That was the message from a report from the Sustainable Buildings Task Group this week. It called for Whitehall and the construction industry to adopt a single national code for building that would reduce the unsustainable use of natural resources in the built environment.
”The construction, development and housebuilding industries have not yet subscribed to much of the sustainability agenda. “
– Sir John Harman
This would include standards in energy and water efficiency as well as waste management provisions that would be over and above present building regulations. At least 10% of materials used in constructing new buildings should be recycled or reused, the report said.
Waste should be better managed during the building work itself and buildings should be designed in a way that made it easy for households to recycle, it added.
The group called on the government to lead by example and adopt the standards for all new buildings in the public sector.
Sir John Harman, chair of the Environment Agency and co-chair of the group, said: “We believe that the construction, development and housebuilding industries have not yet subscribed to much of the sustainability agenda and have not been persuaded of the long term benefits.”
By following the report's recommendations modern regeneration projects can avoid some of the mistakes made in the 1960s building boom, he added.
The report can be viewed at: www.dti.gov.uk/construction/sustain/sbtg.htm.
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