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Climate change and clean energy discussed

How can increasing policy, investor and consumer demands regarding climate change and clean energy be satisfied in new developments?

This was the focus of the Energy Technologies in New Developments seminar, held at the University of Exeter on 27 September, and supported by the Government Office for the South West, the SW Regional Assembly, the SWRDA, the Housing Corporation, Devon County Council, the University, the Royal Bank of Scotland and Future Foundations.

The seminar covered:

- Current and emerging policy and issues, including presentations by the DTI on the Government's microgeneration strategy and low carbon buildings programme; by the SW Regional Assembly on the Regional Spatial Strategy, which aims to make sustainable construction the norm rather than the exception; and by Devon County Council and the University's Centre for Energy and the Environment on the challenges facing buildings in terms of mitigating and adapting to climate change.

- Case studies of new developments using best practice energy technologies from Bree Day Architects, Energy for Sustainable Development (ESD), Savills, Westlea Housing Association, Woking Borough Council and the proposed Sherford new community in Devon.

The event was organised by the Devon Sustainable Building Initiative (DSBI), a new not-for-profit organisation formed by a partnership of local authorities, universities, businesses, charitable organisations and interested individuals to promote and enable sustainable building practices in Devon. It complements similar initiatives in other south west counties, namely Somerset, Cornwall and Dorset, and is based at the offices of Devon County Council in Exeter.

Nearly 100 people attended including architects, engineers, land owners, developers, councillors, academics, renewable energy suppliers, local authority officers, NGOs and representatives of central and regional government, with very positive feedback received from the attendees.

Published at Sapling.info: November 2005

Download seminar presentations [external link]
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