For some, MIPIM and sustainability is like an irresistible force meeting an immovable object. However, it appears there are many roads leading to Rome (or London).
London deputy mayor, Nicky Gavron, a veritable fireball of energy and zeal urged delegates to take on that sustainable development was the key to London maintaining its position as world’s most important financial, business and economic centre. She said the London Climate Change Agency, a joint venture with EDF Energy promoting locally generated power for London would be a big part of that.
She said London had to reduce its CO2 by 60% by 2025 – with 22% coming from transport, and 70% from energy efficiency and the rest via reductions through behavioural change, including carbon pricing. She said old habits die hard. “No-one likes to be ahead of the pack but if we do it, then world cities will follow.” And, she added, 80% of the world’s CO2 is generated by cities.
Allan Jones chief executive of the LCCA, talked about ESCO developments – likely to see the light of day at Gallions Park, Silvertown Quays and Dagenham Dock Sustainable Industrial Park. He told SB the first tranche of projects includes 170MW of CHP and £100m in renewable energy, reducing CO2 emissions by 310,000t/yr.
Southwark Council talked of carbon neutral development at Elephant & Castle. The development will increase floorspace by 270%, but it insists on a multi services utility company (MUSCO) to give sustainable heating, cooling, electricity, non-drinking water and connectivity. The whole development will be connected via an underground pipe and cable network and heat distributed via combined heat and power sources, powered by gas at first but able to be converted to renewables. The MUSCO will oversee delivery of borehole water and an underground waste system, and cabling. Fourteen applicants have applied for Stage 2, detailing their MUSCO plans.
Further north, the 14m sq ft Brent Cross/ Cricklewood project is incorporating a new waste processing and recycling facility. The unrecyclable waste will be used to generate renewable fuel used to power new homes and offices with a CHP plant. Waste will be transported via buried pipes. Initially 40% of household and 60% of commercial waste will be recycled, rising to 70% by 2020.
Staying North, Quintain Estates and Development is reducing the new Wembley Development’s carbon footprint by a third (compared to typical sites) and 60% reduction by 2050.
Renewable energy, an Envac waste system which separates and removes waste fractions, natural ventilation, greywater harvesting and green tariff electricity are all features. Interesting that space has been provided within the main roadways and building frontages for a future district heating pipework.
There will be green roofs for at least 10% of the roof space and at least 10% of the rainwater will be used for irrigation.
At Embassy Court in North London (25 apartments in 2008) a joint venture between Londonewcastle and Oakmayne property development companies is using embedded heat pumps for summer cooling and winter heating which “will save 30% of the energy costs”.
Engineers Hurleypalmerflatt and architects Hamilton Associates have planning approval to redesign the four floor data centre at Stockley Park to include its own gas powered plant with combined cooling and power.
Crest Nicholson talked about three ‘zero-carbon developments’ (which were also talked about elsewhere).
• The Brighton project.
• One Planet Living’s ‘One Gallions’ featuring renewable energy architecture, natural materials, integrated waste management, on-site food growing along with car and cycle clubs.
• In Epsom, Crest has linked with Galliford Try and EP for 700 homes – all with an Eco Homes Excellent rating – producing 50% less CO2 than similar developments.
On the Birmingham stand, much was made of the new iconic V tower. It is being developed by Dandara and architect Eric Kuhne said: “The building has gone through an intensive environmental sustainability audit, where the glass and materials have been specially selected for their green credentials. The V Building will be one of the most sustainable buildings of its kind.”
English Partnerships did a stand launch of the Carbon Challenge, which aims to help housing developers meet the zero carbon homes challenge – adding a couple of new sites for demonstration projects.
White Young Green put on a couple of presentations about carbon choices. Dr Richard Wheal said it was not either or, more a case of choosing carbon saving options – highly sensible amidst all the angst.
Faithful & Gould put on a morning seminar with Nabarro Nathanson where it was stressed EU and national laws were ever tightening. “It is the end of the glass box,” said one speaker.
UK architects ahead
The AJ occupied a large corner of the London Stand and the practices showing off work there could justifiably claim that London and the UK is a world leader in sustainable design. Designs fell largely into two types – minimal/natural, or highly engineered.
AND Architects showed a rural hotel, the Rivenhall Hotel, Essex, where a lightweight modular timber construction significantly reduced material and energy use. Buckley Gray Yeoman showed the principles of barn conversion could be applied to a dense city block, saving demolition and rebuild.
Devereux Architects with Downie Consulting Engineers at The London School of Hygeine and Tropical Medicine illustrated chilled beams using cooled water from boreholes, natural ventilation, heat recovery, photovoltaic cells also acting as a solar screen. The building should create 60% of its own energy.
Dexter Moren Architects is using passive stack ventilation saving, a mechanical system, on a 14 storey block in Manchester.
Buro Happold, working with architect Bond Bryan is attempting its first entirely carbon-neutral building at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre at Sheffield University. Centrepiece is the 86m high wind turbine.
McAdam Architects is working on a Moscow urban redevelopment which reduces car use, and incorporates greenery.
Hopkins Architects demonstrated its international credentials. In an Arizona University building all materials are sourced from 800km; and in comparable Yale building, timber and sandstone is all from local sources.
Piercy Conner Architects is working to develop a new town in India that combines traditional thinking about climate response with a contemporary approach. It has designed SymHomes Mk1 – a factory produced steel kit including solar thermal, ground source heat pump and CHP. This design won the MIPIM Architectural Review Future Projects Sustainability Award.
European initiatives
Rome showed off plans for its green tower – a 130m residential building. Architect Jean Marc Shivo, working for Parsitalia RE has incorporated photovoltaic cells, rainwater recovery systems, natural ventilation chimneys and a greenhouse which “reduces environmental pollution by 70% compared to a traditional building of the same volume.
La Défense was held up by Nicky Gavron as a successful example of putting investment in infrastructure up front and buildings later. Sustainability, energy saving and very high environmental standards are in the tenders. And Etablissement Public d’aménagement de la Défense EPAD, the public body which oversees the project is planning a conference of economic sustainability and wants major business districts to sign a green charter.
Speaking at another conference in MIPIM, Bled said investors and developers should be penalised if they don’t put up green buildings. He said it would cost more but there has to be a vision of the future. However buildings should be self sufficient in terms of their energy and have built-in intelligence to be able to analyse themselves.
Sephen Beckers, expounding challenging and refreshing views in the MIPIM newspaper said he sees the cost of a building is a single unit, the maintenance costs over 30 years are three units and the average salary costs of the occupants’ 200 units.
He said there is a general figure of 10-15% for an environmentally enhanced (sustainable) building. But this is short term. Ecological design is cheaper to maintain, there are less maintenance, repair and demolition costs and one which is cheaper and has stable energy costs will attract pension and investment funds. He says it is about reconciling sustainable development with affordable development.
He stresses simplicity – offices are cooled more than they are heated; the soil and water table offer great capacities to heat or cool; changing climates can utilise cooling technology fairly easily and the bigger the building envelope, the bigger the exchange.
Some of the ideas are seen at Van Volxem by JCX – drawing water and disposing it at another area of the site – cooling in the summer and for heating in the winter. At Covent Garden in Brussels, biological treatment of waste water goes on in the building which is then used for toilet flushing for cleaning the building or watering gardens.
Sustainability and property ’s Louise Ellison warned the property industry about the threat to its assets from climate change.
Investment Property Forum
She said the property industry is not yet pricing in sustainability and no-one pays more rent for sustainable buildings. Whether or not a building is sustainable is not yet affecting property value. But this will change. She warned of increasing energy prices and Energy Performance Certificates.
Ellison said it was a complex subject covering land use and spatial planning, whole life costing, supply chains and social and cultural issues. Therefore there were doubts about sustainability and existing building stock and multi-tenanted buildings.
However, Ellison and IPF have worked out a sustainability matrix involving energy efficiency, climate control, waste, water management, adaptability and pollution. Although different from the sustainable building criteria found at Ecobuild, she says that tenants will start to negotiate on these factors. And this will affect the asset class of buildings and the investment worth.
She asked whether property and development companies should set up sustainability business services for clients, or investment funds in sustainability.
Could do better? , joint MD of Upstream said property companies are ahead of investment companies in terms of activity in environmental areas. Most clients have set targets for carbon reduction and energy use.
Julie Hirigoyen
She pointed out that Land Securities is taking part in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme; Hammerson has pledged a carbon neutral head office and PRUPIM has set up a £7.5m green electricity contract.
Hirigoyen said a recent survey among clients found that CO2 emissions on average are 9.5% better, water consumption is 17.8% better and recycling 54% better.
However Hirogoyen is right by pointing out the target confusion in the market ranging from 12% - UK Kyoto target, 20% – the EU target, 60% – the RCEP target, and 100% – the One Planet Living/WWF target.
She concluded by saying: “the pressure is on! Developers and investors are responding and actual improvements are beginning to happen but how far, how fast and how…?”
In a seminar on the Thursday, chairman of DEGW, Despina Katsikakis said changing work patterns and social influences mean we need to adapt existing buildings (not build new ones). This flew in the face of many at MIPIM touting commercial property.
She said existing space was dramatically under-utilised and what we need is buildings that can be adapted to multiple uses over time. Long life, loose fit was heard in more than one quarter this year.
This includes adapting homes to deliver healthcare and online education – far better than at present. The property industry has a long way to go.