Architects set out actions needed to decarbonise the built environment in NI
Paul McAlister, President RSUA, Ciarán Fox, Director RSUA, Kate Nicholl MLA, Alan Ritchie
The architects of Northern Ireland have set out a series of necessary changes to Northern Ireland’s built environment to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with targets set in the Climate Change Act (NI) 2022.
The Climate Action Paper launched on 2 February 2023 at Stormont by the Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA) calls for Government to:
• Set minimum energy performance standards for private rentals.
• Review planning policies to establish a presumption towards the re-use of existing buildings as against demolition.
• Require all new publicly funded buildings to be built to last a minimum of 100 years unless a detailed end of life plan for material re-use is agreed.
• Use the planning system to heavily prioritise new developments that enable a high proportion of daily journeys to be taken without the need for a motor vehicle.
• Establish a plan to reduce car reliance in existing developments through the introduction of new walking, cycling and wheeling connections.
• Develop a plan to grow native Irish trees to provide local, natural, high-quality building materials for future generations.
• Set a date after which no new building will rely on carbon-intensive fuels as its primary heat source.
In total the paper contains 39 key actions, many more ideas for further consideration as well as actions that architects can take right now.
The launch event was addressed by Kate Nicholl MLA, Chair of the All Party Group on Climate Action and was co-sponsored by Phillip Brett MLA and Danny Baker MLA. Senior officials from across devolved and local government heard from members of the RSUA Climate Emergency Committee on specific issues relating to Existing Buildings, New Buildings, Travel, Green, Building Materials and Heat and Power.
Paul McAlister President RSUA at the launch of the paper
L-R – Albert Parkhouse, Dominic Morris, Pearse McCann, Ciarán Fox, Director RSUA, Paul McAlister, President RSUA, Kate Nicholl MLA, Alan Ritchie, Maeve Gorman, Ben James, Peter Greenwood