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
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Appendix 1:<br />
A generic structure <strong>for</strong> <strong>Centres</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />
susta<strong>in</strong>able build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>design</strong><br />
Introduction<br />
This appendix sets out the possible structure, operations and costs <strong>for</strong> <strong>Centres</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong> <strong>in</strong> Integrated Susta<strong>in</strong>able Build<strong>in</strong>g Design. <strong>The</strong>se <strong>Centres</strong> must<br />
comb<strong>in</strong>e lead<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustrial and academic expertise to serve the press<strong>in</strong>g needs <strong>of</strong><br />
a new low carbon society.<br />
A Centre <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong> needs to be much more than a typical university research<br />
centre. <strong>The</strong> primary aim <strong>of</strong> the proposed <strong>Centres</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong> is to enhance the<br />
education <strong>of</strong> build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>design</strong>ers, with<strong>in</strong> a multidiscipl<strong>in</strong>ary environment, so that<br />
they are equipped to deliver the low carbon build<strong>in</strong>gs us<strong>in</strong>g the most economic<br />
and advantageous techniques. In order to achieve this it is necessary that the<br />
<strong>Centres</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong> become hubs <strong>for</strong> acquir<strong>in</strong>g, ref<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and dissem<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g<br />
knowledge <strong>of</strong> low carbon <strong>design</strong>, construction and facilities management <strong>in</strong><br />
addition to the traditional academic focus <strong>of</strong> fundamental research.<br />
Also key to meet<strong>in</strong>g society’s needs is the provision <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>dependent, timely,<br />
expert advice to policymakers. This is necessary to ensure that the importance<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>tegrated susta<strong>in</strong>able build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>design</strong> is translated <strong>in</strong>to en<strong>for</strong>cement, with<br />
government-controlled estate lead<strong>in</strong>g by example.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Centres</strong> must then engage with <strong>in</strong>dustry directly, on a number <strong>of</strong> fronts.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Centres</strong> must work closely with the best <strong>design</strong>ers, manufacturers and<br />
constructors at the cutt<strong>in</strong>g edge, to develop the new th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g needed to meet<br />
the requirements <strong>of</strong> the enlightened policies which result from the higher level<br />
engagement. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Centres</strong> must work to ensure that the advances <strong>in</strong> knowledge,<br />
understand<strong>in</strong>g and techniques are then used as widely as possible with<strong>in</strong> the<br />
<strong>in</strong>dustry both at the lead<strong>in</strong>g edge and <strong>in</strong> the delivery <strong>of</strong> mass market build<strong>in</strong>gs.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Centres</strong> must also engage with clients, both directly to owners/managers <strong>of</strong><br />
large estates, and via representative organisations such as surveyors and project<br />
managers.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Centres</strong> must then supply the people to deliver these new ideas <strong>in</strong>to practice<br />
– carbon-aware architects, planners, surveyors and project managers and carbonliterate<br />
eng<strong>in</strong>eers to br<strong>in</strong>g the necessary rigour and analytical skills. <strong>The</strong>y will need<br />
a depth <strong>of</strong> understand<strong>in</strong>g, imag<strong>in</strong>ation and <strong>in</strong>ventiveness, supported by a huge<br />
enthusiasm <strong>for</strong> the task at hand.<br />
<strong>The</strong> relationship with <strong>in</strong>dustry will call <strong>for</strong> the <strong>Centres</strong> to carry out scientific<br />
observation and analysis <strong>of</strong> the actual environmental per<strong>for</strong>mance <strong>of</strong> build<strong>in</strong>gs,<br />
<strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>med by the broad outlook, open-m<strong>in</strong>dedness and concern with real-world<br />
problems which characterise the best eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g. Closely related<br />
to this scientific work, and to an extent spr<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g from it, will be development<br />
<strong>of</strong> new ideas and an <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g depth <strong>of</strong> understand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> exist<strong>in</strong>g concepts.<br />
This work will <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>m the undergraduate education, and elements <strong>of</strong> it can be<br />
communicated to <strong>in</strong>dustry through a range <strong>of</strong> publications, workshops and the<br />
full range <strong>of</strong> CPD.<br />
Requirements <strong>for</strong> a Centre <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong> rate <strong>of</strong> expansion required <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>tegrated susta<strong>in</strong>able build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>design</strong> is such<br />
that the conventional university model <strong>of</strong> a research centre cannot meet the<br />
38 <strong>The</strong> Royal Academy <strong>of</strong> Eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g