We’ll make the adoption of new, clean fuels much more likely if we create drop-in, substitute fuels that can be produced at a comparable cost, with the same performance, as the fuels we use today, and then distribute them through the existing supply chain infrastructure.. Reducing risk as we decarbonise.
Use low impact materials by considering the environmental impact at specification stage, alongside cost and technical considerations.This also includes the manufacturing location of materials and the transportation distance to site..
The recycled content of materials should be maximised without significantly impacting the technical characteristics of the material..Designing out waste can be achieved with clever and simple use of materials, eg.altering the centre point of ceiling tiles to limit offcuts to a single side of the room, rather than both sides..
Designing with/for components promotes offsite assembly of repeated modules.Any leftovers from building the components can be used on subsequent projects, recycled onsite or restocked, minimising wastage.. How can we minimise risk in the building sector?.
Minimising risk in the construction industry is important in encouraging developers and designers to take account of circular economy principles.
Early decision making will give developers and funders confidence in design and construction choices and will have the largest impact as a result..The discussion emphasises the need to evaluate energy sources based on their 'network value' - factors like reliability, ability to ramp up/down to demand, and flexibility - rather than just their absolute cost per unit of energy.
Distributed vs. Centralised Power Debate:.There's an ongoing debate about the optimal balance between large, centralised energy systems (like national grids and large nuclear plants) and more distributed, localised power generation and storage (such as car batteries or smaller modular reactors).
Need for Sophisticated Energy Debate:.The current public and political discourse surrounding energy is often oversimplified and influenced by commercial lobbying.. A more sophisticated, collaborative, and centrally informed debate is needed to make effective long-term decisions about investment and decarbonisation strategies.
(Editor: Stylish Mixers)