RIBA Award Winning Project
Posted on September 14th 2021
The Officers House in Royal Arsenal has just won the South East Regional Winner at the RIBA London Awards 2021. We supported Berkeley Homes East Thames in delivering the energy and sustainability strategy for the scheme, achieving a 40% reduction in carbon emissions. The heritage nature and listed status of the existing building posed a number of challenges around the …
Off-site District Heating connections: Key Considerations
Posted on July 29th 2021
Connection of housing development heat networks to external heat supplies is increasingly encouraged by local authorities. Successful delivery of this brings some opportunities as well as challenges. Tougher carbon targets and the fact that alternatives to gas-boilers and CHP are generally more costly (to build, as well as heat costs for residents) are two of the reasons why an incoming …
£280m now available via Green Heat Network Fund
Posted on July 29th 2021
Housing Developers are likely to have access to government funding for delivery of low carbon heat networks. In July 2021, the Government launched the Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF) Transition Scheme which aims to support commercialisation of low-carbon heat network projects, including planning requirements, legal costs, contract negotiations, site investigations and tariff structuring. The Transition Scheme supports both existing and …
Triple glazing in apartments to comply with new Part L
Posted on July 29th 2021
The Government’s preferred fabric energy efficiency standards for Part L 2021 will require costly enhancements, such as triple glazing in apartments, for compliance. The Government has set out two options for future Fabric Energy Efficiency (FEE) targets. Their preferred option is a significant enhancement over current requirements. This is still in consultation, but it is assumed that this is what …
Whole Life Carbon and Building Regulations
Posted on July 29th 2021
The addition of Whole Life Carbon (WLC) into Building Regulations would do for embodied carbon what Part L did for operational carbon. During the Climate Change Committee Progress Report to Parliament (June 2021) it was recommended that the government set out plans to phase in mandatory WLC reporting by 2025. As methods and approaches for reducing operational emissions have become …
Policy Changes Driving Electricity Requirements Higher
Posted on June 23rd 2021
Policy changes pushing for electrically sourced heating and electrical vehicles are increasing electrical demand, however, there are ways to limit this increase. The cost of providing an electrical connection to a new development can vary significantly. It depends on the size and location of the development, the local electrical infrastructure, and the capacity requirements. The first three are predetermined. In …
Future Part L Risk for Shell and Core
Posted on June 23rd 2021
Shell and core units designed and built to Part L 2013 of the non-domestic Building Regulations may not achieve compliance with future Part L upon fit out, risking letting opportunities for commercial space. This issue is created by the fact that many building notices only cover the construction of the shell, meaning the tenant would need to re-register with Building …
We Invest in People – Gold Accreditation
Posted on June 23rd 2021
We are pleased to announce that we have recently been awarded the We invest in people gold accreditation. With only 17% of assessed companies achieving this standard it represents a very high level of performance. We are particularly pleased to have achieved this at a time of significant change and challenge in the world and in the industry. As well …
Walker Primary School – A Project Success in Enfield
Posted on June 23rd 2021
Appointed as sustainability consultants and BREEAM assessors by Spatial Initiative, the new Walker Primary School successfully achieved a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’, under the New Construction 2018 scheme. Located in the London Borough of Enfield, the new school particularly excelled in the Waste, Land Use & Ecology, and Water BREEAM categories. As part of the BREEAM assessment and to …
SAP10.2: A Future for CHP?
Posted on May 6th 2021
Recent Government proposals show compliance with CHP-prioritised heat networks is likely to be near impossible. This is despite recent indications from Government that the new Part L in Building Regulations would support CHP. The low CO2 emissions factor for electricity in the proposed Part L 2021 pointed towards the end of CHP. A government statement recognised the industry’s concern and …