News
The Benefits of Pursuing BREEAM Infrastructure Certification
Posted on October 30th 2024
Infrastructure projects have a significant role in mitigating environmental impacts, maximising the sustainability benefits of such works, and minimising life-cycle costs. The BREEAM Infrastructure certification scheme (formerly known as CEEQUAL) has now been operating for over 20 years and is the world’s leading sustainability certification for infrastructure, civil engineering, landscaping and public realm projects. It follows a similar assessment process …
Potential Heat Network Zones Mapped Out
Posted on October 30th 2024
Plans for the delivery of the heat network zoning regulations continue apace, despite the lack of a formal response from the Government to the consultation or a confirmed implementation date. The initial outputs of the Zoning Pilot Program have been published by the Government in the form of zone maps which can be accessed via this link – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-network-zoning-maps. The …
Exhaust Air Heat Pumps: Beware The Differences
Posted on October 30th 2024
Exhaust air heat pumps (EAHPs) differ widely in how they work, how they perform and where they are suitable. Here are some key performance requirements to consider when specifying: Energy usage / EPC ratings: As the efficiency of the products varies significantly, so does the resultant resident energy cost and EPC rating. You should be ensuring that the product achieves …
Planning Success at Lea Bridge Gas Works
Posted on October 30th 2024
St William’s Lea Bridge Gasworks development has been granted planning consent. Providing 643 residential units and 1,338m² of flexible residential facilities and commercial use, the development will regenerate a former brownfield site and create a range of urban connections near the Lea Bridge train station, on the London Borough of Waltham Forest. We have provided a range of services to …
Improving social value in development
Posted on September 27th 2024
Measuring development’s impact on occupant’s wellbeing is spread across planning and Building Regulations. Improving the scope of this work helps further explain how your developments put people and their experiences at the forefront of development. This is an element of a social value assessment. Social Value UK define social value as the relative importance that people place on the wellbeing …
Effective Heat Network Management
Posted on September 27th 2024
When it comes to proper and effective management of a heat network, ‘the buck stops with’ the Landlord. The landlord’s primary responsibility is to protect the interest of its leaseholders, and a poorly managed heat network can present a significant risk that this won’t be achieved, even if certain obligations are delegated to managing agents, ESCOs or CEM contractors. Managing …
Carbon Emissions in Facades
Posted on September 27th 2024
We have reviewed the embodied carbon emissions for 8 façade types for a standard, mid-rise development that would typically be constructed in London in order to highlight their embodied carbon impact. LETI guidance states that facades have a 13% impact on total emissions. The table below presents the options we have tested. It is based on the upfront emissions related …
Industry produces net zero standard
Posted on September 27th 2024
The net zero building standard pilot was released on Tuesday and may become the methodology industry will practice. This would provide some standardisation to the current proliferation of net zero definitions. The standard is a deep technical manual on how to evidence your building achieves net zero, helping to narrow its definition. The standard can be found https://www.nzcbuildings.co.uk/ and has …
The Launch of BREEAM V7
Posted on August 30th 2024
BREEAM New Construction Version 7 has just been pre-released for consultation. It has been updated to mirror the latest science in order to remain closely aligned with industry objectives and further reduce the carbon footprint of buildings. The latest version of the world-renowned sustainability assessment for the built environment will be launched officially towards the end of the year. We …
4 Months Left For Large Plant To Comply With MCPD
Posted on August 30th 2024
Only four months left for existing sites, with combustion plant rated between 5MW and 50MW, to achieve compliance with their Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD) permits. Based on MCPD transitional rules, these sites should have secured a permit by 1st January 2024 and now have until 1st January 2025 to comply with their permits. Compliance could include: Installation of abatement …