Assessing the sustainability of buildings
August 16th, 2007
The Government has released a discussion document on a proposal that would require assessment of the overall carbon cost of producing, maintaining and using new buildings.
The NZ Herald also produced an interesting piece on the issue of embodied energy in various building products.
What’s envisaged is a time when houses will be rated according to their lifetime energy consumption, or carbon output. Architects will design to a carbon maximum, choosing long-lasting materials with low-embodied energy. Potential for end-use recycling will be factored in.
This is a key issue and I hope the proposal doesn’t get shredded. Get yourself involved in the submission process.