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 … Read more

Government response AI summary

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 emissions reporting and urging other …

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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 … Read more

Government response AI summary

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 on how to assess embodied …

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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 … Read more

Government response AI summary

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 needed regarding safety implications and …

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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 ↗

Who gave evidence

25 witnesses

Witness	Organisation	Sessions
Adam Mactavish · Director	Currie & Brown	1
Alexia Laird · Sustainability Manager	Landsec	1
Caterina Brandmayr · Head of climate policy	Green Alliance	1
Catherine Adams · Director of Net Zero and Greener Building	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities	1
Damitha Adikaari · Director for Climate Science and Energy Innovation	Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy	1
Dr Alice Moncaster · Senior Lecturer, School of Engineering and Innova…	The Open University	1
Dr Alice Owen · Professor: Business Sustainability and Stakeholde…	University of Leeds	1
Dr Danielle Densley Tingley · Senior Lecturer in Architectural Engineering	The University of Sheffield	1
Dr Jannik Giesekam · Chancellor's Fellow (Lecturer), Department of Civ…	University of Strathclyde	1
Dr Joe Jack Williams · Associate, Researcher	Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios	1
Dr Tia Kansara · Entrepreneur and co-founder	Kansara Hackney Ltd	1
Eddie Hughes · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister …	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities	1
Elaine Toogood · Head Of Architecture	MPA The Concrete Centre	1
Emily Huynh · Technical Adviser for Advancing Net Zero	UK Green Building Council	1
Jane Anderson · Board Member	The Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP)	1
Louisa Bowles · Representative	LETI (London Energy Transformation Initiative)	1
Michael H. Ramage · Director	Centre for Natural Material Innovation, Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge	1
Ms Phoebe MacDonald · Senior Policy and Public Affairs Advisor	Royal Institute of British Architects	1
Peter Conboy · Development Director	igloo Regeneration Ltd	1
Rhian Williams · Principal Strategic Planner (London Plan)	Greater London Authority	1
Robert Lambe · Fellow	Chartered Institute of Building	1
Sam Liptrott · Director	OFR Consultants, Fire and Risk Consultants	1
The Lord Callanan · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister …	Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy	1
The Rt Hon. the Lord Deben · Chair	Climate Change Committee	1
Will Arnold · Head of Climate Action	The Institution of Structural Engineers	1

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…