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Delivering a Sustainable Future
Planning Success in Nine Elms
Last month planning consent was granted on Bellway Homes’ mixed use development at the old Christie’s Site on Ponton Road within the Vauxhall Nine Elms and Battersea Opportunity Area. The Opportunity Area Planning Framework sets out to dramatically improve area infrastructure and accessibility through extensive redevelopment and future extension of the Northern Line. We worked [...]
Environmental Assessment for Refurbishment Projects
The BREEAM Domestic Refurbishment scheme was launched in 2012 to address specific environmental performance standards in refurbishment projects. It can be applied to any existing building that is being refurbished as residential, where at least one of following building elements is being retained: External walls Ground floor Upper floor slab Structural frame BREEAM Domestic Refurbishment [...]
BREEAM Communities Certification Demonstrates Sustainability to Eastleigh Borough Council
We are delighted to announce that we have recently achieved our first BREEAM Communities certification at Crowdhill Green, Fair Oak, in Eastleigh Borough Council. Working closely with Bloor Homes and the Highwood Group, both of whom demonstrated a strong commitment to BREEAM Communities from the outset, the BREEAM Communities Step 1 process was undertaken in [...]
Assessing Existing Buildings with BREEAM In-Use
BREEAM In-Use is an environmental assessment method for existing non-domestic buildings whereby buildings are assessed using a standard methodology through an independent certification process. The aim of BREEAM In-Use is to identify sections of a property portfolio that is under-performing and will benefit from refurbishment or improvements in management practices. Carrying out this assessment [...]
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Our work along the River Thames
Over the past 5 years, we have been involved in some of the most significant developments along the River Thames, extending from Isleworth to Woolwich. This includes over 8,000 dwellings and a wide range of non-residential uses in 13 different developments. Through working on these projects we have gained specialist knowledge and skills through planning [...]
BREEAM and Code Design Stage Assessments Before Construction
Developments which are required to achieve BREEAM and Code for Sustainable Homes ratings should consider their requirements as early as possible. It is essential that pre-assessments are included within the feasibility stage of the development. The design must incorporate all of the required criteria ensuring minimal impact on the development and reducing the risk of [...]
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BREEAM Commissioning Requirements
Commissioning is one of the key elements included within the Man 1 Sustainable Procurement issue within the BREEAM 2011 manual. There are two credits available for the commissioning process. The main contractor must appoint a commissioning manager to monitor and programme the commissioning of systems. All commissioning must be carried out in line with the [...]
Green Materials – The Environmental Product Declaration
The Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a standardised way of measuring the environmental impact of a product, it includes verified information on the procurement of the raw materials, energy use and efficiency, content of materials and chemical substances, emissions to air, soil and water and waste generation. It reports the results of a product Life [...]
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Tagged Assessments, BREEAM, Building materials, CO2 emissions, Environmental standards, Sustainability
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BREEAM Communities – 2013 update
BREEAM Communities was re-launched in 2012, with the new scheme providing a more straight-forward, deliverable assessment methodology that ties in more closely to the new planning framework in England and Wales. Hodkinson Consultancy is certified to undertake BREEAM Communities assessments with the new methodology. BREEAM Communities aims to assess and improve the sustainability of developments, [...]
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A BREEAM Accredited Professional Adds Value
BREEAM Accredited Professional is a qualification provided, certified and accredited by the BRE. Involving a BREEAM Accredited Professional in your projects ensure that there is a qualified member of the project team who has specialist skills in sustainability and environmental design combined with a high level of competence in the BREEAM assessment process. Our proactive [...]
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The Technical Housing Standards Review and the NPPF
An announcement from the Technical Housing Standards Review Panel is anticipated imminently which we hope will signal improvements to the relevance and compliance efficiency for the currently wide range of housing related standards. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was published in March 2012. As we reported last month, the 12 month transitional arrangements formally ended [...]
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Tagged Assessments, BREEAM, Code, Environmental standards, Housing quality, Planning, Sustainability
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BREEAM Domestic Refurbishment and Planning
Existing buildings are currently responsible for approximately 27% of CO2 emissions produced in the UK. With local planning authorities updating their policies to reflect the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), in the absence of the adopted local plan, the use of BREEAM Domestic Refurbishment is expected to increase significantly. Paragraph 95 of the NPPF states [...]
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Tagged Assessments, BREEAM, CO2 emissions, Environmental standards, Planning, Refurbishment, Sustainability, Zero carbon
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We extend our work on Europe’s largest regeneration project
Hampton House – Nine Elms Following our work through the planning process, Richard Hodkinson Consultancy has recently been appointed to continue involvement on this high-quality mixed-use scheme. We are to provide a range of environmental assessments through the design and build program. The Nine Elms project, on the south bank of the Thames, is the [...]
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Tagged Assessments, BREEAM, CO2 emissions, Code, Energy Performance Certification, Environmental standards, Part L, SAP, Sustainability
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Kim Coleman joins us to extend our BREEAM services
Kim Coleman has recently joined our BREEAM team to further enhance this growing service. Kim brings with her a wide range of technical experience from BRE and Carillion. Our BREEAM team are able to undertake the full range of BREEAM assessments. Coupled with the BREEAM work we can also carry out energy assessments and modelling [...]
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NEW – BREEAM Simple Buildings Manual and Criteria Released
Following our article last month introducing BREEAM Simple Buildings, the new guidance was released by BRE on 13th March 2013. After reviewing the criteria within this new BREEAM scheme we think this is a positive change for our clients. Many small commercial units within larger schemes could now be assessed using this cheaper and simpler [...]
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BREEAM Simple Buildings
The cost of a BREEAM assessment varies depending on the nature of the building assessed. A new standard ‘BREEAM Simple Buildings’ may reduce the cost of assessment for certain developments. BREEAM Certification Fees BREEAM Scheme Total Fees Registration Fees Design stage Post Construction Stage BREEAM Bespoke £3,540 £2,250 £900 £390 BREEAM New Construction – Other [...]
2012 for Richard Hodkinson Consultancy
The past 12 months has seen continued growth within the practice, both in personnel and work output. The following provides a quick review of the successes for Richard Hodkinson Consultancy in 2012. One of the more significant changes in the year has been the development of new services. This has benefitted our clients by offering [...]
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Looking forward to 2013
Planning The wider adoption of Community Infrastructure Charging Schedules (the use of planning obligations will be more restricted from April 2014); The expiration on 27 March 2013 of the 12-month NPPF transitional period, designed to allow some protection for existing local plans depending on the date of their adoption, even where there is a limited [...]
Richard Hodkinson Consultancy working as energy and sustainability consultant on 3 of the top 10 regeneration projects in the UK
Richard Hodkinson Consultancy is working as energy and sustainability consultant on three of the top ten regeneration projects in the UK: Greenwich Peninsula, Royal Arsenal and Kidbrooke Village. The Top 100 Regeneration Projects 2012 in the UK was published earlier this year by Planning and Regeneration & Renewal. At Kidbrooke, we prepared the Energy Strategy [...]
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Changes to Considerate Constructors Scheme 2013
Over the past 3 years the Considerate Constructors Scheme has undergone a thorough review. As a result Considerate Constructors felt that the scheme should be more challenging to the industry but still remain accessible. The changes will be taking effect from 1st January 2013 and will include a new code of conduct, new checklist and [...]
