HONG KONG, March 27 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- If the Government is to achieve a significant reduction in carbon emissions from homes in England, then it needs to set a realistic target of building all new homes to emit 70% less carbon. It is not realistic to achieve zero carbon immediately, according to RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) in its submission made to the UK Government.
Government will struggle to meet its targets of zero carbon by 2016 but a 70% reduction is technically and reliably achievable. Such a reduction would be possible through building energy efficient homes with access to on site technologies. Building zero carbon homes is currently too expensive and it would be unrealistic to expect all homes to achieve these standards.
RICS considers that the Government's ultimate policy goal should still be to achieve a 100% reduction in emissions from new homes. Any target set for 2016 must be kept under review by the Government to ensure maximum impact. This review process must take into account advances in technology and increase the percentage reduction as it becomes viable and cost effective.
Mr. Kenneth Chan, RICS Hong Kong spokesperson, commented' "Hong Kong ranks first in the 'Energy consumption' indicator of the first ever RICS 2008 ZC2 Index. However, due to the poor performance in other indicators, Hong Kong comes to be ranked 18 out of the 25 countries/ areas surveyed for the zero carbon index. The city of Hong Kong is compact and it has a very efficient transport system that has greatly reduced our energy consumption in transport. This is reflected in the fact that our building stock accounts for about 90 percent of the total energy consumption in the territory.
Mr. Chan continued, "Although zero carbon is not an immediately achievable objective, Hong Kong should adopt a more proactive role in energy consumption reduction in exploring more renewable energy sources and building more energy efficient homes. Energy consumption reduction in existing buildings shall also be one of Hong Kong's major tasks in reducing carbon reduction. The government of Hong Kong should take a more active role in requiring all new government buildings to achieve a higher target of over 50 percent reduction in carbon emission. The Buildings Ordinance should also be revamped for sustainability and innovation in building design and construction."
At a recent industry meeting participants agreed that, in order to achieve zero and low carbon homes, the focus needs to be on:
-- flexibility, looking at appropriate solutions for appropriate sites
-- raising standards and encouraging innovation
-- driving down costs through economies of scale
-- land values
-- changing attitudes to life style and maintenance of homes.
About RICS & RICS Asia
RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) is an independent professional body originally established in the UK by Royal Charter. Since 1868, RICS has been committed to setting and upholding the highest standards of excellence and integrity - providing impartial, authoritative advice on key issues affecting businesses and society. RICS is the worlds' leading qualification when it comes to professional standards in land, property and construction. With over 140,000 members globally, RICS represents, regulates and promotes the work of property professionals throughout 146 countries.
The RICS Asia supports a network of over 11,000 individual professionals across the Asia region with an objective to help develop the property and construction markets in these countries, by introducing professional standards, best practice and international experience. It promotes RICS and its members as the natural advisors on all property matters. It also ensures that services and career development opportunities are provided to members.
The RICS Asia region covers national associations and local groups locating in Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, The People's Republic of China and the SAR Hong Kong. It also has members working across the region such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma/Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Laos PDR, Macao, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, The Maldives, The Philippines, Timor East and Vietnam.
Designated contacts for Hong Kong media:
RICS Hong Kong Public Relations Representatives
Ms Katherine Chow / Ms Kate Kwan
Tel: +852-2372-0090
Fax: +852-2372-0490
Mobile: +852-9256-3223 / +852-9077-1337
Email: kat@creativegp.com / kate@creativegp.com
