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BWEA News

New guide for sustainable communities

Tuesday 14th February 2006

The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA), an independent charity which works towards improving the art and science of town and country planning, has published a new guide Sustainable Energy by Design, for sustainable communities.

Sustainable Energy by Design

The guide is supported by national regeneration agency English Partnerships, CABE, the Countryside Agency and the Pilkington Energy Efficiency Trust and shows how planners and developers can use renewable energy to generate heat and power, as well as profits for communities and developers. TCPA is targeting the guide for local authorities, developers, investors and managers in the public and private sector alike. The guide promotes opportunities for sustainable energy and considers the role of the planning system, communities, other stakeholders and delivery bodies.

Renewable energy generation in towns and cities is becoming increasingly profitable, while helping combat climate change. TCPA does point out though that many developers are still lagging behind, despite increasing demand for green and sustainable buildings. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) recently launched a consultation on its proposed Code for Sustainable Homes and TCPA is urging developers to back calls for the new Code to be made mandatory through Building Regulations.

TCPA Director Gideon Amos said:

"We must avoid a dash for trash. Rising to the challenge of providing new homes while reducing dangerous carbon emissions demands action from government, the private sector and communities working in partnership. It's about better, not more regulation. It makes good business sense for developers to back a mandatory Code. This the only way to drive up standards and provide choice for consumers increasingly concerned about climate chaos."

Speaking at the national TCPA conference on Planning for Climate Change, ODPM Planning Minister Baroness Andrews said:

"Tackling climate change through planning requires a strong lead from central government with local authorities and developers playing their part too. That is why we have already set out, and are now reinforcing, clear policies on environmental sustainability to ensure that the new homes that the next generation needs are built in a more sustainable way."

Household emissions currently account for around 31% of total CO2 emissions in the UK, with all buildings together accounting for around 50%. The Sustainable Energy by Design guide includes case studies of renewables energy technologies such as wind turbines and how these can contribute towards clean and affordable energy generation systems.