Mitsubishi urges building professionals to join online debate over lower energy use in buildings

everyone involved in designing, creating and maintaining our built environment is urged by Mitsubishi Electric to join an online debate on how the nation can lower energy use in buildings.

The company has set up both Twitter and LinkedIn® accounts for its Green Gateway campaign in order to promote sustainable thinking within the built environment.

"This is a straightforward way to generate a lively on-going debate that involves as many people as possible," explains Martin Fahey, Sustainable Solutions Manager for the Hatfield-based company. "That is what Green Gateway is all about and social media offers people an ideal way to do the right thing and get involved so we can all work together towards making a difference."

Buildings account for 44 per cent of all UK greenhouse gas emissions which is more than either industry or transport, so as a sector, the building industry can play a major role in helping reduce emissions.

Visitors to the Green Gateway LinkedIn group will be able to view the latest thoughts of group members from across the UK building industry and contribute to the on-going discussion. The new Twitter account (@green_gateway) will offer followers a chance to receive up-to-the-minute news and views from those within and outside the industry, including key opinion leaders.

"We are now building new low carbon buildings but around 75 per cent of our existing buildings will still be in use in 2050," adds Fahey. "To a large extent we have already built our future and the challenge now is to find ways of reducing the emissions from these buildings."

Fuel security, rising fossil fuel prices, increasingly tough legislation and the need to combat climate change are all driving the demand for greater efficiency and the inclusion of renewable energy.

"No one person or company has all the answers but as an industry, we do have the
technology and the expertise to really make a difference if we can find ways of getting our heads together," ends Fahey.