Low Impact Building

The UK Government has set a number of challenging targets for improving sustainability; starting with the overarching goal of a 60% reduction in carbon emissions in the UK by 2050.

Our aim is to increase innovation in the buildings industry to meet this societal challenge.

The Low Impact Buildings Innovation Platform will assist business to harness the growing market for environmentally sustainable buildings. We will do this initially for new-build, through markets affected by changes to building regulations, the Code for Sustainable Homes and Scottish targets for zero carbon buildings.

What is planned?

A consultation exercise in summer 2007 run by the Cambridge Institute for Manufacturing on behalf of the Innovation Platform, and roadmapping and prioritisation workshops held in September 2007, identified five priority areas:

• Design for future climate change
• Design and decision tools
• Management and operation of buildings
• Better materials and components
• Low carbon energy sources

In addition, we realise that human behaviour underpins the effectiveness of all of these areas as does systems integration.

The Low Impact Building Innovation Platform was launched on 8 May 2008 and the first competition on 'Components and Materials for Low Impact Buildings' opened on 11 June with a closing date for expressions of interest of noon on 16 July. Four regional briefing events on the competition are being held in Birmingham,  London,  Pontypridd and Glasgow on 6, 10, 23 June and 4 July. 

Registration for the briefing events is through the Modern Built Environment KTN website. Further details of the competition are available on www.technologyprogramme.org.uk/