CLIMATE ACTION PAPER
Alan Ritchie, Director at C60 Architects and Chair of the Chair RSUA Climate Emergency Committee.
THE RSUA’S CLIMATE ACTION PAPER PROPOSES CHANGES NOT ONLY TO BUILDING REGULATIONS AND METHODS, BUT ALSO TO OTHER SECTORS, IN A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO DECARBONISING NI ECONOMY BY 2050…
Looking at the bigger picture
A t the beginning of the year, the architects of Northern Ireland 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 was launched at Stormont by the Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA) and contains 39 key actions suggested for existing and new buildings, building materials, heat and power, green initiatives and more sustainable alternatives for travel. “The paper’s approach was not to be preachy or point fingers, but to identify the actions that can be taken by government departments and people who have the power to change the legislation to lower carbon emissions,” commented architect Alan Ritchie, Director at C60 Architects and Chair of the Chair RSUA Climate Emergency Committee. “Most estimates suggest that the built environment accounts for approximately 40% of energy-related carbon emissions, and the RSUA recognises that the journey to net zero for Northern Ireland will require a radical transformation not only of our sector, but of economy and society as a whole, as the sectors are all connected, and changes can have a
ripple effect. It is all about a holistic view.” In this interview to NI Builder Magazine, Alan explains how these initiatives can help radically reduce everyone’s contribution to climate change and make Northern Ireland more appealing for investment. NIB: Why does the Climate Change Paper include sections on alternatives to motor vehicles, planting of native species of trees and other calls to action that are not directly related to the building sector? AR: We proposed changes to other sectors as well because it is not only about building methods and regulations. As architects, we design that part of our environment, but to have a greener environment as a whole, we need to think about sustainable wood and other materials, about making space for nature in every project where feasible, about changes in the infrastructure to improve existing and incentivise new green transport options. It is a matter of connecting all these dots and keeping the balance in living environments. This holistic view also helps bring society together.
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