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Better Buildings Partnership Case Studies
Posted on: 10 October 2012
By: mackene
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Case studies from Better Buildings Partnership (BBP) members, including British Land, GE Capital Real Estate, Grosvenor, Land Securities, Legal & General Property and Quintain Estates & Development demonstrate the significant savings, both financial and carbon, that can be achieved. They provide practical examples of how companies can reduce energy and water use, improve waste management and develop effective landlord tenant partnerships. Topics covered include: single building retrofit; single building refurbishment; fit-out using Ska Rating; green building management; sustainable design and travel; and renewable energy.
Sustainable Building 2013-2014 Conference Series
Posted on: 4 October 2012
By: mackene
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Sustainable Building 2013-2014 is a series of conferences that will take place in 2013 together with the World SB2014 Conference, which are organised under the auspices of CIB (International Council for Building), UNEP (UN Environment Programme), iiSBE (International Initiative for a Sustainable Built Environment) and FIDIC (International Federation of Consulting Engineers). A new official webpage for the Conference Series SB13-14 has been launched. The website will be a communication tool for all countries and regions that are organizing conferences, and a reference for all those interested in the latest news and advances on sustainable building around the world. It will be a place to share ideas and experiences, a platform connected to social networks where users can exchange knowledge and, along the process, create a virtual community interested in the SB Events and everything related to the construction of a sustainable built environment.
State of the World Report 2012: Sustainable infrastructure
Posted on: 4 October 2012
By: mackene
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This report clarifies current international thinking on sustainability, assesses the current rating systems and sets out clear decision paths for critical investment in infrastructure.
FIDIC World Consulting Engineering Conference. Seoul, 9-12 September 2012
Posted on: 4 October 2012
By: mackene
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This conference, with its theme “Beyond Green – A New Paradigm”, aimed to demonstrate that consulting engineers have played a major and important role in society by ensuring the development and implementation of sustainable solutions to global challenges that go well beyond the conventional “green” approach. The event aimed to help identify how the consulting engineering industry can continue to develop ways of addressing the future issues that will face us all. Presentations are available online.
Responsible retrofit of traditional buildings
Posted on: 4 October 2012
By: mackene
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This report looks into key aspects of the responsible retrofit of traditional buildings on behalf of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). This work was undertaken by the Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance (STBA) which represents most of the main historic building groups in the UK as well as mainstream construction-related organisations. The work was carried out following concerns raised with regard to the application of certain retrofit measures, including those incorporated into the Green Deal, in respect of the UK’s traditional building stock.
The report begins by identifying existing national and international research and guidance work of relevance to the subject of the retrofitting of traditional buildings and recognises significant gaps in this knowledge base. It also considers a series of diverse documents that influence retrofitting practices grouped under the term Implicit Guidance and reveals short comings in these texts and their methods. A discussion then follows which draws out the consequences of this lack of good quality research and guidance in all its forms with regard to a variety of pertinent issues related to energy saving refurbishment and the performance and value of traditional buildings. The report concludes with a ‘Way Forward’ and makes suggestions as to how uncertainties within this field can be managed in order to ensure that traditional buildings can contribute to significantly reducing energy demand in the UK without placing these buildings or their occupants at undue risk. Please note this report contains an extensive bibliography.
Sustainable design and construction: Good practice guidance
Posted on: 24 September 2012
By: mackene
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This guidance has been produced for use by local planning authorities in England, together with landowners, developers, businesses, town and parish councils, community groups and others. Its aim is to assist plan-making and development management in support of local planning authorities’ statutory duty to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, of which sustainable design and construction is an integral part.
Unpublished research reports: Planning, building and the environment
Posted on: 18 September 2012
By: mackene
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Department for Communities and Local Government is publishing the thirteenth group of reports presenting the findings from research projects commissioned by the previous administration. The present administration inherited a significant backlog of unpublished reports that were commissioned by the previous government which are now being published in groups themed on a particular topic. The reports are:
Evaluation of minerals policy statements: This report by the British Geological Survey considered the implementation of a number of the Minerals Policy Statements and Minerals Policy Guidance notes, and evaluated the impacts of the policy’s implementation.
Investigating the influence of settlement pattern and morphology on the sterilisation of shallow coal resources: This report by the British Geological Survey assessed the impact on shallow coal resources of using separation zones around urban areas.
Research to understand the rural impacts of Regional Spatial Strategies: This report by Land Use Consultants noted that the Regional Strategies were not rural proofed, had an urban-centred approach and planned housing provision in rural areas was on a declining trend.
A quality local development management service: The last Government’s Killian Pretty Report recommended that Government should review the then existing national planning indicator (National Indicator 157) on timeliness for progressing planning applications and proposed a new satisfaction with the planning application service indicator. There was concern from applicants, local planning authorities and others that the performance regime focused on the 8 and 13 week timescale targets had unintended effects on behaviours and outcomes. In response the Department commissioned research into alternatives. The research report by Addison & Associates with Arup recommended monitoring 37 different indicators.
A tool to assess the Impact of EU Directives on UK Sub National Planning Policies: This research by Ove Arup aimed to develop a tool to assess the impact of future EU directives on national planning policies.
Mapping the standard of existing stock and its turnover: This report by Building Research Establishment considered the work to develop a model of the existing housing stock in England and Wales, which could be used in assessing the impact of current and future policy in relation to energy use, carbon emissions and water consumption.
Case studies of change of use of dwellings: This report by Faber Maunsell looked at achieving satisfactory acoustic performance for buildings to be converted from industry or commercial use to residential use. Although sound insulation was the main concern of this project, all other relevant requirements of the Building Regulations were to be considered and methods of compliance outlined.
Lessons from Stamford Brook: Understanding the gap between designed and real performance: This report by Leeds Metropolitan University conveyed the results of a research designed to evaluate the extent to which low carbon housing standards could be achieved in a large commercial housing development and incorporated into future Building Regulations.
Investigation of real fires: This report by the Building Research Establishment provided feedback on the performance of real buildings in real fires. The findings noted the overall effectiveness of the Building Regulations in providing for the safety of life in the event of fire and most of the significant issues that have been identified during this study fell outside the scope of these regulations.
Modelling the current and potential accessibility of the housing stock: This report by Building Research Establishment considered the accessibility of the existing housing stock in England with particular reference to its utility for older and disabled people. The report uses data from the English Housing Condition Survey to identify the frequency and suitability of a range of built features within homes to arrive at an overall assessment of their accessibility and future adaptability.
Future administration of the Energy Performance Buildings Directive Quality Assurance regime: The objective of the work was to set the long term standards and quality assurance arrangements for the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (regime and infrastructure, including Accreditation Schemes (and energy assessors, to ensure that robust, repeatable and accurate Energy Performance Certificates, Display Energy Certificates and Air Conditioning Reports were produced in a consistent manner.
Review of the impact of the draft European Basic safety standard Directive on Building Regulations; This report by the Building Research Establishment examines the implications of the proposed European ionising radiation Basic Safety Standard Directive for Building Regulations.
Glazing under abnormal loads: This report by Buro Happold and the Building Research Establishment addressed the issue of abnormal loads on glazing and the response of glazing systems. The research was commissioned in particular to examine the role of building regulations in mitigating the risks involved from abnormal loads on glazing. It reviewed structural assessment methods currently used to design buildings with glazed systems and assess their adequacy in the area of abnormal loadings.
Safety of Masonry Parapets: The overall aim of this project was to determine and analyse the most common structural problems associated with masonry parapets and the potential hazards and dangers that may arise. Having identified the problems, conclusions and recommendations require to be made regarding measures that ought to be taken in the specification, design, construction and maintenance of masonry parapets to ensure that they remained safe and structurally sound over the service life of the building.
Radon: Current and future performance of radon protective measures. This report by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) reviews the performance of radon protective measures in new buildings. The research notes that radon protection measures installed 20 years continue to provide a high degree of radon protection, and were not adversely affected by improvements such as extensions, conservatories, double glazing or insulation.
Technologies for climate change mitigation: Building sector
Posted on: 17 September 2012
By: mackene
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The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Risø Centre on Energy, Climate and Sustainable Development and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) have published a guidebook on mitigation technologies and practices in the building sector, with examples of the use of solar energy, energy efficient building materials, and urban planning for storm water management.
World Green Building Council launches Global Green Survey
Posted on: 13 September 2012
By: mackene
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The World Green Building Council is partnering with McGraw-Hill on a new global green survey. The survey will offer key insights on construction activity around the world by examining important trends affecting and transforming the construction industry on a global, regional and national level. The survey aims to explore the benefits of green construction throughout the world, as well as looking at the variation of green practices and standards by region.
AECB Annual Conference. London, 28-29 June 2012
Posted on: 6 September 2012
By: mackene
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The AECB is a network of individuals and companies with a common aim of promoting sustainable building. It brings together builders, architects, designers, manufacturers, housing associations and local authorities, to develop, share and promote best practice in environmentally sustainable building. Presentations from the 2012 Annual Conference are available online.
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