Homeowners Demand Thermal Imaging to Support Higher Standards
Posted on November 16th 2017
Homeowners are becoming increasingly aware of build quality issues within their new homes. In a number of instances, occupiers have had a thermal imaging survey undertaken to demonstrate areas of poorly fitted insulation within the property. To combat these issues, we recommend undertaking sample thermal imaging surveys on a selection of plots across a site to ensure continuity of insulation …
Enabling Construction underway at Prince of Wales Drive, Battersea
Posted on November 16th 2017
Construction work is underway at Prince of Wales Drive, an ambitious residential led scheme by St William Homes LLP in Battersea. Our approach has been to engage early with the design team in order to develop a façade strategy that optimises the energy strategy with overheating risk and natural daylight availability. Overheating is a customer experience issue and one that …
London’s Draft Solar Action Plan Promotes PV Panels Through Planning
Posted on October 11th 2017
The draft London Solar Action Plan was published by the Mayor of London for consultation on 11th August. It sets out a key target to encourage more solar energy installations through the planning system, including for new development and retrofitted on existing buildings. The new draft London Plan, to be published in November this year, will continue to encourage major …
Planning Success at Trent Park
Posted on October 11th 2017
We are delighted to have supported Berkeley Homes (North East London) Ltd in devising an integrated energy and overheating strategy for the proposed residential development at Trent Park in the London Borough of Enfield. The development will provide 232 new flats and houses, and include the refurbishment of an existing Grade II Listed Mansion House and Stable Block to provide …
Changing Specifications for Non-Combustible Insulation and Cladding
Posted on October 11th 2017
In response to heightened focus on the insulation and cladding used in developments, many of our clients have changed Phenolic and PIR insulation to non-combustible insulation, and metal cladding to non-metal alternatives. This trend is being observed even on buildings less than 18m tall due to increased caution on insulation and cladding. Changing the insulation product has a number of …
Draft London Housing Strategy Promotes Quality and Safety
Posted on October 11th 2017
The Mayor of London published his draft London Housing Strategy for consultation in September, 2017. The document makes it clear that the quality and safety of new homes is a key priority for the Mayor, and that London’s housing design standards will be consolidated into a single new planning document. Strict accessibility and space standards will be implemented, ensuring more …
Charity Football Tournament Raises Over £50,000
Posted on October 11th 2017
The Hodkinson Consultancy team from left to right: Chris Forster, Jonathan Peck, Thomas Gwilliam, Russell Hodgson, Georgios Koronaios, Igor Esteves, Donald Sinclair . Employees from Hodkinson Consultancy took part in the Annual Berkeley Foundation 5-a-side football tournament in South East London to raise funds for Demelza Hospice Care for Children . Demelza Hospice Care for Children provides vital care and support to …
Performance evaluation for better buildings
Posted on September 13th 2017
Undertaking Building Performance Evaluation has many practical applications for improving operational performance, increasing levels of customer satisfaction, and feedback into the design process for future developments. We are increasingly finding that metered heat consumption within community heating schemes varies widely from what is expected. Monitoring this data alongside surveys of building occupants has demonstrated that improvements could be made in …
ANC Working Group on overheating, ventilation and acoustics
Posted on September 13th 2017
Achieving thermal and acoustic comfort at the same time is becoming challenging for developments in urban areas and noisy locations. For example, a development built next to a mainline railway or road will mean that residents cannot open their windows for natural purge ventilation, this significantly increasing the risk of overheating and making a dwelling very difficult to pass the …
Security Assessments: What’s New?
Posted on September 13th 2017
Since 1989, Secured by Design has provided prescriptive guidance in terms of security for developers of both residential and commercial units. This was established by the Association of Police Chief Officers (ACPO) and has been rolled out with the help of Architectural Liaison Officers (ALOs) and Crime Prevention Design Advisors (CPDAs). In 2007, the Secured by Design (SBD) principles were …