How R&D credits can support sustainable solutions

The building industry is a major contributor to climate change, responsible for around 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Architects, contractors and energy suppliers have a significant responsibility to adapt and the opportunity to make an impact by reducing the carbon footprint of buildings.

The concept of sustainable construction goes well beyond installing solar panels or LED lighting. It must look at every aspect of the design and construction phase as well as the ongoing energy requirements and maintenance of buildings. Another consideration for the sector is the impact of climate change. With many buildings designed to stand for 100 years, what can be done to prevent them from overheating and will materials cope with extremes in weather in the future?

We have seen many positive changes over recent years with the introduction of BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) guidelines and the implementation of BIM (Building Information Modeling). The pace at which the sector is evolving has required adaptation and innovation by businesses to find more sustainable solutions. Yet more must be done and there is lots of ongoing research to reduce build time, and increase the use of recycled materials and the use of timber.

Our partner Beavis Morgan works with businesses across the building sector including architects, construction firms, consulting engineers and electrical contractors. They have helped their clients claim back Research and Development (R&D) tax credits from the work they are doing in providing solutions and adapting to new processes, methods and materials in meeting sustainability goals.

Many businesses do not consider their work to qualify as R&D. Tax credits are a way of rewarding a business's skills and ingenuity, by allowing them to claim back up to 33% of costs on eligible activity.

Examples include:

• Improvement of construction time and impact through the development of offsite solutions
• Use of new materials to improve building envelope performance e.g. thermal, acoustic
• Design of a building to meet the Breeam excellent rating
• Achieving design and construction precision to Passivhaus standard
• Design and installation of low energy, low waste M&E systems
• Meeting fire safety requirements whilst using new sustainable methods or materials

For further information about R&D Tax Relief and how we can assist your business, please contact the RIBA Business team on business@riba.org