Carbon Reduction for Technology

The proposed carbon budgets from 2008 to 2022

The UK has the most advanced climate change legislation in the world. The introduction of five-year carbon budgets is arguably the key institutional innovation of the Climate Change Act.

The recommendations for 2008 - 2022:

•  Each carbon budget constitutes a distinct five-year target. However, the CCC usedthe year 2020, the mid-point of the third budget period, to take a “sighting shot” at appropriate budgets for periods one to three. The CCC recommended a two-track approach with two state-contingent targets

•  An interim target of -34%, relative to 1990, to which the UK should commit unilaterally; and

•          An intended target of –42%, relative to 1990, which the UK should adopt if a meaningful successor to the Kyoto Protocol can be agreed.

Graph 1 – CCC recommendation for the 2008-2022 carbon budgets

The proposed budgets set the UK on course to meet its 2050 target. The 2050 target requires Britain to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from 695 MtCO₂e in 2006 to 159 MtCO₂e in. This is equivalent to an annual average reduction of 3.3% over the next 40 years. The proposed carbon budgets start off with a lower reduction rate of 2.8% per annum until 2020 for the intended budget. This would then have to increase to 3.5% per annum between 2020 and 2050. By 2020 SAVI Architects aims to be within the targeted budgets set by The Department for Energy and Climate Change.

The current ambition scenario

The current scenario includes significant progress towards low-carbon electricity generation, and some progress on improving fuel efficiency.

The extended ambition scenario

The extended scenario is more ambitious; however at SAVI Architects we remain focused in achieving this goal. This scenario isn’t “broadly in line” with policies to which the government or the EU are committed in principle, but are yet to be implemented.

The stretch ambition scenario

The further future scenario adds further abatement options for which there is no policy commitment at the moment, for example “more radical new technology deployment and more significant lifestyle adjustments”. New, fresh and developed technology is what we aim to implement within our schemes by 2020, keeping up-to-date with technology trends in architecture.