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NEWS IN BRIEF WHY VENTILATION MATTERS The National Engineering Policy Centre (NEPC) has produced a new interactive infographic on why effective ventilation indoors is important for health and wellbeing. Ventilation matters: why clean air is vital to health is aimed at public and professional audiences across building users, managers and owners. It is based on NEPCs infection resilient environments workstream. View the infographic at bit.ly/CJApr23RAE Current climate plans wont stop runaway global warming IPCC report says challenge has become greater over the past five years Climate-resilient development is key to preventing runaway global warming, according to the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The report, released on 20 March, is a synthesis of the UN bodys work over recent years. It warns that the pace and scale of actions and current plans on climate change are insufficient to tackle the problem. There is a substantial gap between government commitments to cut emissions, which were announced at the COP 26 UN global climate change summit, and the levels required to limit warming to 1.5C above preindustrial levels. It says a continued increase in greenhouse gas emissions means that the unprecedented challenge required to keep warming to 1.5C has become even greater over the past five years, since the current round of IPCC reports began. The concluding document says accelerated action to adapt to climate change is essential to close the gap between existing adaptation and what is needed during this decade. Keeping warming to 1.5C above preindustrial levels requires deep, rapid and sustained greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reductions in all sectors. Emissions should be decreasing by now, and will need to be cut by almost half by 2030 if warming is to be limited to 1.5C, the IPCC warns. Even a limited overshoot to 2C would require immediate action and deep global GHG emissions reductions this decade. Governments existing COP 26 pledges would lead to global warming of 2.8C by 2100. The solution, says the report, lies in climate-resilient development that involves the integration of measures to adapt to climate change, with actions to reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions. Designing and planning settlements and infrastructure to achieve greater co-location of jobs and housing will help to mitigate wider warming. But, adds the report, while low carbon power is becoming increasingly cost effective, the reduction in carbon intensity of energy sources is being outpaced by greater demand resulting from higher levels of economic activity. Climate committee backs heat pumps for efficiency Using hydrogen instead of heat pumps for heating buildings would be a much less efficient use of domestic energy resources, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has warned. In last months report on the decarbonisation of the power system, the statutory climate change advisory body says a reliable and resilient decarbonised electricity system can be delivered by the target date of 2035. This includes allowing for a 16% increase in electricity consumption by that date, to meet demand. However, achieving this predominantly from hydrogen, the other low carbon heating option being considered by the government, would rely on imports of natural gas or electricity to manufacture the low carbon fuel. High levels of hydrogen use outside of the electricity generation power system, such as for heating buildings, are a key risk for meeting future targets, says the CCC. The report identifies a vital role for hydrogen in providing back-up electricity during periods of low renewable electricity output. Skill shortage putting net zero at risk The UK risks falling behind on net zero in part because it lacks the workforce to deliver low carbon developments, according to Chris Skidmore, author of Mission Zero Independent Review of Net Zero. The Conservative MP for Kingswood, was the keynote speaker at the CIBSE Building Performance Awards last month. He said: How we train a future workforce that can deliver on the climate technologies of tomorrow for low carbon buildings is the main issue in the room. He added that the passion and enthusiasm for engineering demonstrated at the awards needed to be engendered in the next generation, and politicians had an important role to play. We need to recognise that we have to work together across parties to depoliticise net zero, said Skidmore. Last month, Skidmore announced a Mission Zero Coalition including four sector networks, which includes one for buildings and infrastrucutre. He has invited engineers to join (see page 15). www.cibsejournal.com April 2023 7