Environmental Building Research Group, University of Plymouth              ESH0067

Written evidence submitted by the Environmental Building Research Group, University of Plymouth

Evidence in relation to the Environmental sustainability and housing growth Terms of reference number 5.

5. What contribution can the NPPF make to meeting Government targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions? What account does the NPPF take of advice from the Climate Change Committee on reducing the use of embodied carbon as well as operational carbon in the built environment?

Introduction to the EBG at the University of Plymouth and reason for submitting evidence.

The Environmental Building Research Group has been operating at the University of Plymouth since 1996, investigating the performance of ultra-low embodied energy/carbon buildings, the introduction of added biodiversity through the use of living walls and the use of thermal imaging to improve the energy performance of buildings. The process of producing Low carbon buildings has given us a unique insight to the barriers to their production, including from a planning perspective.

The author on behalf of the group is Professor Steve Goodhew FRICS, FCIOB and I can confirm that this material has not been published elsewhere.  

Context of Contribution.

We have found that many of the greatest barriers to meeting government targets for the reduction of embodied carbon are linked to people and processes.

Even the most well-intentioned policy can sometimes be less effective than envisaged if the practical (people and process) aspects of constructing buildings (with new innovative ultra-low carbon materials) are not well thought through.

The only real way that the success of a policy can be assured is to road test most vital aspects in a real example.

We, at the University of Plymouth’s Environmental Building Group have built a domestic scale ultra-low carbon building (the CobBauge Building) whose walls contain approximately 4 times less embodied carbon than would be contained in an equivalent traditional house. The domestic scale building that was completed in 2022, now forms part of the working estate of the University and the CobBauge building has many features that could be rolled out to mainstream housing projects.

The Project Architect and I would be very happy to explain the lessons learned and give the committee the benefit of where the barriers we experienced with the current NPPF.   We can also provide input into potential ways forward that could flow into the reform of the framework and be relevant to house building targets whilst reducing the use of embodied carbon in construction.

People/Process themes that need to be addressed to procure, design, construct and maintain a successful low embodied carbon building.

To indicate, below are some themes that the project architect and I can cover regarding the ‘road to constructing’ an ultra-low carbon building in a mainstream environment.

One of the main tasks the team had was to convince the local planning department that a building built from ultra-low embodied carbon materials would require certain design features to prolong its longevity and maintain its long-term performance. It is suggested that buildings that can offer outstanding metrics in relation to the newly released Pilot code for net zero carbon, are given priority both for planning acceptance but also through the building control process.

Importantly due to the procedures similar to any large organisation, the production of this building has had to follow a rigorous route to completion including; 

• How we constructed a successful business case for a low embodied carbon building,   involving persuading senior management to buy-in to innovation.
• Navigating successful mainstream procurement process, but for a non-main stream innovative construction type that meet goals for a low embodied carbon building.
• Employing an architect/project manager that could design for a low embodied carbon building.
• Entering a meaningful dialogue with building control officers to ensure that the low embodied carbon complied to the building regulations
• …..leading to issuing a tender and call for contractors.
• Grappling with the tender selection criteria including skills associated with a novel building technique. 
• Liaising with mainstream construction professionals including Quantity Surveyor, Structural Engineers, Health and Safety experts who have little knowledge of low embodied carbon buildings and materials.
• Working with Facilities managers to ensure that materials with very low embodied carbon can be maintained to ensure that they perform at their best.
• Liaise with insurers to ensure that novel low embodied carbon materials/technologies are covered within current policies held by an organisation.

I hope my and the EBG’s evidence is valuable to your enquiry.

Professor Steve Goodhew MSc, PhD, FRICS, FCIOB.

December 2024