Adrian HewittLondon Borough of Merton

Copyright LB of Merton – not to be used or copied without permissionPlease contact: 020 8545 3457 – adrian.hewitt@merton.gov.uk 020 8545 4854 – mike.carless@merton.gov.uk

Merton Community Plan target to cut CO2 emissions by 15% by 2015

The power of local government

The power of planning

“The Merton Rule”

10%+ Renewable Energy Planning Policy

Combating climate change

“All new non-residential development above a threshold of 1,000 sqm will be expected to incorporate renewable energy production equipment to provide at least 10% of predicted energy requirements.”

RIBA - Jan 05

Every borough has a policy that “encourages” the use of renewables…….but the word “encourage” never persuaded a developer to ever actually use them.

Merton’s original policy was only for non-residential development. The revised policy for the Local Development Framework will require all residential units to use renewable energy equipment cut CO2 emissions by at least 10% - slide 9

Merton UDP policy PE13 – Adopted Oct 2003

In the meantime the Croydon UDP policy has become the most commonly used example.

Why?

• Climate change• Rising fuel costs• Fuel Poverty• Lower business costs• Security of supply

Croydon – most common example of 10% policy

“The Council will expect all development (either new build or conversion) with a floor-space of 1000m2 or ten or more residential units to incorporate renewable energy production equipment to provide at least 10% of the predicted energy requirements.”

GOL/GLA - Feb 05

Contains the 8 criteria essential for a prescriptive renewable energy policy:

1. It includes the word “Require” or “Expect”.

2. It states it is for “new build or conversion” – to catch change of use in regeneration areas

3. It is for the combined floor space of commercial and residential.

4. It establishes the floor-space and residential unit number threshold

5. It states it is for on site renewable energy equipment – not buying in green energy from the grid. The rationales of the policy are to stimulate the micro-renewables economy, address fuel poverty, and lower energy bills for businesses.

6. It sets the % target – in this case 10%.

7. It is for the “predicted energy usage” - It is not acceptable to build and then monitor usage and then retrofit the renewables. However, the policy should be implemented in terms of carbon not energy – see following slide.

8. It says to provide “at least” 10% - which means that a higher target can be required if technically feasible and financially reasonable.

4%

96%

Public support

Question 7

“Would you support the use of sustainable energy generation and distribution systems?”

Mitcham town centre regeneration consultation Question 6

“Would you support the use of renewable energy to generate hot water and electricity?”

16%

84%

MorZED residents consultation Question 3

“To what extent do you agree with on- site renewable energy?” 10%

90%

ICLEI – Stockholm May 05

Three main concerns preventing mainstream adoption

• DC officers should not be expected to become experts in renewable energy

• or advise on engineering options - it’s not their job to!

• Find an officer with an interest who can act as a pre-application “guide”

• Use the London Renewables Toolkit or one of the software programmes available

• Energy consultants will be used by the developer in complex cases – establish an approved list who can be trusted not to cheat.

• Get advice from local Energy Efficiency Advice Centres or for non-profit company

• Resist the temptation to become fixated on overly complex CO2 & renewable energy calculations – concentrate on implementing the policy and getting a reasonable estimate of 10% with the minimum of fuss

2. Will it lower land values and scare developers away? – NO

Experience is showing only about 2% to 3% additional build cost – and developers are not being scared away from Merton and Croydon where the policy is being implemented.

1. Is it legal? – YES - Precedent set by Merton in adopting and implementing

3. Will it overload my Development Control officers? – POSSIBLY

DTI/DEfRA - July 05

Breaking the psychological log-jams

PPS 22 – Aug 2004 - confirming the right of PAs to have a MertonRule policy

http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/environment/energy/docs/renewables_toolkit.pdf

London Renewables Toolkit

Work on revising DTI/Carbon Trust Energy Consumption Guides

Training workshops for planners, Councillors and developers

Established the London Renewables Group > London Energy partnership

GLA – Renewables policy Feb 2004 & the first few boroughs adopting

RTPI presentation July 06

Website guidance and support: www.themertonrule.org

7

6

4

3

2

1

5

Momentum gets going – boroughs start to embed a 10% policy in their own UDPs

Barking & Dag

Bexley

Bromley

C of London

Croydon

Ealing

Enfield

Greenwich

Haringey

Havering

Lambeth

Lewisham

Merton

Southwark

Sutton

Tower Hamlets

Waltham Forest

Westminster

Barnsley

Bedford

Belfast

Blackburn

Bracknell F

Bradford

Brighton

Calderdale

Cambridge

Camden

Cantebury

Charnwood

Chester

Chichester

Crawley

Derby

Doncaster

East Riding

Edinburgh

Gateshead

Guildford

Harrogate

Isle of Wight

Hull

Kirklees

Leeds

Leicester

Liverpool

Manchester

Maidstone

Milton Keynes

Newcastle

North Devon

Oldham

Reading

Rotherham

Ryedale

Salford

Sedgefield

Sefton

Sheffield

Southampton

REGIONAL PLANS

London

East

Yorks & Humber

South East

South West

North East

East Midland

Scotland

Wales

St Albans

Surrey Heath

Telford & W

Test Valley

Wakefield

Waveney

York

Aylesbury Vale

Belfast

Bradford

Chester

Cornwall

Craven

Dartford

Doncaster

East Devon

East Riding

Exeter

Hambleton

Harlow

Leeds

Lincolnshire

N. Lincolnshire

N.E.Lincolnshire

Oxfordshire

Richmondshire

S.Gloucestershire

Somerset

Test Valley

WorcestershireSpace bar

Thursday 8 June 2006 – mainstreaming complete….!!!!

Written Ministerial Statements

Communities and Local Government

PPS22

The Minister for Housing and Planning (Yvette Cooper):

“It is essential that all planning authorities follow this example and take account fully of the positive approach to renewables set out in PPS22 at the earliest opportunity in their plan-making. In particular the Government expect all planning authorities to include policies in their development plans that require a percentage of the energy in new developments to come from on-site renewables, where it is viable.”

“I have instructed my officials to write to all chief planning officers enclosing a copy of this ministerial statement.”

The Housing Corporation - June 05

kW hours of Energy

Electricity

Gas/water

10% kWh=

X ££

3. Carbon NOT energy Policy should be written so that renewable energy is used to cut CO2 emissions rather than generate 10% of energy needs. This is to discourage house-builders from installing electric heating. Electric heating is cheaper to install but is more expensive for the end user and is a far less CO2 efficient way of providing heating.

1. Residential thresholds Policy should be for all residential units

– the additional capital cost is only £2K for solar thermal panels

For local authorities front loading a 10%+ policy into their LDF –

3 issues to note

2. “Expect” vs “Require” – use of the word “require” is justified by PS22

East Region - June 05

CO2 Electricity10% CO2

=

Y ££££

“The Council will require all developments, either new build or conversion, with a combined floor-space of 500m2, or one or more residential units, to incorporate on-site renewable energy equipment to reduce predicted CO2 emissions by at least 10% ”

Revised Local Development Framework (LDF) policy:

Rising fossil fuel prices

Falling cost of renewables

DTI/DEfRA - July 05

Merton LDF policy

100%

PV and other

Cut of 75%

PV and other

Cut of 50%

PV

Cut of 30%

Solar thermal and PV

Cut of 25%

solar thermal panel

Conservatories, extensions & conversions

20%

17.5%

15%

12.5%

10%

Office

17.5%

15%

12.5%

10%

7.5%

Light industrial

25%

20%

15%

12.5%

10%

4 story + res

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

Low rise res

Year 5 (12)

Year 4 (11)

Year 3 (10)

Year 2 (09)

Year 1 (08)

Renewable energy policy matrixAppendix to LDF for interpreting the meaning of…. “…at least 10%….”

Renewable Energy Association - June 06

At least 10% - Cranking up the % target & offsite generation

If the % target is technically unfeasible or financially unviable then offsite generation may be permitted if it can be traced back to a “pure” green source.

15%

12.5%

10%

7.5%%

5%

Etc etc

= 13,50010%

= 134,820TOTAL

47,880X 0.19252,000X 3,50072Heating (gas)

Electricity

Naturally ventilated open plan office

86,940

Total kg CO2 pa

X 0.46

kWh to CO2

189,000

Total kWh pa

X 3,500

Size of building m2

54

kWh pa per m2

Implementation for DC officers

Identify kilowatt hours per annum (kWhpa) for electricity and kWhpa for heating for the particular type of development (see London Renewables Toolkit p107 below) and then multiply by the m2 of the building.

The London Renewables Toolkit was commissioned by the London Energy Partnership and covers all the relevant areas for implementing the policy.http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/environment/energy/docs/renewables_toolkit.pdf

1. Determining how much the 10% is

Institute of Physics - June 05

There are companies that can help both developers and LAs in implementing the 10% policy. They will calculate CO2 emission footprints and percentage targets, and advise on equipment options.

http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/environment/energy/docs/renewables_toolkit.pdf

www.themertonrule.org

3,500kg

Total CO2 cut

1,445 kg

7,200g

2. Confirming if the developers proposal meets the 10%

10% = 13,500 kg CO2

3,500 m2 office = Energy efficiency =

10% CO2 cut10% = 12,150

kg CO2

17

10

6

Number of devises

1m2 Solar thermal panel

Technology

1 kWp Photovoltaic

Micro-wind turbine

85 kg

350 kg

1,200 kg

CO2 cut p/a

12,145 kg CO2

In order to minimize the number of solar panels or wind turbines etc needed to meet the 10% target, the developer will inevitably try to keep the predicted energy/CO2 emissions as low as possible by incorporating energy efficiency measures into the building.

Building Service Journal – Oct 05

South West Region – Nov 05

Enforcement Condition – developed jointly by Merton & Croydon

“Before any unit is occupied the renewable energy equipment shall have been installed and the local planning authority shall be satisfied that their day to day operation will provide energy for the development for so long as the development remains in existence.

The carbon savings which result from this will be above the requirements of the legal Building Regulations.”

The policy delivers the Building Regs by default

Attitude of developers – Getting ahead of the game in designing, constructing and marketing low-carbon buildings.

Embedding it into their modus-operandi

Implementing the 10% policy – the story so far….

University of Venice May 2006

103 applications to date in Croydon & Merton, others across London & a few boroughs outside

Residential - solar water heating – if there’s no room for twin coil hot water tanks, so they go for PV sometimes. Some micro-turbines.

High rise res – PV, solar thermal, wind

Industrial warehousing/Light industrial - PV & wind (up to 6kW)

Hotels, town centre retail and large stores – GSHE, PV & wind

Offices – PV & wind

Large mixed use - Biomass CHP and district heating

108,200 kgCO2

97,700 kgCO2

10% = 9,700 KgCO2

condensing boilers & intelligent lighting = 9% Lower CO2 footprint of

67,300 kgCO2

condensing boilers & intelligent lighting = 9%

60,000 kgCO2

10% = 6,000 Kg CO2

12.0%7.5%10 micro-turbines, 5kWp photovoltaics

& water saving taps & toilets = 7,250 kgCO2

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10 individual business units

Additional build cost 3%

16.5% total CO2 reduction

21% total CO2 reduction

RIBA Jan 05First implementation – 4,500 sqm of 10 light commercial units Willow Lane Industrial Estate - Merton

Animated slide – hit space bar and wait each time

Renewable energy visitors centre

Ground source heat piles

Micro-turbinesSolar thermal Photovoltaics

Vertical axis wind turbine

Growing market = Falling prices2nd Implementation – B&Q

The bigger picture – the future – selling renewables to owner occupiers

Merton Environment & Safety Forum - Oct 05

Exponential growth in the industry

LDF 2008 – PPS 22 &PPS 26

x by 422 PAs in UK

m2 Thermal/GSHE

5,500

PV kWp

150

Micro-wind

150

2,321,00063,30063,300

£400 (sqm)£5,000 (kWp)£5,000 (unit)

£1,012,800,000£316,500,000£316,500,000

£1,500,000,000

And jobs in - BSE, Architecture, Marketing, R&D, Planning, Legal, etc

Current value of installed renewables

£35m

£1.5b

Said Business School, Oxford University - Feb 05

Space bar

Wouldn’t it be better to do this through the Building Regs ?

Foster healthy competition between boroughs

Create pride and recognition at a local level

BRs are inflexible and only give the minimum

Preserve imagination and initiative at a local level

Can’t explore the frontier from behind a central Government policy desk.!! Urban turbines

Solar Century

B&Q

NO - so why are Planning Policies and local initiatives the best approach?

Building Regs Ofgem, Gov Depts etc

Unst hydrogen Island

Edinburgh Univ tri-gen

BedZED

Merton 10%

Woking DHP

Enthuses the next generation of planners

Oxford University - Institute of Russian and Slavonic Studies - Nov 05

Space bar

The energy that families and businesses will want will be the cheapest energy – which will be that which they have some ownership or control of

Turbines

Design and retrofit the building

Solar thermal

Solar PV

GSHE

Renewable energy supply

companies and

retailers

Decentralization of future investment - financial - technological - intellectual

The Energy Review - future “mindset”

Central planning vs decentralization

Architects Journal – Dec 05

Adrian HewittLondon Borough of Merton

Copyright LB of Merton – not to be used or copied without permissionPlease contact: 020 8545 3457 – adrian.hewitt@merton.gov.uk

“To mobilize we must develop a technique and methods so simple that the citizen of good common sense can readily grasp the idea.”

General George C Marshall

From “cottage industry” to commercial industrial

“The Merton Rule”

10%+ Renewable Energy Planning Policy

Mobilizing to combat climate change

Into the mainstream 1 – presentations given at the following conferences & seminars

19/10/05 Getting to 10% - Building Services Journal London CIBSE - Church House, Westminster, London

15/07/05 Sustainable energy economy DTI/DEFRA Sustainable Industries Unit - London

12/07/05 10% Policy - Parliamentary Renewable & Sustainable Energy Group Liberal Club - London

05/07/05 Building Integrated Renewables - Solar Century Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors - London

29/06/05 Climate change planning - National Society for Clean Air Institute of Physics - London

28/06/05 Planning & Community Heating - Combined Heat & Power Association Army & Navy Club – Pall Mall, London

08/06/05 Sustainable planning - Eastern Region Ipswich

25/05/05 Urban sustainable energy planning and technologies - LETIT (EU) Terni - Italy

18/05/05 Sustainable planning - Edinburgh & South Lothian Edinburgh University

16/04/05 Merton Energy Strategy - Merton Environment & Safety Forum Morden Baptist church - Merton

03/03/05 Sustainable energy & planning - Sustainable Institutions Group Said Business School - Oxford University

21/02/05 Planning for Low Carbon Building - Government Office for London Greater London Authority - City Hall, London

26/01/05 Eco-housing - Oxford Brookes University Royal Institute of British Architects - London

24/01/05 Low-carbon technologies and spatial planning - Oxford Trust Culham Laboratory - Oxfordshire

21/11/04 10% renewable policy - Building Services Engineering Max Fordham Associates - London

23/10/04 Renewable energy in Merton – Merton Environment & Safety Forum London Borough of Merton - London

22/09/04 “Solar technologies will never work in Oxford” – Debate Oxford Union

24/08/05 10% renewable policy - East Midlands planning conference De Montfort University - Leicester

06/06/04 Low Energy Technology Implementation (LETIT) - EU - 6th Framework London

29/03/04 10% renewable policy - IT Power Greater London Authority - City Hall - London

29/05/03 Sustainable development communication strategies - EU Asia-Urbs The Energy Research Institute - New Delhi, India

22/09/02 Urban Carbon Zoning – Combating climate change Worcester Polytechnic Institute - Massachusetts

04/07/02 Sustainable urban planning and building design – EU Asia-Urbs Barcelona - Catalonia

RTPI presentation July 06

14/09/06 Combating climate change – sustainable energy planning in Britain Perm University - Russia

28/06/06 The MertonRule 10%+ Policy - Local action on climate change London

19/06/06 The MertonRule 10%+ Policy – policy briefing The Housing Corporation - London

08/06/06 The MertonRule 10%+ Policy – Renewable Energy Association Institute of Civil Engineers - London

26/05/06 The MertonRule 10%+ Policy – Begbroke Science Directorate Oxford University

25/05/06 The MertonRule 10%+ Policy – Sustainable planning conference Oxford Brookes University

22/05/06 Mapping and monitoring the 10% policy on GIS – UDMS City Knowledge Venice University

17/05/06 Mapping and monitoring the 10% policy on GIS – UDMS City Knowledge Aalborg, Denmark

16/05/06 Merton sustainable energy strategy - ICLEI Stockholm

27/04/06 Low carbon planning and infrastructure – EU LETIT Brussels

06/04/06 Merton 10% Policy – MSc lecture Oxford Brookes University

13/03/06 Sustainable Planning policy Southampton Town Hall

07/02/06 The MertonRule 10%+ Policy – Wycombe Borough Council Merton

17/01/06 The MertonRule 10%+ Policy – Sheffield City Council Merton

12/01/06 Low carbon planning and infrastructure – EU LETIT University of Lisbon

09/01/06 Merton Energy Strategy – Merton Scientific Society Merton Adult Education College

12/12/05 10% Renewable Policy – Energy Centre for Sustainable Communities Hove Town Hall

07/12/05 Planning for Climate Change - Friends of the Earth Cymru Welsh Assembly

01/12/05 Sustainable Architecture - Architects Journal Hamilton Place - London

24/11/05 Climate Change & Politics Institute of Russian & Slavonic Studies - Oxford Univ

23/11/05 From Paper to Practice (10% Policy) - South West Region Centre for Sustainable Energy - Taunton

16/11/05 Renewable Futures (10% policy) - South West Region Regensw - Western–Super Mare

27/10/05 Building a sustainable future - Construction News Institute of Obstetricians and Gynecologists – London

Into the mainstream 2 – presentations given at the following conferences & seminars

RTPI presentation July 06