Following a successful four years since its inception, the Zero Carbon Hub opened February with its inaugural annual conference in London, drawing together key industry members to talk about the topic on every house builder, architect and developer’s lips – zero carbon construction.
At the top of the morning, delegates were informed of the Zero Carbon Hub’s recent funding injection from the NHBC, in light of the Governments’ withdrawal to address the Sovereign debt.
Over the course of the day, speakers delved in and out of industry buzzwords, questioning the definition of zero carbon, the viability of localism, the shortage in skills, the challenge of meeting carbon targets, the hindrance of technology and, the driver behind it all – legislation.
But first, conference chair, Paul King of the UK Green Building Council, sought an existentialist angle to his opening address, asking “Why are we here?”
Reeling off percentages and targets, Mr King quickly regaled the very reason why delegates were sat in their seats, reminding them they have “10 years to avert the worst effects of climate change.”
The Climate Change Act specifies a carbon emissions reduction of at least 34% by 2020; 60% by 2030. “Buildings are squarely in the spotlight,” he said, citing the industry’s “phenomenal challenge” that lies within the draughty square footage of the UK’s existing stock.
Housing minister Grant Shapps, the first speaker, has for some time been seeking to finalise a definition of zero carbon for the industry. “However, in the event it’s been industry who have asked for a little more time and for more research to be done to get a workable definition in place,” he said.
He referred to emerging findings which have found that a good on paper design does not necessarily deliver performance as built. “But I am not going to provide a blueprint to you to make that a done deal. Industry are the ones who know what works. My challenge to you is to come up with an approach to allowable solutions which deliver real, additional carbon savings in a cost-effective manner. A workable allowable solution.”
He also floated the idea of his interest in widening the scope of the Green Deal to new build: “Whilst the Green Deal is currently only a retrofit scheme for existing homes, today I want to let you know that I am interested in whether we should look at new build homes too. I reckon such a scheme could allow developers to recover some of the cost of building better homes to meet modern energy efficiency standards.”
The future of the Code for Sustainable Homes was raised in the Q&A session, with Mr Shapps stating he wanted to simplify the steps to build a home. He said the Government was committed to reduce complications. “Once you’re at zero carbon there’s no point talking about Code Level 6,” he concluded.
Mark Clare, group chief executive of Barratt Developments talked about 2011 as the age of house building in “one of the most difficult housing markets we remember.”
He referred to a recent Barratt project, which led the largest UK zero carbon project to date, building 3,300 Code Level 3 homes and 400 Level 6 homes, which incorporated over 2,600 m2 of photovoltaic installations. A success story, yes, but he went on to identify some of the key issues that repeatedly crop up in such projects, and called for their address.
He said that while the industry has come a very long way in a short time, it still had to address the four key areas to achieving zero carbon - policy, technology, cost and the customer.
In regulation terms, Mr Clare expressed his concern about localism, that “one set of rules may turn into 350,” while for technology, although he admitted the industry was making progress, he feared that in five years’ time, accusations of installing too much technology could fly. Instead, he said we must improve the quality and quantity of fabric, which not only offers a cost benefit, but reduces the high risk of maintenance and replacement costs that are inevitable with plug-ins.
He also raised the issue of the lack of understanding and benefits of air tightness from customers, and that “telling someone a property is low or zero carbon makes no difference.”
He concluded that while at the moment, Barratt does not monitor homeowners to assess quality of life, building performance and emissions reduction, there was scope for change: “When we get to mass low carbon house building we need to monitor it, otherwise people will turn it off and not use it, and we will fail.”
Zero Carbon Hub chief executive, Neil Jefferson, presented the themes for the year ahead at the Hub, starting by outlining the four key areas of their focus: building, energy, the consumer and skills.
He said the Hub will identify a 2016 timeline, develop allowable solutions, and look at consumer engagement and marketing. He confirmed the ceasing of CLG funding, but went on to say the NHBC had secured support for 2011/2012. Mr Jefferson also ventured the future of the Hub would be in the direction of new homes – echoing Mr Shapps’ presentation from earlier.
“The UK faces a trilemma,” according to Don Leiper, managing director of E.ON.
Delivering low carbon energy; delivering secure energy and delivering affordable energy are the three competing objectives the UK must balance to attain zero carbon effectively, he said.
It took 20 years to build the channel tunnel, and from this, he drew on a remarkable metaphor demonstrating the level of investment required for target delivery: “The output needed [from the industry] is equivalent to building two channel tunnels a year.”
“New homes will have a life span of 60-100 years, so long-term thinking is essential,” he stressed. He said new homes should be at least carbon neutral, something that is likely to be achieved in the future as partnerships with local authorities will become more common, such as in Stoke-on-Trent.
He concluded that the industry needs to exploit the definition of allowable solutions, and should work together and welcome transparency and simplicity with open arms.
But an issue that many have been concerned about since the introduction of the Localism Bill is the en masse effect it will have on the sector – an issue that John Slaughter, director of external affairs at HBF, pondered on, and asked how localism could add value for all.
Localism is the devolution of not only power, but responsibility, he said. He envisaged that neighbourhood plans would lead to more consultation, with a presumption in favour of sustainable development.
Arguing that zero carbon still inflicted a significant addition to overall regulatory costs, he disagreed with Grant Shapps on the confirmed definition of zero carbon, stating there was “still no clarity.”
He questioned if there was a risk of a proliferation of standards and requirements, with a loss of common house types, a fragmented supply chain, and additional incurred costs to meet targets.
On allowable solutions, he explored their potential to de-risk delivery, their ability to facilitate efficient carbon reduction in communities, and the possibility of a reduction in zero carbon policy costs, concluding this would be the key agenda for the Hub in 2011.
A tone of nostalgia was met with the next speaker, who reminisced: “In the good old days, there was no sustainability, no localism, no regulation – it was a good industry to be in!”
Stephen Stone, chief executive of Crest Nicholson echoed Mark Clare in saying: “We don’t often talk to the customer about how they’re using their home.”
He drew comparisons to the car industry’s manufacturing development, the testing of prototypes, and starting from scratch if something doesn’t work, and asked, why is it not the same of house building? The core strength of the developer, he said, was delivering through fabric first. Houses shouldn’t be just for the first inhabitants, but for those over the next 60 to 100 years. And the core strength of the supplier is to service the products they install.
While he championed the need for a fabric first approach, he also called for a focus on occupier behaviour. He said there was a neutral opinion from consumers on environmental measures like insulation and efficient appliances, but what they really want to know is about location and amenities – “We mustn’t lose site of communities,” he warned.
The afternoon took a turn towards skills, or rather, the shortage of them, starting with Imtiaz Farookhi, chief executive of NHBC.
He said the challenge of supply in England has been intensified by targets, and with an increase in the pace of change, there is a greater understanding of building methods among teams, and therefore a minimisation of risk.
He talked about a partnership between NHBC, Zero Carbon Hub and ConstructionSkills called Home Building Skills, which provides an action plan to 2020. He said so far they have found 10 drivers for change, including design approaches, building methods, land use and planning and technology.
Recommendations from the findings were to develop a portal encompassing a skills checklist as a provision, to accredit training, and indulge in communicating best practice to achieve the highest level of awareness and knowledge.
It was something that Keith Marsahll OBE agreed with. The chief executive of Summit Skills talked about their National Skills Academy, (which gained accreditation shortly after the conference). The academy will see a network of hubs across the UK to train SME’s locally in technology product knowledge, maintenance and services.
“Do we have enough qualifications to address the issue? Our view is that we don’t,” he cautioned. He questioned whether the process, as well as infrastructure, was available, warning that one bad experience from a customer unfortunate to meet a rogue trainer or trader could turn a whole street off from engaging.
The closing presentation was delivered by associate director of PRP, Chris Wilford, whose message was driven by a case study of Greenwatt Way – a research project delivered for Scottish and Southern Energy.
The project was aimed at finding out the energy profiles and behaviour of occupants living in Code Level 6 homes. Built to be east/west facing, (“you can’t deliver south-facing all the time,” he said.)
Mr Wilford advised a replicable product was needed, and that nothing should be left unplanned. He also urged the importance of monitoring residents – a monthly occasion for Greenwatt Way residents.
From the look of the day, it seems as though everyone’s page has the same thing written on it: cost, energy and consumer.
As was to be expected, the Zero Carbon Hub’s first conference did deliver on variety and influential content, but with little in the way of groundbreaking revelation.
But, it did detail progress, and it’s that progress that will inevitably deliver those groundbreaking solutions that house builders, architects and developers alike will eventually be able to comment on at a conference such as this in what is hoped to be the not too distant future.
www.zerocarbonhub.org