News archive for 2016
Balancing DFEE, Overheating & Natural Daylight
Posted on July 4th 2016
We have been undertaking extensive facade optimisation work both at the planning and detailed design stage. This involves balancing the competing objectives of fabric energy efficiency, overheating and natural daylight. This is particularly relevant to the most sensitive dwellings such as penthouses and single aspect apartments. Energy efficiency, overheating and natural daylight are commonly under conflict when selecting the most …
Secured by Design – 2016 Changes
Posted on July 4th 2016
Recent changes to Secured by Design bring it in line with new Building Regulations Part Q, and allow the scheme to respond to the large increase in conversions from commercial to residential. We are successfully providing bespoke Secure by Design advice to a number of clients and working to obtain in-principle agreements from the local Architectural Liaison Officer, ensuring smooth …
Planning Success for Northwood Tennis Club
Posted on June 9th 2016
We are delighted that the planning application for replacement lighting at Northwood Tennis Club received approval from the London Borough of Hillingdon (LBH) last week. We supported the Tennis Club in its application for advanced, energy efficient lighting that balanced the needs of the club while taking the local residents and arboricultural constraints into account. We combined our planning knowledge with …
Good Daylight: Quantity or Quality?
Posted on May 16th 2016
Average Daylight factor (ADF) can be a valuable tool for assessing the quantity of internal daylight amenity. However, where the quality of the internal daylight needs to be considered, more appropriate metrics can be used such as Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI). ADF continues to be the standard metric used to assessing daylight amenity of new buildings. This simple assessment establishes …
Planning Success for London County Hall
Posted on May 11th 2016
We are delighted that the application for the refurbishment of the fourth floor of the grade II* listed London County Hall Riverside Building was recently granted planning consent by the London Borough of Lambeth. We prepared the Energy and Sustainability Statement in support of the application. Opening in January 2017, 43,000 sq ft of event space will be created over …
Electricity key to CHP economics & low resident heat prices
Posted on May 11th 2016
Obtaining value for electricity generated from CHP engines is a critical issue in order to make operating CHP engines economically attractive and thereby minimising resident heat costs. This is because there are two outputs of a CHP engine: heat & electricity, as opposed to just heat from a boiler. Without obtaining value for the electricity, CHP engines are just an …
BREEAM Success at Green Park House
Posted on April 20th 2016
We are pleased to announce that Green Park House in Bath by Berkeley Homes (Oxford & Chiltern) has successfully achieved final BREEAM multi-residential certification to the ‘Very Good’ standard. The BREEAM strategy included the following: Energy – the development was made as energy efficient as possible through the use of mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, the installation of photovoltaic panels …
New Housing SPG for London: The Return of Zero Carbon
Posted on April 6th 2016
The Greater London Authority (GLA) has recently published updated Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) on Housing. This sits alongside the Sustainable Design and Construction SPG (2015). The Housing SPG now clarifies the GLA position regarding London Plan Policy 5.2 – Minimising Carbon Dioxide Emissions. As of the 1 October 2016, major residential development will be expected to be Zero Carbon, defined …
WELL Building Standard: A new focus on health and wellbeing for homes
Posted on April 6th 2016
In response to increasing industry focus on health and wellbeing and consumer demand for healthy buildings, the WELL Standard has been developed as a performance based certification scheme which measures the impact of internal spaces on human health. The design principles of the standard can be applied even where full certification is not pursued. Whilst WELL is aimed primarily at …
Heating Corridors to achieve Fabric Energy Efficiency Standards
Posted on April 6th 2016
Heating corridors within a block of flats provides a significant benefit to the energy performance of dwellings and is one of the most cost-effective measures that can be taken to achieve the Part L (2013) Fabric Energy Efficiency (FEE) standards. On schemes with communal heating it was previously possible to assume corridors were heated on the basis of passive heat …