Sustainable Buildings

The EIA Sustainable Buildings Working Group is chaired by Sunil Shah who has over 25 years experience in sustainable buildings, sustainability, energy efficiency and planning.

The group meets 4 times a year with a mixture of online and in person meetings. There are close relationships with this group and the overarching EIA Climate Change working Group and the Remediation of Land and Groundwater Working Group which promoted brownfield development.

Members have the ability to raise issues, and discuss pressing policy and regulatory issues of concern.  The working group has a forward work programme which is agreed by the Members each year.

This group has excellent relationships with Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and Homes England. We also encourage major housing developers who have an interest in excelling in sustainability or promotion of Brownfield First principles.

The group covers the following topics.

Buildings/Sustainability

  • Sustainable design
  • Energy efficiency in Housing and commercial buildings
  • Whole life building decarbonisation
  • Retrofitting and refurbishment
  • Lifecycle Sustainability assessment
  • Placemaking

Planning/Building Control regulations

  • NPPF changes and cooperation
  • Building Control regulations and its implications
  • Presumption in favour
  • Biodiversity NetGain
  • Green/grey and Brownfield developments

Chair of the EIA Sustainable Buildings

Sunil Shah – Chair, EIA Sustainable Buildings

Sunil is the founder of Acclaro Advisory, which provides policy, corporate and project support across the range of sustainability issues affecting organisations. He has 25 years of experience within the built environment, uniquely with experience throughout the lifecycle of developments, delivering sustainability solutions at the design, planning and operational stages. He has held roles and provided guidance for RICS, IWFM and EIC together with being a member of Government taskforces covering sustainable built environments.

Previously, Sunil was a Partner at DPP and Head of Sustainability; he developed the global sustainability practice for Jacobs, and has held a senior position with Johnson Controls. Sunil is an author and a regular speaker at events.

Deputy Chair: to be elected