Newsletter #41
Mitsubishi Electric Living Environmental Systems UK
Cooling, Heating, Ventilation and Controls
Welcome to the 41st edition of our Sustainability & Construction newsletter! In this issue, we bring you exciting updates and insights into our efforts in sustainability, innovation, and industry advancements. From gamified VR training to pioneering discussions on Net Zero and carbon reduction in heritage buildings.
In the broader industry, BCIS has launched the Life Cycle Evaluator to measure construction costs and carbon emissions, while Edie and Reconomy released a guide on the circular economy, emphasising reuse and recycling. RIBA is urging architects to design adaptable and inclusive buildings to respond to global population changes.
Meanwhile, the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) is pushing for policy changes ahead of the election, focusing on sustainable upgrades, climate protection, and town centre renewals. They highlight the need for action on climate and cost of living issues and emphasise the importance of material passports for transparency and reuse in construction.
Read on to discover how industry leaders are shaping the future of sustainability and get inspired to join the movement.
Latest Mitsubishi Electric News
Chris Newman discusses the challenge of decarbonising heritage buildings at a recent event, emphasising the importance of adaptation and retrofitting to achieve Net Zero goals. The conversation highlights the potential of heat pumps as a key technology in reducing carbon emissions and outlines strategies for integrating them into heritage buildings effectively.
Using VR training to allow engineers to explore inside large equipment and understand how they work. This gamified training method is also used to attract young people to the HVAC industry.
Rachel Lekman reports on a recent roundtable with BESA discussing the road to Net Zero for the construction industry, emphasising the need for collaboration, common standards, and a shift in focus from CAPEX to OPEX. The discussion highlights the urgency of addressing the retrofit challenge, particularly in existing buildings, and the importance of long-term planning and support for both clients and the supply chain in achieving Net Zero targets.
Latest Industry news
Chester Zoo has replaced oil boilers with air-source heat pumps to keep its nine endangered eastern black rhinos warm, aiming to extend this eco-friendly technology to other habitats and exhibits. This initiative helps reduce carbon emissions and could serve as a model for other zoos and the public.
Material passports are essential for driving a circular economy in the construction sector by storing comprehensive data on materials, such as carbon impact and reuse potential. UKGBC's recent panel discussion highlighted their benefits in promoting transparency, material reuse, and value while addressing challenges like data standardisation and accessibility.
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The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) outlines four key policy opportunities—home upgrades, sustainable developments, climate protection, and town centre renewal—to guide the next government. They urge long-term national policies to address climate, nature, and cost of living crises, collaborating with members and policymakers for a sustainable future.
A new report by RIBA explores how global population changes like ageing populations and growing cities will impact design and construction over the next decade. Architects are urged to design adaptable and inclusive buildings to meet these challenges.
This new guide explores the key business considerations for adopting a circular economy, aiming to optimise and sustain resource use through reuse, recycling, and product longevity. Developed with Reconomy, the guide delves into the challenges and opportunities businesses face, including the potential impacts of the global Plastics Treaty and the UK's delayed Deposit Return Scheme.
The Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) launched Life Cycle Evaluator, a tool that analyses both life cycle costs and carbon emissions to aid decision-making in construction projects. This promotes informed choices that consider both budget and environmental impact.
On June 20th, the UK Green Building Council will hold an event to explore the sustainability policies in the general election party manifestos and their implications for the built environment. It's an excellent opportunity for industry professionals to gain insights and participate in critical discussions on future government policies.
As the urgency to reduce carbon emissions in the built environment intensifies, the new LETI Whole Life Carbon webinar series aims to address the industry's lack of knowledge on Whole Life Carbon (WLC) and reduction strategies. This series covers topics such as operational energy modeling and embodied carbon specification, accompanied by presentations of new LETI publications.
We hope you've found the content of this newsletter useful and relevant. In each edition, we'll focus on bringing you the latest news and topics around sustainability and construction. If there are any news articles you would like us to feature, or if you would like to be a guest contributor for Construction Voices, please get in touch with us.
Find out more about our new Sustainability and Construction team here.