CobBauge, a multimillion pound project to build a new generation of cob houses is set to continue for four more years, thanks to the announcement of more than £4m in funding. Phase 2 of the project has been funded by Interreg VA France (Channel) England, co-funded by the European Regional Development
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Lack of government Incentives to go green
80 per cent of commercial property landlords claim a lack of government incentives is the single biggest barrier to widespread energy efficiency measures being introduced across UK commercial real estate, according to Tuffin Ferraby Taylor (“TFT”), the leading property and construction consultancy, in the TFT Energy Survey.
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With a confusing array of disconnected, individual energy regulations, a further 75 per cent have said that the current regulatory framework is too complex to navigate. This comes even though an overwhelming majority of respondents to TFT’s first annual survey (92 per cent) say that attitudes to energy efficiency have improved since the last recession.
Airtightness blamed for health risks in homes
Throughout the past year a slew of reports has been published that raise serious questions about the safety of new-build homes. Increasingly stringent building regulations aimed at reducing carbon emissions are resulting in new houses that are ever more airtight. While this helps reduce fuel consumption, the burden is on architects to ensure that occupants of new homes can breathe clean and fresh air. Recent evidence suggests that the construction industry, designers included, is failing to meet this challenge. Read more
Paul Harrison, an independent toxicologist and member of a working group on air quality created by the Royal College of Physicians, describes serious health risks associated with poor ventilation systems. ‘Sick building syndrome describes a variety of symptoms including headaches, allergies, reduced productivity, a sore throat and dry skin,’ he says. ‘In addition, poor air quality can provoke asthma.’ Architects Journal
