The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) have launched new guidance on the principles, importance and opportunities of the resource efficiency of building services.

TM56: Resource Efficiency of Building Services explores the impacts of building services in terms of manufacturing, construction, maintenance and disposing of the equipment at end of life. It describes the principles and importance of resource efficiency and sets out the opportunities for improvement relating to heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting and lifts and escalators.

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The publication reflects the growing pressure on resources and the desire to shape resource-efficient and more circular economies. The potential business opportunities from construction are huge. New regulatory requirements and the increasing demand for lower impact products are forecast to grow the global sustainable building industry at an annual rate of 22.8% between now and 2017.

Sarah Clayton, Head of Products and Services at WRAP, commented: "What we build, how we build it and the products we use will come under enormous pressure to be energy efficient. However, it is important to focus on more than just energy efficiency; some products use more energy in the extraction of raw material and manufacturing process than they potentially save throughout their operation."

(CD/IT)