The Active Building Centre was set up to help transform construction.
So, have we? The honest answer is – ‘No, not yet’.
Overall, the UK construction sector still lags behind, continuing a business-as-usual approach, is slow to act and not adventurous enough.
If we want to achieve net zero by 2050, we need to be bolder, move faster.
ABC has shown through real-life projects, where there is willingness and commitment across construction project teams, clients and occupiers, we can achieve active energy principles and lower-carbon buildings to be delivered.
As we seek to decarbonise our society, we can expect greater pressure on the built environment sector to do more towards getting to a net zero pathway.
The built environment alone accounts for at least 25% of emissions today and both new build and existing stock need to change to reduce this impact.
Over the past three years, ABC has influenced a range of new-build projects against a backdrop of challenges. From a global pandemic to Britain’s exit from the European Union, and several linked supply chain challenges.
The ABC Blueprint
The ABC Blueprint is a collective contribution to help industry, society and government. It draws together theory and practical examples from the ABC team’s work.
Our approach outlines key considerations across the lifecycle of development for professionals and technicians who work to design, plan, build and manage buildings and places.
To find out more about the work ABC is doing and how it can help you in your journey to reach net zero, please enter your details below to download the ABC Blueprint.
The ABC Blueprint outlines:
- Who are ABC and what is our role in the net zero space?
- What are active buildings and why do we need them?
- Why do comfortable, lower-cost and lower-carbon buildings matter?
- What are the opportunities from better, more efficient integration of energy?
- How can we deliver more active buildings and communities?
- What more can be done to accelerate the uptake of active buildings to support the decarbonisation agenda?
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As one of the original founders of ABC it is great to see what has been achieved even in the pandemic.
Professor Dave Worsley – Head of Materials Science & Engineering, Swansea University
With the current hiatus in energy pricing and energy security, this Blueprint shows there is now no reason not to produce net zero active homes, offices, public buildings and factories now!
The Active Building Centre is leading the way in demonstrating how the built environment sector can help decarbonise our society. All sectors will need to do more to move us onto a net zero carbon pathway. The ABC Blueprint brings together key learnings which will help the buildings sector accelerate our progress on the net zero journey.
Charlotte Gibson – Heat Policy Lead, Welsh Government
Active buildings and communities, both new and retrofitted, are the future of built environment decarbonisation and the ABC Blueprint is an important signpost on this journey.
Chris Brown – Founder and Chair Igloo: People, Place & Planet
The ABC Blueprint directly addresses the challenge of how to integrate everything we know about making buildings net zero. This comprehensive document sets out how we can build new net zero homes and other buildings today! The transition to a resilient, secure and affordable net zero heat future will be accelerated by this work.
Dr Mike Pitts Deputy Director Innovate UK
There is continuous flow of new and improved products and technologies that have the potential to improve how buildings work. But choosing complimentary products and technologies and integrating these into whole building solutions continues to be a challenge. The ABC Blueprint begins to help navigate this complex space, providing practical approaches to delivering active building and communities. It is great to see an independent, technology agnostic organisation working in this field.
Dr Kerry J Mashford OBE
