Sustainability is more than just carbon or energy - it’s about the whole life cycle of a building, for both new build and retrofit

Howe Park Passivhaus

Howe Park Passivhaus

I agree that moving the goalposts is unhelpful (Government to cap zero-carbon cost to housebuilders, www.building.co.uk, 6 August).

But more important, is the need to address the misunderstandings and the hollow lip service paid to real sustainability. Sustainability is more than just carbon or energy. It is the whole life cycle (LC) and cradle-to-cradle (C2C) considerations of a building (design to structure, materials and fabric with appropriate technologies) for both new build and retrofit.

In addressing this we need to take account of resource depletion and pollution elimination/reduction while still achieving affordability, health and comfort for occupants.

So let’s stop believing CSH and other standards are optimal when they are not. Let’s improve the standards in LC and C2C terms and stop the dilution of what is in place so the pathway to real sustainability can be achieved.

Daniel Lee, via www.building.co.uk

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