Climate Change News - Wales ahead in zero-carbon race

Climate Change News	Wales ahead in zero-carbon race - 7 May 09
Back to News Home	WALES today becomes the first country in Europe to set new green standards for sustainable buildings. Environmentalists say the move to cut carbon emissions and improve sustainability announced this morning by Housing Minister Jane Davidson will put Wales five years ahead of England in the race to achieve a “zero carbon” target. But builders warned that house prices will inevitably rise as a result of the Assembly Government planning policy, which will set a national standard for most new buildings in Wales from September 1. New homes will have to reduce their carbon emissions by more than 31% through energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy, compared to current building regulations. They will also reduce their consumption of water and use more sustainable materials. Ms Davidson said she was determined to use the planning system to move towards zero carbon buildings. “Making our buildings greener will play an important part in reducing our carbon footprint as the built environment is the largest contributor to greenhouse gases in Wales,” she said. “The way in which we construct our homes and buildings accounts for 40% of our total carbon emissions. “We need to do everything we can to make new buildings, from our homes through to our offices, as environmentally-friendly as possible. The new policy will play a key role in achieving this.” But Richard Jenkins, director of the Federation of Master Builders, Wales, said: “While we support any move towards sustainability, not a lot of new houses are being built in Wales at the moment. “And it will inevitably increase the costs of building new houses and house prices will rise. “However, homeowners will make savings through greater energy efficiency. “In the future, homeowners will be buying houses like they do their cars now, with an emphasis on how efficient they are to run.” The Royal Society of Architects in Wales said the new target begins to “put the teeth” into the Assembly’s aspirations. “While recognising the inherent challenges in such a step forward, this provides the opportunity for Wales to become a leader in sustainable skills and supply chains,” said a spokesman. “As such, the RSAW is working to put in place training and quality control for its members to ensure that chartered architects are best able to deliver on these targets.” Gordon James, director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, said the new policy will help Wales achieve its aim of having all new buildings zero carbon from 2011 – five years ahead of England. “The measures will also help boost green jobs and help Wales take a lead role in developing a green economy,” he said. “But there is a need to do more to tackle the problem of carbon emissions from existing buildings. About 80% of the homes we will inhabit in 2050 are already standing today. “Reducing emissions by improving energy saving in existing homes will also cut fuel bills, reduce fuel poverty, improve health and create many jobs.” Andrew Evans, chief executive of Black Mountain Insulation, which manufactures sheep wool insulation at its new factory in Rhyl, said a visit by Ms Davidson was an opportunity to show how the company could play a small part in achieving Assembly energy poverty and green initiatives which lead the rest of the UK. “Our product is not only very environmentally-friendly, it is also totally safe for people to touch and install themselves. “We use very little energy – 90% less than the manufacturing of glass fibre insulation.” A spokesman from the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth, which advocates using earth and sheep’s wool to insulate buildings, said the new policy needs to be backed up by funding new building techniques and providing training programmes in sustainability too. Arwel Owen, aged 28, a former Young Architect of Year, who works for Hughes Architects of Newtown and Welshpool, said although builders might struggle with the concept from the outset, he expects the new initiative will pay off in the long run. But Michael Davies of Davies Sutton Architects in Cardiff said he expected some recession-hit clients to be put off by the extra expense involved in meeting green criteria.
Back to News Home	Source: Wales Online