Report Claims Green Building is Essential for Cutting Carbon

A new report, released by the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE), has stated that the whole fabric of buildings must be changed in order to cut down carbon emissions – rather than the addition of ‘green bling’.

The RAE claim that the UK will be unable to meet its 2050 carbon reduction targets if it does not address carbon emissions from buildings. Buildings in the UK are currently responsible for 45 percent of our carbon emissions, and it is estimated that 80 percent of the homes and buildings we will still be using in 2050 have already been built.

This is why, according to RAE, it is so crucial to look at the fabric of these buildings – many of which are very dependent on fossil fuel to make them comfortable to live in. Buildings must be designed to be functional yet use much lower amounts of energy.

The RAE recognises that this poses a huge challenge, and to meet targets the government must increase skills in the construction sector. Author of the report, Doug King, stated that there is a ‘gulf’ between what the government wants and what the industry is able to deliver.

The report speaks of the need to ensure that buildings are as energy efficient as possible before even considering renewable energy generation. Measures include insulation, energy efficient double glazing in windows, and even natural techniques such as maximising benefits of natural sunlight.