JUNE, 20228 IN MY OPINIONWhen the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report came out in August last year, there was no mistaking the stark warnings being made. In the simplest terms, time is running out to minimise the catastrophic impacts of climate change and rising global temperatures. As the headlines read at the time: it's code red for humanity and for the planet. Heating and powering homes accounted for 22 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. The UK government has announced a new target for all new-build homes in the country to be highly energy-efficient and zero carbon ready by 2025, powered by renewable heating solutions. It will come into force with the introduction of the Future Homes Standard. This target, which many are describing as the `green building revolution', is aimed at protecting the environment by reducing energy use and fossil fuel carbon emissions. The transition to a low carbon economy has changed the need to adopt new technology in our homes from being desirable to essential. The way we build and operate our buildings now and into the future will need to evolve rapidly. But advances BUILDING(S) FOR THE FUTURE BY ROBERT MACDIARMID, GROUP SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR, COUNTRYSIDE PARTNERSHIPS
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