Sustainability Services
Advice to builders/developers on renewable technology and maximising your BER
Wind TurbineWe offer advice to builders and developers on cost effective ways of ensuring that your development is more attractive to home buyers.
The new Building Regulations requires that new buildings increase the standard of energy efficiency to a minimum of a 'B' rating.
This, together with the introduction of building energy rating or BER Certificates has meant that developers must now address the specialist area of energy efficiency.
What does the Report include?
A Development Improvement Report will:
- incorporate the new Part L Building Regulations
- address the energy efficiency of your development in the most cost effective manner possible
- guide your development towards achieving its optimum building energy rating (BER)
- include a comprehensive breakdown of the materials and technologies
- recommended and their effect on the BER of the property in an easy to understand format
Every product on the market has its merits but every development is different and it is extremely important to unlock the potential of your investment by using the products best suited to the project.
We will research and investigate solutions that will be tailored with your development in mind.
The preparation of the Development Improvement Report includes:
- agreeing on a goal for the project
- analysing all areas of the development
- calculating the provisional energy ratings for each house in the development using Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure (DEAP).
- The provisional rating is the rating currently held by each house
- discovering what exactly your energy needs for this development are
- ensuring that your development meets the new Part L Building Regulations
- discussing the possibility of achieving grant funding for your development
- researching products and technologies that are available and suitable to the development
- investigating improvements and products relating to the business fabric
- implementing and re-calculating the building energy rating based on new technologies and improvements to building fabric
- providing a menu of different products and outlining their effects on the energy rating of each house type
We provide independent professional advice on the different types of products on the market, including standard, renewable and the latest innovative solutions.
We investigate each technology on an individual project basis. Our research helps you to make informed decisions on both cost effectiveness and best fit for your development.
We see no point in installing an overpriced piece of equipment that does not provide value for you or for its end user - your customers.
Our Development Improvement Report provides:
- a step by step plan on how each house type can achieve its optimum energy rating
- a breakdown of how each alteration to the building fabric effects the energy rating
- a cost benefit analysis of each element being installed.
- Guideline costs are provided for all technologies that are investigated and implemented in the energy calculations
Energy Efficient Design
This has proven to be one of the most cost-efficient and attractive ways to improve energy efficiency in commercial, as well as in other major energy-consuming sectors. In the planning phase of a new plant or installation, life-time energy costs of processes, equipment and utility systems should be assessed. During the planning and design phases, saving potentials are higher and the investments needed to achieve the savings are much lower than when optimisation is carried out during commercial operation
Renewable and alternative energy technologies and systems
Whether the main motive is to achieve savings or profit, or to reduce pressure on the environment, these technologies are highly relevant for our businesses and industries.
Carbon Usage
We can establish your carbon usage and what the implications would be if a carbon tax were introduced
Green materials selection incorporating green products into a project does not imply sacrifice in performance, or design, and does not necessarily entail higher cost. While one can spend considerably more for green materials, careful shoppers will find cost-competitive environmentally preferable options
Water usage optimization
Rainwater harvesting is a way of saving the rainwater which would normally flow off a roof and down the drain, and using it as piped water to flush toilets and for the garden watering, yard wash down, vehicle and car washing, instead of treated drinking (potable) water. Depending on your normal usage, it can save 30 to 50% of the treated drinking water from the mains in houses and up to and up to 80% of the treated drinking water in a business or commercial building.