When the Government released its recent report, the media hailed it as a new beginning for nuclear power. But the findings went much further and energy efficiency measures, including acknowledgement that energy efficiency can help meet the perceived ‘energy gap’ was missed by the national press.

In fact, considerable progress was made in the areas of energy efficiency and renewables. This is due in part to the role institutions such as CIBSE played in pressing for all options to be fully considered. CIBSE supported the model of an ‘energy hierarchy’ which prioritises consideration of energy conservation and efficiency above non-carbon generation, which in turn sits above cleaner carbon technologies and places the ‘business as usual’ option of fossil fuel depletion firmly as a last resort. The essence of the hierarchy can be recognised in the Government’s stated commitment to energy efficiency and conservation throughout its report.

Many of CIBSE’s suggestions have been taken on board.

CIBSE originally identified that:

  • Saving energy is key to meeting the long term energy challenge n More needs to be done to promote energy efficiency
  • The current Renewables Obligation needs to be developed to increase renewable generation.
The government is now acting on the following, which CIBSE recommended in its submission:

  • To raise energy efficiency standards in new buildings
  • Develop the market for energy efficiency services
  • Raise awareness of energy efficiency services and provide incentives to consumers
  • Lead by example, including a pledge to make central government carbon neutral by 2012
  • To increase the Renewables Obligation to 20% with a tiered system of delivery.
A full version of the CIBSE submission and a covering statement can be found at www.cibse.org.uk.

Source

Building Sustainable Design