Kingsley Clarke is Operations Leader at Southern Construction Framework
There are just a few months to go until the launch of the third phase of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Plan, which provides £1.4bn of grants up to 2026 to support public sector organizations to reach net zero targets. As the built environment sector accounts for 40 percent of all carbon emissions, it is widely recognized that immediate action is needed to decarbonize and retrofit the public building stock. Regardless of current or future government policy, there is a momentum in demand for modernization or reconstruction in the public sector that is unlikely to abate.
“With schools, colleges and universities among the oldest buildings in the UK, refurbishment and decarbonisation work can help address the need for repairs”
The National Audit Office beloved that 60 per cent of the educational building stock was built before 1976, when sustainability was not high on the agenda, so it is clear that there is a great deal of work ahead. Schools, higher education centers and higher education institutions have set themselves ambitious targets to reach zero.
But when you consider the built environment, it’s not that simple. The Southern Construction Framework (SCF) has created the SCF Climate and Sustainability Working Group, a collection of contractor representatives tasked with monitoring developments in legislation and best practices to reduce environmental impact.
So what are the opportunities and challenges for building the public sector on its path to decarbonisation?
Market volatility requires a more considered approach
Much of the decarbonisation work focuses on the fabric of the building rather than areas such as mechanical and electrical, which have often already been covered in previous initiatives. This poses a challenge for contractors as supply chains are increasingly under stress. SCF’s recent Market Intelligence report found that despite inflation showing some early signs of stabilization and improved delivery times, construction costs continue to rise due to low material availability, higher utility bills and rising expenses labor
For many projects, grant funding was awarded more than a year ago based on historical prices, so while inflation remains high, it makes completion difficult.
Start by conducting a solid cost-benefit analysis early on. Organizations may have been successful in obtaining a grant, but a renovation or rebuild may not be the best route for this particular project. You need to be clear from the beginning that the construction is affordable and suitable.
At the same time, it is crucial to consider the lifetime carbon of a building and whether the embodied carbon cost of doing the work will ever be offset by the operational carbon use for that building. By meeting with all parties early in the process, clear goals can be established and a plan can be devised to incorporate the most efficient technologies and design the build.
With this approach, Bristol Humanities Hub achieved a BREEAM Excellent sustainability rating through the decision to install natural ventilation, thereby significantly reducing operational carbon use.
It’s better to work together
There is often a reluctance of clients, contractors and consultants to work collaboratively on different projects, but there is an opportunity for customers in the same geographic areas to work together. For example, if six local organizations received their grant and went out to hire on the same day for jobs in the local area, suppliers and subcontractors would become selective and potentially increase their prices. But if these organizations buy together, the local supply chain would be much better able to mobilize around all these projects and all parties would see some efficiencies.
Similarly, if public sector organizations could find a way to do all the tendering in advance for a larger works project, this would lead to greater interest from both subcontractors and contractors, and in turn would give place to more suppliers.
Adopt a holistic approach
As schools, colleges and universities are some of the oldest buildings in the UK, retrofitting and decarbonisation work can help address the need for repairs. People don’t want to disrupt the environment twice, so if structural changes are to be made, it makes sense to consider remediation and decarbonization together.
Although it’s rarely that simple, if you were to remove aerated concrete (which you may already be planning) and replace it with other, higher-density materials, this could increase the building’s thermal mass and improve its efficiency.
Are smart and sustainable buildings a priority now?
Students now more than ever expect their campuses, universities and schools to be green or decarbonised. At the same time, the UK’s higher education population is is expected to grow significantly by 2030, which will increase the demand for new buildings.
If you are planning to rebuild it, it will take decarbonisation work into account, regardless of whether there is a government push for it, because we all know it has to happen. Buildings are long-term assets; they are not just here for two years.
