Tell UK Education Secretary to Keep New Schools Green
- by: Judith B.
- recipient: Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, UK
Michael Gove, the UK education secretary, wants to scrap legislation requiring new schools to adhere to globally recognised environmental and health standards.
At the moment, new schools must meet BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) standards, which cover energy management, health, pollution and land use.
Although industry representatives have criticised the move as being "anti-sustainability, anti-good design and anti-industry" and say it would actually increase confusion in the building industry, Michael Gove thinks sensible standards for new schools are "too bureaucratic".
Tell the Education Secretary to halt these backwards plans, which won't do those employed in the building industry, students and teachers, or anybody else much good at all.
We the undersigned ask that you do not scrap the requirement that new schools adhere to BREEAM requirements on sustainability. Far from making the process, "less bureaucratic", removing these requirements would only add to the confusion, according to both The Aldersgate Group and UK Green Building Council.
This government said it was going to be the "greenest ever". This will be a more credible claim if it stops removing existing initiatives on sustainability, safety and health.
We ask that you do not go ahead with this plan, which won’t be good for the environment, for schools or indeed for the building industry itself.
Thank you for your attention.
