Come and meet us
Opening times
Visit the School
Refurbishing Europe: An EU strategy for energy efficiency and climate action led by building refurbishment
Posted on: 1 March 2012
By: mackene
No Comments »
Filed under: News
The report identifies a range of barriers, political, structural, industrial and social, that presently prevent more rapid and beneficial action on energy efficiency, and highlights and discusses necessary actions to accelerate the rate of low-energy refurbishment of Europe’s buildings.
Challenging the government on sustainability: incentivising through tax
Posted on: 23 February 2012
By: mackene
No Comments »
Filed under: News
As much as 20% of total UK commercial stock could become unlettable in 2018 if the necessary action is not taken to improve the sustainability of existing stock. A report from GVA outlines four specific ways in which the tax system could help to produce a much more energy efficient building stock and help stimulate the economy: Incentivise through Stamp Duty Land Tax; Incentivise through the business rates system; Introduce rating exemptions for plant and machinery; Change the way capital allowances are calculated.
Principles for nearly zero-energy buildings: Paving the way for effective implementation of policy requirements
Posted on: 15 February 2012
By: mackene
No Comments »
Filed under: News
The re-cast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) requires that from 2019 onwards ‘all the new buildings occupied and owned by public authorities are nearly zero-energy buildings’ (nZEB) and by the end of 2020 ‘all new buildings are nearly zero- energy buildings’. The European Member States ‘shall draw up national plans for increasing the number of nZEBs. Concepts and examples for nearly Zero-Energy or climate neutral buildings already exist in various countries and from different sources. However the views on how such buildings should be defined, and the means and techniques to achieve specific national targets show considerable differences across Europe. The definition of nZEB in the EPBD recast offers flexibility, but at the same time leaves uncertainties on the actual ambition level and CO2-emissions of such buildings.
Following its main mission to contribute to the improvement of the buildings’ energy performance across Europe, the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) started in December 2010 a study to support the EPBD implementation by developing a well-founded opinion on principles for nearly Zero-Energy Buildings, based on the current status and on existing concepts for low energy buildings. The nZEB study is designed to lead to: a common understanding of the issue around nearly zero energy buildings; knowledge on possible solutions to pending questions; proposals for suitable definitions; a clear view on the effects of such definitions; and a comparison of the results and recommendations for the steps towards common understanding of this term throughout of the EU.
Presentations from the launch event, held in Brussels on 11 November 2011, are also available.
12th International Conference on Durability of Building Materials and Components
Posted on: 3 February 2012
By: isadm
No Comments »
Filed under: News
12th International Conference on Building Materials and Components was held in Porto, Portugal on 12-15 April 2011. This conference, which take place every three years, aims to bring together those concerned about durability of building materials and components and thus provide a forum for discussion of the most recent research and practice in this domain. The conference proceedings of over 2,000 pages are available online.
Local authority action for energy efficiency in housing stock: An analysis of energy efficiency data from the Decent Homes Standard Backlog programme bids
Posted on: 1 February 2012
By: isadm
No Comments »
Filed under: News
This paper from the Homes and Communities Agency presents the findings of analysis of energy efficiency data supplied by landlords with bids for funding from the Decent Homes Standard (DHS) Backlog programme administered by the Homes and Communities Agency. Data obtained demonstrates that energy efficiency programmes are integrated with DHS programmes; how work is funded; the scale of works; and attitudes towards the proposed Green Deal mechanism. It reveals landlords’ aspirations, the challenges they face, the drivers for energy efficiency at local authority level, and their achievements.
Energy efficiency improvements in tenements in Bellshill
Posted on: 1 February 2012
By: isadm
No Comments »
Filed under: News
CIC Start Online is to hold a webinar on 9 February 2012 to consider a study carried out in Bellshill near Motherwell to explore the possibilities of improving the energy efficiency of the apartment’s fabric and energy for space and water heating. This feasibility study addressed options and elements in which the apartments can be thermally improved and to also explore the improvement of heating services which at present have become difficult to maintain and are costly for the tenant.
Achieving zero: Delivering future-friendly buildings
Posted on: 25 January 2012
By: mackene
No Comments »
Filed under: News
Oxford University’s Environment Change Institute has published a report which provides the policy framework to ensure that all energy use in all buildings in the whole UK results in zero carbon emissions by 2050. This covers 26 million homes and 2 million business (ie non-domestic) properties. The strategy builds on two sets of natural divisions at the level of an individual property: the different roles of the building owner and the building occupant; and the energy use that results from the characteristics of the building (mainly gas for space and water heating, but including electricity in fixed lighting) and the energy use that results from the behaviour of the occupant, including the use of the contents of the building (mainly electricity for appliances and equipment).
Sustainable Building Solutions
Posted on: 24 January 2012
By: mackene
No Comments »
Filed under: News
A new website by the Travis Perkins Group offers technical sustainability expertise for new build and refurbishment projects. Aimed at builders and specifiers, the Sustainable Building Solutions site includes standard construction details, technical advice and recommended products and services. The site also has a technical helpline for customers, which is managed by BRE.
Retrofit Guides
Posted on: 19 January 2012
By: mackene
No Comments »
Filed under: News
To explore the business opportunities emerging from the low carbon building and retrofit market, the Institute for Sustainability has produced a series of ‘Building Opportunities for Business’ Retrofit Guides. The guides draw on leading academic and industry experts and provide practical and commercially focused advice and best practice to both trades and professions including architects, surveyors, builders, project managers, plumbers and electricians. The guides are: 1: Introduction; 2: Surveying and assessing buildings for low carbon retrofit; 3: Planning low carbon retrofit projects; 4: Funding and procurement for low carbon retrofit projects; 5: Managing low carbon retrofit projects; 6: Improving the building fabric; 7: Improving the building services; 8: Green retrofit; 9: Living in a low carbon home; 10: Identifying opportunities and promoting low carbon retrofit; 11: Promotion programmes for low carbon retrofit; 12: Skills, training and accreditation.
GHA Monitoring Programme 2009-11: Technical report. Results from Phase 1: Post-construction testing of a sample of highly sustainable new homes
Posted on: 9 January 2012
By: mackene
No Comments »
Filed under: News
The Good Homes Alliance, a group of developers, academics and other professionals, has measured the fabric performance and heat loss of four energy efficient homes after construction. This study, backed by the Energy Saving Trust and the Department for Communities and Local Government, found all four buildings had a heat loss of 14 per cent higher than designed, although they all performed better than the building regulations design targets they were required to meet at the time of planning approval. The GHA makes a number of recommendations, including: The house building industry undertakes fabric heat loss testing of a sample of all new homes built; the government should encourage and incentivise the industry to gather evidence about the fabric performance of new homes; and the government works with the industry to develop a national feedback and learning programme, including training around heat loss.
What’s new
What’s new and Events presentations archive
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011