Technical newsletters about emerging issues & our latest research

The BSR and Condensation Assessments

Posted on February 28th 2025

A BSR (Building Safety Regulator) submission against Building Regulation Schedule 1 Paragraph C2(c) needs to demonstrate that condensation and mould growth risk has been minimised.  Typically, the guidance in Approved Document Part C would be sufficient however some of the standards listed have been replaced or superseded. This is important as a BSR submission should be compliant with the most …

Read the full article

Beware Roof Upstands Causing Dwelling Condensation

Posted on February 28th 2025

Increasing numbers of upstands are required on rooftops for placing mechanical plant, such as heat pumps, leading to hygrothermal risks. The risk impacts compliance with Part C and Part L of the Building Regulations. Though the roof is insulated, the upstands are typically not and penetrate above the insultation line.  Upstands that are not adequately thermally broken act as a lightning …

Read the full article

Home Quality Mark (HQM) to Transition to BREEAM UK New Construction: Residential

Posted on February 28th 2025

The Building Research Establishment (BRE) will be up updating the Home Quality Mark (HQM) assessment scheme to align more closely with BREEAM standards for new residential developments. From April 2025, HQM will transition to BREEAM UK New Construction: Residential, strengthening its assessment framework while maintaining its commitment to high-quality, sustainable homes. This update will simplify sustainability navigation for developers and …

Read the full article

Demonstrating Sustainability of Utility and Infrastructure Projects

Posted on January 24th 2025

Certifications like BREEAM Infrastructure (previously CEEQUAL) help utility and infrastructure projects show investors and stakeholders that they prioritise sustainability and net-zero goals. These projects now need to cover and assess important issues, including: Whole life cycle carbon assessments to show reduced carbon emissions. Resource efficiency plans to lower environmental footprints. Circular economy principles in procurement strategies. Socio-economic impact assessments to …

Read the full article

How to Limit Electrical Capacity Requirements for Heating

Posted on January 24th 2025

There are a number of ways to limit the electrical load needed for heating and hence minimise the cost of obtaining it. For heat network strategies these include: Taking a heat supply from a nearby existing heat network, especially one which utilises waste heat (e.g. waste combustion or data centres). Do not have full boiler (electric) backup, but rather utilise, …

Read the full article

Heat Network Connection Hidden Requirements

Posted on January 24th 2025

Understanding the small print is key to avoiding hidden costs and requirements when connecting to heat networks. Examples include: Technical specifications that go significantly beyond your normal designs. Commissioning and handover requirements that are troublesome to demonstrate or are unclear, leading to different interpretations of what is required. This in turn can lead to occupations occurring before handover to ESCO …

Read the full article

EPC Reforms Address Current Issues but May Create New Ones

Posted on January 24th 2025

Proposals for reforming dwelling Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) could trigger changes to grant funding criteria and require revisions to ESG strategies.  Whilst providing a more comprehensive indicator of performance, the addition of three further performance metrics to the certificate could increase the difficulty in comparing the performance of homes. The government’s consultation on EPC reform acknowledges the flaws of the …

Read the full article

Early Engagement Key to Managing Passivhaus Projects

Posted on December 18th 2024

Compliance with Passivhaus targets is becoming increasingly common in planning policies and stakeholder requirements. Be it full certification or partly meeting specific compliance criteria, guidance from experts as soon as Passivhaus is mentioned as a possibility will help with smooth implementation and risk management. Achieving Passivhaus standards comes with inherent risks, including potential challenges in predicting energy usage, ensuring high-quality …

Read the full article

Happy Christmas & Happy New Year

Posted on December 17th 2024

We wish you all the very best during the festive season and hope you have a happy and joyous new year. We would like to thank all our clients for your continued support through the year and look forward to working with you all in the year ahead. Some highlights from 2024 include: Our 25th anniversary; Successfully helping numerous schemes …

Read the full article

A Safe Approach to Higher Risk Building Projects

Posted on December 17th 2024

During 2024 we have worked on a wide range of Building Safety Regulator (BSR) referrable projects and welcome the clarity of roles and responsibilities that is required to navigate the Gateway process successfully and produce robust designs for high quality buildings. With decades of experience working on highly complex building projects that would have been classified as ‘Higher Risk Buildings’ …

Read the full article