Web environmental report

“Climate change is the most severe problem we are facing today,” warns Sir David King, the government’s chief scientific advisor.

We are all aware of the growing danger surrounding climate change and of the major role carbon emissions play in leading this change. However, the way energy is used is just as crucial a consideration as how it is generated. In fact it was this debate that prompted the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors to commission research and strategy consultancy, Brook Lyndhurst to examine what the potential impact would be on our towns and cities, as well as on our daily lives.

The report entitled ‘the city climate challenge for 2050: your city – your responsibility’ highlights the importance of strong leadership. The government has to take up the responsibility for placing mechanisms that encourage individuals, household and communities to actually want to live a low carbon lifestyle.

Key challenges

The UK has committed both to a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2010 (taken against 1990 levels) and a longer-term reduction of 60% by 2050 (taken against 2000 levels). The Brook Lyndhurst report examines realistic ways in which we can achieve these targets.

The consultancy carried out three separate studies looking at key issues in the transition to low-carbon environment. Transport, energy demand and the built environment, and energy supply were viewed in the context of the three contrasting but typical cities of Manchester, Bournemouth and Brighton respectively. The report also presents a fourth case study in London, which draws together the three issues and shows the combined reduction needed.

Brook Lyndhurst tapped into various sources of information including recent developments in scenario planning, the wider climate change literature and formal statistical date sources.

The results are sobering, highlighting the sheer scale of the challenge facing us and pointing to major changes in behaviour that are required to achieve necessary reductions.

For instance, whilst studying the built environment in Bournemouth, the report found that current CO2 emissions from the average house are 6,176 kg CO2 per year. Now assuming there will be no change in the number of households, in order to achieve the 60% reduction, emissions must fall to 2,471 kg CO2 per year.

On the other hand, assuming that the number of households increases by 25% by 2050, then each household has to reduce its emissions output by as much as 70%, to 1,976 kg CO2 per year.

Current CO2 emissions from each metre squared of commercial and industrial space are 254.5 kg of CO2 per year. Assuming there is no overall increase in the number of commercial properties, the 60% target means that emissions from a metre squared must fall to 101.8 kg CO2 per year.

The London study is perhaps the most telling. In terms of the built environment, the UK capital with a population of 7,388,000 residing in 3,015,997 households uses as much energy as the whole of Greece! The average London house emits 6,278 kg CO2 per year. Assuming there aren’t any increases in the number of households, a 60% reduction would require every home to emit only 2,511 kg CO2 per year. This figure would have to drop to as little as 2,009 kg per year, an estimated 70% reduction, if projected increases in households are borne out.

Just to put these figures in perspective, a detached bungalow built to the Advanced Practice Energy Efficiency Best Practice Housing Standard emits a reasonable 2,300 kg CO2 each year.

What next?

The report highlights eight basic measures to help reduce carbon emissions. Firstly, UK building regulations should meet the same benchmark as the best European and international standards. The energy efficiency of existing buildings need also be examined, with the government offering council tax rebates or other positive incentives to encourage occupants to take up energy efficiency measures.

The report suggests changes to be made to the planning system in order to make it easier for householders to install microgeneration equipment. Other measures to incite changes in personal behaviour could be the introduction of domestic, tradable carbon allowances.

There are even simpler suggested measures. For instance, local food production could be encouraged in order to cut back on energy used for supplying, storing and transporting food from far away destinations.

The report says we should ensure new developments are high density and energy efficient, taking place in Transport Development Areas around transport hubs, which in turn reduces the need to travel as well as help create sustainable communities.

It proposes the creation of an energy one-stop-shop to provide access to a more coherent set of measures with information on free help, including audit services, financial support and information on accredited installers.

And lastly for domestic fuel bills to be clear, making sure the consumer is aware of their own consumption. Additionally, as technology allows, smart metering should be introduced.

The report stresses that achieving sustainable change is complex and requires a combination of technological solutions accompanied by substantial change in everyone’s behaviour.

“Furthermore,” it insists, “in the absence of any action to reduce energy demand the only way in which supply could meet its contribution would be through the expansion of the energy supply network on an unprecedented scale. Therefore, any hopes that we have been harbouring about ‘fixing’ the problem through a new fleet of hybrid cars, or the mass take up of wind power, or a new generation nuclear power plants, need to be quickly re-thought.”