042_LABM_DEC21_Layout 1 25/11/2021 11:59 Page 42
ROAD TO ZERO CARBON
Time to act Act now and take the shorter route to meet 2050 carbon targets, says Adam Sanford, Framework Lead at Southern Construction Framework.
The award-winning Ada Lovelace Building in Exeter
C
OP26 has identified that this is a time where we all need to act — construction and the built environment have a big part to play. The summit represents a stake in the sand to take some bold decisions to transform the way we consume resources. Creating a new-build net carbon zero building should no longer be considered a journey, we are already there and any decisions we make now for a new building will directly affect any organisation’s ability to meet carbon targets in 2050. At the same time, there are plenty of ways that we can reduce carbon use now, and not wait to the end of a building’s life. Upgrading mechanical controls and relamping programmes are some of the most effective ways to cut emissions without large capital costs and can improve the useable life of a building. We need a huge focus on embodied carbon. It has never been more important to engage local SMEs to help cut down
4 2
I
L A B M
transport, use local materials that don’t come with shipping or air miles. We need also to think about the embodied carbon already stored in an existing built environment — reduce, reuse and recycle isn’t just for household waste! We must apply the same principles to built estates. Ultimately, we need to ask ourselves to put a cost to the carbon and be prepared and willing to consider a higher capital cost not just to save money on operations but also to save carbon in construction. Now is the time to engage your contractor from feasibility. Main contractors have the ideas, contacts and buying power to not just to give lots of ideas but also to make low embodied carbon and net zero happen. Sharing best practice creates new ideas and fosters collaboration. Both are essential to breed an environment of collective change and support. Here are some examples of recent SCF projects that we are proud to have been part of as we enter a new era for the built environment.
N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R
2 0 2 1
Ada Lovelace Building, Exeter The award-winning Ada Lovelace Building is a BREEAM Excellent, net zero carbon operation development at Exeter Science Park, designed specifically for science, technology, engineering, maths and medical (STEMM) businesses. It has been named in fitting tribute to the mathematician celebrated as the world’s first computer programmer, Ada Lovelace. Over three floors this striking building is a versatile, future-proofed, commercially viable space, which is both net zero carbon in operation and a high-quality environment to work in. It meets a growing need for flexible offices, workshops and laboratories for companies working in scientific R&D, who have outgrown the Park’s incubation spaces. The building includes a 44kWp solar PV system and enhanced insulation on the roof and walls, which achieved an A+ EPC rating with a 99% perfect score. Its energy use is 82.98kWh/m2 per year, with energy
