CIBSE backs low carbon design

“For a long time, we have struggled with the problems of driving up standards as there has been little in the way of a market imperative”, says CIBSE president, Donald Leeper, “but with rising energy prices, the winds of change are now blowing towards renewable energy and energy efficiency. More and more businesses are taking their corporate social responsibilities forward and looking for exemplar solutions to low carbon design and operation.”

CIBSE, with the support of the Carbon Trust, will be running a high profile campaign throughout 2006 to encourage businesses to use low carbon consultants.

The benefit of joining the register is that not only will professionals be trained to comply with the new Part L but will also join the ranks of consultants dedicated to doing better than the minimum standard. “This is an ambitious project”, admits Samantha McDonough, project leader at

CIBSE, which is match-funding the project. “We are only just finding out the ODPM’s plans for the minimum standard under the new Part L and already CIBSE is upping the ante and looking well into the future. Whenever Part L is reviewed, the CIBSE low carbon consultants will be striving continually to set new standards towards the other end of the scale”.

To join the register, applicants will have to undertake training, take an exam and commit to follow dedicated CPD that will improve their ability to deliver low carbon solutions. Registered members will be required to declare the carbon savings they have made through a simple on-line process, and there will be an annual awards scheme for those with the highest savings.

“We are being intentionally ambitious with this project,” says Donald Leeper, “but we are not expecting our members to perform without the proper support.” There will be a full suite of supporting documentation for those wishing to join the register.

With over 200 members, the new CIBSE Energy Performance Group is the best way to keep in touch with developments and express interest in the register. Chairman Phil Jones says “If we’re really serious about tackling climate change then we have to find practical ways of implementing Part L and get people striving for a gold standard beyond the basic regulations. The energy performance group is committed to making this register work as the means of energy accreditation for those designing and operating buildings.”