House of Lords report acts on CIBSE advice
A House of Lords Select Committee has released a report that recommends actions based on evidence submitted by CIBSE (Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers). The ‘Building better places’ report by the Select Committee on National Policy for the Built Environment called for the appointment of a chief built-environment adviser and a more pro-active retrofit programme.
The committee recommended that the advisor be appointed to integrate policy across Government departments and act as a champion of higher standards and good practice. The report cited CIBSE’s submission that the new post would strengthen co-ordination across Government in the model of the Chief Scientific Advisor’s role.
The committee also quoted CIBSE’s call for there to be a more systematic approach to the retrofitting of buildings nationally, taking into account evidence from practical projects and new research to improve the sustainability and resilience of buildings.
Nick Mead, President of CIBSE, said, ‘This is a promising sign that Parliament is taking the built environment seriously as a means of reducing the UK’s CO2 emissions. A Chief Built Environment Advisor will help bring an end to fragmented policies that lead to poor outcomes, and mixed messages to developers and the public.”
Ant Wilson, a fellow member of CIBSE and an AECOM Fellow, said, ‘Engineering is vital to the future of the built environment, as it can provide the solutions that are necessary to deliver high-performing buildings, in terms of economic, social and environmental performance. This report acknowledges that fact and proposes long-term solutions as the Government seeks to overcome the current housing deficit, to ensure that the next generation of homes perform better than the last.’
The Select Committee on National Policy for the Built Environment was set up in June 2015 to consider the future of the built environment in the UK and recommend specific policies that the Government should pursue on issues such as housing, environmental resilience, heritage and sustainability.
