Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to report research conducted in the UK's East Midlands region which explores optimising practice for low carbon building through an architectural award system. Design/methodology/approach -To explore the complexity of the contexts, philosophies and demonstrations involved in best practice for low carbon buildings, a mixed research approach was adopted through an online survey and interviews with 13 experts. Findings -The research provides practical means to evaluate low carbon buildings and suggests an approach where aesthetic design and technical compliance are given similar weightings. It also presents the opinions of construction professional practitioners and academics on best practice for low carbon buildings.Research limitations/implications -The research focuses on investigating the judging criteria and opinions of construction professionals who have, in the past, strongly identified with sustainable building design practice. Practical implications -As this research and other studies show, there is a need for a simple methodology and the use of existing tools to evaluate best practice for low carbon buildings. Originality/value -The value of the paper lies in its purpose to establish a precedent for judging low carbon buildings through an architectural award system. Although there is a plethora of literature, tools and environmental assessment systems that point towards best practice, this research aims to highlight the underlying principles and combine these with practical methods that can enable the construction industry to achieve low carbon buildings.

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In this paper, the authors examine how a community energy group in the Meadows area of Nottingham in the UK adopted a model of local energy generation and storage as a means of combatting climate change, improving energy efficiency, enhancing energy security, and reducing fuel poverty. By prioritising local needs and managing expectations, this approach was seen to unite community members in acting on energy challenges while increasing knowledge, understanding, and awareness of energy issues in general. The results of the survey indicated that the respondents had a significantly high level of climate awareness (94%) and support for community energy (90%). Furthermore, evidence of the impacts and efficiencies of community energy and subsequent socio-economic benefits were identified, including 89% of respondents reporting a reduction in energy costs and 67% of respondents increasing their self-consumption. Importantly, the barriers experienced when trying to maximise the identified socio-economic benefits are highlighted and general recommendations given.

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In this paper, the authors detail the community engagement strategies applied to the Évora and Nottingham demonstrators under the scope of Project SENSIBLE, taking into account the different phases of the project. Additionally, the first results of the ongoing socioeconomic study examining the impact of energy storage are presented, whose results are supporting the community engagement strategies.