Building
Control and Standards
CIOB - Is the Government building for the future? Asks the CIOB
A report by the National Audit Office (NAO)
has shown the majority of government departments and agencies as
failing to meet targets to make their new buildings and major
refurbishments sustainable.
Chris Blythe, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of
Building (CIOB) said, "Sustainability and the way we build the
future is a serious issue and needs greater cohesion between the
Government and the Industry. The report highlights that a lack
of consistency and responsibility are part of the problem. The
Government must create a more joined up approach to the
construction industry, which is the only way we can successfully
tackle these issues. We would question whether the current
system is building for the future or just treading water."
The report found that most departments have started to consider
sustainability in construction and refurbishment projects. But
departments are not consistently carrying out the required
environmental assessments on new projects. In 2005-06 only 35
per cent (37 of 106) of new builds and 18 per cent (61 of 335)
of major refurbishment projects had carried out, or planned to
carry out, these environmental assessments
The NAO, with the assistance of specialist consultants, examined
a sample of projects that had not been assessed. Of these, 80
per cent would have failed to meet the required assessment
standards. But the report also identifies some examples of good
practice, including the refurbishment of offices by the
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the
refurbishment of the Treasury's headquarters and Defence
Estates' construction of Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College.
Sir John Bourn, head of the NAO, said, "When I last reported on
construction in 2005, I emphasised the need to consider both the
costs and benefits over the whole life of a building, not just
the initial capital required. Despite this, today's report
highlights a continuing failure by departments to consider the
long-term value of sustainability in their new builds and
refurbishments. This is particularly disappointing given the
importance of sustainability in promoting a deeper understanding
of value for money.
"Government departments and agencies spend in the region of £3
billion each year on new builds and major refurbishments. If
sustainability is well handled, and addressed at the very
beginning of construction projects, it can and should provide
better value for money in the long term."
The NAO report identified a number of barriers to progress
towards more sustainable buildings on the government estate
including:
a fragmentation of policy responsibility among government bodies
for improving sustainable construction and refurbishment and an
absence of a coherent approach to monitoring progress and
ensuring compliance;
a widespread perception of conflict between sustainability and
value for money, partly because project teams are failing to
assess the long-term costs and benefits of more sustainable
approaches;
a lack of sufficient knowledge and expertise in sustainable
procurement among those departmental staff responsible for
construction and refurbishment; and
a failure to specify expected benefits and undertake rigorous
post-occupancy reviews to evaluate performance against them, and
the consequent lack of robust data to inform business appraisals
for new projects.
A full copy of the NAO report is available.
Email:
stownsend@ciob.org.uk