GREEN BUILDING
58 cleaner and clearer light . Lighting is a very dynamic area that has massive potential to help us reduce carbon emissions .
“ We are now also recognising the impact types of lighting can have on people – for example , lighting with a blue tinge can make staff more energetic . If lighting is poor , it can affect people ’ s emotions and attention to detail , causing them to make mistakes .”
It ’ s all very well to explain to a company their building needs an upgrade to have a more positive impact on people and planet , but at the end of the day the financial angle will always be top of mind . How can a CFO be persuaded to drive sustainability ? “ Something we ’ re driving at SPIE UK is return on investment – when they will cover capital costs , and then the life cycle savings , as well as added benefits of health , wellbeing and productivity ,” Adams explains .
While many would balk at the prospect of bringing up these ‘ softer ’ benefits to the financially driven , Adams says this is becoming easier . “ A lot of research has been carried out over the years in the industry to demonstrate that poor temperature control , humidity , air quality or lighting does directly affect the way people work .”
Wider economic impact must also be considered , with Adams citing that £ 1 of investment in the UK construction industry can contribute £ 2.60 of GDP . “ Clearly the more efficient we make buildings , then that RoI for the whole construction industry becomes greater .”
For SPIE UK , this also involves working with schools to educate young people . “ I prefer to talk about the built environment as a whole – this brings on board a range of skillsets such as ecologists , economists , architects , engineers … we give students a broader view ; it ’ s not just about building a building .”
This education aspect is something SPIE UK believes should be at the forefront in developing the autonomous buildings and smart cities of tomorrow . “ It ’ s all about transparency and knowledge sharing ,” says Adams . “ The fact is that the world , technology and challenges for society are all moving so fast that more and more people are realising if you have a piece of knowledge , keeping it to yourself is probably not the best thing to do .”
JUNE 2019