Mar 22 2007
Gerry Acher, Chair of the London Climate Change Partnership launched a guide at the UK Climate Impacts Programme Forum, to help ensure new buildings are designed for tomorrow’s weather.
The climate in the U.K is changing and this is particularly marked in the south-eastern regions. We are already experiencing warmer, wetter winters, hotter, drier summers and rising sea levels and we can expect much greater changes in the decades ahead. New buildings need to be constructed so that they incorporate techniques to withstand changing weather throughout the lifespan of the building. The Three Regions Climate Change Group made up of representatives of East of England’s Sustainable Development Roundtable, the London Climate Change Partnership, and the South East Climate Change Partnership have produced a new guide: ‘Adapting to Climate Change, a case study companion to the checklist for development’.
Many developments already incorporate, at the design stage techniques to minimise the risks associated with our changing climate. The case studies show that they can be replicated and enhanced and should become the norm rather than the exception. For examples Gallions Park in East London uses exemplary water saving features such as minimising water use through solar water heating and through collection of rainwater. The Jubilee Campus in the University of Nottingham uses greenroofs to reduce pressure on the drainage system.
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said: ‘The UK Climate Impacts Programme has worked hard over the last ten years to help us to adapt our buildings, lifestyle and communities to the effects of unavoidable climate change. The Three Regions Climate Group guide and case studies will help us to make sure we are better prepared for unavoidable climate change. We cannot sit back and start thinking about adapting to climate change tomorrow, we need to act now. ’
Gerry Acher, Chair of the London Climate Change Partnership said: ‘If buildings are to be resilient to our future climate and enhance their commercial viability, developers and planning authorities must adopt the sustainability principals highlighted in this report. Adaptation to climate change must become a standard practice in our homes and commercial building from now on.'
Ian Pearson Climate Change and Environment Minister said: ‘I welcome the Three Regions' Climate Change Group's work, which builds on what is already available through the UK Climate Impacts Programme. This case study report adds a useful practical component to the Three Regions Checklist for Development and Good Practice Guide for Sustainable Communities, which was part-funded by Defra as part of our cross-regional research programme. I hope that readers will be inspired about what can be achieved- designing developments to provide valuable public amenities as well as a resilience to our changing climate’.