The case for Centres of Excellence in sustainable building design
The case for Centres of Excellence in sustainable building design
The case for Centres of Excellence in sustainable building design
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eco-upgrades by 2020 and that all homes should be upgraded by 2030<br />
(approximately a further 15 million). <strong>The</strong> strategy estimates the average cost<br />
<strong>of</strong> an eco-upgrade will be £10,000. Thus, to achieve the required rate <strong>of</strong> ecorefurbishment<br />
a total spend rate <strong>in</strong> excess <strong>of</strong> £7 billion per year will be necessary<br />
up to 2020 and £15 billion per year from 2020 to 2030. This <strong>in</strong>dicates a total<br />
expenditure required by 2030 <strong>of</strong> around £200 billion.<br />
Even then, the anticipated reductions <strong>in</strong> CO2 emissions may not be realised.<br />
Studies <strong>in</strong>to the outcomes <strong>of</strong> early trials <strong>in</strong> low carbon hous<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dicate that<br />
the actual per<strong>for</strong>mance achieved <strong>of</strong>ten fails to reach the predictions by some<br />
marg<strong>in</strong> (Figure 2). At present there appears to be a very large disparity between<br />
the assumed cost and benefit <strong>of</strong> carbon abatement techniques <strong>in</strong> the domestic<br />
sector and what can be achieved <strong>in</strong> reality.<br />
Figure 2: Comparison <strong>of</strong> predicted and measured heat loss <strong>in</strong> 16 low carbon hous<strong>in</strong>g<br />
trial projects [Bell et al, 2010a]<br />
In addition, the UK has some 2 million non-domestic build<strong>in</strong>gs with<br />
596 million m 2 <strong>of</strong> rateable floor space [CLG 2009]. Commercial <strong>of</strong>fice space<br />
accounts <strong>for</strong> 84 million m 2 with 17 million m 2 classified as other <strong>of</strong>fice. With typical<br />
costs <strong>for</strong> an extensive susta<strong>in</strong>able refurbishment <strong>for</strong> commercial <strong>of</strong>fice space<br />
<strong>of</strong> £1,700/m 2 [Rawl<strong>in</strong>son, Harrison, 2009] and a median cost <strong>of</strong> £1,100/m 2 <strong>for</strong> a<br />
medium level <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>fice refurbishment [Rawl<strong>in</strong>son, Wilkes, 2008] it would require<br />
a further spend rate <strong>of</strong> over £4 billion per year to refurbish just the exist<strong>in</strong>g UK<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice build<strong>in</strong>g stock by 2050. Nevertheless, once aga<strong>in</strong> it appears that low carbon<br />
refurbishment <strong>of</strong> non-domestic build<strong>in</strong>gs is fail<strong>in</strong>g to meet expectation <strong>in</strong> some<br />
<strong>case</strong>s (Figure 3).<br />
Figure 3: A comparison between actual regulated energy consumption and the<br />
output <strong>of</strong> modell<strong>in</strong>g used to produce the EPC rat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>for</strong> 5 <strong>case</strong> study non-domestic<br />
build<strong>in</strong>gs. [Carbon Trust, 2011]<br />
12 <strong>The</strong> Royal Academy <strong>of</strong> Eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g