Plans to create the board, which it is understood will by chaired by construction minister Mark Prisk, were released in the Government response to the low carbon IGT report, published by construction tsar Paul Morrell last year.
Morrell will also have a seat on the new board, which is due to hold its first meeting in September.
Construction minister Mark Prisk said: “Meeting the UK’s commitment to reducing carbon will affect every aspect of the built environment and has the potential to provide the construction industry with a 40 year programme of work creating great opportunities for growth in the sector.
“Through this joint Government and industry action plan we are making a clear commitment to the low carbon transition which will create the certainty needed for construction companies to invest in essential new skills, processes and products.”
Morrell said: “I am delighted that the Government has taken on board so many of the recommendations from the IGT report which was developed with expertise from across industry.
“To ensure that construction rises to the low carbon challenge we need to continue this new level of cooperation so I am also pleased that a joint Government and industry board has been set up to ensure implementation of this plan.”
He added: “The Plan for Growth published in March provided greater certainty around the definition of “zero carbon” for new homes.
“Since then we have also extended the Green Deal to include non-domestic properties and announced plans to use fiscal incentives for renewable heat systems.”
The move has been broadly welcomed by the industry, although the new board will operate in a landscape cluttered with green industry bodies and pressure groups.
ICE President Peter Hansford said: “We are pleased to see the formation of a Green Construction Board.
“However it is critical that this group provides a strong lead to industry and Government, promoting a joined up approach to implementing the much-needed recommendations made in the final IGT report.”
- The first is from the UK Green Building Council to lead the development of a business plan to achieve a 50% reduction in carbon emissions over the next decade.
- The Strategic Forum for Construction has been tasked to develop a construction business sustainability accreditation scheme for use in prequalification documents.
- Experts at the Institution of Civil Engineers will develop a route map to low carbon infrastructure, which will report in October.
Key industry tasks
Certain key tasks have been handed to three industry bodies.
The route map work involves setting out a broad vision for the infrastructure required to meet the 2050 80% carbon reduction targets
This will involve recommending macro-policy level changes to the policy and regulatory frameworks and proposing changes to education and professional practice to enable a better understanding of the through life carbon impact of infrastructure construction and operation.
The ICE will also set out changes needed in the civil engineering profession to make to maximise carbon efficiency in infrastructure design.
