Sustainability Action Plan

Local and Sustainable Materials

the Action Plan for this principle

Below is the Sustainability Action Plan for Local and Sustainable Materials

This is only the Plan so far, and more actions are always being added by us and by you, as ideas on this site. Vote on all the new ideas we are considering on the Ideas page.

Some of the actions below you can do right away, and others are long-term actions that may need some organisation or funding to get underway. They are all equally important!

Long-term Action:

Setting a planning requirement that 2% of building materials by value in new build should be reclaimed.

Benefit:

Reduced embodied energy.

Cost:

This could be cost neutral or cost saving for the developer.

Who:

All new development in Sutton.

Long-term Action:

Any demolition in Sutton to have a mandatory independent pre demolition audit to determine whether there is a potential to retain the building and if not what proportion of the materials can be re-used. In London typically a large Victorian detached house with a 30m garden could be demolished to make space for a block of flats. But it may be possible to retain the original building and extend it to provide the same number of new homes with a much lower carbon footprint than demolition and replacement. If it is not possible to retain the building then it should be deconstructed rather than demolished and the materials re-used.

Benefit:

Ensuring that our new buildings have lower embodied energy.

Long-term Action:

Local and sustainable materials should be encouraged for new build through planning policy. Foe example, developers could be required to: - audit embodied energy of new build homes and associated infrastructure - reduce embodied energy by 25% compared to the average for that build type, for example: Volume house builders are currently at 600-800kgCO2/m2 so the target should be 450-600 kg CO2/ m2; Offices are 500-1,100kgCO2/m2 so the target should be 375-825 kg CO2/ m2.

Benefit:

Reducing the embodied energy of our new build by 25%

Cost:

Using lower impact materials can be cost neutral for the developer, for example by using reclaimed materials which may be cheaper than virgin. There would be a cost associated with the audit.

Who:

BioRegional to submit recommendations to the London Borough of Sutton's planning team through consultations on policies such as the Local Development Framework.

When:

Feb 2008 for the LDF but ongoing