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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Executive summary<br />
and zero carbon new build be<strong>in</strong>g set by government policy at a cost that<br />
is af<strong>for</strong>dable <strong>for</strong> society. This represents an unprecedented challenge <strong>for</strong> an<br />
<strong>in</strong>dustry sector that has amongst the lowest <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, research and<br />
development <strong>of</strong> any <strong>in</strong> the UK economy.<br />
While some knowledge <strong>of</strong> successful susta<strong>in</strong>able construction strategies does<br />
exist, the <strong>in</strong>dustry lacks a coherent and replicable approach to deliver<strong>in</strong>g such<br />
build<strong>in</strong>gs. Some parts <strong>of</strong> the UK construction <strong>in</strong>dustry are world lead<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> their<br />
approach to <strong>in</strong>tegrated low carbon build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>design</strong>. However, it is estimated that<br />
90% <strong>of</strong> construction ef<strong>for</strong>t <strong>in</strong> the UK is delivered by small bus<strong>in</strong>esses, employ<strong>in</strong>g<br />
10 people or less, which do not have the resources to implement the rapid and<br />
radical changes needed, or even to absorb the grow<strong>in</strong>g body <strong>of</strong> knowledge<br />
about current best practice.<br />
Further, the construction supply cha<strong>in</strong> is highly fragmented with <strong>design</strong> and<br />
delivery <strong>of</strong> build<strong>in</strong>g projects divided across many different pr<strong>of</strong>essions, none with<br />
overall responsibility <strong>for</strong> ensur<strong>in</strong>g the susta<strong>in</strong>able per<strong>for</strong>mance <strong>of</strong> the f<strong>in</strong>ished<br />
product. <strong>The</strong>se divisions also make effective dissem<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>novation and best<br />
practice extremely difficult and a great proportion <strong>of</strong> ef<strong>for</strong>t <strong>in</strong> the low carbon<br />
sphere is wasted on repeat<strong>in</strong>g similar <strong>in</strong>itiatives without proper verification <strong>of</strong> the<br />
outcomes or dissem<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> the learn<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
IPSOS Mori, the lead<strong>in</strong>g research organization, was commissioned as part <strong>of</strong><br />
this project to canvass op<strong>in</strong>ion from bus<strong>in</strong>ess leaders across the construction<br />
<strong>in</strong>dustry as to the extent <strong>of</strong> their capability <strong>in</strong> deliver<strong>in</strong>g low carbon build<strong>in</strong>gs. This<br />
research underscored the dichotomy between the lead<strong>in</strong>g actors <strong>in</strong> the field and<br />
the majority <strong>of</strong> firms deliver<strong>in</strong>g rout<strong>in</strong>e build<strong>in</strong>g projects.<br />
Clearly, the construction <strong>in</strong>dustry urgently needs a repeatable, verifiable approach<br />
to <strong>in</strong>tegrat<strong>in</strong>g low carbon th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the <strong>design</strong>, procurement and construction<br />
process. Without this, the current poor understand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> carbon abatement<br />
techniques will persist and we risk an <strong>in</strong>dustry trapped <strong>in</strong> a cycle <strong>of</strong> experimental<br />
prototypes, never captur<strong>in</strong>g the learn<strong>in</strong>g necessary to move <strong>for</strong>ward to a<br />
replicable mass-market product.<br />
<strong>Centres</strong> <strong>of</strong> excellence <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>tegrated susta<strong>in</strong>able <strong>design</strong> would provide the focus<br />
<strong>for</strong> research and dissem<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> low carbon techniques and technologies.<br />
Traditionally the construction <strong>in</strong>dustry does not engage well with academic<br />
research and <strong>of</strong>ten valuable new <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation may take many years to be widely<br />
adopted. By br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g together research, undergraduate and postgraduate<br />
teach<strong>in</strong>g and cont<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g pr<strong>of</strong>essional development (CPD), the centres <strong>of</strong><br />
excellence <strong>of</strong>fer rapid dissem<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> the results <strong>of</strong> fundamental research and<br />
best practice <strong>case</strong> studies. <strong>The</strong> current growth <strong>in</strong> demand <strong>for</strong> tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> low<br />
carbon <strong>design</strong> would ensure rapid take up with<strong>in</strong> the <strong>in</strong>dustry.<br />
<strong>The</strong> structure <strong>of</strong> centres <strong>of</strong> excellence<br />
A centre <strong>of</strong> excellence needs to be much more than a typical university research<br />
centre. <strong>The</strong> primary aim <strong>of</strong> the proposed centres <strong>of</strong> excellence 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 />
centres <strong>of</strong> excellence 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 on fundamental research.<br />
Such a focus <strong>of</strong> both new and collective knowledge will <strong>in</strong>evitably have farreach<strong>in</strong>g<br />
benefits beyond the host university and the centres should be planned<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>case</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Centres</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong> <strong>in</strong> susta<strong>in</strong>able build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>design</strong> 7