GGF 'UK Infrastructure need more focus on energy efficiency'
The Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) attended the UK Infrastructure Conference on the 3rd February at the Institute of Civil Engineers in Westminster and called for politicians and policy makers to put more emphasis on energy efficiency with regards to UK infrastructure construction projects.
Nigel Rees, GGF Group Chief Executive was part of the delegation that heard key speakers Rt. Hon Ed Balls MP, Lord Andrew Adonis and Sir John Armitt present the Armitt Review of Infrastructure Planning as set up by the Labour Party in 2012. Sir John was asked to examine:
- whether a new institutional structure can be established that better enables the long term decision making necessary for strategic infrastructure planning and;
- how political consensus can be forged around these decisions.
The National Infrastructure Commission is the key recommendation which has emerged from the Review - both Ed Miliband MP, Shadow Prime Minister and Ed Balls, Shadow Chancellor, announced in July 2014 that Labour would implement this recommendation.
As part of this, the Commission is to report across all of the key sectors of economic infrastructure. This should be done in light of the National Infrastructure Goals for the UK, namely:
- The infrastructure is to help deliver more good jobs, stronger and more balanced growth and rising standards for all.
- The most connected and open trading nation in the world.
- The best place in the world to do scientific research.
- A decarbonised power sector and infrastructure that meets the challenge of climate change.
- A transport network which spreads growth and prosperity to every part of the UK.
- The most advanced telecommunications economy in the world.
- The most resource efficient economy in the world.
- A secure, sustainable energy system.
- Five cities in the European Top 20 for growth between now and 2045.
- The infrastructure, new towns and urban extensions that will ensure 200,000 new homes a year are built by 2020 and meet the housing requirements by 2025.
Nigel Rees, GGF Group Chief Executive commented “It was an interesting conference but there was perhaps too much focus on energy and not enough on energy efficiency. We will continue to push our energy efficiency glazing campaigns to Shadow Ministers as well as to the Government in the run up to the General Election and beyond. It’s vital that Government and policy makers are made aware of the advantages of energy efficient glass and glazing and that our industry gets treated equally with all the other energy efficient measures that are used in construction and home improvement.”
