Plans to make council buildings more energy efficient

Jul 24 2009 by Chris Knox, The Journal

BUILDERS have welcomed plans by Gateshead Council to make their buildings some of the most energy efficient in the UK.

The council’s cabinet has agreed a bold new Sustainable Construction Policy, which includes ensuring that 20% of its energy requirement is produced on-site from renewable sources by 2010, rising by 5% each year up to 50% by 2016.

It has also said that all timber products used in construction or refurbishment projects must come from sustainable sources and that 10% of construction materials must be from recycled sources by 2010, rising to 30% by 2016.

It has also set itself the challenge of ensuring that all new homes and school buildings are zero carbon rated by 2016 and that all new public sector, non-domestic buildings are zero carbon from 2018.

The policies have the potential of creating jobs in the region’s ailing construction sector, particularly among the increasing number of mechanical and engineering contractors that have been set up in recent years to take advantage of the move towards environmentally friendly building methods.

Coun Mick Henry, leader of Gateshead Council, said: “We have the opportunity to make the design, construction and operation of the council’s buildings play a central role in our drive to promote sustainable development.

“Buildings consume huge amounts of energy and resources – and their demolition usually generates waste on a significant scale. If we are serious about meeting the Government’s declared environmental targets, then there has to be a dramatic reduction in the environmental impact of buildings and infrastructure construction.”

However the plans have been met with a certain degree of scepticism from some contractors who believe they may miss out on any contracts that come to market.

Richard Boyes, financial director at Newcastle-based Brinkburn Group, which is in talks with a number of hotels looking to cut their energy costs as well as become more environmentally friendly, said: “We would be very interested in bidding for this type of work, but in our experience such contracts are often reserved for the large national companies.

“I would suggest that they look at groundsource heat pumps as their source of energy, which is something that a number of smaller scale firms, including ourselves, are starting to specialise in.”

Other companies say that although they welcome the plan, they are anxious to see them put in place soon.

Richard Brown, financial director at Newcastle-based Dorin Holdings, said: “We would always welcome such work coming to market as we are heavily involved in green energy sources through our Electrical and Plumbing installation arm Gilwood Mast.

“However, councils sometimes have a tendency to talk a great game but delay the delivery.”