Webb Yates Engineers supports the Part Z initiative

Part Z Pink2

If the UK is to address the climate change crisis and meet the urgent need to achieve net zero carbon emissions, building regulations need to change.

This proposed Building Regulations amendment ‘Part Z’ and Approved Document Z outlines requirements on the assessment of whole life carbon emissions, and limiting of embodied carbon emissions, for all major building projects.

The proposal introduces mandatory assessments ahead of setting carbon limits, giving time to converge on robust yet ambitious targets.

Approved Document Z is aligned with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Professional Statement ‘Whole life carbon assessment for the built environment’, and guidance and recommendations made by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) and the London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI).

If adopted, it would rapidly accelerate the voluntary action occurring across our industry, leading to green investment and green jobs creation across construction.

Webb Yates Engineers understands that environmentally conscientious design is imperative. We acknowledge that construction currently contributes close to 40 percent of global emissions and as such our design approach fosters considered, ethical decision making throughout.

Environmental measures are consistently at the forefront of our thinking and we are fortunate to work with many clients who share this philosophy. We believe that this issue is everyone’s responsibility, albeit in diverse ways, and we welcome open conversations with all those involved in our projects so that we can together create considerate, meaningful contributions to our environment.

We favour timber over steel or concrete for its reduced embodied energy and valuable carbon sequestration. We work to mobilise building elements structurally as much as possible, for example by developing composite systems, and to meticulously coordinate the architecture, structure and services to avoid single use items thereby reducing extraction and emissions.

We have a broad collective knowledge-base and are well positioned to tackle the climate emergency. We are taking advantage of these strengths and being mindful to communicate and collaborate with each other to offer environmentally conscientious solutions on all projects and, where appropriate, offer alternative options. We are committed to bringing the built environment in line with planetary limits.

Read more about the proposed amendment to UK Building Regulations 2010