Accounting for approximately 40% of global carbon emissions is not a badge the built environment should wear with pride.
The UK alone releases around 64 million tonnes of embodied carbon (the emissions related to the production and use of materials) per year – more than aviation and shipping combined and if it continues unchecked at this rate, the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) forecasts the built environment will be responsible for the release of around 1,700 tonnes between now and 2050.
That quite simply cannot be allowed to happen. And, speaking from the inside of the industry, nor does it need to…we just need the political will to mandate change.
Good news…there is a long-awaited, much needed solution available, waiting in the wings.
Bad news…It continues to stall, lingering in the long grass of Whitehall.
Part Z is a proposed amendment to the UK Building Regulations – statutory instruments ensuring safety, energy efficiency, and other key aspects of construction projects. Part Z focuses explicitly on assessing and reducing carbon emissions throughout a building’s lifecycle, completely in sync with the UK’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
At the heart of Part Z are whole life carbon (WLC) assessments which calculate carbon emissions across a building’s entire lifecycle, including emissions from material production, construction, operation, and eventual demolition or refurbishment. By mandating WLCs, Part Z ensures that developers consider a building’s total environmental impact.
Part Z proposes strict carbon emission limits for new buildings, according to their type, size, and purpose; the idea being that limits would gradually over time tighten, forcing the industry into adopting low-carbon technologies, practices and the routine use of sustainable materials.
Developers would be required to submit WLC assessments as part of planning applications, demonstrating compliance with the carbon limits with local authorities enforcing adherence to these standards and ensuring accountability.
So far, so good.
But what about the cost?
Yes, currently sustainable technologies and materials often involve higher initial costs, potentially deterring some, particularly smaller, developers. However, it is clear that long-term energy savings and financial incentives can balance these expenses. And I firmly believe it is better to bite the bullet and go early with this type of investment than wait until further down the line when more harms need reversing.
Let’s start with a few quick wins and the bigger gains will inevitably follow.
Tax breaks and grants to encourage the adoption of sustainable materials and construction methods would be available to offset higher upfront costs and boost innovation in the sector.
The proposal to incorporate Part Z into existing building regulations was first introduced to Parliament in February 2022, as part of the Carbon Emissions (Buildings) Bill. Later that year, the then Conservative government declined to support it.
At every twist and turn in the construction industry, sustainable solutions are now available. There is quite simply no excuse not to use them in new developments when emissions and associated harms are rightly under the spotlight.
From building materials generation to transportation and logistics, on site practice, waste management and repurposing, there are countless steps along the development journey where emissions can be cut.
The Part Z idea is brought back to the fore periodically – in public, that is, behind the scenes the industry by and large is clamouring for its introduction as a means of universal standards to follow.
That rumble of support needs to become a roar though because, as yet, pen is still to be put to paper and the industry continues to limp along with emissions steadily growing and nothing in place officially to hold it to account.
If it continues at this rate, the UKGBC claims less than one-tenth of emissions can be tackled by existing regulation and the forthcoming Future Homes Standard and the Future Buildings Standard.
Part Z provides policy makers with a strong signal from sector about cleaning up its act and getting its own house in order as it realises there is no way to meet emissions targets without it.
The industry and home owners have taken easily to the concept of sustainable products and practices in recent years so this is the logical next step.
Costs can be recovered in the long term. And in my professional opinion, the costs of doing nothing are far greater and it does not make any sense to sit idly by watching harms build up when they could so easily be reducing before our very eyes.
Ironically, it could actually be an environmentally conscious public that drives demand as sustainability features increasingly in daily life – they could soon start seeking out developers committed to proving the viability of their green credentials in their buildings in favour of those who continue to turn a blind eye to sustainable alternatives.
Compare current standards with those in, for example, the clothing industry where labels on a T-shirt, jeans or jumper can now tell you where every last fibre was raised (in animal products which, in turn shows you if that creature had an organic diet), how it was produced and in which type of facility – ultimately allowing the wearer to understand the manufacturer’s take on water security and other waste commitments.
It will become a way of life where consumers automatically expect to be able to trace and monitor the life cycle of any given product and why should that not include every tile, tap or filter in their building?
That’s responsible citizenry. The time has come to show the construction industry has turned a corner as a major polluter to become a responsible sector of society driving sustainability not emissions, cleaning up the atmosphere rather than choking it.
And if you are worried about where to turn to for advice on all things sustainable – pick up the phone, drop us an email. It’s what we do.
