Select Committee · Environmental Audit Committee

Sustainability of the built environment

Status: Closed Opened: 25 Mar 2021 Closed: 26 Jan 2023 29 recommendations 19 conclusions 1 report

This inquiry will examine the sustainability of the built environment. It will look at the best routes to net zero for our future building needs from low carbon materials through to policies to minimise the whole life carbon impact of new buildings. Read the call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry.

Reports

1 report

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
First report - Building to net zero: costing carbon in cons…	HC 103	26 May 2022	48	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items

9 Recommendation First report - Building to net zero: co… Accepted in Part

We recommend that following the introduction of whole-life carbon assessments, the Government should develop progressively...

We recommend that following the introduction of whole-life carbon assessments, the Government should develop progressively ratcheted carbon targets for the built environment, to match the pathway to net zero set out in periodic carbon budgets. These ratcheting targets should be reported on annually, and progress reports towards achieving these targets …

Government response. The government will explore the potential of a maximum embodied carbon level for new buildings in the future, but emphasizes the need for a robust evidence base of building-level whole life carbon data, while also citing the importance of territorial …

13 Recommendation First report - Building to net zero: co… Accepted in Part

We recommend that the Government should change the term embodied energy to embodied carbon in...

We recommend that the Government should change the term embodied energy to embodied carbon in the National Model Design Code and provide a clear definition of embodied carbon and whole-life carbon in the NMDC based on the WLCN, Building to net zero: costing carbon in construction 67 LETI and RIBA …

Government response. The government is reviewing comments on the National Model Design Code and will assess these in light of reforms to the planning system, and are offering support on themes related to the coding process. However, they state that detailed guidance …

23 Recommendation First report - Building to net zero: co… Accepted in Part

The Government must develop a coherent policy, joined up across Departments, to address the need...

The Government must develop a coherent policy, joined up across Departments, to address the need for increased tree planting to address biodiversity and climate change concerns and the need for sustainable commercial plantations using appropriate tree species to meet the demand for domestic timber in construction. Government has committed to …

Government response. The government highlights the England Tree Action Plan, the Nature for Climate Fund, and the Timber in Construction Working Group to design a policy roadmap, which will report before the end of this Parliament, but notes that further research is …

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions

Date	Witnesses
19 Jan 2022	Adam Mactavish · Currie & Brown, Alexia Laird · Landsec, Catherine Adams · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Damitha Adikaari · Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Eddie Hughes · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, The Lord Callanan · Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy	View ↗
17 Nov 2021	Dr Joe Jack Williams · Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, Elaine Toogood · MPA The Concrete Centre, Louisa Bowles · LETI (London Energy Transformation Initiative), Michael H. Ramage · Centre for Natural Material Innovation, Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge, Rhian Williams · Greater London Authority, Sam Liptrott · OFR Consultants, Fire and Risk Consultants, Will Arnold · The Institution of Structural Engineers	View ↗
20 Oct 2021	Caterina Brandmayr · Green Alliance, Dr Alice Moncaster · The Open University, Dr Alice Owen · University of Leeds, Dr Jannik Giesekam · University of Strathclyde, Peter Conboy · igloo Regeneration Ltd, Robert Lambe · Chartered Institute of Building	View ↗
14 Jul 2021	Dr Danielle Densley Tingley · The University of Sheffield, Dr Tia Kansara · Kansara Hackney Ltd, Emily Huynh · UK Green Building Council, Jane Anderson · The Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP), Ms Phoebe MacDonald · Royal Institute of British Architects, The Rt Hon. the Lord Deben · Climate Change Committee	View ↗

Correspondence

2 letters

Date	Direction	Title
27 Oct 2022	To cttee	Letter from the Minister of State for Local Government, Department for Levellin…
30 Sep 2022	—	Chair to Secretaries of State BEIS and LUHC re: Sustainability of the built env…