The London Energy Transformation Initiative launches the LETI Declaration

The London Energy Transformation Initiative launches the LETI Declaration, calling upon industry leaders to lead by example and pledge to use the Declaration over the next 12 months. The LETI declaration is a tool that promotes transparency and the use of better metrics to move towards zero carbon buildings in London.

The LETI declaration is a simple form that is appended to energy statements, and seeks to reward the efforts applicants make towards energy efficiency, low carbon heat and low carbon electricity. It is not an additional set of requirements but simply provides information which could better inform the client, the local authority and all stakeholders. Using it leads to a focus on outcomes and should therefore lead to deliver better buildings.

The draft London Plan has made some big steps in the right direction by introducing energy use disclosure, zero emission plans, enhanced fabric efficiency, minimising peak demand and decarbonising heating. In order to meet our targets it is crucial that industry builds upon this to be able to deliver operational net zero carbon buildings.

The LETI declaration contains specific questions that act as pointers and prompts for predicted energy consumption and carbon emissions, carbon content of heat, low carbon electricity, energy bills, data disclosure, lifecycle carbon and air quality. The declaration is not a rating tool, and there is no score. It is purely a set of pointers to move towards zero emissions new buildings.

Benefits of using the LETI Declaration include:

• providing a platform to recognise developments that consider metrics beyond the London Plan; this includes the predicted energy consumption of the development in kWh/m2

• providing transparent information for all stakeholders

• addressing the performance gap by encouraging more robust predictions of energy consumption

• promoting and rewarding new aspects of the draft London Plan prior to its enforcement in 2019

• forming an evidence base for the GLA reflecting the industry’s direction of travel

• providing a database to create benchmarks

• providing a good practice guide and prompt for design teams

The LETI declaration provides the opportunity for industry leaders to step up and shift how we design buildings. For more information and to pledge to use the LETI declaration on a project you are working on in the next 12-months visit www.leti.london/declaration

About LETI

To help London play its part in avoiding the most devastating effects of climate change, the London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) believes that all new buildings must operate at net zero carbon by 2030. This means we only have a few years to improve the way we design, construct and operate buildings.

Last year the London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) was created to influence the draft London Plan and London Environment Strategy. Since then LETI has brought together over 250 diverse construction industry professionals to develop collaborative policy proposals for a zero-emissions London. Whilst continuing to advise policy makers, in its second year LETI’s new focus is implementing zero emissions principles across the London design and construction sector. For more information on LETI and access to LETI publications visit www.leti.london

For more information, contact:

Clara Bagenal George
clara.bg@introba.com
0203 697 9300