AND WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM ABROAD? BOB GHOSH, DIRECTOR OF KINETIC AIU, OFFERS SOME ANSWERS

The UK is the home of building innovation, producing some of the world's leading exponents of sustainable architecture, from a range of disciplines spanning; architecture, engineering and ecology.

However, as a nation, I believe we are trailing other countries such as those in Scandinavia, where people have a more deep-rooted commitment to conserving resources and making better use of land available.

In my view, radical changes are required in the underlying psyche of the property industry in order to catch up with our neighbours.

Some would argue that draconian legislation should be applied to make buildings more sustainable. However, this could bring our industry to its knees, so a more thoughtful and systematic approach is necessary.

One of the main problems for developers is to understand the actual benefits of sustainable buildings.

In many cases, particularly in the private housing sector, developers will deliver projects then transfer their interests to a management company, so the long-term carbon effect of the building may not be of interest.

Public buildings procured through PFI are different, with developers and contractors holding a stake in the buildings for a number of years. Therefore, the more sustainable, the better.

Is there, perhaps, a similar model that can be used for housing?

Punitive legislation – to achieve sustainable buildings – could also have a negative effect.

If construction costs increase, quality will have to suffer in order to protect profit. Surely it would be better to incentivise the notion of sustainability. For example, if there were significant tax breaks associated with higher environmental credentials, then developers would be competing to deliver the most sustainable schemes.

Interestingly, the private sector may learn a great deal from housing associations, who have been striving for more sustainable projects for a number of years, at the behest of the Housing Corporation, the government agency which funds their projects.

In the context of the private housing sector, banks and private financiers could possibly have a greater role as patrons of sustainable architecture.

Again, with central government support, there could be greater rewards for high achievers in sustainability.

Take a look at the historic Warwick Bar site in Eastside, where Kinetic is working with Isis Waterside Regeneration.

We have found this a refreshing change: the developer has its own sustainability charter, which has shaped our strategy for the project, alongside Eastside's own strong sustainability agenda.

This is an incredibly exciting prospect, where we are testing, among other things, Birmingham's first carbon-neutral mixed-use project.

This is at a time where a number of other developers are nly just waking up to the idea of sustainability or worse still, consciously avoiding the issue only.

Key aspects of the Warwick Bar development, where Kinetic is the master-planner, include:

•  Becoming a key exemplar of sustainable development.

•  As part of Kinetic's approach to the project, the Hammarby Sjostadt development in the Stockholm docklands was carefully scrutinised. This project incorporates central heat and power (CHP), biomass energy production and car-share, with vehicles powered from organic waste. The community also has a sophisticated system for recycling separation and collection.

•  Kinetic is working with Eastside sustainability advisers and working within the parameters of the Isis sustainability charter. Buro Happold is the engineering firm for the project which is internationally recognised for its sustainability expertise.

•  The team is also gauging the scheme against ODPM sustainable communities guidelines.

•  Key areas of the project sustainability plan relate to land use, achieving neutral carbon emissions through choice of materials, methods of transportation and energy usage plus the creation of a healthy living environment and sustainable communities.

•  One highight of the Warwick Bar plan is to reinstate working canals and expand the usable waterspace. Among some of the more radical ideas is the notion of transporting biomass crop material along the canal to an energy centre which could serve the site and other parts of Eastside.

•  Because Warwick Bar development plugs into a wider strategy for sustainability in Eastside, we have worked closely with Eastside's sustainability adviser.