Professor Susan Roaf conjures up an apocalyptic vision of the future. In her doomsday scenario, the west fails to curb carbon emissions quickly enough and the massive industrialisation of India and China accelerates environmental degradation. Global warming worsens, leading to ever more rapid climate change and more catastrophic weather events. The headlong rush to urban dwelling worldwide puts increasing strain on city infrastructures and results in ever greater consumption of increasingly scarce fossil fuels, with urbanites each generating an average 2.4 times the level of CO2 of their country cousins.
“In 2003 New York was blacked out when the power system couldn’t cope with demand,” said Prof Roaf. “We could see that repeated the world over – it could be the age of dark cities.”
Prof Roaf, head of architecture at Oxford Brookes University, delivered this chilling forecast at the inaugural two-day Ecobuild conference in London last week, which attracted 1,200 architects, building professionals and representatives of local authorities, development agencies and housing groups. The event focused on the construction of houses and other buildings that are more sustainable and also on ways of improving the environmental performance of existing building stock.
Other speakers stressed the urgency of the environmental challenge confronting construction. But, offsetting the gloomier predictions, there was also optimism that the industry and its suppliers could come up with answers. Prof Roaf herself presented a way forward – the ‘Solar Cities’ initiative she’s involved in in Oxford encouraging large-scale use of low-environmental impact building and photo voltaic (PV) energy systems.
Others agreed that the building methods and products that can reduce construction’s environmental footprint are available now. Very much to the fore among the solutions were timber-based construction systems and wood building products generally. Reflecting this, Canada Wood and TRADA were among the conference sponsors, and the speakers included Bryan Woodley of the UK Timber Frame Association, Philip Key of timber frame specialist Pace Timber Systems and Stuart Gee of timber and panel systems builder WAVE Homes.
In the ‘Transforming the Urban Environment’ panel discussion, Kevin McGeough of English Partnerships said his organisation was driving sustainable construction through the Millennium Communities programme, which is based on partnership between regional development bodies and industry. This includes the use of timber-based building systems, with one of the latest projects to be announced being the Millennium development in Manchester which will feature timber frame housing from Taylor Woodrow and Shed KM architects. “The total programme will result in 6,000 houses by 2010 around the UK, all achieving an eco-points rating of very good or excellent,” said McGeough.
Home energy systems
Architect Bill Dunster, whose ZedFactory created the timber frame BedZed development in London, and more recently RuralZed low environmental impact housing, highlighted the value of home energy systems, including PV cells and wind turbines. But he said that in newbuild, architects and the construction sector had to promote modern building forms to make optimum use of this sort of technology. “We must get away from the olde, worlde heritage style,” he said. “Why should timber frame homes be clad in brick and ape every other house?”
He also said that improving construction’s environmental performance could not be done piecemeal. “We need a mass approach to achieve economies of scale.”
Another keen user of timber construction is architect Ian McKay of BBM Sustainable Design. His practice designed the timber-framed Romney Marsh Visitors Centre, which uses straw bale-based wall panels, and is working on the Priory Neighbourhood Centre in Hastings, which features glulam beams and a gridshell roof, all from locally sourced coppiced sweet chestnut.
“The aim in all our buildings is to use materials that are reclaimable and renewable,” said Mr McKay.
According to Canada Wood, which had a stand promoting the Super E low energy construction method, the event and interest in sustainable construction were good news for the timber industry. “But the non-timber construction sector is also focused on the market, so we can’t afford to rest on our laurels,” said Jason Kee, Canadian High Commission business development officer.
A fellow exhibitor, the structural insulated panel building specialist Jablite, was equally upbeat. The German-owned company is now targeting the UK. It has eight houses already built in the country, expects to complete another 100 this year and may set up a manufacturing base here in 2006. “Five years ago there wouldn’t have been the interest in our sort of building,” said Jablite’s Raymond Radley. “That’s changed completely.”
Alan Kell, of the Integer (Intelligent & Green) building consultancy, also took the view that the challenges posed by growing global environmental problems should be a positive stimulus for construction. “There is a massive opportunity in sustainability,” he said.
