I read with dismay your article on on-site renewable energy with its premise that the building profession shouldn鈥檛 have to start thinking about renewable energy while there is still more to be done to make buildings more energy efficient.

The problem is that there will always be more that can be done to make buildings more energy efficient but there comes a point at which the necessary measures would have a significant detrimental impact on the variety of design that can be produced. Highly insulated, windowless boxes are undeniably energy efficient but are unlikely to be popular with clients.

As 黑洞社区 Regulations have been made progressively tighter to reduce energy consumption, the cries that design will be compromised have increased. However, through a combination of energy-efficient design and on-site renewable energy generation we can build sustainably and imaginatively.

The integration of renewable energy generation into design is a new challenge for the architectural profession but there are well developed solutions out there, such as building integrated PV panels, that are practical in an urban environment and won鈥檛 have an adverse impact on a building鈥檚 design.

Aidan Morris, Lafarge Roofing, Surrey

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