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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Contents<br />
Foreword 3<br />
Preface 4<br />
Executive summary 5<br />
Introduction 5<br />
Background 6<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>case</strong> <strong>for</strong> centres <strong>of</strong> excellence 6<br />
<strong>The</strong> structure <strong>of</strong> centres <strong>of</strong> excellence 7<br />
<strong>The</strong> benefits <strong>of</strong> centres <strong>of</strong> excellence 8<br />
Recommendations 10<br />
Introduction 11<br />
Low carbon construction 15<br />
<strong>The</strong> benefits <strong>of</strong> conservation 15<br />
Technology versus Technique 15<br />
<strong>The</strong> technological fix 16<br />
<strong>The</strong> Jevons Paradox 16<br />
Design <strong>for</strong> passive energy conservation 18<br />
<strong>The</strong> argument <strong>for</strong> build<strong>in</strong>g science 18<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>essional standards 19<br />
Persistent fail<strong>in</strong>gs 21<br />
Barriers to change 21<br />
Low carbon construction skills 23<br />
<strong>The</strong> demand <strong>for</strong> low carbon skills 23<br />
Lessons from Elm Tree Mews 24<br />
Low carbon skills survey 25<br />
Deliver<strong>in</strong>g low carbon skills 27<br />
Current provision <strong>of</strong> undergraduate teach<strong>in</strong>g 27<br />
Current fail<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> undergraduate teach<strong>in</strong>g 28<br />
<strong>The</strong> need <strong>for</strong> excellence <strong>in</strong> undergraduate teach<strong>in</strong>g 29<br />
<strong>The</strong> need <strong>for</strong> excellence <strong>in</strong> cont<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essional development 29<br />
<strong>The</strong> need <strong>for</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and tra<strong>in</strong>ers 29<br />
<strong>The</strong> need <strong>for</strong> multi-discipl<strong>in</strong>ary research <strong>in</strong> construction 30<br />
<strong>The</strong> need <strong>for</strong> post occupancy evaluation 30<br />
<strong>Centres</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong> 32<br />
<strong>The</strong> cost <strong>of</strong> <strong>Centres</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong> 33<br />
<strong>The</strong> impact <strong>of</strong> <strong>Centres</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong> 34<br />
Unquantifiable benefits from <strong>Centres</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong> 34<br />
References 36<br />
Appendix 1:<br />
A generic structure <strong>for</strong> <strong>Centres</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> susta<strong>in</strong>able build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>design</strong> 37<br />
Introduction 37<br />
Requirements <strong>for</strong> a Centre <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong> 37<br />
Education 38<br />
Engagement with <strong>in</strong>dustry 40<br />
Research 41<br />
Geographic location 42<br />
Educational provision 43<br />
Students 44<br />
Staff<strong>in</strong>g 45<br />
Governance 47<br />
Identity and credibility 47<br />
Operat<strong>in</strong>g costs 48<br />
References 48<br />
Appendix 2:<br />
Estimat<strong>in</strong>g the economic impact <strong>of</strong> <strong>Centres</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Excellence</strong> <strong>in</strong> susta<strong>in</strong>able build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>design</strong> 49<br />
Introduction 49<br />
Benefits not explicitly evaluated 50<br />
Methodology and assumptions 51<br />
Education costs 52<br />
Employment costs 52<br />
Numbers <strong>of</strong> graduates 53<br />
Abatement potential 53<br />
Career abatement potential 55<br />
Marg<strong>in</strong>al abatement cost 56<br />
Conservative assumptions 58<br />
Estimated results 60<br />
Carbon abatement 60<br />
Net present value 62<br />
Sensitivities 63<br />
Value <strong>of</strong> carbon emissions abated 63<br />
Education and salary costs 64<br />
Graduate retention rate 65<br />
Discount rate 65<br />
Conclusion 66<br />
References 67<br />
2 <strong>The</strong> Royal Academy <strong>of</strong> Eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g