study for the HyNet project hydrogen storage facility in northwest England.
Transformation and transition: How the hotel industry can strive towards net zero
With 700,000 hotels and resorts worldwide, the decarbonisation of the leisure sector’s existing estate will be crucial in meeting net zero targets. Simon Gill, hotels and leisure business leader at Arup, discusses a new report exploring how this can be achieved.
Equans launches school retrofit model to support net zero ambitions
Equans has launched a school retrofit model to support the government’s 2050 net zero carbon ambitions.
