Steel construction industry aims for zero carbon buildings

The BCSA and Corus have launched a major £1M initiative to help zero carbon buildings become a reality.

Known as ‘Target Zero’ the project will provide designers with the guidance they need to meet the emissions reduction targets towards the aspiration of zero carbon by 2019.

Five major building types will be looked at: schools, warehouses, offices, supermarkets and mixed use. The project will research and cost options for improving operational energy consumption, reducing embodied energy and other life-cycle impacts, in order to achieve the highest BREEAM rating and meet the anticipated changes to Part L of the Building Regulations.

Beginning with the educational sector, the five building types will be investigated in sequence with comprehensive guidance on each appearing every three months from this summer onwards.

BCSA President Richard Barrett said: “The schools study has already identified potential annual savings of £165M nationally, equivalent to £22 per pupil. The steel sector has a long history of providing the guidance designers need to make the best use of steel.” (See p22).