Garden Office Blog

Report sounds 'eco-bling' warning

By Steven Willis on 25th January, 2010

A new report from the Royal Academy of Engineering has criticised the trend of attaching renewable energy facilities to inefficient homes, describing it as "eco bling" that delivers questionable environmental benefits. The report also draws attention to a skills shortage when it comes to a widespread nationwide rollout of energy efficient building, highlighting the fact that despite the current groundswell of political and public support on the issue the manufacturing and production manpower to deliver on the targets just isn't available as it stands.

"Eco bling describes unnecessary renewable energy visibility attached to the outside of poorly-designed buildings - it's a zero-sum approach," said Doug King, author of the report. "If you build something that is just as energy-hungry as every other building and then put a few wind turbines and solar cells on the outside that addresses a few per cent of that building's energy consumption, you've not achieved anything."

The Government's headline target for green housing is that all new homes will be zero-carbon by 2016, and the country's housing stock will play a significant role in the overarching aim of reducing carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. Both goals depend heavily on the issues raised in the Royal Academy's report, and would fall short if the current level of progress continues. Between 1990 and 2005 the carbon emitted by the UK's homes dropped by 4%, a slower rate than anticipated.

The report shouldn't be categorised in the same bracket as previous criticisms of environmental practice, rather a well-weighted warning on the dangers of using as micro-renewables as fashionable status symbols, and the ways in which the real eco-housing work can be started.

As such, the report could represent something of a wake-up call for real environmental advancements in the construction industry. The fragmented approach that 'eco bling' largely represents is restrictive by cost to only a small percentage of homeowners, making it even less worthwhile. A step change in implementation and delivery of energy efficiency practices as outlined in the report will help to deliver steady progress - if not to the full realisation of the Government's goals - into a greener building future.


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