Building sustainably in Guernsey

A recent Chamber of Commerce panel discussion focused on how the island can ‘build sustainably’. Moderated by Rollo de Sausmarez and with audience input, the panel of experts discussed the many issues facing Guernsey and how the construction industry can play its part.

As panel chair Rollo de Sausmarez pointed out, the island, along with much of the world, is facing a perfect storm at the moment – a housing crisis, a cost of living crisis, an energy crisis and a climate crisis. Arising from different factors and with a myriad of effects, one thing those crises do have in common is that some of their solutions are tied up within the built environment.

The most obvious is clearly the housing crisis. The simple solution – more housing. But that needs to be cost-effective, sustainable and energy efficient. For Rollo, the clock is ticking and there will be very important consequences for the island if we drag our feet.

What are the main barriers to more sustainable construction in Guernsey?

Rollo questioned whether the barriers were planning, the availability of materials, finding sustainable materials, or lack of client demand. For architect Paul Langlois, the answer is all of them. He believes sustainability is a whole package of different yet integral components, which all have to be joined up and understood. This can range from the type of sites used, to the design of a property and how it is used through to the end of life cycle and how materials can be regenerated and reused. There is no one element of blockage; however, planning and building controls could make it easier for sustainable design to get through, and there could be better education for the general public on what it is and how it can be achieved.

As president of the Development and Planning Authority (DPA), Victoria Oliver’s focus is on planning, where she says they are constantly trying to improve things and remove barriers. One example is solar panels, where new exemptions will be coming out to make it much easier for people to apply for energy related amendments to their properties. With regard to building control requirements in areas such as insulation, she said that while many take those as a target, they should be a minimum. Victoria wants to change people’s mindset around sustainability and have it built into the culture of the industry.

As CEO of builder’s merchant Norman Piette, John Bampkin knows exactly what materials are available in the island and how they are used. While Covid and Brexit meant there have been significant material shortages at times over the past couple of years, he doesn’t believe that materials are a barrier to change. Most materials come into the island from the UK and Europe and with supply levels returning to normal,

those that people want are available. For him, it’s all about educating those involved in the industry.

Engineering consultant Richard Spinney agrees with that. For him, the key is for islanders to know what the most sustainable material is and be encouraged to use that. As he pointed out, it takes the same effort to put in four inches of insulation as it does two but people need to know and understand the effects of that.

How can the island be at the forefront of sustainable construction?

For Paul, manufactured homes still have a stigma attached to them in Guernsey, with people liking to have the solidity of a block built property. But for him, modular or prefab building offers huge amounts of potential when it comes to sustainability. He believes that as people become more aware of what’s available, it will become more and more popular to go down that route.

John thinks that education can contribute to everyone’s understanding of sustainability. He would like to see more training carried out in Guernsey from suppliers and manufacturers, not just for his trade customers but for everyone connected to the industry. He says it can be hard to communicate the sustainability and energy efficiency of materials, but that more education in materials and new ways of building would be helpful.

Victoria agrees that far more could be done from an educational perspective, especially when the carbon footprint of materials used in Guernsey is already higher once they have made their way to the island.

For Richard, it’s important to take the whole life emissions into account when looking at the sustainability of materials and the carbon footprint. As to where responsibility lies, he gives it to the architect. As the first person a client sees about a project, he thinks architects should be up to speed on how to make sustainable, low energy use properties and should be encouraging their clients in that direction.

Paul said that sustainability is now a very important concept in architecture. He pointed out that when he was studying it was never mentioned; now it’s a hugely important part of any architecture course. If architects are focused on it, it will trickle down to the people on site and the general public as the way forward. The key is working out how to achieve it without prohibitive costs, and for him that is focusing on solar design and using natural light, energy and ventilation in the properties he works on.

What can be done in Guernsey’s housing market in terms of embedding the sustainability aspect into the value of property?

Energy performance certificates (EPCs) were the focus of this discussion. A requirement in the UK, Jersey and the Isle of Man, EPCs tell you how efficient a building is and give it a rating from A (very efficient) to G (inefficient). They tell a prospective purchaser how costly it will be to heat and light the property, and what the estimated carbon dioxide emissions would be.

Victoria said she understands the benefits of EPCs and the knowledge they give purchasers – and admits that if she was buying a house she would certainly consider its energy performance. While she wouldn’t say that the department is looking to introduce them, she did admit it’s an area they are investigating.

The benefits are obvious to Richard. As he pointed out, it’s virtually impossible to know simply from looking at a building how insulated etc it is, so having EPCs makes it very clear for those looking to purchase.

Can the island do more to encourage the use of renewable energy?

Victoria told the audience there is new legislation coming to offer far more incentives for islanders to use technology such as solar panels and batteries, as you would no longer require a planning application to install them. She said they are trying to streamline the process to make it easier for islanders; however, they won’t be incentivising financially at a government level. She pointed out that the energy performance of houses built in the past decade is pretty good and any future grant would need to be targeted at the poorest properties – those built between the 1930s and 1950s.

For Richard, the main issue is Guernsey Electricity’s tariff structure, which he believes is a real disincentive. The low buy back rate from the electricity provider doesn’t encourage people to install renewables and leaves the payback period longer.

With finite space available in the island – is high rise building the way forward?

Paul believes there’s a time and place for high rise buildings but there’s certainly a limit to what should be put in the island. He believes somewhere like the Charroterie could benefit from a certain height building without impacting too much on the environment. He thinks it could be part of the solution as long as social issues are properly considered.

Victoria pointed out that contrary to many people’s beliefs, the IDP supports high rise within the main centres, and it’s something she’d like to see more of. Key for her is for any high rise building to be properly supported with amenity space around it. She says the space saved by going up should be then used for public space and parks to improve the area. For her, it’s a case of when not if the island starts to build up.

Deputy Victoria Oliver

As president of the Development and Planning Authority, Victoria is often in the spotlight when it comes to determining planning applications. Her role also includes advising the States on land use policies and implementing those policies through development plans.

John Bampkin

As chief executive at the Norman Piette Group, John is responsible for the largest timber and builder’s merchant in Guernsey. Having steered the supplier through the Covid crisis, he is well aware of the current challenges facing the industry, and some of the potential solutions.

Paul Langlois

Chartered architect and founder of Paul Langlois Architects, Paul has a real focus on sustainability when it comes to his designs. Working closely with his clients on both heritage and modern buildings, he wants to build houses that will stand the test of time for those living in them.

Richard Spinney

As a partner at mechanical and electrical services consultancy, Henderson Green, engineer Richard provides advice on all aspects of energy, mechanical and electrical engineering services. His projects include individual houses through to large infrastructure projects.