Navigating Energy Targets and Climate Accountability.

11 March 2024

In December we attended a CPD seminar hosted at the RIBA and presented by Unilin who outlined that the urgency to address climate change has propelled the building industry towards reevaluating energy targets and to account for environmental impact. Unilin's seminar presentation on their ECO360 range, specifically focused on achieving net-zero with PIR insulation derived from rapeseed oil, and offered valuable insights into how the industry is tackling the climate challenge. This article explores key takeaways from the presentation, including advancements in material sustainability, evolving energy standards, and the importance of holistic environmental accounting.

Unilin's ECO360 range stands at the forefront of sustainable building materials, particularly in the realm of insulation. The integration of PIR (Polyisocyanurate) insulation derived from rapeseed oil exemplifies a commitment to removing harmful components, replacing them with eco-friendly alternatives. This shift aligns with the industry's broader movement towards reducing the carbon footprint associated with construction materials.

The seminar highlighted the significance of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) in providing a comprehensive view of a product's environmental impact. EPDs offer a detailed breakdown of a product's life cycle, considering its production, use, and disposal. Unilin's ECO360 range, as per the EPD, boasts a remarkable 31% reduction in carbon emissions under Part L 2021 standards, showcasing a commitment to meeting and surpassing environmental benchmarks.

Efforts to enhance energy efficiency are integral to combating climate change. The Unilin presentation cited fabric energy efficiency metrics as a crucial tool for evaluating the performance of building materials, emphasizing compliance with current and local regulations to ensure that energy targets are not only met but exceeded, aligning with broader sustainability objectives.

Part L of the Building Regulations provides guidance into U-values at minimum standards, but caution is advised against using them collectively, as this approach may lead to a failure to meet set targets. The introduction of the Y-value penalty, addressing thermal bridging, highlights the industry's nuanced approach to achieving optimal thermal performance. Maintaining an airtightness of 5 further underlines the commitment to energy-efficient design.

Looking ahead, the Future Home Standard (FHS) and proposed changes to Part L set ambitious targets. FHS aims for a staggering 75-80% reduction in carbon emissions. Achieving this necessitates embracing higher fabric standards and adopting low carbon heating systems. Proposed changes, such as the abandonment of gas boilers, signal a paradigm shift towards sustainable, non-fossil fuel heating solutions.

Despite strides in energy efficiency, the seminar acknowledged a notable absence – a metric for embodied carbon. The client's role in addressing this gap was underscored, emphasizing the need for a metric that accounts for the carbon associated with a product throughout its lifecycle, from production to disposal.

The RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge emerges as a pivotal initiative, urging the industry to adopt metric targets for embodied carbon, energy use, and water reduction. Signatories commit to a light-touch post-occupancy analysis, submitting performance data to ensure ongoing accountability.

The seminar illuminated the importance of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in evaluating a product's environmental impact. LCA, ranging from cradle to gate, cradle to grave, to cradle to cradle, provides a holistic understanding of a product's sustainability journey. It encapsulates embodied carbon, embodied energy, and offers a comprehensive view from production to disposal.

The Low Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) sets more onerous targets, appealing to developers, designers, and policymakers. The discussion delved into the complexities of EPD scores, emphasizing the lack of a standard approach across the industry. A call for standardized metrics and the role of software, such as One Click, in generating EPD scores highlighted the ongoing quest for more uniform and transparent environmental accounting.

In conclusion, the seminar provided a deep dive into the evolving landscape of energy targets and climate accountability. As the industry navigates towards a sustainable future, incorporating eco-friendly materials, embracing ambitious energy standards, and adopting comprehensive environmental metrics will be paramount. The collaborative efforts outlined in the seminar underscore a collective commitment to mitigating climate change through informed, sustainable practices.