Redcuding carbon emssion on UK properties - Essay Example

“The significance of historic buildings clearly encompasses the architectural and aesthetic values…, associations with historic people and events, examples of technological innovations, aspects of social history and links with a building’s setting and other heritage assets.” (English Heritage 2011). Due to such crucial importance historic buildings are protected and also continuous refurbishments are made to it. However, at the same time, these historic buildings may not have sustainable designs and features.

That is, these buildings because of their designs and other things could make negative Carbon imprint and thereby have environment damaging features. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is one of the key Greenhouse Gases, which has many negative effects on the environment and also human living. It is widely considered to be the main cause of global warming and other pollutions, thus forcing governments of many countries including the UK government to come up with restriction on CO2 emissions. In the construction and property development industries, the contemporary ‘climate’ or trend is against using eco-damaging products, and go for environmentally friendly products and also sustainable designs.

Due to that trend, the industry has maximally adjusted or adjusting to the demand of the people and the government agencies, by using of eco-friendly products in the construction of buildings and various other structures. Thus, the final constructed building will be “environmentally friendly” or “green” in the every sense of the word. This usage of environmentally friendly or eco-friendly products and features will not only provide positive benefits to the occupants, but also to various sections from neighbors to the whole community.

However, as majority of the historic buildings do not feature these products and sustainable designs, and importantly as it is difficult to completely refurbish them with sustainable designs, views has emerged to bring down those environmentally problematic buildings, in order to cut down the CO2 emissions from it. Thus, this paper will first discuss about the targets and the related legislations formulated by the UK government to reduce Carbon emissions. Then, although if a historic building cannot meet government targets of reduction in carbon emission, and importantly even if it finds difficult to carry out the needed sustainable refurbishments, it should not be replaced due to certain limitations, instead certain effective strategies can be followed to refurbish in line with government legislations and regulations.

Carbon dioxide is emitted in various industrial sectors from energy, mechanical to the construction industries, etc, etc., and by various objects including automobiles, various electrical and electronic appliances, etc. The commonly known fact is humans normally exhale carbon dioxide, and so if there build up of it in the human body, it can kill that person. So, the maximum carbon emission and the resultant exposure of it on humans, as well as natural environment to it, are leading to grave problems.

Due to high CO2 emissions, human health is