Developers could face embodied carbon cap under new bill
Developers could face a cap on how much carbon they can emit during the construction of new real estate schemes.
On 2 February, Conservative MP Duncan Baker will bring forward the Carbon Emissions (Buildings) Bill in parliament, aimed at addressing the thorny issue of embodied carbon during construction.
“Every year these embodied carbon emissions total 40 to 50 million tonnes in the UK,” said Baker, MP for North Norfolk, in an introduction to the bill. “That’s more than aviation and shipping combined. But presently there is no law in place that places any restriction on how much embodied carbon can be emitted when we construct our buildings. No law to regulate up to 50 million tonnes of carbon.”
Developers could face a cap on how much carbon they can emit during the construction of new real estate schemes.
On 2 February, Conservative MP Duncan Baker will bring forward the Carbon Emissions (Buildings) Bill in parliament, aimed at addressing the thorny issue of embodied carbon during construction.
“Every year these embodied carbon emissions total 40 to 50 million tonnes in the UK,” said Baker, MP for North Norfolk, in an introduction to the bill. “That’s more than aviation and shipping combined. But presently there is no law in place that places any restriction on how much embodied carbon can be emitted when we construct our buildings. No law to regulate up to 50 million tonnes of carbon.”
He continued: “In my view, we are missing a trick to reduce a significant part of our UK carbon emissions by introducing embodied carbon regulation in conjunction with the construction industry – an industry that is clear that it is ready to report its embodied carbon emissions, and reduce them to reasonable limits.”
The bill would seek to amend UK Building Regulations 2010, requiring that developers and contractors report how much embodied carbon is produced by their schemes, and setting a limit on those emissions.
The proposals have received the backing of companies including Royal London Asset Management, Landsec, and Abrdn.
“As a way to continue our world-beating decarbonisation strategy, the regulation of embodied carbon in the construction sector is a timely and tremendous opportunity for the United Kingdom to continue to be a world leader in cutting carbon emissions,” said Baker.
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