Hi
This does sound interesting. has been developed enough for it to be
implemented effectively you know what they say, 'the devil is in the
detail'.
However, on a different note, it is quite sad that we have to safe the
planet via trading/capitalism when this IS the problem to begin with,
hmmm...
As Ghandi said
"The things that will destroy us are: politics without principle; pleasure
without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character;
business without morality; science without humanity; and worship without
sacrifice."
yunus
>From: Chris Keene <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Chris Keene <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Tradable quotas (was Green rules [on renewable energy] are
>spreading out ofLondon
>Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2005 22:58:34 +0000
>
>I see what Alex means by the lack of real government action, but I believe
>we have a chance to change this now, by promoting tradable carbon quotas,
>which I think is the fairest and most effective way of bringing down our
>emissions. There are various schemes under this heading, but I am most
>familiar with the one promoted in Mayer Hillman's book 'How we can save the
>planet'. Individuals would be given tradeable quotas for the proportion of
>emissions directly attributable to individuals (basically private transport
>and home energy bills). Each individual would be given a quota equal to
>the average (though children would receive a smaller quota) and would be
>able to sell any spare quota they didn't need to energy brokers who would
>then resell it to those who had run out of quota. Since most people
>consume less than the average, most people would have quota to sell (which
>should make the scheme very popular!). In order to reduce emissions the
>quota would be reduced each year, so people could only continue to remain
>within their given quota allowance and have some spare quota to sell by
>reducing their energy consumption (which might mean travelling less, or
>buying an electric car, or insulating their house etc - the beauty of this
>system is that it gives people a *choice* of how to reduce their
>emissions). Of course those who have an energy profligate lifestyle, for
>instance by flying off to some exotic location several times a year, are
>going to have to pay to buy extra quota.
>
>We have to get *all* political parties to support this, which may not be
>all that difficult if we can get the public behind it, and given that most
>of them will be getting money through selling quota, that should be easy,
>so long as we make a good job of explaining the scheme. The Green Party
>already support tradeable quotas, as do the climate change minister Elliot
>Morley and the chief scientific advisor Sir David King (though this may be
>because he sees it as a way of bringing back nuclear power, which he
>supports, which would be the case if nuclear energy were zero carbon
>rated).
>
>Tradeable carbon quotas are a much more effective way of bringing down
>emissions than taxes, since we can never be sure how much we need to raise
>the price of energy to cut demand sufficiently, and the amount would vary
>with the economic cycle. But since demand for energy is relatively
>inelastic, prices would probably have to increase considerably, which would
>create great hardship for the poor. Given that thousands of (mainly
>elderly) people already die each year because of fuel poverty, increasing
>the price of energy significantly is likely to prove politically
>impossible.
>
>To those who object to all trading as it involves 'privatising the
>atmosphere' I would say that really the scheme outlined above involves
>'socialising the atmosphere' since individuals would be given *equal*
>rights to pollute (apart from children being given a smaller allowance, in
>line with their smaller needs)
>
>Chris
>
>alex plows wrote:
>
>> apols for typos i appreciate your points Iris and i also appreicate your
>>optimism
>>compared to the political and cultural "climate" post -Rio things have
>>come a long way and the green movement can claim a lot of the cred for
>>this, we have broiughht green thinking to the poltical maninstream through
>>many differnt formats; becuase the diuscourse of the real (as opposed to
>>'greenwash' ) sustainable development paradigm has been the only one to
>>consisnetly make sense/ be proved right since Rio. and themes like food
>>miles, local production and conspumtion etc have made links with smnall
>>farmers and issues of rural poor as much as other issues on personal
>>responsibility and SOME half haearted moves towards infrastructural
>>support for SD form policy makers. you ask any small business how much
>>help they actually receive eg trying to reduce orr cut down on emissionsa.
>>the info is out there nbut the support networks are lacking. the 'big
>>hitters' like shell will get their ISO standard but its the SMEs who need
>>most support.
>> also change has not happened not fast enough (even tho an econmoic as
>>much as an envtl case can be made for SD) and prob is while eg
>>infrastructiure develpment- out of town siupermarkets., the roads netwrok
>>etc- continues to developp, and our railways get run down even further,
>>then smale scale shifts are all a bit beside the point. i am still
>>waiuting for holistic joined up thinking on this one as i think ,many in
>>the green movement are. i am sick of targets for co2 reduction by 2020 etc
>>etc which come in with a big fanfare and die out in a fizzle.
>>this is what i mean re optimismism and pessimism
>>i presonally am not prepared to give the UK govt any kind of carrot when i
>>think they need more stciks. anyuone been on the railiways recently? seen
>>the plans for roadbuiolding? they can have as many post kytot targets as
>>they like but we all know that short term eceonomic devpment is the focus
>>of every govt due to the poltiical system- what poltical interest do govts
>>have in buil;ding SD social capacity for future govts to reap?
>>but also well done to all of us for the changes we have mangaed to help
>>catalyse :-) i hope as Iris forecasts(!) that public uptake will be rapid.
>>but they will need structural, resourced, support. my feeling is most
>>people have their heads down trying to pay off their ,mortgage and
>>worrying how they will meet bills post xmas.
>>i have a few papers available online re greens and the fuel protests and
>>the anti road movement and one or two other things if anyone interested
>>best
>>dr alexandra plows
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> *From:* [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>> *To:* Chris Keene <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>> *Cc:* alexandra plows <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ;
>> Andrew Simms <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Aubrey Meyer
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Crisis Forum
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Leila Kiersch
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; GP climate
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; GP energy
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ;
>> [log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Ian Finlayson
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; James Abbott
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; John Lanchbery
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Jon Clarke
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Jon Fuller
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Louise Sales
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Mark B
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Miriam Kennett
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Nick Dunlop
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Nick Rau
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Nick Robins
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Peter Bunyard
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Phil Thornhill
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Raya Sadi
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; C Roberts
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Stephen Lawrence
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Titus Alexander
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Vanja Bjorke <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>> *Sent:* Thursday, November 10, 2005 9:58 AM
>> *Subject:* Re: [Gp-energy] Green rules [on renewable energy] are
>> spreading out ofLondon
>>
>>
>> I think the important thing here is not the fact that it is 10% or
>> 20% or whatever figure is decided upon but the gradual change of
>> public perception that renewable energy is feasible, cost
>> effective and likely to be increasing in the future. Once you
>> have got past the resistance to change in most people's mindset
>> and it is seen that industry and the public sector are employing
>> the new technologies, it will take off very quickly. Lead-free
>> petrol started off slow and now you cannot buy leaded any more.
>>
>> What is called ' a radical energy policy' now will be commonplace
>> within a few years time. (Well I am hopeful)
>>
>> Iris
>>
>>
>>_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
>> IMPORTANT: The information contained in this e-mail and attachment
>> (if any) is intended for the person to whom it is addressed and
>> may contain confidential and/or privileged information. The
>> contents of this message may contain personal views which are not
>> the views of NEC Europe Ltd or its subsidiaries, unless
>> specifically stated. You should not copy, retain, forward or
>> disclose its contents to anyone else, or take any action based
>> upon it, if it is not addressed to you personally. If you have
>> received this e-mail in error please contact the sender
>> immediately. Any legally binding agreement resulting from its
>> content must be made separately in a printed medium.
>>
>>_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
>> *Chris Keene <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>*
>> Sent by: [log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>>
>> 09/11/2005 11:44
>>
>>
>> To
>> GP climate <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, GP energy
>> <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Crisis Forum
>> <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Ian Finlayson
>> <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Titus
>> Alexander <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Mark B
>> <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Andrew Simms
>> <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Aubrey Meyer
>> <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Miriam Kennett
>> <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Phil Thornhill
>> <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Jon Fuller
>> <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>,
>> Peter Bunyard <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Nick Robins
>> <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>,
>> James Abbott <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Raya Sadi <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, John Lanchbery
>> <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>,
>> Jon Clarke <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, C Roberts
>> <[log in to unmask]>, alexandra plows
>> <[log in to unmask]>, Louise Sales
>> <[log in to unmask]>, Nick Rau <[log in to unmask]>, Stephen
>> Lawrence <[log in to unmask]>, Vanja Bjorke
>> <[log in to unmask]>, Leila Kiersch <[log in to unmask]>, Nick
>> Dunlop <[log in to unmask]>
>> cc
>>
>> Subject
>> [Gp-energy] Green rules [on renewable energy] are spreading out
>> of London
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On first sight this might look an encouraging development, but
>> when you
>> compare it to the scale of the problem it is seen to be totally
>> inadequate. Most of these new developments are going to be around in
>> the year 2050 and according to the Green Party Manifesto for a
>> Sustainable Society we are going to need to cut our carbon
>> emissions by
>> about 90% by then, the developments ought to be generating at
>> least 90%
>> renewable energy not 10%.
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> -------- Original Message --------
>> Subject: Green rules are spreading out of London
>> Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 19:15:09 +0000
>> From: Chris Keene <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: chris keene <[log in to unmask]>
>>
>>
>>
>> Developers join climate of change
>>
>> Green rules are spreading out of London, says Terry Slavin
>> Sunday October 30, 2005
>>
>> Observer
>> The Mayor of London has seen the city's future, and it's green. Ken
>> Livingstone's radical energy strategy, which requires all planning
>> applications for developments referrable to him to generate at
>> least 10
>> per cent of their energy needs from renewable sources, is having a
>> far-reaching impact on property developers as they are forced to
>> get up
>> to speed with wind turbines, solar panels and borehole cooling - and
>> take the cost of installing the new technologies on the chin.
>>
>> Only large developments need a green light from the mayor's
>> office, but
>> the 10 per cent mantra is also on the lips of local councils. A
>> grassroots planning revolution that began in south London is fast
>> spreading across Britain.
>>
>> Adrian Hewitt, principal environment officer of Merton council in
>> south-west London, which was the first to bring in a 10 per cent
>> renewables requirement for commercial developments a year ago,
>> says 87
>> councils across the country have followed Merton's lead. In London
>> alone, 17 of 33 other local authorities have a similar requirement.
>> North and south Devon, Cambridge, York, Milton Keynes, Canterbury,
>> the
>> Isle of Wight and Gateshead have also espoused 10 per cent and
>> Leicester, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Brighton will not be far behind.
>>
>> Some developers have embraced the revolution. Neil Pennell, project
>> engineering director for Land Securities, the UK's largest quoted
>> property company, said: 'We are all conscious that we have to
>> provide a
>> contribution to mitigating climate change.'
>>
>> He said that Land Securities was incorporating renewables and energy
>> efficiency measures in its design of office developments long
>> before it
>> was impelled to do so. 'But a lot of companies won't do it
>> voluntarily.
>> It's right that [local] government creates targets and takes the
>> whole
>> marketplace along.'
>>
>> Quintain Estates, which is leading the £1.3 billion regeneration
>> of the
>> land around Wembley Stadium and, with partners Lend Lease, the £5bn
>> regeneration of the Greenwich peninsula, has announced a 50/50 joint
>> venture with Bioregional, initiator of the BedZED zero carbon
>> eco-community in south London. The joint venture, BioRegional
>> Quintain,
>> plans to build 500 homes a year on BedZED principles around the UK.
>>
>> Quintain director Nick Shattock said his company staunchly supported
>> what Livingstone is doing in London: 'The agenda is changing. Led
>> by the
>> ODPM [Office of the Deputy Prime Minister] and the mayor of
>> London, the
>> least damaging approach is no longer good enough. We think it [the
>> requirement to incorporate renewables] is going to be the norm and
>> are
>> keen to get a technology lead, if not a market lead, before it
>> becomes
>> the norm.'
>>
>> That the developer of the £335 million Caesar's casino complex at
>> Wembley is also planning to build homes on deep-green principles
>> of zero
>> waste, zero carbon and sustainable transport for the mass market is
>> indication of how much has changed.
>>
>> John Slaughter of the Home Builders Federation said the issue is a
>> big
>> concern for his members. He said renewable technologies add to build
>> cost and because mainstream consumers were not prepared to pay a
>> premium
>> to be green, profit margins are being hit. 'At this stage of the
>> market
>> it's not necessarily economic to deliver [renewables] on a mainstream
>> basis for new development,' he said. 'You can't charge an extra
>> £6,000
>> or £7,000 for a home. There isn't the demand. And it's a significant
>> amount of money to take out of margins.'
>>
>> He said a plethora of local councils developing individual
>> policies was
>> not the best way to cut carbon emissions. 'It's potentially a
>> nightmare
>> [for developers] if you have a whole string of local authorities with
>> different requirements. We think it's better to work through national
>> policy measures such as building regulations. The government is also
>> working on a [voluntary] code for sustainable buildings.'
>>
>> Building regulations are due to be revised next April, and
>> designed to
>> increase the energy efficiency of new buildings by 25 per cent. This
>> coincides with implementation of the EU energy efficiency in
>> buildings
>> directive, which will require buildings to be certified for their
>> energy
>> efficiency in much the same way that household refrigerators are
>> rated.
>>
>> But for the renewables industry the 10 per cent requirement is the
>> one
>> bright spot when the industry is on a knife-edge, facing a yawning
>> funding gap between the imminent end of two DTI schemes, Clear
>> Skies and
>> the Solar PV Major Demonstration programme, and their successor,
>> the low
>> carbon buildings programme, which is not expected to begin giving
>> grants
>> until next summer at earliest.
>>
>> Since 2002, the DTI has pumped £43m into grants for small users to
>> install renewable technologies, but the low carbon buildings
>> programme
>> is expected to be far less generous. It is a severe disappointment
>> for
>> the industry after two energy white papers which promised long-term
>> funding for photovoltaics and other renewables technologies.
>>
>> 'Since the white paper the one success story has come from local
>> government,' said Sebastian Berry, head of micro-renewables at the
>> Renewable Power Association.
>>
>> Hewitt in Merton estimates that the value of the environmental
>> technologies that will be installed as a result of his borough's
>> policy
>> is £3m a year: 'If 250 of the largest 400 boroughs had this rule, it
>> racks up to monumental sums: £710m a year.'
>>
>> Developers who have already had to dance to the 10 per cent tune
>> seem to
>> have emerged relatively unscarred. Hemel Hempstead-based developer
>> Chancerygate recently finished building 4,500 sq m of industrial
>> warehouse units in Merton. It installed 10 micro-wind turbines,
>> photovoltaics and a raft of energy saving measures to satisfy the
>> planners.
>>
>> 'The measures added about 3 per cent to our building costs and we
>> had to
>> absorb that,' said Charlie Withers, a director of Chancerygate. 'For
>> both parties it was a learning curve, but we've come out the other
>> end
>> and the overall experience worked well.'
>>
>> And it has not deterred Chancerygate from seeking planning permission
>> for other sites in Merton. With more councils fast joining the
>> bandwagon, said Withers, renewables is not an issue developers
>> will be
>> able to avoid.
>>
>> Environmental extras
>>
>> There is a clear link between the market value of commercial property
>> and its environmental credentials, according to a study by the Royal
>> Institution of Chartered Surveyors released last week.
>>
>> The study, which looked at how environmental features added value to
>> buildings in the UK, Canada and the US, found that green buildings
>> can
>> earn higher rents and prices, attract tenants and buyers more quickly
>> and cut tenant turnover. They also cost less to operate and
>> maintain and
>> benefit occupants more than the underlying asset value as a result of
>> increased productivity from staff working in a more comfortable
>> environment.
>>
>> The report stresses that green buildings could command higher
>> rents if
>> there was greater recognition of the 'hidden benefits'.
>>
>> RICS chief executive Louis Armstrong points out that buildings
>> account
>> for about 40 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions: 'The property and
>> construction industries have a leading role to play in tackling
>> climate
>> change. This work shows that achieving real environmental benefits
>> can
>> also be profitable.'
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Gp-energy mailing list
>> [log in to unmask]
>> http://lists.greenparty.org.uk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gp-energy
>>
>>
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Internal Virus Database is out-of-date.
>> Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
>> Version: 7.0.289 / Virus Database: 267.12.8 - Release Date:
>>03/11/2005
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> *From:* [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>> *To:* Chris Keene <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>> *Cc:* alexandra plows <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ;
>> Andrew Simms <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Aubrey Meyer
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Crisis Forum
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Leila Kiersch
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; GP climate
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; GP energy
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ;
>> [log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Ian Finlayson
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; James Abbott
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; John Lanchbery
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Jon Clarke
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Jon Fuller
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Louise Sales
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Mark B
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Miriam Kennett
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Nick Dunlop
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Nick Rau
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Nick Robins
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Peter Bunyard
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Phil Thornhill
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Raya Sadi
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; C Roberts
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Stephen Lawrence
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Titus Alexander
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ; Vanja Bjorke <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>> *Sent:* Thursday, November 10, 2005 9:58 AM
>> *Subject:* Re: [Gp-energy] Green rules [on renewable energy] are
>> spreading out ofLondon
>>
>>
>> I think the important thing here is not the fact that it is 10% or
>> 20% or whatever figure is decided upon but the gradual change of
>> public perception that renewable energy is feasible, cost
>> effective and likely to be increasing in the future. Once you
>> have got past the resistance to change in most people's mindset
>> and it is seen that industry and the public sector are employing
>> the new technologies, it will take off very quickly. Lead-free
>> petrol started off slow and now you cannot buy leaded any more.
>>
>> What is called ' a radical energy policy' now will be commonplace
>> within a few years time. (Well I am hopeful)
>>
>> Iris
>>
>>
>>_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
>> IMPORTANT: The information contained in this e-mail and attachment
>> (if any) is intended for the person to whom it is addressed and
>> may contain confidential and/or privileged information. The
>> contents of this message may contain personal views which are not
>> the views of NEC Europe Ltd or its subsidiaries, unless
>> specifically stated. You should not copy, retain, forward or
>> disclose its contents to anyone else, or take any action based
>> upon it, if it is not addressed to you personally. If you have
>> received this e-mail in error please contact the sender
>> immediately. Any legally binding agreement resulting from its
>> content must be made separately in a printed medium.
>>
>>_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
>> *Chris Keene <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>*
>> Sent by: [log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>>
>> 09/11/2005 11:44
>>
>>
>> To
>> GP climate <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, GP energy
>> <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Crisis Forum
>> <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Ian Finlayson
>> <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Titus
>> Alexander <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Mark B
>> <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Andrew Simms
>> <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Aubrey Meyer
>> <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Miriam Kennett
>> <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Phil Thornhill
>> <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Jon Fuller
>> <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>,
>> Peter Bunyard <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Nick Robins
>> <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>,
>> James Abbott <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, Raya Sadi <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, John Lanchbery
>> <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>,
>> Jon Clarke <[log in to unmask]
>> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>, C Roberts
>> <[log in to unmask]>, alexandra plows
>> <[log in to unmask]>, Louise Sales
>> <[log in to unmask]>, Nick Rau <[log in to unmask]>, Stephen
>> Lawrence <[log in to unmask]>, Vanja Bjorke
>> <[log in to unmask]>, Leila Kiersch <[log in to unmask]>, Nick
>> Dunlop <[log in to unmask]>
>> cc
>>
>> Subject
>> [Gp-energy] Green rules [on renewable energy] are spreading out
>> of London
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On first sight this might look an encouraging development, but
>> when you
>> compare it to the scale of the problem it is seen to be totally
>> inadequate. Most of these new developments are going to be around in
>> the year 2050 and according to the Green Party Manifesto for a
>> Sustainable Society we are going to need to cut our carbon
>> emissions by
>> about 90% by then, the developments ought to be generating at
>> least 90%
>> renewable energy not 10%.
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> -------- Original Message --------
>> Subject: Green rules are spreading out of London
>> Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 19:15:09 +0000
>> From: Chris Keene <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: chris keene <[log in to unmask]>
>>
>>
>>
>> Developers join climate of change
>>
>> Green rules are spreading out of London, says Terry Slavin
>> Sunday October 30, 2005
>>
>> Observer
>> The Mayor of London has seen the city's future, and it's green. Ken
>> Livingstone's radical energy strategy, which requires all planning
>> applications for developments referrable to him to generate at
>> least 10
>> per cent of their energy needs from renewable sources, is having a
>> far-reaching impact on property developers as they are forced to
>> get up
>> to speed with wind turbines, solar panels and borehole cooling - and
>> take the cost of installing the new technologies on the chin.
>>
>> Only large developments need a green light from the mayor's
>> office, but
>> the 10 per cent mantra is also on the lips of local councils. A
>> grassroots planning revolution that began in south London is fast
>> spreading across Britain.
>>
>> Adrian Hewitt, principal environment officer of Merton council in
>> south-west London, which was the first to bring in a 10 per cent
>> renewables requirement for commercial developments a year ago,
>> says 87
>> councils across the country have followed Merton's lead. In London
>> alone, 17 of 33 other local authorities have a similar requirement.
>> North and south Devon, Cambridge, York, Milton Keynes, Canterbury,
>> the
>> Isle of Wight and Gateshead have also espoused 10 per cent and
>> Leicester, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Brighton will not be far behind.
>>
>> Some developers have embraced the revolution. Neil Pennell, project
>> engineering director for Land Securities, the UK's largest quoted
>> property company, said: 'We are all conscious that we have to
>> provide a
>> contribution to mitigating climate change.'
>>
>> He said that Land Securities was incorporating renewables and energy
>> efficiency measures in its design of office developments long
>> before it
>> was impelled to do so. 'But a lot of companies won't do it
>> voluntarily.
>> It's right that [local] government creates targets and takes the
>> whole
>> marketplace along.'
>>
>> Quintain Estates, which is leading the £1.3 billion regeneration
>> of the
>> land around Wembley Stadium and, with partners Lend Lease, the £5bn
>> regeneration of the Greenwich peninsula, has announced a 50/50 joint
>> venture with Bioregional, initiator of the BedZED zero carbon
>> eco-community in south London. The joint venture, BioRegional
>> Quintain,
>> plans to build 500 homes a year on BedZED principles around the UK.
>>
>> Quintain director Nick Shattock said his company staunchly supported
>> what Livingstone is doing in London: 'The agenda is changing. Led
>> by the
>> ODPM [Office of the Deputy Prime Minister] and the mayor of
>> London, the
>> least damaging approach is no longer good enough. We think it [the
>> requirement to incorporate renewables] is going to be the norm and
>> are
>> keen to get a technology lead, if not a market lead, before it
>> becomes
>> the norm.'
>>
>> That the developer of the £335 million Caesar's casino complex at
>> Wembley is also planning to build homes on deep-green principles
>> of zero
>> waste, zero carbon and sustainable transport for the mass market is
>> indication of how much has changed.
>>
>> John Slaughter of the Home Builders Federation said the issue is a
>> big
>> concern for his members. He said renewable technologies add to build
>> cost and because mainstream consumers were not prepared to pay a
>> premium
>> to be green, profit margins are being hit. 'At this stage of the
>> market
>> it's not necessarily economic to deliver [renewables] on a mainstream
>> basis for new development,' he said. 'You can't charge an extra
>> £6,000
>> or £7,000 for a home. There isn't the demand. And it's a significant
>> amount of money to take out of margins.'
>>
>> He said a plethora of local councils developing individual
>> policies was
>> not the best way to cut carbon emissions. 'It's potentially a
>> nightmare
>> [for developers] if you have a whole string of local authorities with
>> different requirements. We think it's better to work through national
>> policy measures such as building regulations. The government is also
>> working on a [voluntary] code for sustainable buildings.'
>>
>> Building regulations are due to be revised next April, and
>> designed to
>> increase the energy efficiency of new buildings by 25 per cent. This
>> coincides with implementation of the EU energy efficiency in
>> buildings
>> directive, which will require buildings to be certified for their
>> energy
>> efficiency in much the same way that household refrigerators are
>> rated.
>>
>> But for the renewables industry the 10 per cent requirement is the
>> one
>> bright spot when the industry is on a knife-edge, facing a yawning
>> funding gap between the imminent end of two DTI schemes, Clear
>> Skies and
>> the Solar PV Major Demonstration programme, and their successor,
>> the low
>> carbon buildings programme, which is not expected to begin giving
>> grants
>> until next summer at earliest.
>>
>> Since 2002, the DTI has pumped £43m into grants for small users to
>> install renewable technologies, but the low carbon buildings
>> programme
>> is expected to be far less generous. It is a severe disappointment
>> for
>> the industry after two energy white papers which promised long-term
>> funding for photovoltaics and other renewables technologies.
>>
>> 'Since the white paper the one success story has come from local
>> government,' said Sebastian Berry, head of micro-renewables at the
>> Renewable Power Association.
>>
>> Hewitt in Merton estimates that the value of the environmental
>> technologies that will be installed as a result of his borough's
>> policy
>> is £3m a year: 'If 250 of the largest 400 boroughs had this rule, it
>> racks up to monumental sums: £710m a year.'
>>
>> Developers who have already had to dance to the 10 per cent tune
>> seem to
>> have emerged relatively unscarred. Hemel Hempstead-based developer
>> Chancerygate recently finished building 4,500 sq m of industrial
>> warehouse units in Merton. It installed 10 micro-wind turbines,
>> photovoltaics and a raft of energy saving measures to satisfy the
>> planners.
>>
>> 'The measures added about 3 per cent to our building costs and we
>> had to
>> absorb that,' said Charlie Withers, a director of Chancerygate. 'For
>> both parties it was a learning curve, but we've come out the other
>> end
>> and the overall experience worked well.'
>>
>> And it has not deterred Chancerygate from seeking planning permission
>> for other sites in Merton. With more councils fast joining the
>> bandwagon, said Withers, renewables is not an issue developers
>> will be
>> able to avoid.
>>
>> Environmental extras
>>
>> There is a clear link between the market value of commercial property
>> and its environmental credentials, according to a study by the Royal
>> Institution of Chartered Surveyors released last week.
>>
>> The study, which looked at how environmental features added value to
>> buildings in the UK, Canada and the US, found that green buildings
>> can
>> earn higher rents and prices, attract tenants and buyers more quickly
>> and cut tenant turnover. They also cost less to operate and
>> maintain and
>> benefit occupants more than the underlying asset value as a result of
>> increased productivity from staff working in a more comfortable
>> environment.
>>
>> The report stresses that green buildings could command higher
>> rents if
>> there was greater recognition of the 'hidden benefits'.
>>
>> RICS chief executive Louis Armstrong points out that buildings
>> account
>> for about 40 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions: 'The property and
>> construction industries have a leading role to play in tackling
>> climate
>> change. This work shows that achieving real environmental benefits
>> can
>> also be profitable.'
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
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>> Internal Virus Database is out-of-date.
>> Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
>> Version: 7.0.289 / Virus Database: 267.12.8 - Release Date:
>>03/11/2005
>>
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>Internal Virus Database is out-of-date.
>>Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
>>Version: 7.0.289 / Virus Database: 267.12.8 - Release Date: 03/11/2005
>>
>>
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