Category Archives: News

A GLIMMER OF ENVIRONMENTAL HOPE

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Duncan-Baker Brown interviewed by Graham Lawton in the 9th November issue of New Scientist

In the column, Lawton reviews the progress made on environmental issues in the UK since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change announced last year that drastic changes were needed to avoid catastrophic global warming of more than 1.5 degrees Celcius. Lawton notes that while in general we in the UK haven’t made much progress towards preventing world-altering levels of global warming, the architecture industry has taken some positive steps.

A new organisation, the Architects’ Climate Action Network (ACAN), was set up to find ways to rapidly lower the carbon footprint of the construction industry. The impact this organisation could have is enormous. As Duncan Baker-Brown says in the article “architects specify what buildings are made of, and can therefore decide to make them out of environmentally benign stuff.”

Some architecture practices have even started dedicating a day a week to staff workshops considering how to make their daily work environmentally neutral or even beneficial.

DUNCAN BAKER-BROWN CALLS FOR GREEN OVERHAUL OF VAT IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

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In an article published by both The Conversion and Ecologist (click here to read the whole online publication), Duncan Baker-Brown explains how the current VAT status of new build houses (0%) and refurbishments (20%) rewards big developers at the expense of domestic consumers who want to upgrade the thermal efficiency of the existing housing stock.

The environmental impacts of these policies are negative; demolitions and new-builds are encouraged over renovations, leading to unnecessary waste and carbon expenditure.

By 2050 more than 85% of our housing stock will still be old homes from the 20th century. It is these homes that need the eco-refurbishments to ensure we have some hope of meeting our government’s commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80% by 2050. These targets can only be met if central government works with home owners and the small building contractors who renovate their properties. This simply will not happen while works to these existing homes is undermined by excessive taxation.

Baker-Brown suggests that a better approach for future governments to consider would be awarding a zero-rated VAT status to any home improvements that reduce CO2 emissions.

ARCHITECTS’ CLIMATE ACTION NETWORK HOLD FIRST ARCHITECTS’ ASSEMBLY

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Last week architects gathered after work to discuss how the construction industry can act in time to prevent climate catastrophe during the Architects’ Climate Action Network (ACAN) first Architects’ Assembly.

The assembly, inspired in part by Extinction Rebellion, was hosted at the Building Centre in Store Street by ACAN. ACAN is a climate activism group composed of people from the built environment who want to address the impending climate and ecological breakdown.

Environmental experts from a variety of backgrounds, including BBM’s director Duncan Baker-Brown, opened the assembly with some brief presentations looking at how the built environment influences climate change. Following those presentations, participants gathered in small groups and ran workshops to discuss how best to campaign for policy change and how best to chance their daily architectural practice to respond to the climate emergency.

Speakers included:

Farhana Yamin – Founder and CEO of Track 0, leading international environmental lawyer and climate change and development policy expert

Clara Bagenal George – Sustainability specialist, Mayor’s Design Advocate and London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) Champion.

Ciara Hanson – Chartered Landscape Architect, working on policy and methods of health impact assessment at London Borough of Havering. Also on Public Practice’s climate crisis R&D team.

Laurie Laybourn-Langton – Author and Associate Fellow at thinktank IPPR, leading a major project developing policy responses to environmental breakdown.

Duncan Baker Brown – Architect, Associate Professor at Brighton University and Principle researcher on two Interreg programmes related to the circular economy

DUNCAN BAKER-BROWN IS SPEAKING AT THE FIRST ARCHITECTS’ ASSEMBLY OF THE ARCHITECT’S CLIMATE ACTION NETWORK TODAY!

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Come to the Building Centre to listen to architects, environmental lawyers, sustainability engineers and other industry experts talk about what actions can be taken in light of the climate emergency.

Following these initial presentations, participants will form groups to discuss how policy and architectural practice can change in response to the climate crisis.

18:30 – 21:00, Tue, 22 October 2019

The Building Centre

26 Store Street

London

WC1E 7BT


Speakers include:

Farhana Yamin – Founder and CEO of Track 0, leading international environmental lawyer and climate change and development policy expert.

Ciara Hanson – Chartered Landscape Architect, working on policy and methods of health impact assessment at London Borough of Havering. Also on Public Practice’s climate crisis R&D team.

Clara Bagenal George – Sustainability specialist Engineer, Mayor’s Design Advocate and London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) Champion.

Laurie Laybourn-langton – Author and Associate Fellow at thinktank IPPR, leading a major project developing policy responses to environmental breakdown.

Duncan Baker Brown – Architect, Associate Professor at Brighton University and Principle researcher on two Interreg programmes related to the circular economy.

To register for the event please follow this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/acan-architects-assembly-tickets-73455494361

BBM DIRECTOR DUNCAN BAKER-BROWN REVIEWS MAYOR OF LONDON’S NEW CIRCULAR ECONOMY DESIGN PRIMER

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Duncan Baker-Brown was interviewed by the Architect’s Journal for his opinion on the Mayor of London’s newly released Design for A Circular Economy Primer.

The guidance document, developed by industry experts, aims to help organisations in the built environment embed circular economy principles into their projects.

Duncan Baker-Brown thinks “The issues covered in the document are the correct ones. However, my concern is how is all of this interpreted by designers and builders, because I would say there is a lack of knowledge in the industry at the moment. Therefore it is good that it is a call for action and case studies.”

For more information on the industry reception of the Primer, read the full Architect’s Journal article at: https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/london-plan-new-document-to-help-architects-embed-circular-economy-principles/10044807.article?blocktitle=News-features&contentID=13634

 

ARCHITECTS HAVE DECLARED, BUT WHAT DO WE DO NEXT?

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Duncan Baker-Brown writes for Riba Journal: an article on how architects and future architects may respond to the declaration of the climate crisis.

New buildings are already being designed as carbon neutral or negative entities. Architects should utilise their position as resource managers: moving away from raw materials to ‘mining the Anthropocene’ with the ability for future de-construction.

https://www.ribaj.com/intelligence/sustainability-circular-economy-construction-reusing-recyling-duncan-baker-brown

For more information on BBM’s strategies look to our De/Construct Re/Construct Live Research Project:

https://bbm-architects.co.uk/portfolio/live-research-project/

BBM COMPLETES RURAL RESIDENTIAL EXTENSION

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Completion of extension in East Sussex

This residential extension, situated within the East Sussex countryside, was designed to sit sympathetically alongside the existing house. Whilst appreciating views over the surrounding landscape and South Downs beyond, the annexe also provides a third side to the dwellings entrance courtyard, greatly enhancing your arrival to the property.Extension East Sussex