Don't demolish old buildings, urge architects
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In the past there was debate about whether it was better for the climate to demolish an old energy-hungry building and build a well-insulated replacement.
But this is now widely considered a serious mistake because of the amount of carbon emitted during the construction of the new building.
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) estimates that 35% of the lifecycle carbon from a typical office development is emitted before the building is even opened. It says the figure for residential premises is 51%.
These calculations suggest it will be decades before some new buildings pay back their carbon debt by saving more emissions than they created - and these are decades when carbon must be sharply reduced.
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It wants the government to change the VAT rules which can make it cheaper to rebuild than to refurbish a standing building.
Architects' Journal managing editor Will Hurst said: “This staggering fact has only been properly grasped in the construction industry relatively recently. We’ve got to stop mindlessly pulling buildings down.”
He said VAT on refurbishment, repair and maintenance should be cut from 20% to zero to match the typical rate for new-build.
He continued: “It’s crazy that the government actually incentivises practices that create more carbon emissions. Also, if you avoid demolition you make carbon savings right now, which we really need.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-53642581