Acoustic Testing: Syntegra Consulting Launches new Testing and Compliance service
Acoustic testing is the measurement of how much sound is stopped by separating walls or floors between dwellings and rooms. In England and Wales, Approved Document E of the Building Regulations requires new buildings and conversions to demonstrate reasonable levels of airborne and impact sound insulation performance between separating walls and floors. Syntegra Consulting offer […]
Attention all Landlords: Landlord’s Energy Saving Allowance
If you are a landlord and make energy saving improvements to your property, you could reduce the tax you pay. You can do this by claiming the ‘Landlord’s Energy Saving Allowance’ (LESA). The following will detail the eligibility requirements, what the allowance covers and how to apply for it. This tax allowance allows private landlords […]
November Feed In Tariff Cut
According to the Government promise to reduce the tariffs 3.5% every three months when the last Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) started in August 2012, the new Feed-in Tariffs starting November 2012 will be as follows: Description FIT rate p/kWh 0-4kW 15.44 >4-10kW 13.99 >10-50kW 13.03 >50-100kW 11.50 >100-150kW 11.50 >150-250kW 11.00 >250kW-5MW 7.10 Stand-alone 7.10 Export […]
Government supports notion of lower VAT rate for green materials
The UK government is to defend lower VAT rates for insulation against a European Commission ruling that they are illegal. The reasoning behind the government’s defence is an effort to save the Green Deal from being ‘brought down’ by potentially huge cost increases for energy efficiency work driven by Europe’s demand for a quadrupling of […]
Daylight calculation report
Daylight calculations are implemented by energy assessors to find the effectiveness of natural light that is expected to penetrate a room. Some key factors such as the size of the opening, reflectivity of surfaces and view of clear sky from a window will all influence the daylight factor in a room. The results of […]
SBEM calcs – Simplified Building Energy Model
SBEM is developed by the Building Research Establishment as a computer program to analysis building energy consumption. It is used for new commercial buildings such as Industrial Warehouse, School, Hotel, Office or even Halls of Residence. Through comparing the designed Building Emission Rate (BER) with an SBEM calculated Target Emission Rate (TER), it shows the […]
Air-conditioning inspections – Why are they required
All air-conditioning systems with an effective rated output of more than 12kw must be regularly inspected by an accredited ACI Energy Assessors. The inspections must be a maximum of five years apart. The regulations require the first inspection of the affected air-conditioning systems to be carried out as follows: For all the systems put into […]
Solar installations increase exponentially to beat feed-in tariff cut
The stressed solar industry has seen a dramatic increase in installations in anticipation of further cuts to the feed-in tariff. On 1 August, the feed-in tariff for solar power, paid to homeowners who install solar electric panels, was cut to 16p per kWh from 21p per kWh – a rate that was introduced in March […]
BREEAM New Construction 2011
BREEAM New Construction 2011 is an assessment method and certification scheme with respect to performance of new buildings in UK. It can be used to evaluate the environmental life cycle impacts of new non-domestic buildings in the stages of design and construction. The aim is to utilize a robust and cost effective manner to alleviate […]
Building Services Design Consultants
Building Services Design Consultants Building services design consultants focus on the internal environment and environmental impact of a building. Generally speaking, they are required to design, install, operate, and monitor the mechanical, electrical and public health systems to achieve safe, comfortable, friendly operation in modern buildings. These systems comprise: Communication lines, telephones and IT networks […]
Green Deal Investment drive to be underwriten by Government
As part of an increased effort to improve infrastructure investment, the government has announced it is willing to underwrite Green Deal schemes. The underwriting will form as part of the government’s Infrastructure Guarantee scheme, which was bough about to aid UK infrastructure projects that are struggling to get financing. According to the chief secretary to […]
Green construction Market Trends in the UK
“Green construction is quite simply better construction”- Paul King (Green Building Council) In the UK, the Government has committed to a 26% to 32% by 2020 and a 60% reduction of CO₂ by 2050. The former Department of Trade and Industry (Now replaced by the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform) has stated that […]
Heat Pumps for Renewable Future
Heat pumps are renewable heating technology that can contribute to a low carbon future. Being installed since the mid 1950s, the Heat Pumps are mature technology that has been fully recognised in commercial buildings and industrial sector. Heat pumps emit significantly less CO2 than gas or oil fired heating systems. Thus its operating costs are […]
Lighting for Building Regulation Part L
The government introduced the lighting energy numerical indicator (LENI) to minimise luminaire lumens per circuit watt. However, it is an alternative not a replacement to technology requirement. The Lighting Industry Association describes LENI as an initial positive proposal. The failure to include a calculation of energy saving for preset lighting control is considerable omission. The […]
Solutions for Heating and Hot Water Systems
Boilers Hot water system need to be chose basing on how many people are living in the house and how many wet rooms etc. Combi-boilers circulate hot water by radiators and underfloor heating routes. Combi-boilers avoid the installation of hot water storage cylinders and cold water storage tanks, because the boilers only provide hot water […]
Code for Sustainable Homes
The Code for Sustainable Homes was launched in December 2006. It replaced EcoHomes in England since April 2007. The aim is to make the Code for Sustainable Homes as a single standard to achieve sustainable building for new build homes in UK. The Code for Sustainable Homes set 6 levels of efficiency, with level 6 […]
Key Green Building Rating Systems- what systems are used where?
The increased number of green building organisations has lead to an increase in the use of green building rating systems on an international scale. These rating systems include: LEED (USA), BREEAM (UK), Green Star, (Australia) CASBEE (Japan) and Green Star (South Africa). These assessment tools provide projects with a qualitative evaluation of the several benefits […]
Deliver Energy Savings in Social Houses
A few domestic energy schemes have been launched in Leicester, Wolverhampton and Dudley aiming at delivering energy savings to communities. The schemes will help councils and housing authorities save energy and benefit from low carbon technologies. Solar PV has been installed on a few hundred homes that can save their energy bills approximately £120 per […]
Charging Network for Electric Car
With approximately 80% of daily driving in Britain being less than 30 miles, the electric cars are perfectly suited to most driving situations in the UK. More and more electric cars are being used on the roads. Meanwhile, more and more high quality, electric models are produced by car manufacturers. Since electric cars are more […]
Next-generation PV
The Schueco UK has launched two new PV modules to meet the environmental criteria. They are high efficiency and cost-effective. One product is ERC 50 Renovation Façade and the other product is ProSol TF+. In particular, ERC 50 is fit onto the front of an existing building. Thus it enables older commercial and residential properties […]
C-plan- carbon impact assessment details and tool guide
What is C-Plan •C-Plan relates specifically to the carbon and energy impacts of proposed developments. •Developers are required to provide information about the predicted energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions of new developments and meet renewable energy or CO2 targets. •C-Plan makes it easy for planning authorities to gather the right information from developers, to […]
FMB launches Green Deal Certification Service for small builders
The Federation of Master Builders has launched a certification scheme to boost small builders’ ability to participate in the Green Deal. The government initiative is intended to boost retrofit work by allowing householders to fund energy efficiency improvement through savings in their energy bills. Thus, the FMB Certification will offer Green Deal Installer Certification for […]
First Eco-Town receives stamp of approval
Housing association A2Dominion and developer P3Eco have received planning permission for the UK’s first eco town scheme in Bicester, Oxfordshire. The development will initially involve building 393 level five homes built according to the code for sustainable homes on a 50 acre site. A total of 40% of the land will be left open for […]
Changes to RHI payments met with scepticism
The Heat Pump Association (HPA) has expressed uncertainty about funding changes for the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive. In mid- June the DECC announced an upper limit of £70 million for 2012/2013 and a reduction in the notice period for the scheme to be suspended shortened from a month at 80% threshold to a week at […]