Entries for June 2009

The Government plays an important role in providing incentives to increase take-up of micro renewable energy technologies, but ministers “fully acknowledge that we need to go much further if we are to meet our long-term goals.”

Homes and Communities Agency chief Sir Bob Kerslake has announced he is setting up a new Housing Finance Group to help find new sources of private sector funding and said that "more needs to be done on private housebuilding".

The recent UK Climate Impact Programme (UKCIP) report is probably the bleakest official assessment yet of the impact of climate change in Britain over the remainder of the century.

“Again and again, so called ‘sustainable’ designers present their huge glass-box buildings that anyone with an iota of intelligence can see are environmental nightmares. Voices are increasingly raised by designers who are either fundamentally  ignorant or unethical,” Susan Roaf, professor of architectural engineering, Heriott-Watt University, June.

The European Commission BUILD UP initiative is designed to support member states’ efforts to implement the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. A new interactive web portal will give access to information across Europe.

In a move that could enhance the marketplace for green technologies and buildings, should the Conservatives form a Government after the next general election, shadow chancellor George Osborne launched the Environmental Opportunities Indices - the UK's first indices for green companies – at the London Stock Exchange.

The June meeting of European energy ministers included a discussion on a progress report covering the work carried out so far on the ‘energy efficiency package’.

Building professionals have been keenly awaiting the Government’s thoughts on how it will achieve its targets for reducing carbon emissions from buildings. It has now published its proposals for the 2010 version of Part L of the Building Regulations. Simon Napper outlines the main points.

Jeremy Leach, managing director of Managing Partners Limited and manager of the British Property Opportunities Fund, looks at current market prospects from an opportunity fund’s point of view in terms of both challenges and opportunities.

Leeds has witnessed more than its fair share of adverse press coverage over the state of the residential market over the last 18 months.

This year’s Insite event discussed a range of topics from climate change to refurbishment to sustainable urbanism, with master class sessions and exhibition stands alongside the inspiring BRE innovation park. Ella Taylor found out just how our cities can become more sustainable.

On 13 May 2009, the Government published its response to the Rugg Review. Among its many recommendations was the proposal to introduce a national register of landlords.

Investors have become increasingly wary of the ‘emerging markets’ after the collapse of property markets all over the globe and in the UK are tending to focus more on the home market.

May brought green changes to Luton, as an innovative recycling centre opened, creating construction materials from waste.

Usually given a bad rap for polluting the earth, five construction companies were named on the Sunday Times’ list of greenest businesses in Britain