The case for Centres of Excellence in sustainable building design

Contents
Foreword 3
Preface 4
Executive summary 5
Introduction 5
Background 6
The case for centres of excellence 6
The structure of centres of excellence 7
The benefits of centres of excellence 8
Recommendations 10
Introduction 11
Low carbon construction 15
The benefits of conservation 15
Technology versus Technique 15
The technological fix 16
The Jevons Paradox 16
Design for passive energy conservation 18
The argument for building science 18
Professional standards 19
Persistent failings 21
Barriers to change 21
Low carbon construction skills 23
The demand for low carbon skills 23
Lessons from Elm Tree Mews 24
Low carbon skills survey 25
Delivering low carbon skills 27
Current provision of undergraduate teaching 27
Current failings in undergraduate teaching 28
The need for excellence in undergraduate teaching 29
The need for excellence in continuing
professional development 29
The need for industry training and trainers 29
The need for multi-disciplinary research in construction 30
The need for post occupancy evaluation 30
Centres of Excellence 32
The cost of Centres of Excellence 33
The impact of Centres of Excellence 34
Unquantifiable benefits from Centres of Excellence 34
References 36
Appendix 1:
A generic structure for Centres of Excellence
in sustainable building design 37
Introduction 37
Requirements for a Centre of Excellence 37
Education 38
Engagement with industry 40
Research 41
Geographic location 42
Educational provision 43
Students 44
Staffing 45
Governance 47
Identity and credibility 47
Operating costs 48
References 48
Appendix 2:
Estimating the economic impact of Centres of
Excellence in sustainable building design 49
Introduction 49
Benefits not explicitly evaluated 50
Methodology and assumptions 51
Education costs 52
Employment costs 52
Numbers of graduates 53
Abatement potential 53
Career abatement potential 55
Marginal abatement cost 56
Conservative assumptions 58
Estimated results 60
Carbon abatement 60
Net present value 62
Sensitivities 63
Value of carbon emissions abated 63
Education and salary costs 64
Graduate retention rate 65
Discount rate 65
Conclusion 66
References 67
2 The Royal Academy of Engineering