Cool Roof Rating Council’s Post

📘 Discover the IIR Activity Report for 2023! Available in French and English, this document highlights the IIR's essential work linked to the Sustainable Development Goals. Refrigeration, vital to modern life, accounts for almost 20% of the world's electricity. Read it now to find out more about our actions and their impact 🔗 https://bit.ly/3wSNBXP #IIR #ActivityReport #ODD #SDG

The shift into Autumn got us thinking about the year so far and, in a professional context, some of the things we’ve seen happen in the world of RAAC. The refinement of the original guidance on management of RAAC was a helpful and reassuring development but, given it lagged behind the latest research, it still remained in a formative state. In practice, this meant helping clients required a nuanced approach, which made experience and expertise crucial ingredients. In the world of RAAC, these were (and remain) scarce commodities. In our view, this paved the way for ‘preference engineering’ and over specification of solutions. RAAC replacement became a near default option; other solutions we witnessed were often not ‘best fit’ or best value for money for the affected organisation. Alongside this, it became clear that RAAC is far from an issue limited to schools and hospitals. We have been contacted by an increasingly wide range of organisations, seeking guidance and support, as they struggle to understand how best to manage the presence of RAAC. It has become very clear that the presence of RAAC is a significant, cross-sector, issue that requires prompt attention and investment. Fortunately, the research into RAAC is now pointing the UK towards an ethos of ‘living safely with RAAC’ – recognising the viability of remediation as a long-term strategy. This means the scale of investment may be far less eyewatering, although the choice of remediation option becomes crucial if benefits are to be delivered. For some while we’ve actively supported the ethos of not defaulting to roof replacement. Instead, viewing it as one option, among many, to be weighed up based on the specific circumstances of each affected organisation. Earlier in the year, this led us to collaborate with the RAAC researchers Loughborough University with Chris Goodier, Expedition Engineering Ltd and our structural engineering partners, to assess the wide range of remediation options available. Mainly conventional, but some novel. This project yielded some very interesting insights, which we have developed into an options appraisal methodology and decision tool. We are working with several organisations to challenge the idea of roof replacement as their default option, guiding them towards choices of remediation options that are a far better fit for their circumstances. Already, we can see that this will save them £m's, restore the structural integrity of their roofs far more quickly and with less disruption, and support their sustainability ambitions. So, how will the RAAC issue evolve through the remainder of 2024 and into next year? A key part of this will be the stance taken by the new government. Hospitals, schools and many other public sector organisations are still in the thick of this issue and smart thinking is required. Our collective education relating to RAAC must continue and with consideration of remediation vs replacement top of the curriculum. Discuss.

🔍 What's the real ROI of safety investments in construction? New research from the Construction Safety Research Alliance (CSRA) is looking into the economic impact of health and safety measures on company financial standing and performance. The project is led by Nathalie Moyen, professor of finance at the Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado, and Brad Maclean, Chair Emeritus of the CSRA—an ideal meeting of academia and real-world construction safety. “This project sees us at the CSRA merge academics with practitioners to analyze huge amounts of data, to put an economic value on safety measures.” - Brad Maclean. Dive in to learn more about the research that will help safety directors build business cases for investment in health and safety. For U.K. and Ireland: https://hubs.ly/Q02yF90W0 For U.S. and Canada: https://hubs.ly/Q02yF2fy0 #ConstructionSafety #HealthAndSafety #ROI #CSRA #HammerTech

💥 Breaking Boundaries in Construction with UHPC! I had the privilege of attending an eye-opening webinar hosted by ICE Middle East featuring Mr. Peter Weber on Ultrahigh Performance Concrete (UHPC) – Pushing the Engineering Boundaries. Here’s what blew my mind: **Exploring UHPC's Power:** UHPC's advanced properties enable it to surpass traditional concrete in both strength and durability. **UHPC vs. UHPC2.0™:** We delved into the distinctions between UHPC and UHPC2.0™, discussing their unique applications and performance benefits. **Global Acceptance:** It's exhilarating to see UHPC gaining global traction and making a mark on major infrastructure projects. **Real-World Applications:** Real-life examples highlighted UHPC's adaptability and robustness, affirming its game-changing role in modern construction. **Sustainability:** The discussion also covered UHPC’s environmental impact and its contribution to sustainable building practices. 💰 **Cost and Feasibility:** Evaluating the cost dynamics, we explored ongoing research aimed at making UHPC more affordable and widely available. This webinar showcased how UHPC is revolutionising engineering and offering innovative solutions in construction. Kudos to ICE Middle East for orchestrating such a stellar event! What innovative materials are you excited about in your field? #ConstructionInnovation #SustainableBuilding #AdvancedMaterials #ConstructionTrends

Are you a developer looking to attract one of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) 7k+ signatories as future tenants? Are you a developer looking to meet the SBTis in the future? If so, take a close look at the latest guidance and graphs below. Do you know how your future pipeline sits currently? '...The SBTi acknowledges the importance of taking into consideration emissions from all phases of a building lifecycle. The buildings sector globally is increasingly moving towards performing whole life carbon assessments for all stages of the project life cycle and using these assessments as aids to inform planning, design, construction and procurement of low-emissions buildings (i.e.RICS 2023). To support the sector to take a holistic view on emissions from buildings, this document provides target-setting guidance and methods to enable users to set targets on their embodied emissions at a portfolio level.' Dec guidance DRAFT: https://lnkd.in/g_UxUwX6 and Nov Graphs DRAFT: https://lnkd.in/gQjE9isi #NetZero #Construction #Carbon Laudes Foundation CRREM - Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor

📢 Last week our team at Introba UK attended the CIBSE #decarbonisationconference. The informative and insightful day covered topics ranging from updates on the #UKNetZeroCarbonBuildingsStandard, #retrofit challenges, #heat networks and #heat pump design to the CIBSE climate action plan. ⭐ Here's a few of the key messages our team took away ⭐ : 🌍 The scope and output of the much anticipated #UKNZCB standard may evolve throughout its development process, to create a building standard that will also verify/ certify net-zero carbon buildings in the UK. 📈 Focus on Post Occupancy Evaluation (#POE), Building Performance Evaluation (#BPE) and data disclosure. This is often overlooked in decarbonisation and net zero. 🌥 Energy, thermal comfort and indoor air quality optimisation are all important when retrofitting. #Wellbeing and health are super important not to lose site of. The team saw some great statistics and figures from UCL, but poor projects can have serious consequences. ☀ Heat networks currently provide only 3% of the UK heat demand but the potential is 20% by 2050. The forthcoming Heat Network Technical Assurance Scheme (#HNTAS) is long overdue to bring a level playing field and protect consumers 👍 Good design, operation and commissioning of heat pumps to maximise efficiency, energy savings while reducing capital cost. 🍃 Latest updates on CIBSE #ClimateActionPlan that will contribute to the legal target of UK achieving net zero status by 2050, AND require CIBSE members to walk the walk. We were also very proud to see features on three of our collaborations in the field of #embodied and #wholelifecarbon, especially around MEP. These included: ⭐Our work on authoring CIBSE #TM65.3 for #logisticscentres with Amazon Jack Pearce Will Bury ⭐Helping develop much needed training for #LCA with Construction Carbon, Simon Sturgis ⭐Our contribution to the new RICS II with Louise Hamot and Clara Bagenal George authoring two important sections on #MEP and operational energy photo credit BMA House

Get answers to your clean energy questions with #QuestionoftheWeek: Why is it critical for future design and construction industry professionals to be educated in solid building science principles? There is no consistent platform for ensuring consistent building science skills across all professions engaged in the buildings sector. Now available, the Building Science Education (BSE) Solution Center is bridging this gap by providing professors, trainers, and students with access building science training modules for topics related to high-performance residential building systems and applications Visit the BSE site today: https://ow.ly/cKY350QvB7t Looking for more answers to your clean energy questions? Browse our previous Questions of the Week by category at https://ow.ly/j50i50QvB7u

The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction UCL (BSSC) had the pleasure of hosting Sir John Armitt, Chair of National Infrastructure Commission and past President of Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). BSSC's Professor Priti Parikh FICE, Professor Tim Broyd and Dr Juliano Denicol had a productive discussion with Sir John Armitt about the future of sustainable construction. The topics covered encompassed whole life thinking, resilient infrastructure, and the delivery of mega projects. BSSC initiatives such as the MBA in Major Infrastructure Delivery and our evidence-based research to influence policy was highlighted as a strength and of high value for the construction industry. The role of higher education institutions in developing skills both technical and non-technical such as communication was highlighted as a key area of need/demand. Prof. Broyd said: "Sir John has had an illustrious career in both the building and infrastructure sides of the construction industry, with an amazing portfolio that has included delivering the 2012 Olympics as well as chairing the EPSRC. It was really good to discuss our current work and future strategy with him, and to learn from his experience.” Dr Denicol said: "It was a pleasure to discuss with Sir John Armitt on how our Major Infrastructure Delivery MBA is creating a global movement for training the next generation of infrastructure leaders and address the world's infrastructure gap. Infrastructure is critical to societies around the world and clients often face complex challenges to initiate, structure and govern major projects. We discussed how UCL's scientific developments in megaproject delivery can contribute with evidence to build management and leadership capabilities globally." #sustainabledevelopment #megaprojects #sustainablefuture #infrastructure #construction #projectmanagement #constructionindustry

🌱 Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Phase 4 🌱 Phase 4 of Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) was launched on Thursday 29th Feb. PSDS is a funding initiative to support public sector bodies to decarbonise heating systems and install other energy efficiency measures. The guidelines for the application process are expected to be published in the summer and the supporting Low Carbon Skills Fund (LCSF) will be announced shortly. LCSF is a fund to assist organisations to complete Heat Decarbonisation Plans and feasibility stage design work to support future PSDS applications. The good news for schools is that Salix have indicated a move away from the controversial ‘first come first served’ approach which has been considered detrimental to the education sector. The sector cap, helping fairer allocations between education, health, and other public sector bodies, will remain. Barker can support organisations looking to apply to this funding. Further updates on application timelines and eligibility criteria will be shared in due course.

Our webinars are going full speed ahead! For those who missed it, don't worry—there's another must-see seminar recording available now. Smart Building Past Future and Present by Will Brouwer https://lnkd.in/dvgDW-2S #smartbuildigs #webinar #intelligentbuildings #sustainability #construction #engineering