Editorial

Editoria

Editorial

Problems, challenges and opportunities for UK civil engineers involved in urban design and planning

Home energy rating systems

Home energy rating system

Carbon footprint

Carbon footprin

The future(s) of construction: a sustainable built environment for now and the future

The global construction industry creates high-profile structures and critical infrastructure systems, yet is frequently rebuked for its frequent poor performance and lack of forward thinking and future planning. Looking to the future, the industry is likely to be driven by a combination of evolving national and international policy on sustainability, the legacy of the local and global economic problems and the increasing pace of technological innovation. In the longer term, a more complicated and inter-related collection of drivers is at play, including demographic shifts, policy and societal evolutions, energy and water security, as well as sustainability pressures such as the changing climate and its effect on the resilience of our critical infrastructures. A more futures-orientated and inter-connected approach to global construction, projects and practices, is therefore required in order to create a truly sustainable industry, and hence planet, for all. Only by planning ahead for the longer term, and working together at a local and global level, can the global construction industry hope to move forwards collectively to creating a truly sustainable and resilient built environment, fit for purpose, fit for now, but also fit for the long term

Zero-energy building

Zero-energy buildin

Editorial

Editoria

Carbon footprint calculator

Carbon footprint calculato

Forecasting

Forecastin

Case study analysis of urban decentralised energy systems

The UK has set an ambitious plan to substantially cut its carbon emissions. In order to meet this 2050 target of 80% reduction, the UK is facing a significant challenge of restructuring its energy system, currently characterised by lock-in to centralisation. There is however potential to challenge this lock-in through the development of more decentralised energy systems - based not only on technological, but also on more innovative political, social and economic approaches. Examples of these unique approaches have already been successfully implemented in many cities worldwide, demonstrating that more decentralised energy systems can lead to enhanced carbon emissions reductions. Using a multi-disciplinary framework, this work critically assesses several urban decentralised energy systems around the world through the assessment of exemplar international case studies. Following semi-structured interviews, this work compares and critiques four diverse international case studies in order to demonstrate and contrast a variety of decentralised approaches. It emphasises the variety and inter-relationships of barriers and drivers involved in the implementation of such projects. Although it is believed that regulations heavily influence the implementation of decentralised energy projects, these projects are frequently driven and motivated by other factors such as reputation, profitability and the opportunity to show that “we can do it”. The main non-technical barriers are not necessarily financial, as is often believed. Governance barriers - such as out-of-date regulations or unreliable partners - also play an important role in the success or failure of a project. Social barriers in the form of public apathy and misinformation regarding energy consumption can also be significant, which often affects the operation on the project