Thursday, 21 January 2010

The report ‘Engineering a low carbon built environment' was released on Wednesday 20^th January 2010 by the Royal Academy of Engineering. The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) feels that the report provides a robust and timely summary of how the UK can develop a more sustainable building stock.

CIBSE strongly welcomes the report's call to the government to clearly identify the skills required to design and deliver low carbon buildings. CIBSE shares concerns about a skills deficit that may impact on the UK's ability to meet its carbon reduction targets, and we believe the report offers an accurate and well-rounded view of the issues. CIBSE has consistently emphasised that highly skilled jobs need highly skilled people, and called for greater investment in training opportunities for the new 'green' jobs that the government has promised in its budget and pre-budget reports.

 An educated and highly competent workforce is essential to fulfilling the potential the built environment has in playing a major role in meeting carbon reduction targets.

CIBSE also shares the concern identified in the report about duplication of effort by the Engineering Institutions and others, and supports the call for greater co-ordination between them. CIBSE is committed to inter-disciplinary working across the professions and invites all who share that objective to join us.
 
We welcome the challenge laid down to CIBSE to further embrace all aspects of low carbon design and not just address energy efficient design of mechanical and electrical systems. Over many years CIBSE has built up an extensive library of guidance on non-M&E subjects. We offer a range of publications focused on environmental design, lighting, sustainable water use, facades and more general sustainability publications, while also running numerous events, conferences and courses on wide ranging topics.