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The UK government has committed to reducing the nation's carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. Buildings currently use almost half of the UK's generated energy and they are now the focus of an unprecedented drive to cut energy use in our homes, offices, schools, libraries – in fact in almost every building, public or private. Delivering Sustainable Buildings: an industry insider's view offers peer-to-peer insights and advice from a leading practitioner in this field and brings together in one book an overview of the main issues to consider when creating energy-efficient and sustainable buildings. A resource to dip into for practical advice, which is both highly readable and also backed up by in-depth technical knowledge, giving the important points to note and common pitfalls to avoid.  Based on observations of an author with hands-on experience of dealing with the various elements of the building services engineering industry, the book gives a unique insight into the particular challenges faced by designers, project managers, contractors and installers working to deliver lower carbon and sustainable building projects and operation. There is a lot of guidance on sustainable buildings available from reputable sources including BRE, CIBSE, B&ES, ECA and BSRIA. This book is different in that it speaks directly to contractors and practitioners, with practical messages dealing with real on-site challenges, offering practical advice based on experience. Many contractors are now faced with a business choice of offering services related to issues of the energy hierarchy, minimising energy use, providing good building automation and controls and then looking further at microgeneration/renewables.  Here they must decide what technologies might be suitable for their businesses, as well as considering what level of training is required before they or their employees can start to work with these technologies.  Delivering Sustainable Buildings: an industry insider's view will help specialist contractors and facilities managers understand sustainable buildings at the strategic level (legislation, finance, training) and then to offer practical advice on various aspects of sustainable buildings (water use, energy-efficient building services, commissioning and keeping the building maintained to optimum performance) to their clients.

Keeping up knowledge and skills is a vital component for anyone working in the built environment. Technologies are evolving and new techniques are being developed. A resurgence of skills will be driven by the development of the market for low carbon and renewable technologies, which will grow significantly in the building services sector. The role of the sector skills councils, for example SummitSkills, has never been more important in meeting these challenges. Their role is explored, alongside the role of manufacturers, in promoting the skills necessary to carry the process forward. Trade associations can have an active role in providing education for their members in specialist roles. They have a good history in this area and opportunities for raising standards are very appropriate as we move towards the low carbon economy. Competent Person schemes will become more relevant in helping meet this challenge, as the government encourages and incentivises low carbon technology take‐up. An example is the green deal, which is examined, as the future practicality is still unclear.

It is difficult to overstate the enormity of the challenges ahead. These are posed by climate change, resource depletion and energy demands, resulting in the need for all of us to embrace a more sustainable lifestyle. The idea that we need to ‘save the planet’ is mistaken, the planet will carry on as it has always done. What we need to do is save ourselves. The question is: can we do it in time? This book has set out some of the issues and choices we must make, with the goal of stimulating debate and making the links between building services professionals, environmentalists and other interested parties. As an industry, those of us directly concerned with designing, constructing, commissioning and maintaining the built environment, need to find better ways of communicating and making the links. Education and raising awareness will be vital in taking these issues forward. After all, it’s in all our interests both professionally and personally to try and make this happen.

Exactly how do we make the right, sustainable choices? There needs to be a combination of realistic selection and decisions based on good technology deployment, taking account of whole life cycle, embodied energy and sound engineering. We must cut through the green‐wash and hype that often clouds decision making and leads to people making costly mistakes, which can actually have a negative impact on achieving a sustainable outcome. Short termism is the enemy of sustainability. This applies to our use of natural resources, how we generate energy and how we control and use it effectively, throughout the buildings life.

The brains of the building are the building energy management and control system (BEMS). This is the vital component that ensures the building will operate to optimal conditions for the best indoor climate that runs efficiently in its use of both water and energy resources. The BEMS measures, monitors and manages the performance of the building services that are in operation in the building, such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting and security. This system needs to be kept up to date and continuously managed to keep the building at its peak performance. It is also the main tool to help provide the monitoring for energy use as live data, the historical record, and the predicted performance and operation for the future. The design, specification and interoperability of the BEMS are a vital components in the delivery of a sustainable building.

An economic and financial system adapted to encouraging and incentivising sustainable development is a fundamental requirement. New schemes such as the green deal and renewable heat incentive must be made to work with the minimum amount of bureaucracy throughout the supply chain and industry. Engineers and building professionals need to do more to communicate with financial professions. We need to collectively elevate the profile of building services engineering and show the positive elements of excellent financial returns for energy efficiency projects and the long term benefits of a sustainably built environment.

Technology and the best engineered building services cannot solve the energy or sustainability resource issues that currently face us. People have a vital role to play in helping themselves and the wider society if we are to meet these challenges. People will need to understand how they can help manage their own environment and minimise their activities' impact on the environment, both within the building and outside in the wider area. Attitudes, consumption habits and behaviour in the built environment have to involve the people who actually use the buildings. We need to look at the motivational and psychological aspects of behaviour in the built environment. Why are some people resistant to change? Methods are examined for getting people on‐board with meeting the sustainable challenges, through adopting lifestyles that incorporate more efficient ways of using resources.

Introducing the factors involved in delivering sustainable buildings, in relation to building services engineering. Firstly, highlighting the importance in considering the role of vital building services during the initial stages of design, utilising techniques such as Building Information Modelling; going on to point out how factors such as location and orientation must be considered as well as determining the best technologies for each individual building; and emphasising the energy hierarchy as key to underpinning all future building design. The overriding concept of taking control of our energy is made clear at the outset, stressing that a balance must be reached between technology, deployment, finance and people.

The key role of the energy manager needs to be recognised. All organisations should have a recognised energy management system as well as a designated person responsible for monitoring and managing the energy use in a building. From the householder to the large corporation, it is in all our collective interests to reduce energy use. Ultimately, the financial incentives should speak for themselves. Energy taxes and penalties for high energy use will increase over the coming decade. An energy reduction strategy needs to be fully integrated with all the buildings operational systems, from the building management system to the planned preventative maintenance programme, and feature prominently in education and awareness of all the buildings occupants. Energy labelling: A = more efficient to G = less, can help promote and raise the profile of all energy‐using plants and equipment in all areas of society.