Summary
On Thursday 19th September 2024 we were joined Westminster City Council Senior Whole Life Carbon Officer Ian Poole and ASBP CEO Simon Corbey for a ‘talking heads’ webinar on Whole Life Carbon and the Circular Economy at Westminster City Council.
Ian Poole is a chartered structural engineer and environmentalist who specialises in whole life carbon and the circular economy. Ian currently splits his time working for Westminster City Council and Elliott Wood and is currently leading the development of a ‘Planning Application Carbon Evaluation and Reduction’ platform (PACER); a collaboration between Westminster City Council and ASBP member Preoptima.
Recording
Transcript
Please click the button below to download a PDF of the edited transcription of the webinar.
If you would like the verbatim transcription please email larry@asbp.org.uk
Webinar summary
Simon Corbey, CEO of the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products, and Ian Poole from Westminster City Council discussed strategies for improving sustainability in the construction industry. Ian highlighted Westminster’s new retrofit-first policy, which prioritises refurbishment over demolition, requiring justification for any demolition and setting stringent low-carbon targets. He also stressed the importance of legislating embodied carbon and conducting thorough pre-demolition audits. Towards the end of the discussion, they introduced the Pacer platform, a tool funded by Innovate UK that aims to streamline whole-life carbon assessments and circular economy statements. The platform seeks to standardise data collection and enhance the skills of local authorities, ultimately providing better guidance and consistency for circular economy practices to improve their overall quality and impact.
Introduction and Overview of the Webinar
- Speaker 1 (Simon Corbey) welcomes attendees and mentions there are 72 people booked for the event, with time allocated for Q&A.
- Simon introduces Ian Poole from Westminster City Council, highlighting his expertise in whole life carbon and the circular economy.
- The webinar will cover topics such as policy lagging behind best practice, the Pacer platform, new policies, retrofit and reuse initiatives, and pricing.
- Simon provides a brief definition of whole life carbon and mentions feedback on the RICS professional statement version two.
Introduction of Ian Poole and Initial Questions
- Simon invites Ian Poole to introduce himself and discuss the policy context for whole life carbon assessments and circular economy statements.
- Ian explains the need for whole life carbon and circular economy statements in Westminster due to the requirements of the London Plan.
- He mentions that Westminster receives about 10-12 referral schemes annually for review and that local plans can require additional assessments for smaller schemes.
- Ian discusses the proposed retrofit first policy in Westminster, which requires demonstrating that retrofit is considered before demolition and hitting carbon targets if demolition is necessary.
Discussion on Local Plans and Policy Updates
- Ian explains that the proposed policy in Westminster is currently under consultation and is expected to be examined and implemented by summer next year.
- He mentions that other local authorities, such as City of London and Enfield Council, are moving in a similar direction with carbon limits and retrofit first policies.
- Ian highlights that Bath is the first local authority outside London to introduce upfront carbon target setting in their local plan.
- Simon and Ian discuss the importance of legislating for embodied carbon and the potential for government action on this front.
Case Study: Planning Permission Refused Due to Poor Circular Economy Statement
- Ian shares details about a planning permission case which was refused due to a poor circular economy statement.
- He explains that the committee decided the benefits of demolition were not justified, highlighting the impact of the London Plan’s circular economy requirements.
- Ian mentions that while many demolition schemes are approved, this case was significant as it was the first of its kind to be rejected on these grounds.
- Simon and Ian discuss the implications of this decision and the broader context of circular economy policies in Westminster.
Challenges and Opportunities in Circular Economy Statements
- Simon asks Ian about the general quality of circular economy statements and whether they are often seen as a tick-box exercise.
- Ian acknowledges that some statements are done at the minimum required level, but emphasizes the value of well-thought-out statements.
- He provides examples of good practices, such as pre-demolition audits and retaining elements of buildings for reuse.
- Ian mentions the need for more standardization and advice on what local authorities expect from circular economy statements.
Introduction of the Pacer Platform
- Simon introduces the Pacer platform, developed by Preoptima with Innovate UK funding, to streamline the review process for whole life carbon assessments.
- Ian explains that the platform will simplify the process, upskill case officers, and standardize data collection for better policy-making.
- The platform will be launched around February next year and is looking for volunteers to help with beta testing.
- Ian emphasizes the importance of the platform for making the process more efficient and reducing the skills gap in local authorities.
Details on the Pacer Platform and Its Implementation
- Ian explains that the platform will be licensed out to local authorities by Preoptima, aiming to be cost-effective and address the skills gap.
- Applicants will not need a license and will submit information through forms and basic CSV files, making the process more agile and efficient.
- The platform will help in collecting and standardizing data, enabling better policy-making and understanding of industry trends.
- Simon and Ian discuss the potential for the platform to improve the quality of circular economy statements and the overall process.
Q&A Session: Addressing Attendee Questions
- Simon and Ian address various questions from attendees, including the variability in the quality of circular economy statements and the potential for sharing best practices.
- Ian mentions ongoing work to collect and showcase the best examples of circular economy statements across London.
- Attendees ask about the level of detail required in circular economy statements and the potential for sharing data on pre-demolition audits.
- Ian highlights the importance of standardising data and the role of the GLA in collecting and interpreting information from circular economy statements.
Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks
- Simon and Ian discuss the potential for national policies to encourage the use of biogenic products in construction and the impact of central government targets.
- Ian emphasizes the importance of extracting materials from demolished buildings and the role of local authorities in supporting circular economy initiatives.
- Simon thanks Ian for his insights and contributions, and attendees are encouraged to reach out for more information on the Pacer platform and other initiatives.
- The webinar concludes with Simon thanking everyone for attending and looking forward to future events and collaborations.