Isramart : New buildings in capital pumping out a third less carbon and can go even further

Isramart news:
New developments coming to the Mayor’s office for approval are cutting their carbon emissions by around a third, whilst tougher targets proposed in the Mayor's draft London plan can raise this even further, a London South Bank University report has found.
The independent report, commissioned by the Greater London Authority, shows the London Plan has been successful in getting developers to go much further than basic requirements under building regulations to incorporate sustainable measures and cut carbon. The carbon savings being secured from developments has increased from an average of 29 per cent in 2006 to 34 per cent by mid 2009.
The study shows that setting challenging targets has successfully driven developers to reduce their carbon emissions and this underscores the proposed tougher standards for 2010-13 included in the Mayor's draft London Plan ( the spatial development strategy for the capital ), which sets increased targets for carbon reductions of 44 per cent for new developments between 2010-2013.
The savings from a sample of half of all planning applications which are referred to the Mayor show that carbon savings have been made through energy efficiency measures such as passive heating and lighting, the use of low carbon energy from combined heat and power units and on-site renewable energy. The report clearly demonstrates that flexibility has been crucial in enabling developers to offer the greater carbon savings using the most suitable measures for their site. For example some developments have managed to contribute well over 30 per cent of savings from on-site renewables, whilst others have contributed much less from these sources, making savings instead through other aspects of the development such as gas fired combined heart and power units, which are more appropriate for their site.
The draft replacement London Plan looks to strengthen this flexibility further to ensure that maximum carbon savings are secured from a range of energy efficiency and decentralised energy options and the most appropriate, effective methods for the site. It seeks to ensure that where carbon reduction targets cannot be met through on site measures and where it is clearly demonstrated that they cannot be, any shortfall to make up the 44 per cent can be provided either off site or through an equivalent financial contribution to the relevant borough ( to be ring fenced for carbon saving projects elsewhere in the borough ). Any proposals for making up a short-fall off-site must only be cases where there is a feasible alternative proposal identified*. Further guidance on criteria for off site provision will be set out in supplementary planning guidance.
The Mayor, Boris Johnson said: 'With the majority of London's carbon emissions coming from buildings, it is crucial that developers, planners and boroughs are encouraged to raise the bar when proposing new sites, so they are as energy efficient as possible. This report underscores that we are on the right track with a range of energy busting measures being pursued across the capital's new developments. But we can go further. Through the proposals in the draft London Plan, we want to deliver higher targets using a broad range of technologies with a common sense, practical approach to maximise carbon savings.’
Key findings of the report include:
· On average carbon savings have risen from 29 per cent to 2006 to 33 per cent in 2009 above building regulations.
· 116,000 tonnes of carbon per year were cut by the 147 new developments in the sample between 2006 and June 2009.
· By 2009, the average carbon savings achieved were 33 per cent, this breaks down as reductions of 14 per cent from energy efficiency measures, 9 per cent from using gas-fired Combined Heat and Power ( CHP ) and a further 10 per cent from renewable energy technologies.
· The number of gas-fired CHP installations has increased from 34 in 2007 to 94 in 2009.
· The overall carbon savings made are continuing to increase, the contribution that energy efficiency, CHP and renewable energy can make varies from development to development. For example in some applications renewable energy was able to contribute well over 30 per cent of savings, but in some cases contributed under 10 per cent.