Updates to BREEAM Fees
Posted on June 14th 2017
The BRE are increasing the BREEAM registration and certification fees, as of 1st July. If your projects are registered before 30th June the current charges will apply. For UK New Construction, the following registration and certification fees will apply after 1st July: Further changes are: BREEAM UK Refurbishment and Fit Out registration fees are increasing from £195 to £250. Home …
Solar Design and Optimisation at Early Design Stages
Posted on May 4th 2017
Incorporating Solar Design and Optimisation into early design stages is essential in order to meet demanding planning requirements for CO2, Overheating and Daylighting. The adoption of an iterative design workflow in close collaboration with the architectural team leads to realistic, cost-effective and integrated project strategies. Undertaking Solar Design and Optimisation analysis during early design stages provides clients and design teams …
Early Input Provides Cost Effective Acoustic Design
Posted on May 4th 2017
Meeting good acoustic standards has traditionally relied on the building envelope. The new Professional Planning Guidance ProPG: Planning and Noise, due for publication in June, will seek to promote other means of minimising noise impacts. Local authorities are widely expected to support the new guidance. The guidance requires that the use of site layout, orientation and spatial design are considered …
BREEAM Accredited Professionals and Other Services
Posted on May 4th 2017
We offer tailor made services to help secure BREEAM credits. These services are a great way to help design teams secure the required BREEAM rating. They play an important role in improving the overall build quality and improving the internal environment for occupants. We have been accredited BREEAM assessors since 2006 and have completed nearly 200 certifications. Our BREEAM Accredited …
Company News: Promotions and Employee Ownership
Posted on May 4th 2017
We are very pleased to announce that Elena Pana, Olga Tsagkalidou and Simon Gowing have all recently been promoted to Senior Specialist. Congratulations to them as they continue to develop their careers with us. Their increased depth of knowledge and experience are vital to our continued growth and development of the business. All of our team are exposed to a range …
Changes to BREEAM and HQM Assessment Fees
Posted on April 28th 2017
The BRE typically update their scheme fees every two or three years and the last fee change for many of the schemes was back in July 2014. Scheme fees are changing in the following versions: Notably the biggest changes are as follows: Registration fees are increasing from £195 to £250 for New Construction and Refurb and Fit Out assessments HQM …
Thermal Bridging Analysis Gives Cost Savings
Posted on April 6th 2017
Results from our recent Façade Optimisation work indicate that Thermal Bridging Analysis represents the most cost effective alternative to expensive fabric uplift measures and/or renewable energy generation systems. Thermal Bridging Analysis is appropriate for all high rise construction projects and ensures that detailed structural elements which frequently penetrate the insulation envelope of a building are correctly specified. As a result …
Implementation of the GLA’s Zero Carbon Homes Policy
Posted on April 5th 2017
Over the last few months, we have been liaising with London boroughs to investigate the implementation of the GLA’s zero carbon homes policy. Out of the responses, we have the following findings: The majority of authorities have set the price of CO2 (over 30 years) at £60/tonne in line with the GLA guidelines, although several have adopted alternative prices including …
Access for All
Posted on April 5th 2017
The Equality Act (2010) requires that reasonable provisions are made where a disabled person would otherwise be at a substantial disadvantage when compared to non-disabled people. Some of the adjustments that are expected to be made include: Avoiding the disadvantage caused by a physical feature Providing auxiliary aids and services If reasonable provision is not made, then it is considered discrimination and …
UKGBC Releases Technical Papers on Health and Wellbeing in Homes – with the help of Hodkinson Consultancy
Posted on April 4th 2017
With the help of our technical input, the UK Green Building Council has recently launched a suite of technical papers on health and wellbeing in homes. This builds on their Health and Wellbeing in Homes report launched in July last year, to which Hodkinson Consultancy was a key contributor. The papers build on the guidance provided in the full report, …