Sustainable
building practices 
Mott MacDonald - Climate change charter presented to Deputy Prime Minister Rt Hon John Prescott MP
Mott MacDonald, the global management
engineering and development consultancy yesterday presented
Deputy Prime Minister Rt Hon John Prescott MP with a charter
detailing how business leaders in the construction and property
industries will pledge to help tackle climate change. The
presentation, which took place the THINK summit, a conference
focusing on sustainability, regeneration and innovation in the
built environment, was made by the company's Board Director,
Kevin Stovell.
The charter, which was compiled following a summit organised by
THINK with some of the country's leading opinion-formers and
thinkers in the built environment, including Charles MacDonald,
Building Strategy Manager Carbon Trust; Kevin Stovell, Board
Director Mott MacDonald; and Peter Rogers, Director Stanhope
plc, includes the following key points.
* To draw up SMART* targets for the reduction of carbon
emissions, waste and water and to promote biodiversity.
* To develop industry-wide, consistent carbon modelling and
measurement tools for existing and new buildings to achieve
these targets.
* To halve the amount of construction waste taken to landfill
sites every two years.
* To devise a more effective renewable energy strategy,
including district-wide strategies.
* To encourage landlords and occupiers to share and publish data
on buildings' energy consumption with the aim of collectively
reducing emissions.
* To adopt operational energy labelling certificates on all
buildings.
* For landlords to adopt a new code on leases, which discourages
reinstatement of property to their original state.
* Promote use of whole lifecycle analysis, including embedded
and operational carbon emissions.
* Every building to have a master off-switch.
* To encourage adoption across the construction and property
industry of the May Day commitment to action.
Says Stovell: "As a responsible corporate citizen, employer and
consultant, Mott MacDonald takes sustainability very seriously
and has integrated sustainable practice into its culture through
values,
projects and practices. The industry made a significant step
today and pledged to encourage the adoption across construction
and property industries of this May Day commitment to action."
Email:
Alison.Johnston@mottmac.com