The development or refurbishment of buildings has the potential to improve the ecological value of a site, an industry-backed report has argued.
The UK Green Building Council study, Biodiversity and the built environment, said today that initiatives such as green roofs, living walls and green spaces can all improve biodiversity, as well as make workers happier and more productive.
The report is the product of six months work by its Biodiversity Task Group, made up of groups including the BRE, Upstream Sustainability Services and the Canary Wharf Group.
It contains guidance for developers, landlords, contractors and consultants in enhancing biodiversity in the built environment, such as raising staff awareness, better training and reporting on Key Performance Indicators.
It calls for improvements in the main sustainability tools including BREEAM and the Code for Sustainable Homes to better incorporate assessment of biodiversity.
It also has recommendations for the industry, local and central government which would help improve the consistency of biodiversity measurement and reporting, in order to set meaningful targets in the future.
UK GBC chief executive Paul King said: “All too often our mindset is simply to reduce the negative impacts from construction and development. But it’s important to think about how we can increase positive impacts – for people, wildlife and the economy. That’s exactly what the Biodiversity Task Group has done.
“Development done well can and should create habitats in which wild species thrive, and a habitat for the human species that we can all enjoy. There is also evidence emerging of the economic value of biodiversity enhancement, which will be a critical driver for the industry.”
