News
Exhaust Air Heat Pumps in Part L 2026
Posted on May 6th 2026
EAHPs are currently struggling to enable Part L 2026 compliance calculations for typical apartments, with only a single product producing positive results. We expect that this will change after further testing and manufacturer updates. EAHPs provide low carbon heating and hot water with an additional benefit of some cooling making them useful to address Part O requirements. Their performance to …
Part L Requires Renewable Energy Generation
Posted on April 30th 2026
Part L 2026 introduces a new functional requirement for providing practicable renewable energy generation (kWh). The functional requirement is based on the production of 71 kWh/year of renewable generation per square metre of ground floor area (differs for flats). Though any renewable technology can be used, this value has been based on installing unshaded photovoltaic (PV) panels at a 45° pitch, …
Gateway Approval for Bow Phase 2
Posted on April 29th 2026
Hodkinson Consultancy is pleased to have supported the successful Gateway 2 approval of Bow Common Phase 2. Achieving Gateway 2 consent represents a key milestone in progressing the project through the Building Safety Regulator process. Located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, the development comprises a series of new apartment blocks, incorporating ground floor commercial space. It is the …
Column Placement Improves Thermal Performance & GIA
Posted on April 29th 2026
Thermal performance is often framed around insulation and wall build-ups. But one of the most effective moves happens much earlier – deciding where structural columns are placed. When columns cut through the external wall line, they interrupt insulation and create thermal bridges. That leads to higher heat loss and pushes designers towards thicker, more complex walls to compensate. By keeping …
Voluntary Net Zero Building Standard Live
Posted on March 31st 2026
A new voluntary industry standard, UK Net Zero Building Standard, was released on 01/03/2026. This standard arrives as the construction industry has been addressing regulatory change and economic challenges. It is industry-led and sets various annual operational limits for the UK’s built environment to limit its impacts on average global temperature rise to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. The standard …
Part L 2026
Posted on March 31st 2026
The Future Homes and Buildings Standards, now called Part L 2026, was laid in parliament on 24/03/2026 and presented some unexpected impacts: Part L 2021 remains in place for high-risk buildings (HRB) with commencements up to 24/09/2030 with successful gateway submissions by 24/09/2027. This substantial gap provides design teams an ability to make informed decisions for new projects. Further it …
Who is to Bear the Cost of HNTAS Compliance?
Posted on March 31st 2026
Should the Heat Networks Technical Assurance Scheme (HNTAS) be introduced, who would be responsible for bearing the costs to comply? This will depend on how cost recovery is allocated within existing operational and supply contracts. For non-ESCO agreements full financial liability may sit with the asset owner or it may be possible for costs to be passed through to customers …
Registering Heat Networks to the PCDB
Posted on March 31st 2026
Developers are increasingly required to deliver homes with an EPC rating of at least Band B, yet achieving this often demands significant design changes. For sites connecting to a district heat network or developing their own on‑site network, a more effective approach can be to register that network with the BRE‑administered Product Characteristics Database (PCDB). This allows SAP assessments to …
Seismic Shift Anticipated in Delivery of Heat Networks
Posted on February 27th 2026
Developers and Operators should not underestimate the scale of the technical and administrative implications that could arise from the proposed Heat Networks Technical Assurance Scheme (HNTAS). The scheme, scheduled for Government launch in 2027, is now open for consultation until 15 April 2026. A significant number of draft documents – 84 Code documents, a Technical Standards document (TS1) and a …
What Does The Draft NPPF Mean For Energy & Environmental Planning Policies?
Posted on February 27th 2026
The draft NPPF provides an interesting balance between pushing environmental performance and largely preventing quantitative standards that go beyond the requirements of Building Regulations. Key energy & environmental aspects are summarised below. PM13: Setting standards Prevents the setting of quantitative standards beyond Building Regulations (other than water efficiency and accessibility), which would prevent policies requiring reductions in operational CO2, primary …