Study shows that a greener workplace boosts performance
A recent report by Harvard University suggests that workers in green-certified buildings which have achieved a high-performing rating under schemes such as BREEAM, LEED or SKA benefit from higher cognitive function, less sick leave and higher sleep quality. The report, which was unveiled at the US Green Building council’s Greenbuild conference, found that workforces in […]
Over half of tenants have been refused energy efficiency upgrades
An astonishing 58% of UK tenants who have requested energy efficiency improvements to their rental property have had these requests refused by landlords, according to a new report. The report, from letting agency PropertyLetByUS, discovered that 7 out of 10 tenants have made requests to their landlord to improve the energy efficiency of their home; […]
World Green Building Council Launch Global Net Zero Project
June saw the World Green Building Council (WGBC) launch a groundbreaking new project, which aims to ensure that all buildings are “net zero” by 2050. Net Zero refers to buildings which are either “net zero energy” or “net zero carbon”. Net zero energy buildings are highly efficient buildings which consume net zero energy (on […]
Massive potential of energy efficient social housing for landlords
Research carried out by consultancy Sustainable Homes has identified a potential £2.4 million savings per year for social landlords through the provision of more energy efficient housing stock. The research, which involved 25 social landlords managing 500,000 homes, looked at the potential cost savings which could be generated through more energy efficient housing stock, and […]
How BREEAM can boost the overall value of your refurbishment or fit-out Project
This time we are continuing our series on sustainability assessments for office and non-domestic fit-out & refurbishment projects. Missed part one? You can catch up here. Last time we outlined the benefits that achieving a Ska Rating during an office fit-out or refurbishment project can boost the sustainability of your business. This week we turn to BREEAM, the globally acknowledged […]
Why an office fit-out is the perfect time to improve your sustainability with Ska
As issues such as climate change and social awareness continue to grow in prominence for both businesses and the individuals they employ; The last few years have seen sustainability gaining momentum as a consideration for hundreds of company offices across the UK as they attempt to improve their environmental friendliness. In fact, now many organisations […]
Could sustainable smart grids revolutionise Europe?
Last month saw over 200 professionals from across Europe attend the Repowering Europe Conference in Brussels with the objective of reviewing the past successes of smart grids in Europe and discuss the future challenges faced. The conference saw debate centred on the barriers smart grids need to overcome and, in particular, the reforms required to […]
Could Brexit reduce environmental influence on infrastructure?
According to a recent poll, two thirds of IEMA’s UK membership believe that there would be a reduction or complete removal of the influence environmental matters have in infrastructure decision making. 81% of the poll’s respondents said that European laws and regulations provide a vital framework to deliver environmental protection and improvements, while 60% believe […]
House of Lords votes to reinstate Zero Carbon Homes
Last week saw The House of Lords vote for the reintroduction of on-site carbon compliance periods for homes; effectively blocking the Government’s efforts to scale-back or scrap green policies such as the Zero Carbon Homes standard. The vote comes as peers urge policy makers to back up the commitment made by the UK at the […]
MEES set to shake up energy efficiency for the private rented sector
As of April 1st 2016, The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) for the residential private rented sector came into force as part of The Energy Efficiency Regulations 2015. This means that landlords with properties to let which have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of less than “E” must carry out works to improve the […]
Lloyds offering cut-rate loans for energy efficient buildings
Lloyds Banking Group have announced the launch of £1bn in cut-rate loans to help improve energy efficiency in the built environment. Real estate clients who are looking to improve the energy efficiency of their building portfolios will be able to apply for a share of the funding, which offers discounts of up to 20 basis […]
Report highlights the impact of the UK Government’s Zero Carbon Homes cuts
A recent report by two British universities has shone a light on the serious impact of the UK Government’s Zero Carbon Homes policy cuts. The report, jointly published by The University of Westminster and The University of Hertfordshire, takes a long hard look at the implications brought about by the cutting of the Zero Carbon […]
New report by BRE aims to change views on the cost of sustainable buildings
New Research by BRE and The Sweett Group has shown that delivering sustainable buildings under BREEAM does not implicitly “add significantly” to building costs, and looks set to challenge the commonly held views on the elevated construction costs of sustainable buildings. The report found that, while buildings to the most challenging BREEAM sustainability ratings may […]
2016 bringing major changes to BREEAM International and LEED
2016 will bring major changes to the certification of sustainable buildings across the globe thanks to the recent implementation of BREEAM International 2016 and the forthcoming launch of LEED V4 in November. The updates to both BREEAM International and LEED propose a more thorough approach to sustainable development which will impact sustainable building projects seeking […]
Demand growing for UK Government to rethink proposed Solar Thermal cuts
There is a growing voice of dissent urging for a rethink of the UK Governments shock proposal to drop Solar Thermal from the UK renewable energy push. March 2nd saw the government publish a proposal to end the support for Solar Thermal hot water heating. The news comes just as the UK market has started […]
Could a greener retail environment boost your bottom line?
New research published by The World Green Building Council (WGBC) certainly thinks a greener retail environment will boost your bottom line. Whether they’re addicted to shopping or retail haters, the physical environment of your store can play a large part in tempting customers to linger longer, and spend more, in store. By drawing together key […]
BIM 101: What You Need To Know
Are you a little unclear on what Building Information Modelling (BIM) exactly is, and how utilising BIM can elevate your project to the next level? We spoke with our BIM consultant Joe Sawyer to get the lowdown on Building Information Modelling and it’s advantages… Building information Modelling, or BIM as it is more commonly […]
Meet our team at MIPIM 2016
With over 21,000 participants, 351 stands and 2,445 exhibiting companies from over 85 countries, MIPIM 2016 gathers the most influential international property players from all sectors for 4 days of networking, learning and transaction. Syntegra will be attending this year’s event, held at Palais Des Festivals, Cannes, France from 14th – 17th March. If […]
We’re Proud To Be Supporting Daisy’s Dream In 2016
We’re proud to announce that we are supporting the fantastic local charity Daisy’s Dream in 2016! Established in 1996, Daisy’s Dream is a professional support service which responds to the needs of children and families affected by life threatening illness or bereavement across Berkshire and the surrounding areas. Originally set up to […]
Dutch version of Green Deal set for Summer launch in UK
The providers of the Dutch version of the Green Deal are set to launch a £200m framework for UK energy efficiency work this Summer. The framework from Energiesprong UK – the UK arm of the Netherlands Energiesprong scheme, plans to procure contractors to deliver retrofits across 5,000 UK homes, at an average price of […]
What are the advantages of Sustainable Building?
As 2016 begins in earnest, and architects, planners and home owners take stock of their project or building’s sustainability in light of the Paris Climate Agreement reached towards the end of last year; many people simply don’t realise that sustainable building is not a new trend in architecture and housing. The practice of sustainable building […]
What does 2016 hold for Sustainable Building?
The sustainable building industry has been steadily evolving for a number of years now. In the beginning, the focus of sustainable building was firmly placed on environmentally responsible design and construction of buildings. All the way back in the pre-PV days, sustainable buildings simply utilised techniques such as high ceilings and south-facing windows to passively […]
What’s the outlook for wind and solar energy after the Paris Climate Summit?
While solar and wind dominate global investments in renewable energy, how much could these technologies expand under the recent global climate deal reached in Paris? This is what MIT researchers have attempted to answer in a recent report which evaluates the cumulative impact of the plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions submitted by individual countries at […]
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