The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) will launch an invaluable new sustainability guide for architects on 20 March 2012 at Ecobuild 2012, the world's biggest event for sustainable design. The RIBA Guide to Sustainability in Practice is the latest tool in a range of measures the RIBA has delivered in its commitment to supporting the architecture profession and wider built environment industry to meet the UK's carbon reduction goals.
The free guide, written by architect and sustainability expert Lynne Sullivan OBE, provides helpful first-step information designed to help architects integrate sustainability into their daily practice.
From the drivers of sustainability through to the current and forthcoming EU and UK legislation and policy context, the guide looks at the strong business case for, and benefits of, sustainability for the client. The guide also reveals an easy-to-follow 10 step guide to building a sustainable practice from acquiring the knowledge and skills, through to applying the correct project methodology and how to monitor sustainability projects.
The 10 steps, which are explored in detail within the guide, are:
1. Commit to leadership
2. Measure your own impact
3. Benchmark performance
4. Acquire new knowledge with CPD
5. Build sustainable knowledge management systems
6. Develop collaborative project methodologies
7. Consider the uses of software
8. Adopt a knowledge management framework
9. Follow the RIBA Outline Plan of Work
10. Monitor sustainable projects
RIBA President Angela Brady said:
'Buildings account for 50 percent of total UK carbon emissions and architects have a key role to play in dramatically reducing carbon if we are to meet our carbon reduction goals.
Many UK architects are world leaders in designing innovative, sustainable buildings. This guide launched at Ecobuild will help spread the key messages of sustainability and encourage more in our profession to consider all aspects of a buildings lifecycle when they are at the early design stages.'
The RIBA Guide to Sustainability in Practice guide will be available at the RIBA Village (S1630-40) on Tuesday 20 March from 12:30pm to coincide with the Ecobuild seminar session 'Establishing a sustainable architecture practice'.
The seminar will include contributions from the architect Bill Gething on 'Presenting the "Green Overlay" to the RIBA plan of work', a session from the sustainability expert Lynne Sullivan on Integrating Sustainability into Architectural Practice and architect Paul Fletcher on Building Information Management (BIM): collaboration and integration. The seminar will take place South Gallery 11 & 12.
Other RIBA activity at Ecobuild includes:
Tuesday 20 March 2.15 – 3.15pm
'Architects and architecture in straitened times'
Hosted by RIBA President Angela Brady
Wednesday 21 March 11.15am – 12.15pm
'The future of design and the role of architects as localism gains teeth through the NPPF'
RIBA Chief Executive Harry Rich will be joined by Jonathan Glancey, architecture critic, Liz Peace, Chief Executive, British Property Federation and Nahid Majid, Director, Design Council Cabe.
ENDS