JCT launches life cycle consultation

In December, the Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) launched a consultation to gain views from the property and construction industries about building life cycle issues in relation to sustainability and building contracts.

According to the JCT, the idea behind the consultation is to provide a focus for sustainability to improve the property and construction industries’ performance and to help deliver the government’s Strategy for Sustainable Construction.

The current consultation follows an earlier exercise in 2008 to obtain views on sustainability, which subsequently reinforced the inclusion of sustainability clauses in JCT contracts and the publication in 2009 of new sustainability guidance, Building a sustainable future together, which was revised in 2011.

This new consultation will seek views and opinions from construction and property professionals, the supply chain and other interested parties on life cycle matters, in particular the importance placed upon the long-term performance of a building in terms of sustainability.

Dr Andrew Flood, chairman of the JCT sustainability working group, said: “The government has committed to reduce carbon emissions in the UK by 2050. As part of its carbon reduction commitment, various policies, such as the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, feed-in tariffs and the Green Deal, have been introduced. Coupled with this focus on reducing carbon is the growing concern over increasing energy prices, in particular in the long term.

“Property companies and other large property procurers have an interest in the long-term performance of their buildings, not merely their construction or refurbishment. In addition, evidence suggests that institutional investors, tenants and others are increasingly interested in the performance of buildings.

“However, at present, the property and building industries are arguably fragmented. Employers often separate development teams from asset management teams, while contractors are appointed separately from facilities managers. This does not help with joined-up thinking in terms of building design, procurement and life cycle matters.”

The consultation, which can be found online at www.jctltd.co.uk/life-cycle-consultation.aspx, will run until 5 April 2012. The results of the consultation will be published this summer.

For more information, contact Daniel Tapscott, Director at Watts Group PLC, on 0117 927 5800.