Committees
Climate Emergency Committee
Headline Purpose
Chaired by Alan Ritchie, the purpose of this committee is to help radically reduce our built environment’s contribution to climate change and to help prepare for the impacts of climate change on Northern Ireland.
How this purpose will be achieved
- Propose two lists of actions that should be taken in relation to our built environment: (i) Actions to make climate change less severe, and; (ii) Actions to prepare for the impacts of climate change on Northern Ireland.
- Develop more detailed RSUA position papers on addressing climate change through the design of Northern Ireland’s built environment.
- Engage with devolved and local government including DAERA (Climate Change), Department of Finance (building regulations and procurement), Department for Infrastructure (planning and transport), Department for Communities (housing policy and urban regeneration) and the 11 local councils.
- Prepare RSUA’s response to relevant consultations
- Provide a collective expert view on climate matters relating to the built environment when called upon
- Engage and co-ordinate with other bodies in Northern Ireland and beyond who seek to address climate change including Climate NI, PCAN, Irish Green Building Council, Universities etc.
- Propose opportunities for learning, particularly for architects and university students, in relation to climate change. For example, topics and expert speakers for training events, resources for architects and building tours.
Public benefit
The public will benefit by having a built environment which is better prepared for the impacts of climate change and the public will be better informed about what changes we need to make to our built environment to radically reduce our contribution to climate change.
Meeting frequency/pre-arranged dates
This committee will meet quarterly, from 12.30pm until 2pm on the following dates:
- 12.30pm on Wednesday 6 September 2023
- 12.30pm on Wednesday 29 November 2023
- 12.30pm on Wednesday 7 February 2024
- 12.30pm on Wednesday 1 May 2024
- 12.30pm on Wednesday 28 August 2024
- 12.30pm on Wednesday 6 November 2024
Other meetings will be scheduled as required between the standing meetings.
Membership
Climate Emergency Committee Chair, Alan Ritchie, alan.ritchie@c60design.co.uk
Name | Organisation | Email Address |
Alistair Beckett | Hall Black Douglas | admin@hallblackdouglas.co.uk |
Alan Bennett | Alan Bennett Architects | admin@alanbennettarchitects.com |
Sean Cullen* | Queen’s University Belfast | sean.cullen@qub.ac.uk |
Maeve Gorman | Alastair Coey Architects | maeve.gorman@alastaircoeyarchitects.com |
Peter Greenwood | White Ink | peter@whiteink.co.uk |
Neil Hewitt* | Ulster University | nj.hewitt@ulster.ac.uk |
Ben James | Ulster University | james-b1@ulster.ac.uk |
Erl Johnston | Alastair Coey | erl.johnston@alastaircoeyarchitects.com |
Ryan Johnston* | Ulster University | Johnston-R54@ulster.ac.uk |
John Lavery | BGA | john@bga-ni.com |
Donal MacRandal | Construction Procurement Delivery | Donal.MacRandal@finance-ni.gov.uk |
Martin Marshall* | Marshall McCann Architects | Martin@mmccarchitects.com |
Paul McAlister | Paul McAlister Architects | Paul@pmcarchitects.com |
Barry McCarron* | South West College | barry.mccarron@swc.ac.uk |
Colin McCrossan | Strategic Investment Board | colin.mccrossan@sibni.org |
Jane McCullough* | Climate NI | |
Jayanta Mondol* | Ulster University | jd.mondol@ulster.ac.uk |
Ibrahim Mottowa* | Ulster University | i.motawa@ulster.ac.uk |
Dominic Morris | McNally Morris Architects | morrisdominic@hotmail.com |
Liam Muldoon | Ecocity Development | liam@ecocitydevelopment.com |
Megan Nelson-Nilehn | Construction Procurement Delivery (CPD) | megan.nelson-nilehn@finance-ni.gov.uk |
Andrew O’Doherty | TODD Architects | Andrew.ODoherty@toddarch.co.uk |
Lisa Park | Studio Park Architects | lisa@studioparkarchitects.com |
Albert Parkhouse | C60 Architects | albert.parkhouse@c60design.co.uk |
Alan Ritchie | C60 Architects | alan.ritchie@c60design.co.uk |
Will Thornton | Thornton Architecture | will.thornton@thorntonarchitecturestudio.com |
Aoife Wiberg* | Ulster University | a.wiberg@ulster.ac.uk |
Jane Rogers | Queen’s University | j.rogers@qub.ac.uk |
*not a qualified architect, but is an architectural professional
Involvement
RSUA members interested in joining this committee should contact Jude Faloon by emailing jude@rsua.org.uk
Engagement
If you or your organisation wishes to engage with the RSUA Climate Emergency Committee, please contact Jude Faloon on jude@rsua.org.uk
Find out more
Read some of the most up to date and relevant RSUA news articles relating to the Climate Emergency Committee by clicking on the links below
RSUA attends NI Climate Projections event 22 May 2019
RSUA Establishes Climate Emergency Committee 23 August 2019
First meeting of the RSUA Climate Emergency Committee 17 September 2019
Architects Support Climate Action Day 20 September 2019
Climate Emergency Committee update 10 December 2019
Climate Emergency Committee update 18 September 2020
RSUA presents to All Party Group on Climate Action 10 December 2020
RSUA supports adoption of DfI Living with Water Programme 22 January 2021
RSUA urges DAERA to adopt NI net zero emissions by 2050, 29 January 2021
Moving NI building regulations towards net zero
RSUA response to DoF consultation on fire safety
RSUA response to DAERA consultation on NI emission reduction targets and carbon budgets
Fully Funded OCN NI Level 5 Certificate in Green Technologies
Fully Funded Certificate in Retrofitting Domestic Properties
Useful Resources
Scotland’s approach to affordable housing
Climate Action Network’s ‘climate emergency conservation area toolkit’