Tag Archives: net zero

The Road Less Travelled: Reimagining the Architecture Industry for a Net-Zero Future

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Over the years, we have been a witness to the astounding evolution in the industry and a participant in the crusade for sustainable development. As a part of a contemporary design-led architecture studio, focused on low energy and low embodied carbon designs, I feel an enormous responsibility in driving the industry towards ‘net zero’. The concept of net zero, a balance between the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced and removed from the atmosphere, has been thrust upon us as an urgent requirement, yet its fulfilment remains elusive. This blog aims to unravel the architecture industry’s ongoing quest for sustainability and provide insight into the pressing need for a decisive shift from the status quo towards innovative, carbon-conscious design practices.

Herbert Paradise in Kensal Rise designed by RISE Design Studio is a low energy home
Herbert Paradise in Kensal Rise designed by RISE Design Studio is a low energy home

Chapter 1: Setting the Scene: Sustainability in the Construction Industry

Over the years, architects, engineers, builders, and other professionals within the built environment have been operating under the banner of progressive sustainability. However, in reality, we have merely sustained and maintained the status quo. The construction industry’s dependency on conventional practices threatens to jeopardize the environment and the needs of current and future generations. To sustain our trajectory of consumption and waste without transforming our methods is a recipe for disaster. Change isn’t just necessary; it’s imperative.

Chapter 2: A Wake-up Call: The Climate Change Act and the Environmental Emergency

The UK Government’s Climate Change Act in 2008 marked the nation’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 100% of 1990 levels by 2050. Despite this, the commitment to sustainability remained rhetoric for many industries, including the built environment, agriculture, and transport. Their collective output levels remain comparable to 1990, with a mere 40% drop in emissions attributed primarily to the energy sector.

Bethany and Imran on site during construction of Herbert Paradise in Kensal Rise, NW London
Bethany and Imran on site during construction of Herbert Paradise in Kensal Rise, NW London

Chapter 3: The Silent Culprits: Construction Emissions

Alarmingly, the construction, operation, and maintenance of the built environment contribute to 45% of total UK carbon emissions. Additionally, construction and demolition of buildings contribute to a whopping 32% of landfill waste. It’s time to shift our focus from a short-term perspective to a comprehensive lifecycle approach, addressing the construction process, operational phase, and eventual decommissioning of the structures we create.

Chapter 4: The Art of Accounting for Carbon

According to the UK Green Building Council, 10% of total UK emissions originate from the construction process alone. However, the carbon footprint of a building extends beyond construction to include the extraction, manufacture, and transportation of materials, on-site emissions, repair and restoration, and the potential for material recycling or landfilling. The intricacy of this process calls for transparent and accurate accounting, ensuring that undesirable carbon values aren’t ‘greenwashed’.

Ice Cream House in Hampstead, North London, is a low energy home which includes an array of sixteen Solar Panels on the rear outrigger roof
Ice Cream House in Hampstead, North London, is a low energy home which includes an array of sixteen Solar Panels on the rear outrigger roof

Chapter 5: Embodied Energy and Carbon Conscious Material Choices

A key aspect of reducing carbon output involves re-evaluating our material choices. Traditionally, the architecture industry has relied heavily on materials such as steel and concrete. These materials have high embodied energy due to their extraction, production, and transportation processes, contributing significantly to carbon emissions. Therefore, exploring alternative materials with lower embodied energy is crucial to achieving our net-zero goal.

Chapter 6: Embracing Timber Construction

Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) construction, as a carbon-negative alternative to steel and concrete, is slowly gaining acceptance in the industry. Architectural practices such as RISE Design Studio and Waugh Thistleton are trailblazers in this area. CLT offers intriguing possibilities with its inherent flexibility in design and compatibility with low carbon strategies. It presents a promising path towards sustainable architecture, despite the lingering concerns around fire safety for high-rise buildings.

The Lexi Cinema in Kensal Rise, NW London, is the first cinema to use an ASHP and MVHR to control the internal climate of the auditorium
The Lexi Cinema in Kensal Rise, NW London, is the first cinema to use an ASHP and MVHR to control the internal climate of the auditorium

Chapter 7: Timber – The Sustainable Promise

Despite the regulation against the use of combustible materials in new housing schemes over 18m post-Grenfell, the potential benefits of CLT cannot be ignored. Its attributes include speed of housing delivery, carbon capture, fire and acoustic performance, and embodied energy. Notably, it provides the opportunity for carbon sequestration, further contributing to reducing the overall carbon footprint of a building.

Chapter 8: Beyond Energy Efficiency: The Quest for Carbon-Positive Building

While it’s crucial to reduce embodied carbon and energy in use, our ambition should extend beyond achieving net-zero energy buildings to creating ‘carbon positive’ ones. Carbon-positive buildings not only consume less energy than they produce but also incorporate materials that actively remove carbon from the atmosphere. Our ultimate goal should be to design and build structures that contribute positively to their environment and leave a beneficial legacy for future generations.

Ice Cream House in Hampstead includes an ASHP, MVHR, Airtightness, high performance insulation and glazing
Ice Cream House in Hampstead includes an ASHP, MVHR, Airtightness, high-performance insulation and glazing

Chapter 9: Innovating with New Sustainable Materials

Technological innovation and research are fostering the development of new sustainable materials. For instance, researchers at Washington State University have developed plant-based insulation that outperforms synthetic equivalents like Styrofoam. Similarly, companies like BioMason and StoneCycling are revolutionising the production of bricks, using environmentally friendly and recycled materials. Such developments are not only reducing the industry’s carbon footprint but also challenging the conventional norms of material usage.

Chapter 10: Reimagining the Future of Construction

To transition towards sustainable construction, a paradigm shift is required at all levels of the industry. We must shed preconceptions of what a building should look and feel like and bravely innovate to ensure optimal performance. Clients and architects alike need to align their objectives with the overarching goal of environmental stewardship. Only by embracing change and challenging the status quo can we hope to meet our sustainability goals.

In conclusion, as we stand at the crossroads of sustainability, the architecture industry has an unprecedented opportunity to lead the charge towards a net-zero future. We must be pioneers, willing to venture beyond the comfortable realms of traditional practices and fearlessly embrace innovation. The journey won’t be easy, but the rewards – a healthier planet and a brighter future for generations to come – are undoubtedly worth the challenges we will face along the way.

If you would like to talk through your project with the team, please do get in touch at mail@risedesignstudio.co.uk or give us a call at 020 3290 1003

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No more VAT on green home improvements

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In March this year, the UK Government removed the requirement for VAT on payments related to the installation of certain energy saving materials in residential property in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland). This will be in place until the end of March 2027. Scrapping VAT on green home improvements for the next five years is a welcome move from the government and should mean that more people will be able to afford to improve the energy efficiency of their home.

RISE Design Studio green home improvements

Reducing carbon emissions

The UK Government has committed to achieving ‘net zero’ emissions by 2050. In practice, this means reducing carbon emissions by 78% by 2035 (using the 1990 levels as the baseline). Although this is a legally binding commitment (which should be applauded for its ambition), it is meaningless if no actual action is taken.

Reducing the use of fossil fuels in our homes is an important step on the road to net zero. Over 90% of residential property in the UK is still heated using gas and/or oil, the emissions from which accounts for nearly 20% of all UK carbon emissions. The current cost of living crisis also highlights the unsustainable nature of these types of fuel, particularly when prices are pushed up by global crises such as war, which impact on non-renewably energy supply chains.

Strong support but high costs

There is a huge amount of support amongst the British public for the use of renewable energy in our homes. The growing popularity of ‘green energy’ suppliers is testament to this. Increased awareness of the impacts of climate change, alongside rapidly rising energy prices, strongly motivate us to try to reduce our energy consumption and increase efficiency. However, the uptake of renewable energy installations to provide electricity and heat has been slow. For example, only 36,000 heat pumps were installed in 2020.

This is because the initial cost of installing energy efficient technology and moving away from the use of fossil fuels can be very high. These costs are even higher when VAT is part of the cost. It is therefore good news that the removal of VAT will bring the initial costs down somewhat and, hopefully, make greener electricity and heating accessible to more households.

Still more to be done?

At the time of the change in rules, it was estimated by the government that the removal of VAT on green home improvements would save homeowners installing rooftop solar panels around £1,000 a year (on average). Installing solar panels (or heat pumps or improving insulation) would also save an average of £300 a year on energy bills (although this figure may now be even higher in the context of the increasing prices).

While welcome, there is arguably still more work to be done to enable households that cannot afford new installations to make green improvements to their homes. Removing VAT is unlikely to be the ‘one size fits all’ solution it perhaps set out to be. Now is the time to develop and commit to a national retrofit strategy that would invest in improving all existing housing stock to ensure we all live in healthy and climate smart homes.

Refurbishing homes for net zero – upskilling our design team

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Refurbishing and retrofitting existing homes is a large part of the challenge of transitioning the built environment to net zero. We are faced with a significant task, especially as every home is different – efficiency measures that work in one home may not be appropriate for another. Retrofitting is also a daunting task for homeowners, particularly in terms of engaging a contractor with the right skills and experience for the job. At RISE Design Studio, we have worked on several projects that have included energy efficiency measures and, as the push to net zero becomes ever more critical, we are working hard to upskill our design team so all our projects are as energy efficient as possible.

Retrofit flat London

Embracing refurbishment

The 2008 Climate Change Act committed the UK to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. The buildings sector accounts for 37% of total UK GHG emissions and, of these emissions, 65% are from the residential sector. As a result, there has been growth in the residential retrofit industry, with buildings being adapted to be more sustainable and energy-efficient. The majority of our existing residential stock requires some level of retrofit to enable the government’s ambitious emissions targets to be reached.

Common measures include improving insulation. A new heating system might also be installed, or double glazing might be fitted. Yet, conserving energy is not the only reason to retrofit a building. Improving indoor environmental quality, reducing dampness and mould will all lead to increased health and productivity levels of residents.

Upskilling our design team

Recognising the increased momentum in London around reaching net zero, we have really enjoyed working with clients on refurbishment projects that incorporate environmental considerations. Modern architects are well-placed to add creativity and innovation into the drive to retrofit existing housing stock, particularly those that may prove very expensive to retrofit. For example, historic buildings such as Edwardian terraces are protected, and increasing energy efficiency can pose a real challenge. However, there are exciting options to retain the façade and rebuild the living spaces within the building.

More and more clients are seeking energy efficient homes and we are fully aware of the important role architects play in helping to reach the government target for 2050. As a result, we have been working hard to upskill our design team to work on these types of projects.

Maximising design benefit

There are several industry standards designed to increase the efficiency of residential property, including the Passivhaus and EnerPhit certifications. A Passivhaus project tends to use energy sources from within the building, such as body heat, heat from the sun or light bulbs, or heat from indoor appliances to create a comfortable, healthy living environment. However, it can be difficult to reach the exact requirements of the Passivhaus standard in a retrofit project.

Recognising this, the Passivhaus Institut has developed the EnerPHit standard for projects that use the Passivhaus method to reduce fuel bills and heating demand. We are working hard to implement this standard in our projects and our design team has developed the skills to align retrofit projects with this approach. EnerPHit takes into account the limitations associated with retrofit projects and relaxes some of the Passivhaus criteria to reflect this. Nevertheless, it is still a very demanding standard and generally results in a building that outperforms a new-build property both in terms of energy and comfort.

Working towards a Net Zero London

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Earlier this month, New London Architecture (NLA) published a report on ‘Zero Carbon London‘. Part of NLA’s Net Zero programme (#NLANetZero), the report provides new insight into progress in the built environment profession in the fight against climate change. It is based on results of a survey of over 100 London-based companies in the sector and points out some of the biggest challenges and opportunities for the city to get to Net Zero. In this post, we pull out some of the key points that ring particularly true for our firm.

Net Zero London RISE Design Studio

What is Net Zero London?

‘Net zero carbon’ is often used as a proxy for the six greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide is the most common of these. ‘Net’ refers to the sum of carbon emissions and carbon offsetting/sequestration (e.g. via absorption of carbon dioxide because of new woodland creation) being equal to zero. It is now widely-proven that climate change is caused by the increased concentration of greenhouse gases emitted in the atmosphere from human activities. This leads to an increase in global temperatures (global warming). Reducing the emissions of man-made greenhouse gases is therefore vital for tackling the climate emergency, and this is why ‘net zero carbon’ is so important.

For cities, which account for over 70% of global emissions and consume over two thirds of the world’s energy, reaching net zero is urgent. London has been one of the first global cities to commit to becoming carbon neutral by 2050 – the Greater London Authority has a plan to achieve this ambitious aim. 27 of the 32 London Boroughs and City of London have so far declared a climate emergency. London is also one of the major global cities that has signed the C40 Net Zero Carbon Buildings Declaration, committing to ensure that all new buildings operate at net zero carbon by 2030 (and all existing buildings at net zero carbon by 2050).

Achieving net zero in construction

The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) explains net zero in construction as ‘when the amount of carbon emissions associated with a building’s product and construction stages up to practical completion is zero or negative, through the use of offsets or the net export of on-site renewable energy’. A net zero carbon building tends to be highly energy efficient and powered from on- or off-site renewable sources, with any remaining carbon balance offset.

There are plenty of exciting initiatives and projects being undertaken by public authorities and the private sector: from a citizens’ assembly facilitated by Camden Council to come up with recommendations for zero carbon homes, to the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge that sets out the actions that chartered practice like RISE Design Studio will need to take.

More to be done

The NLA survey highlighted good progress in the sector. First, the vast majority of those who took part have signed up to one of the industry pledges such as Architects Declare (we have signed up). Second, those in the industry generally feel that they have the skills to address climate issues.

However, those who completed the survey feel that the biggest barriers to positive change are regulation and finance. The lack of green finance is a critical barrier for the London Boroughs to implement and achieve their targets. For organisations like ours, the current policy frameworks are not effective and act as a barrier for implementing measures that will get us to net zero. For example, a recent government consultation on banning the use of combustible materials in buildings suggests that a lack of joined-up thinking remains an issue – timber plays a very important role in decarbonsing construction.

The Covid-19 lockdown between March and May 2020 demonstrated that it is possible to reduce emissions and address behaviour change in a short time – carbon emissions in London dropped by 60%. But, the challenge is to achieve this reduction at the same time as people living their lives freely.

There is strong optimism in the sector that there is now an opportunity to transform our way of life and act in a more environmentally-conscious way. The upcoming inauguration of a US President who ran on a manifesto of clean energy and net zero no later than 2050 is also encouraging, particularly if he manages to rally the rest of the world (and our Prime Minister) to take the same steps.