Should we be using heat pumps on heat networks?
Posted on January 29th 2019
Rapid decarbonisation of electricity means that heat pumps are now serious contenders as a source of heat for many new developments. They can offer significant carbon reductions and air quality improvements over gas boilers or combined heat and power (CHP) if designed and installed well, and provide the option to provide cooling as well as heat. As with any technology, …
Celebrating Team Success
Posted on January 29th 2019
We are delighted to be able to announce many excellent recent team successes. This reflects our ongoing commitment to learning and development for all staff across the company. Nimco Ali and Georgios Koronaios are both now full Members of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE). Kim Coleman has successfully completed her Diploma in Acoustics. Her outstanding thesis on …
Tips to design out damage caused by interstitial condensation
Posted on January 29th 2019
Interstitial condensation is when water droplets form within or between the various layers of materials that make up a wall, floor, or roof. This can lead to building damage (e.g. structural corrosion or rot) and mould growth. Mould has been widely reported to lead to negative health consequences. Both outcomes have litigation and warranty concerns. Over the past year we …
Energy strategies impacted by updated GLA guidance
Posted on December 10th 2018
You can download a copy of this guidance note here: Energy Strategies Impacted by Updated GLA Guidance – Hodkinson Consultancy Updated GLA guidance on energy statements will have significant impacts on all planning applications in London. All energy statements in London should be developed in line with this updated guidance, on which the GLA and Boroughs place significant weight. It …
Hodkinson Consultancy collaborates with UK-GBC circular economy task group
Posted on December 10th 2018
We are pleased to be members of the UK Green Building Council’s task group on the Circular Economy. We are attending regular workshops for the group and are really looking forward to being part of this exciting programme over the next year. Clients can find it challenging to know how, when and why to specify circular economy principles to enable …
We were runner up in the CIBSE BSG Prize 2018
Posted on December 10th 2018
Vasiliki won the runner-up prize in the CIBSE Building Simulation Group inaugural Prize 2018 showcasing excellence in the application of building simulation. She presented her shortlisted case study amongst the six finalists at CIBSE Build2Perform 2018. Congratulations to all finalists; all presentations were of a very high standard and competition was high. The advanced simulation tools used for the assessment …
New NPPF paves way for more challenging carbon targets
Posted on October 23rd 2018
The UK Government published the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in July 2018. This paves the way for local authorities to set their own energy efficiency standards in local planning policy and represents arguably the most important step change in Government policy on housing standards since Eric Pickles published his ministerial statement in March 2015. With specific regard to …
SAP 10 and its impact on energy strategies
Posted on October 23rd 2018
We are already looking at future energy scenarios for our clients, SAP 10 provides near-future (c.2020) domestic energy assessment methodology. The SAP methodology has been updated and published to allow the industry to prepare for the expected release of the awaited Part L Approved Document late 2019 or early 2020. For clarity, until the new Part L is adopted, SAP …
Residents Perceptions on Noise, Ventilation and Overheating
Posted on October 18th 2018
Are residents satisfied with their living conditions when the building meets standards set out for noise, ventilation and overheating? We have undertaken research into resident’s perceptions on internal noise levels, ventilation and thermal comfort. This has uncovered that residents are often resigned to high levels of noise to improve ventilation, even when mechanical ventilation is available. There is an inter-relationship …
The Challenge of Grid Decarbonisation
Posted on September 14th 2018
Rapid decarbonation of UK grid electricity due to a shift away from coal towards lower carbon generation from renewables and nuclear presents a new set of challenges to developers seeking the best energy strategy for their developments. For new schemes, it is now more important than ever to balance the increasingly competing aims of minimizing capital costs, meeting customer requirements …