Technical newsletters about emerging issues & our latest research

How We Think This Government Will Impact Building Design

Posted on July 31st 2024

We have reviewed their manifesto pledges and highlighted some key changes to look out for that will impact sustainable building design: Clean energy by 2030 Commitment to achieve net zero-carbon electricity by 2030 will lead to greater heat pump adoption. Cleaner gas using hydrogen is expected to impact industrial clusters and not dwellings. The government has not clarified their position …

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What Are Passivhaus Principles?

Posted on July 31st 2024

The Passivhaus principles by themselves are not prescriptive, so this can cause confusion when assessing buildings against them. If the principles are interpreted relatively loosely, new high-density developments in London often align well with them from the start. This is because many new developments already incorporate key elements, which are aligned with what is listed by the Passivhaus institute as …

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Bath Gasworks – Planning Success

Posted on July 31st 2024

St William’s proposed Bath Gasworks development has been unanimously granted planning consent. Providing 611 homes, sustainability is at the heart of the proposals. Our approach pursued a comprehensive strategy which addresses lifecycle carbon and overheating risk. Our work navigated a number of challenges, including: New and challenging planning policy – Bath Gasworks was one of the first large developments to …

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BREEAM 2024 Award Finalists

Posted on July 2nd 2024

We provided BREEAM consultancy advice to Mountbatten House, Southampton, which has been shortlisted as a finalist at the BREEAM Awards 2024 within the ‘best refurbishment & Fit-Out project’ category. Previously a tired 1990’s office space, the Georgian building was stripped out and the internal space re-modelled to create a contemporary layout that focuses on collaboration and co-working. It was the …

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Will More Onerous Overheating Standards Come To London?

Posted on July 2nd 2024

It is not unreasonable to expect that London may go further than the Building Regulations (Part O) when it comes to tackling overheating, mirroring its treatment of Part L targets. The recent GLA’s “Operation Helios”, a set of exercises designed to stress test London’s response to future extreme heat scenarios, shows that preparedness for extreme heat scenarios is increasingly becoming …

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Gateway 2 Encourages ESCO Tendering at Planning Stage

Posted on July 2nd 2024

The building safety regulations mean that earlier tendering for ESCOs will be necessary to maximise the value they can bring to the delivery of a heat network. ESCOs can bring valuable operational information into the design process and often enable heat network designs to be optimised and made leaner. To avoid design change processes after the Gateway 2 submission, this …

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Immediate Implications of July 2024 RICS Whole Life Carbon

Posted on July 2nd 2024

The updated RICS WLCA guidance comes into effect in July 2024 but will have limited planning impact until local authorities specify its use. The updated version has various assumptions and clarifications that could however be useful for a planning application. The update provides greater clarity and scope on assessing the carbon impact of the entire life cycle of a built …

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Metering And Billing Of Ambient Loop Heat Networks

Posted on May 31st 2024

There is uncertainty in the market as to the metering requirements for ambient loop heat networks. Some manufacturers have stated that it is not a requirement to meter final customers connected to these systems. However, we would strongly recommend that all customers are metered for heat and cooling consumption delivered from ambient loops. Ambient loops circulate low grade heat around …

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Exhaust Air Heat Pumps – Considerations Before Specifying

Posted on May 31st 2024

Projects planning on using Exhaust Air Heat Pumps (EAHPs) should carefully review a number of technical and commercial factors prior to specification. Rushing to specify these systems without due consideration can result in unforeseen consequences for end-users, such as poor user experience, high costs, and uncomfortable summer temperatures. EAHPs present an attractive solution for projects where a heat network is …

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New Technical Standards for Heat Networks

Posted on May 31st 2024

The new technical standards code for heat networks is scheduled to be launched in 2025 and will impose new obligations on heat networks, but the standards have not been consulted upon yet. The Heat Networks Technical Assurance Scheme (HNTAS) consultation is expected be published in summer 2024 and will give heat network owners, developers, operators and customers the opportunity to …

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