Carbon neutrality: architects and planners call for pan-professional action
Sunand Prasad, RIBA President-elect and Rynd Smith, RTPI Director of Policy and Practice, have agreed to spearhead a joint plan of action to combat the effects of climate change and hope that all the built environmental professions will sign up to it.
Their action follows an RTPI/RIBA conference in May in Woking, Surrey, at which both were key speakers. The conference, supported by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), looked at if - and how - the planning system might deliver sustainable design.
More than 100 delegates at the conference, which was chaired by Robert Rummey of Rummey Design Associates, heard the views of local authorities and developers and participated in workshop discussions on aspects such as action on existing housing stock, training needs and transport.
Proposals arising from the conference which will be included in the plan of action will include:
• Urgent Government action to reduce carbon emissions from existing building stock
• Taking a holistic view of carbon reduction
• Clarity for designers, developers and local authorities – a single benchmarking code to judge sustainability, rather than the plethora of local, national and government codes that currently exist
• The introduction of a fully trained and resourced Sustainability Champion for each local authority, to give high quality, free advice to all – and for these to be co-ordinated nationally.
Sunand Prasad said ‘Combating climate is too important to be dealt with in a fragmented way. We must work together to achieve real success. I want to work with colleagues in the built environment professions so we can jointly give the leadership necessary to mitigate climate change and adapt to it. I hope that we can persuade all the key professions to sign up to this.’
Rynd Smith commented ‘This plan of action could be a catalyst for acceleration and for addressing the market requirements. We can already see a growing public desire for faster and more positive action – we must build on this to radically change behaviours and lifestyle’.

Author:

Carol Dawson

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

02-Aug-07

Categories:

 

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