SUMMER 2010 ISSUE 44

ConStRUCtIng thE fUtURE 44

five years at the cutting edge 07Diplomatic sustainability 09New carbon efficiency for old homes 11Cub House comes to the Innovation Park 12Putting new building systems to the test 13

01 Comment

02 news

07 five years at the cutting edge The BRE Innovation Park may look like the set of the

latest Hollywood blockbuster, but the sustainable building innovations being trialled there – and the new information created, the lessons learned, and the marketing and training opportunities available – are all very real.

09 Diplomatic sustainability Buildings that represent the UK throughout the

world can now demonstrate their environmental credentials, following the development of a BREEAM scheme for embassy buildings.

11 new carbon efficiency for old homes A £4.5 million project to refurbish and carry out

extensive R&D on three Victorian terraced houses will demonstrate innovative retrofit solutions that are designed to reduce, by up to 80%, carbon emissions from existing homes.

12 Cub house comes to the BRE Innovation Park

Combining superior sustainability with top-quality modern design, Charlie Greig’s Cub house has brought its own unique take on housebuilding to the BRE Innovation Park.

13 fire performance – putting new building systems to the test

New building systems have no proven track record of performance in the event of a fire. LPS 1501 has been developed to test and assess the fire performance of innovative construction methods.

CommentContents

Constructing the future is published by the BRE Group, a world leading research consultancy, training, testing and certification organisation, delivering sustainability and innovation across the built environment and beyond. The BRE Group is wholly owned by the BRE Trust, a registered charity aiming to advance knowledge, innovation and communication in all matters concerning the built environment for the benefit of all. All BRE Group profits are passed to the BRE Trust to promote its charitable objectives.

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Editor Tom Harvey Email: harveyt@bre.co.uk Design OPX T +44 (0)20 7729 6295 www.opx.co.uk Printing Printhaus T +44 (0)1442 355 217

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Innovation Park – first five years

Launched five years ago as a general showcase of innovative construction, the BRE Innovation Park’s activities were soon focused on using innovation to achieve a more sustainable, low carbon built environment.

The industry has responded enthusiastically, with key players constructing buildings on the Park and hundreds of technologies being tested. A great deal has been learned and many of the innovations introduced on the Park are now being widely applied (see page 7).

A range of major sustainability issues have been addressed. Back in 2005, for example, it was questioned whether constructing zero carbon buildings was even possible. Achievements on the Park have shown that this can be done, and the focus has moved to making zero carbon buildings more affordable – and applying new knowledge to reducing the CO2 and other impacts of existing buildings.

Many questions remain. The reaction of householders to ‘green’ technology, for example, is hugely important. How can the behaviour of building occupiers be changed to ensure that buildings are used as sustainably as their design allows? And how is renewable energy going to be effectively used and distributed across the network?

Then there is the issue of whether the various sustainable technologies will work together. Research on the Park has demonstrated their effectiveness individually, but we have to ensure that they work in concert and without hindering each other during ‘real-life’ operation. Also, buildings need to be sufficiently adaptable to cope with the impacts of climate change (such as more extreme weather events), and to the changing needs of a mobile urban community.

Work on these and other issues continues apace at the Park, with the latest demonstration home arriving in April (page 12) and the Victorian Terrace retrofit project nearing completion (page 11). Many opportunities remain for others in the industry to join us in generating the new knowledge needed for UK construction to deliver the high quality, sustainable built environment that is so urgently needed.

Jaya Skandamoorthy Director of the BRE Innovation Park

news 01 | 02

Volume production of CSH Level 4 homesA partnership has been created to research, develop and pioneer the volume production of low carbon homes.

The ‘AIMC4’ consortium will develop and apply innovative materials, products and processes to meet the government’s Code for Sustainable Homes level 4 energy performance. This will be achieved without the use of renewable technologies, so ensuring that the reduction in carbon emissions is embedded in the fabric performance of the home.

The six AIMC4 consortium members are:

– Developers, Stewart Milne Group, Barratt Developments PLC and Crest Nicholson PLC – responsible for the design and build of at least 12 energy efficient homes

– BRE – advising on innovative solutions and evaluating the technical issues

– Oxford Brookes University – analysing and evaluating the performance of the homes and occupant behaviour once the homes have been sold and are occupied

– H+H UK Ltd, an innovative supplier of Aircrete concrete products.

This is a £6.4m project, of which £3.2m has been invested by the Consortium members with the other £3.2m coming from the Technology Strategy Board.

Key to the success of the project will be engaging with suppliers at all levels to develop a formula for building homes with energy efficient fabric and building services. The Consortium believes that achieving this goal will not only help meet the government target of zero carbon homes by 2016, but also reduce costs, create a new UK supply chain, generate new build systems and processes and ensure homes are designed that meet consumer needs.

The three-and-a-half year project will see a range of build systems (timber frame, masonry and hybrid) – along with offsite manufacture and new onsite assembly processes – being researched and developed for their ability to meet the overall objectives.

For more information – Linda McKeown T 01923 664569 E mckeownl@bre.co.uk www.aimc4.com

– Online seminars for built environment professionals.

– A cost-effective and convenient means of accessing CPD.

View the latest online seminars on: www.bre.co.uk/brelearning

BRELEARNING

BEcomE A BREEAm AssEssoRTrain to be an assessor for the world’s most widely used scheme for assessing the environmental performance of buildings.

Tel: 01923 664462 Email: breeam@bre.co.uk www.breeam.org

Power walkingAn interactive paving slab that generates energy from footsteps, won first place in the Innovation Future Zone competition at this year’s Ecobuild event at Earls Court in London.

The competition was organised by the Modern Built Environment Knowledge Transfer Network, along with partners the Technology Strategy Board, CIOB, EPSRC, Nanotechnology KTN and Creative Industries KTN.

The ingenious paving system, called ‘Pavegen’, works by converting kinetic energy from people’s footsteps into electrical energy that is stored in a battery in the paving slab. The slabs, which contain a light that gets brighter according to how much energy is stored, are designed to ‘flex’ less than 5mm when stepped on. This movement cannot be detected by pedestrians, but is enough to generate electricity.

Pavegen inventor, Laurence Kemball-Cook, has estimated that the average paving stone on a busy street is stepped on around 50,000 times a day. This offers a significant and as yet untapped energy source that could be used to power anything from lighting at bus stops and information displays, to ticket machines and automatic shop doors.

For more information – www.pavegensystems.com

Pavegen in use during a trial in London.

First BREEAM-NL CertificationsSchiphol Real Estate’s TransPort office building and a new logistics park by developer WDP in Tilburg are the first buildings to receive certification under BREEAM-NL, the version of the BREEAM building rating system operated by the Dutch Green Building Council (DGBC) under licence from BRE Global.

The certificates were presented by Jaap Gillis, Chairman of the DGBC, and Paul Gibbon, Director of Sustainability for BRE Global, at Building Holland, the leading exhibition for sustainable design and construction in the Netherlands.

‘We have chosen to use BREEAM in the Netherlands because of its robustness and also its adaptability to the needs of the Dutch market,’ said Gillis. ‘We are experiencing increasing demand from real estate investors and developers who want a high degree of sustainability and a tool to benchmark and demonstrate their progress.

‘DGBC was the first National Scheme Operator to adopt BREEAM, and has worked very hard over the last 18 months with BRE Global to develop a specifically tailored version for the Netherlands. We recently formally launched BREEAM-NL for retail, industrial, education and office buildings and are due to release a version of BREEAM-NL for residential buildings.’

For more information – on BREEAM’s international development – www.breeam.org/international on BREEAM-NL – www.breeam.nl

news

Better water and energy efficiency in homes An innovative refurbishment project, ‘Greener Homes for Redbridge’, is investigating what it takes to improve the water and energy efficiency of 20 street properties in Redbridge.

Reducing carbon emissions and cutting heating costs for people who live in older homes is a major challenge for the UK housing industry, with more than a quarter of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions created by households.

Funded by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), Redbridge Council and the NHBC Foundation, the project is being run by East Thames Group in partnership with Redbridge Council, housing contractor Wates Living Space, BRE and construction consultancy Pellings.

The 20 homes in the project are being renovated with a range of technologies and fittings, including smart meters to help residents monitor their energy use, cavity wall insulation, water-saving toilets, taps and bathroom fittings, solar panels and solar hot water systems, and energy efficient LED lighting and heating systems.

The residents who move into the homes will be provided with guidance on making the most of these green features and what they can do to further reduce their environmental impact.

For the next two years the homes will be extensively monitored to assess actual energy and water savings achieved, and the effects of residents’ behaviour on each home’s carbon footprint. Several partners are assisting with this, including BRE, Thames Water and Essex & Suffolk Water, npower and Dimplex.

The findings will be presented to local, regional and central government, in the hope that lessons learned will help shape the approach being taken to improve the sustainability of older homes and bring empty homes back into use.

For more information – Richard Hartless T 01923 664143 E hartlessr@bre.co.uk www.east-homes.co.uk/greenerhomes

One of the homes that will be refurbished as part of the Greener Homes for Redbridge project.

BIPV coNfERENcE 16 June 2010 at BRE Watford

Building-integrated PV (BIPV) enables electricity generation from tiles, roof laminates and other components.Conference on the technologies, economics, architecture and certification.www.bre.co.uk/BIPVconference

ENERGY mANAGEmENT TRAINING

28 – 29 June at BRE Watford Energy Management Understanding where and how an organisation uses energy and can cost-effectively reduce energy use.

30 June – 1 July at BRE Watford Energy Management System BS EN 16001 A practical approach to Energy Management Systems in accordance with BS EN 16001

To book visit: www.bre.co.uk/training

Schiphol Real Estate’s TransPort building.

A number of case studies will be used to help conduct research into flood protection systems and enable the implementation of the technology. These cover a range of flood types and locations, from coastal flooding problems in the Mediterranean to pluvial flooding in urban areas of the UK.

National Support Groups are being formed in the seven partner countries to help ensure that the national interests of each country are taken into account when carrying out the research. Interested parties are being invited to join the UK National Support Group.

For more information – www.floodresilience.eu

For details on joining the National Support Group Stephen Garvin T 01355 576242 E garvins@bre.co.uk

news 03 | 04

New energy management training courses launched

First company outside the UK & Ireland receives ‘ultimate seal of approval’Alberta Fire & Security Equipment Limited (based in Malta) has become the first company outside the UK and Ireland to gain LPCB approval for the design, installation and commissioning of fire detection, alarm and fire fighting systems.

LPCB certification is a mark of quality and safety. It confirms that the approved equipment, systems and services meet all the requirements of the relevant European standards. The LPCB approval process involves stringent assessments and testing to ensure that quality standards are met. These are set by a team of experts that includes regulators, insurers, designers, manufacturers, installers, engineers and scientists.

‘The LPCB stamp is the ultimate seal of approval,’ says Alberta’s Head of Large Projects, Edwin Aquilina. ‘Being able to demonstrate compliance with industry standards through independent performance testing is vital. Alberta’s LPCB certification provides clarity and transparency so that customers can have confidence that our systems provide solutions of the very highest standards.’

LPCB approval is maintained by regular audits to ensure that products and services continue to meet the approval criteria. It benefits both specifiers and suppliers – specifiers selecting LPCB approved products and services improve fire safety, reduce security risks and demonstrate due diligence, while suppliers gaining LPCB approval can increase the value and sales of their products.

All LPCB approved fire safety and security products and services are listed in the Red Book.

For more information – www.redbooklive.com

REd Book 2010– World renowned listing of independently

certified products and services.– Essential specifier reference website

for the design, specification and purchase of fire and security products. Available in print, on CD, on line, and now also on a memory stick.

01923 664100 enquiries@breglobal.com www.redbooklive.com

A three-year research project to develop innovative flood protection technologies, products and systems started recently under the EU Seventh Framework Programme. The project involves ten research institutes from seven European countries, including the UK which is represented by BRE, the project co-ordinator.

The emphasis is on developing cost effective technologies that will help deal with flood risks in urban environments and facilitate the design of more holistic flood defence systems. The project will also work to improve the progress- to-market of the new technologies, products and systems being developed, and establish guidelines for validating their performance – these will be applied in experimental studies to determine the reliability of today’s flood protection products.

The project will act as a springboard for the use of the next generation of flood protection technologies, which are likely to be based on ‘smart’ systems that incorporate sensor technology, automatic control, innovative materials and high levels of performance.

Urban pluvial flooding in the UK.

Developing flood protection technologies

New courses will provide training in the technical skills of energy management, and the organisational and systems knowledge needed to implement and run effective energy management systems.

They draw on BRE’s experience, both of major programmes to promote industry best practice and of helping clients to address specific energy management challenges.

The courses (‘Energy Management’ and ‘Energy Management System BS EN 16001’) were launched in May against the backdrop of predicted energy cost rises and growing environmental taxes, in which energy will be an increasingly key business resource requiring effective, professional management.

The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, for example, is the UK’s mandatory climate change and energy saving scheme that started on 1 April – immediately affecting large public sector and commercial consumers. Its reporting requirements demand a detailed understanding of energy consumption and the ability to make effective forecasts.

Another example of current trends is the recently launched European standard, BS EN 16001, which is designed to help organisations establish systems and processes to improve energy efficiency. This new standard promotes management disciplines that will be covered by the new BRE courses.

For more information – T 01923 664829 www.bre.co.uk/training

Awards for the best of the best sustainable buildingsSixteen of the most successful sustainable buildings were honoured at the BREEAM Awards 2010 at the Ecobuild event in London. The buildings shortlisted for the Awards were drawn from those achieving Excellent ratings under various BREEAM schemes (listed below) during 2009. The Award winners are:

news

Building energy assessor Accreditation Schemes re-launchedFollowing an extensive market research project, the BRE Global Accreditation Schemes for building energy assessors have been re-launched to introduce a number of new features.

A simplified (with no monthly resetting) fee structure for lodgements rewards loyalty to the scheme by introducing a volume related fee and a range of new features, including a loyalty-based reward points club. The ‘myrewards’ club credits members with points for every lodgement made through the schemes. The accumulated reward points can be exchanged for offers that include discounts on many BRE products and services, and exclusive offers from external partners.

In addition, the BRE Global Assessor Network has been created to keep scheme members connected and updated. This online knowledge hub is freely accessible to all BRE Global Accredited Scheme Members. It will enable them to keep up to date with industry news, share updates with colleagues and learn about work opportunities that other members place on the website.

The BRE Global Accreditation Schemes were nominated for the award as, ‘Best Energy Assessor Accreditation Company’, and BRE Training as ‘Best Assessor Training Provider’, by the Property Professional Show.

BRE Global offers Accreditation Schemes for domestic, commercial, new dwelling, public building and air conditioning energy assessors, and fire risk assessors.

For more information – T 0845 863 0014 www.bre.co.uk/accreditation

Security fencing is LPCB approved Specifiers looking for high performance security fencing will soon be able to choose from an extended range of products certified to LPS 1175 – ‘Specification for testing and classifying the burglary resistance of building components, strongpoints and security enclosures’.

Jacksons Fencing’s timber security fencing system, ‘Jakoustic Class 3’, has recently become the first fencing product to achieve security rating 3 to LPS 1175: Issue 6 Security. LPCB is working very closely with a growing number of fence manufacturers and expects to approve a range of new fencing systems over the next few months.

LPS 1175 evaluates the resistance to unauthorised access offered by various physical security products. Products gaining LPCB approval security rating under this standard are able to resist experienced attempts at forced entry using a wide range of tools.

All fencing products achieving LPCB approval are listed in the security fencing section in Volume 2 of the LPCB Red Book. This volume lists all security products and services approved by LPCB, and is available free of charge at www.redbooklive.com

For more information – Richard Flint T 01923 665120 E flintr@bre.co.uk

BREEAM Bespoke – awarded to the new Bletchley Leisure Centre, designed by Holder Mathias Architects and constructed by SDC for Milton Keynes Council.

BREEAM Courts – Salisbury Law Court, commissioned by Her Majesty’s Courts Service. Architects: Stride Treglown, Contractor: Mansell Construction.

BREEAM Ecohomes – Sanderstead Road development in Croydon. Client: Metropolitan Housing Trust Architect: AHP Architects & Surveyors Limited Contractor: Mansell Construction.

BREEAM Further Education – Loreto Sixth Form College in Manchester for its new Learning Skills Council funded building. Project manager: AA Projects Architect: Taylor Young Ltd Contractor: Bardsley Construction Ltd.

BREEAM Industrial – Defra’s Veterinary Laboratories Agency Stores facility near Weybridge in Surrey. Architect: Wilson Mason & Partners Contractor: Walter Lilly.

BREEAM International – Centrum Galerie, Dresden’s biggest shopping mall. Client: Multi Veste Dresden GmbH Architect: Peter Kulka Architektur Dresden GmbH Developer: Multi Development Germany GmbH.

BREEAM Multi-Residential – Carnegie Village at Leeds Metropolitan University. Client: University Partnership Programme Ltd Architect: GWP Architecture Ltd Contractor: Shepherd Construction Ltd.

BREEAM Offices – Horizon House in Bristol, the Environment Agency’s new corporate office developed by Westmark. Architect: Alec French Contractor: Sir Robert McAlpine.

BREEAM Prisons – Littlehey II Young Offenders’ Institute. Client: Ministry of Justice Architect: Capita Symonds/Premier Interlink Waco UK Ltd Contractor: Wates Construction Ltd.

BREEAM Retail – White River Place in St Austell, a joint venture by the South West Regional Development Agency and White River Developments. Client: White River Developments Ltd Architect: Chetwoods Architects Contractor: Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd.

BREEAM Schools – Rogiet Primary School, designed by White Design and built by Willmott Dixon Construction Ltd for Monmouthshire County Council.

OGC Special Award for Government Sector Achievement – Defra’s Lion House, the first building in the world to receive a final Outstanding rating under BREEAM Offices 2008.

First BREEAM Industrial (Interim) Outstanding Rating – G Park Blue Planet, a 35,500m2 building. The first development to achieve interim Outstanding under BREEAM 2008.

First BREEAM Offices 2008 (Interim) Outstanding rating – Stride Treglown’s new office in Cardiff, due for completion in 2010.

First BREEAM Europe Retail – Unibail-Rodamco’s Docks 76, the new 36,000m2 shopping and leisure centre in Rouen.

First BREEAM In-Use International – British Embassy, Berlin, managed by Johnson Controls GWS on behalf of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. BREEAM assessors TPS Consult played a key role in the development of this new scheme specifically for the FCO.

For more information – www.breeam.org/awards

Littlehey II Young Offenders’ Institute, one of 16 buildings honoured at the BREEAM Awards 2010.

news 05 | 06

Universal badge of quality for Scottish building professionals

Lessons learned from fires in buildings

– BRE Global

– NICEIC Group Ltd (Subsidiary of the Electrical Safety Council)

– Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)

– Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF)

– Structural Engineers Registration Ltd (SER)

– Trade Association for Electrical Contracting Industry in Scotland (SELECT)

BRE Global, for example, provides two schemes – the Approved Certifier of Design for Domestic and Non Domestic buildings for Section 6 (Energy) Scottish Building Regulations. These Schemes were fully approved in 2007 by the Building Standards Division of the Scottish Government. Firms registered under the BRE Global schemes are listed at www.sbsa.gov.uk/register

‘The Scottish Government strongly supports the development of certification schemes and recognises the important contribution made by Approved Certifiers to raising compliance with building standards, making buildings safer and protecting the public,’ said Infrastructure Minister, Stewart Stevenson.

For more information on the energy design certification schemes – Stephen McKay T 01355 576200 E acd@bre.co.uk

‘This reduction in loss of life from fire has not come about by chance. In the UK, the risk of fire has been, and is being, reduced consistently through a continuous programme of improving the regulations, codes, standards and guidance that govern building design, goods and products, and how buildings are managed.

‘The new knowledge that enables these improvements comes from a number of sources,’ says Shipp, ‘an important one of which is the investigation of actual fire incidents.’

To obtain the Digest (DG 515) – T 01344 328038 www.BREBookshop.com

The Scottish Government’s new Approved Certifier Registration Mark

BRE Global fire investigator examining a fire in a hospital.

Putting wind turbines in the best placeNew guidance based on a BRE Trust study of wind conditions around 15 to 80 metre high buildings, advises on positioning wind turbines on the roofs of such buildings to maximise their potential for generating power.

High roofs benefit from increased winds and reduced shelter and turbulence from surrounding buildings, but it is not easy to determine the best positions on roofs for wind turbines. The new guidance will help to avoid inappropriate placements that can severely limit power generation.

UK government policy (Planning Policy Statement PPS22) requires that future non-residential or mixed-use developments above 1000m2 provide at least 10% of their energy requirements from on-site renewable energy generation. Wind energy produced from building-mounted wind turbines could provide a significant proportion of this renewable energy.

The study on which the guidance is based, measured wind conditions made over the roofs of five buildings (at model scale) in the BRE wind tunnel, representing a range of typical high- and mid-rise buildings.

The mean wind speed and turbulence intensity were measured at around 1,200 locations over each roof for a range of heights and wind directions. A primary objective of the study was to develop a simplified model that can be used by building owners and developers for siting micro-wind turbines on building roofs to optimise power generation.

Building-mounted micro-wind turbines on high-rise and commercial buildings is available from www.BREBookshop.com

View of the 80m building model in the wind tunnel.

As well as providing the information about specific fire incidents needed by building owners, insurers and the police, the investigation of real fires in buildings is essential for developing and enhancing our knowledge and reducing the risks of such incidents being repeated.

A publication issued in May describes fire scene investigations carried out by experts from BRE Global, and discusses the lessons that have been learned from studying real fire incidents.

This new Digest describes the organisations that carry out fire investigations and the information they obtain, and gives examples of the benefits of these investigations to the wider community. It also explains the use of reconstructions and computer modelling to support the investigations, and presents case studies to illustrate some of the lessons learned from major incidents – including the King’s Cross Station fire of 1987 and Channel Tunnel fire of 1996.

In 2008, 137,000 fires were reported in the UK which resulted in 476 fatalities. ‘Bad as these figures appear,’ says Martin Shipp, the Digest’s author and BRE Global’s Technical Director for Fire Safety, ‘they are a striking improvement on the statistics from 1979, when 130,300 fires were reported and resulted in 1096 fatalities.

In April the Scottish Government announced that a new Approved Certifier Registration Mark will be used by building professionals across Scotland as a sign of their competence, experience and compliance with building standards.

Scotland has several government-approved certification schemes to recognise the skills and expertise of building professionals who undertake structural design, energy design, electrical installation, drainage, heating and plumbing installation services. Each approved scheme will use the new mark as a universal badge of quality. Members of each scheme – also known as Approved Certifiers – will be allowed to display the new registration mark.

The Certification schemes give assurance to building owners and local authorities that work has been carried out to high standards by qualified experts. The schemes are provided by:

five years at the cutting edge

fIVE YEARs AT ThE cuTTING EdGE

Since its launch in 2005, the BRE Innovation Park has been a dynamic showcase of the latest in sustainable building designs, technologies, components and materials.

Now an extraordinary community of full-scale, fully fitted and equipped demonstration buildings, the Innovation Park brings to life the foremost thinking in sustainable and innovative construction and landscaping.

‘But it is far more than just a futuristic showpiece,’ says Jaya Skandamoorthy, the Innovation Park Director. ‘The Park is a place where house builders, product suppliers, contractors and many others have effectively tested, improved and demonstrated practical innovations that are now being applied in building projects all over the country.’

Throughout the last five years the Park’s buildings have been constructed, replaced, refurbished, updated and added to, keeping them at the cutting edge of innovative sustainability. The steel frame, modular Cub House is the latest building to join the community, arriving in April (see page 12), while the Osborne House is one of the veterans having been constructed in 2006. Built using the i-SIP system from Innovaré Systems, the Osborne House has since been upgraded to achieve the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) Level 4.

Focus on the fabricWith the experience and knowledge gained from their Innovation Park project, Innovaré Systems and Osborne went on to build the UK’s first CSH Level 5 development at Nutfield in Surrey in 2008. A priority for the scheme was maximising the thermal performance of the building fabric to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions.

They then went on to complete an affordable housing development in Greenwich, which was also built to CSH Level 5, and Innovaré is now working on a Level 6 scheme in Windsor.

‘Innovaré continues to learn from each completed scheme,’ says Andrew Orriss, MD at Innovaré Systems, ‘but the start of this process was the demonstration house at the Innovation Park, where we highlighted the integral role the building fabric has in achieving performance targets set out in the CSH.’

This view of the importance of the building fabric is shared by ecoTECH (see under ‘Training’) and by the Stewart Milne Group, and was reinforced by their own experiences on the Park. In 2007 Stewart Milne constructed the Sigma Home, a sustainable family house designed for high density,

urban locations. ‘In the following 12 months we carried out a programme of research and development on the house and gathered a great deal of intelligence about its performance,’ says Stewart Dalgarno, Director of Product Development for Stewart Milne.

Stewart Milne has since developed an improved building system for the fabric of the house which directly addresses the performance issues highlighted in this research. ‘The Sigma II system has been through extensive testing and refinement and undergone field trials on live sites,’ says Dalgarno. ‘It has attained performance levels of 0.12 U-value, airtightness of 2 and thermal bridging of 0.03, and is commercially competitive for all forms of housing. The system is now going through the final stages of approval and certification and has already attracted interest from the market, with several orders having been received.’

And the peopleAnother issue on which Stewart Milne has focused is the experience of those occupying their homes. As part of the Sigma Home’s Innovation Park R&D programme, a family of four were recruited to live in it for four, two-week periods, one in each season of the year.

Their experiences were recorded – and the temperature, humidity, indoor air quality, energy and water consumption and building fabric heat loss were monitored. This yielded a great deal of intelligence on the home’s performance and the occupants’ reaction to it. The crucial impact of occupant behaviour on that performance was highlighted – along with the importance of keeping the operation of the building simple, and of thoroughly explaining the heating, lighting, ventilation and other controls.

‘The need for occupants to change their behaviour and for buildings to be user friendly is an issue that we must address,’ says Jaya Skandamoorthy, ‘or else we risk constructing “sustainable” buildings that actually don’t operate sustainably, or that people don’t want to live in.’

Mass market Level 4Research on the Sigma Home also emphasised the importance of not putting too much reliance on renewables to achieve sustainable, zero carbon homes.

Stewart Milne Homes is now collaborating with industry partners in the £6.4 million AIMC4 project (see page 2). ‘The Innovation Park has been central in pulling this

collaboration together,’ says Stewart Dalgarno. ‘Our aim is to build Code Level 4 homes without renewable devices for the price of Level 3 homes – using a fabric first approach and improved building services solution – for exploitation at a mass market level.’

Level 6 – it can be doneThe Innovation Park has been the venue for a great many firsts – one of which was the first net-zero-carbon, CSH Level 6 house, built by Kingspan Potton (then Kingspan Off-Site).

‘The Kingspan Lighthouse was designed when the Code for Sustainable Homes was still being fine tuned, and Kingspan Potton subsequently finished the project with an intimate knowledge of the requirements and challenges that the new Code imposed,’ says Ieuan Compton, Head of Marketing at Kingspan Potton.

‘The knowledge gained and lessons learned during the design, construction and subsequent use of the Kingspan Lighthouse have been disseminated throughout our business.’

With the Lighthouse, Kingspan Potton proved that building to the highest level of the CSH is possible. The challenge now is to affordably deliver this performance in real developments. ‘We believe that the knowledge gained by being part of the Innovation Park,’ says Compton, ‘puts us in a strong position to be able to help our customers deliver all levels of the Code.’

The highest profile project that Kingspan Potton has so far been involved with is Hanham Hall near Bristol, which is the first of the Homes and Communities Agency’s Carbon Challenge sites. Working with Barratt Developments and others, Kingspan Potton will help to construct a new community of almost 200 zero carbon homes to CSH Level 6.

In addition to its involvement in the Hanham Hall project, Barratt Developments is responsible for another of the Innovation Park firsts. ‘The Barratt Green House was the first zero carbon, CSH Level 6 home built by a major housebuilder,’ says Chief Executive, Mark Clare.

The BRE Innovation Park may look like the set of the latest Hollywood blockbuster, but the sustainable building innovations being trialled there – and the new information created, the lessons learned, and the marketing and training opportunities available – are all very real.

TrainingThe Willmott Dixon building was initially a section of an innovative school constructed in 2007. ‘It was, essentially, two classrooms,’ explains Martin, ‘which offered the additional benefit of providing an inspirational venue for our internal staff training.’

Last year the building was converted into a futuristic healthcare centre. ‘Our presence on the Park has given our staff the opportunity to come and see the innovations going on there, both in the industry as a whole and within Willmott Dixon itself.’

Training opportunities at the Park have also been exploited by ecoTECH, using its experience of building the affordable, low-maintenance Organics house, designed to make sustainable homes accessible to more people. The organics build system focuses on the fabric, using simple but effective techniques to, for example, maximise thermal efficiency.

EcoTECH is now expanding its training programme – ‘We are working with SEEDA (South East England Development Agency), SUSCON and The Institute of Sustainability to roll out training across London,’ says Christine Hynes of ecoTECH, ‘and then it is intended to go out across the UK’.

Landscaping – another firstThe Code for Sustainable Homes recognises the importance of landscape design in a development’s sustainability – its contribution to not only creating enjoyable and healthy places to live and work, but also to providing energy, waste and water management.

The Park’s innovative landscape is a striking feature. It was designed by Macfarlane Wilder, a company with many years’ experience of integrating sustainability into cutting edge residential schemes.

‘The Innovation Park’s landscape design was the first scheme to be assessed under the CSH’, says Peter Wilder of Macfarlane Wilder. ‘Landscape design must be considered at the earliest stage in a development if it is to maximise sustainability and be successful under the Code. The siting, distribution and orientation of the buildings, and the ecology and existing landscape features, for example, must all be considered from the outset.’

07 | 08five years at the cutting edge

‘It has helped put us at the forefront of sustainable development in the UK. Many of the lessons learned from this project are now informing our work at Hanham Hall, which will be the first Level 6 community in the country when completed in 2011.’

It hasn’t only been housing developers participating at the Innovation Park – others, such as contractors and building product suppliers, are also well represented. The first masonry constructed house to achieve CSH Level 4, for example, was built on the Park by Hanson Building Products.

Building products‘The house has been a great showcase for Hanson,’ says Gerry Feenan, Managing Director of the company’s Floors and Precast Division. ‘Although we are more of a product supplier than a housebuilder, we’ve been able to show clients that we have a full understanding, not only of our own products, but also of the way they work with other components, and of future housebuilding requirements.’

Products that have been successfully demonstrated include the Aquaflow permeable paving system, which prevents excessive run-off from paved areas by allowing rain water to pass through the surface into a sub-base, before either being released in a controlled manner or used for watering plants and flushing toilets.

‘Installing this system around the house has given it a fantastic profile,’ says Gerry Feenan. ‘Not only have we been able to demonstrate the product to potential clients while in use, but we’ve also been able to thoroughly test it.’

Another of the key products being demonstrated is Hanson’s QuickBuild walling system, a factory fabricated brick and block cavity wall that uses high performance bonding mortar. Hanson has now developed a variation of this for constructing flood defence walls, which has recently been used in a major flood defence project in Carlisle. ‘This is one of several projects in which we’ve been able to take a technology into an arena other than housing,’ says Feenan.

The contractor’s viewAccording to George Martin of Willmott Dixon, ‘The Innovation Park has given us an opportunity to carry out research and development – of the kind more often undertaken by developers – from a contractor’s point of view. It has helped us to innovate and to experiment with modern methods of construction – how they can best be applied and how any arising problems can effectively be dealt with.

‘Our Innovation Park building has also allowed us to show existing and potential clients what we can do. They can see at first hand the options and decide which suits them best. It is not always easy, for example, to explain the benefits of a product that has so far only been used in mainland Europe. You can show pictures and videos, or even send clients there, but it’s not the same as having something built here in the UK.’

New kids on the blockThe Renewable House, launched in June 2009 by the National Non-Food Crops Centre (NNFCC), aims to show how renewable building materials, such as hemp, wood and wool, can provide options for constructing affordable, low carbon housing. Following the success of this house, plans are already underway for a sustainable social housing scheme comprising hempcrete homes in Norfolk.

The Natural House built by The Prince’s Trust for the Built Environment demonstrates a low-tech alternative for volume housebuilders seeking to meet the increasingly stringent low carbon targets. The home will be launched later this year.

These and other new features have been integrated into the park with the help of an innovative new landscaping scheme by PRP Landscape.

BRE’s Victorian Terrace retrofit project also joined the Park and will be completed this summer (see page 11), while the new Cub house is the latest to arrive at the Park (page 12).

New challenges‘One of the issues we need to work on,’ says Jaya Skandamoorthy, ‘is how to adapt buildings to withstand the impacts of climate change and change of use. Another area needing attention is that of ensuring that the green technologies we put into buildings integrate with the other technologies and, crucially, with the people who occupy them.

‘Smart technology and its potential for, among other things, improving healthcare and security in the home, and improving the monitoring and management of energy, is also an issue we are increasingly focussing on at the Innovation Park,’ says Skandamoorthy, ‘and with so many challenge still to address, we are very excited about what the next five years has in store for the BRE Innovation Park!’

For more information on all that is happening at the Innovation Park go to www.bre.co.uk/innovationpark

Diplomatic sustainability

In March this year the British Embassy in Manila unveiled the embassy building’s BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certificate. Stephen Lillie, the British Ambassador to the Philippines, welcomed the award of an ‘Excellent’ BREEAM rating – the first for a British Embassy building – saying that, ‘This shows our commitment to a sustainable, less carbon-intensive economy’.

BREEAMBREEAM is a standard for the environmental assessment of buildings and was first developed in the UK in 1990. It has since become the most widely used green building rating system in the world, setting the benchmark for energy efficient, sustainable buildings. The suite of BREEAM schemes now enables the assessment of a wide and increasing range of building types – offices, retail premises, education buildings, health facilities, industrial units, data centres and many more. BREEAM assessments are carried out by licensed, independent assessors, such as TPS Consult, the assessor of the British Embassy in Manila.

The building in Manila is one of three projects that have been used to pilot a BREEAM scheme for assessing all new and refurbished Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) buildings abroad – embassies, high commissions, consular offices and residential buildings where they are part of an embassy compound.

BREEAM FCOThe scheme’s development dates back to 2006 when the FCO approached TPS Consult about developing a method of assessing and improving the sustainability of its buildings. BRE Global was then commissioned to develop a tailored BREEAM scheme for FCO buildings outside of the UK.

For some years there has been a government requirement that all new UK Government buildings achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, and for major refurbishment projects to achieve a ‘Very Good’ rating. The FCO has applied this standard to its projects in the UK, for example in the design of the prestigious office accommodation and data centre at its Hanslope Park site in Buckinghamshire.

While this requirement has not applied to UK Government building projects in other countries, the FCO decided to take the initiative and commission the development of a method of authoritatively assessing its overseas building projects – the aim being to maintain the same rigorous standards applied in the UK to all their buildings, regardless of their location across the globe.

To achieve this, TPS Consult approached BRE Global – which manages BREEAM and its continuing development – with a view to adapting the BREEAM model to develop a scheme that can be used to assess, demonstrate and improve the environmental performance of new and major refurbishment FCO projects.

Tim Bevan, Non-Domestic Manager for BREEAM says, ‘One of the challenges in developing a scheme for FCO was establishing a methodology that could drive higher environmental standards while accounting for the potential range of countries where the method could be applied, and their regional and local conditions – whether climatic, cultural or economic’.

WeightingsThe BREEAM environmental categories are given weightings to reflect their relative contribution to the overall environmental performance of the building. Adapting the way these weightings are assigned has been a key factor in the development of BREEAM FCO.

Weightings that are appropriate in the UK, for example, will be less suited to conditions in the Middle East, which in turn are very different from those in tropical countries such as the Philippines. Reflecting the relative importance of local and regional environmental issues and concerns, within the common framework of the BREEAM methodology, is a necessary requirement of applying BREEAM successfully in a global context and ensuring more sustainable buildings.

Standards and codesSimilarly, careful consideration has been given to applying codes, regulations and benchmarks typically used in the UK and European context. Many are not, for example, appropriate for the climatic conditions experienced in countries such as the Philippines, and must be substituted with some form of international or local benchmark or codes of practice.

Developing the BREEAM FCO scheme therefore involved identifying and incorporating those UK standards and codes of practice that can be considered compatible or transferable to other countries and regions, and then identifying and incorporating additional requirements that are suited to the geopolitical environment.

Adapting to the PhilippinesAppropriate BREEAM weightings were set for assessing the UK Embassy in the Philippines. Also, assessment issues were adapted to reflect the local conditions. For example, a BREEAM assessment will normally include a calculation of the level of insulation required in a building’s envelope. In the UK this insulation is a key element in keeping the building warm, but in the Philippines the reverse is the case and assessment must account for keeping the building cool as efficiently as possible.

Another example is the way BREEAM encourages the re-use of rainwater by capturing it in tanks and using it to flush toilets and irrigate plants. The weather conditions in the UK allow this to be done on a year round basis because of fairly consistent monthly UK precipitation patterns. In the Philippines, with its strong seasonal rainfall variations, water capture has had to be adapted to the local weather conditions by constructing a large tank to catch the excessive rainfall during the wet season, and store sufficient water for use during the dry season.

dIPLomATIc susTAINABILITY Buildings that represent the UK throughout the world can now demonstrate their environmental credentials, following an initiative by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, BRE Global and TPS Consult to develop a BREEAM scheme for embassy buildings.

09 | 10Diplomatic sustainability

At the Manila Embassy, Ambassador Stephen Lillie highlighted some of the other green features of the British Embassy building, such as its solar panels for water heating, high ceilings to encourage passive fresh air circulation, large windows for natural light, and energy-efficient motion-sensor lighting, all of which contributed to the building’s BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rated performance.

Lillie pointed out that the Embassy building, as well as being green, is a demonstration of the UK’s commitment to a low-carbon sustainable framework, which it encourages countries like the Philippines to adopt. BREEAM Director Martin Townsend, who attended the building’s certificate unveiling, commented that it is also a symbol of how the UK and the Philippines are working together for an environmentally friendly world. BREEAM is currently helping the Philippine Green Building Council to formulate national standards for sustainable construction that are tailored to Philippine conditions.

‘Now that the BREEAM FCO scheme has been successfully piloted,’ says Tim Bevan, ‘we are starting to see an increasing number of registrations of buildings from all around the world. The missions in Algiers and Mumbai have both recently been awarded a ’Very Good’ rating and work continues to ensure that sustainability is at the heart of other projects under construction.’

What about existing buildings?The BREEAM FCO scheme assesses new buildings and major refurbishments, but what of the embassy and other FCO buildings currently operating around the world?

The BREEAM standard for existing buildings is BREEAM In-Use. This was developed to help building managers reduce running costs and improve the environmental performance of their buildings through a review process that takes place while the building is being used. In UK buildings BREEAM In-Use has been credited with improving the quality of the working environment for buildings’ occupants by giving them a healthier atmosphere to work in.

The FCO wanted to see how BREEAM In-Use could be applied to its existing embassy and other buildings in its overseas estate. Following the successful collaboration on the BREEAM FCO scheme for new buildings, it welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with TPS Consult and BRE Global on a pilot of an International version of BREEAM In-Use.

Berlin EmbassyThe success of this project was highlighted at the BREEAM Awards 2010, held during Ecobuild 2010 in London, when the British Embassy in Berlin was awarded the first ever BREEAM In-Use International award.

Steve Webster from Schal, TPS Consult’s project management arm, was the BREEAM In-Use assessor for the British Embassy in Berlin. ‘The FCO staff and facilities management provider (Johnson Controls) in Berlin had to work hard to maintain the functionality of the building whilst ensuring high environmental standards were being adhered to,’ he says. ‘While building managers notice and appreciate the benefits of any changes implemented as part of environmental benchmarking processes, it’s often a lot more difficult to positively promote these changes to occupants.

‘We’re finding that BREEAM In-Use differs from other environmental benchmarking schemes out there – it’s a far more holistic approach to assessment compared with what is currently available to building managers post design and construction in Europe.’

The embassy in Berlin achieved a ‘Very Good’ BREEAM In-Use rating. ‘We are very pleased that the sustainable measures incorporated into the design of our embassies in both Berlin and Manila have been recognised in this way,’ says Judi Leon, Head of Sustainable Operations at the FCO. ‘We will continue to use BREEAM to help us identify appropriate ways in which we can make our buildings greener.’

For more information on BREEAM – www.breeam.org, or for specific information on BRE Global’s work with the government sector (including FCO), email Yetunde Abdul, BREEAM Government Sector Manager on abduly@bre.co.uk

The new BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rated British Embassy building in Manila, the Philippines.

80%new carbon efficiency for old homes

The energy performance of current housing must be dramatically improved if the UK is to meet its carbon reduction target of 80% by 2050.

This reduction target is crucial, not only for mitigating the effects of global warming, but also for avoiding spiralling household fuel bills. Recent research by uSwitch.com says that the average household energy bill could reach £5,000 a year by 2020, if current price trends and fuel use continue. The implications for the 4 million UK households currently suffering fuel poverty are huge.

Victorian Terrace projectThe Victorian Terrace project was granted funding in January this year (by the Department of Energy and Climate Change [DECC] under the Low Carbon Investment Fund) to refurbish three single skin solid wall Victorian terraced houses at the BRE Innovation Park in Watford. The project will use a range of retrofit solutions, including innovative solid wall insulation, to achieve the 80% carbon emission reduction target.

’Existing homes account for 27% of the UK’s total carbon emissions,’ says BRE Chief Executive, Dr Peter Bonfield. ‘Currently there is no single coherent approach to sustainable refurbishment amongst the key players in the market. With this project we will be able to generate a definitive, quantifiable evidence base of knowledge and guidance, which can be accessed by all stakeholders to deliver a step change in the roll out of sustainable housing refurbishment.’

The Victorian Terrace will undergo a programme of before-and-after testing and monitoring to establish the impacts of this work, from which a series of refurbishment specifications will be developed. In addition, the Victorian Terrace project links to more than 350 exemplar refurbishment homes of varying types and ages around the country, test results from which will also feed into the new specifications, monitoring protocols and best practice guidance.

The project also links to a skills focussed project based in Stoke-on-Trent called CoRE (Centre of Refurbishment Excellence). CoRE is a high profile ‘living refurbishment demonstrator’ which brings together public and private stakeholders keen to face head-on the challenge of climate change through smart and sustainable retrofitting.

NEw cARBoN EffIcIENcY foR oLd homEs

Better EPC ratingsThe aim of the Victorian Terrace project is to identify the improvements needed to take a property from a low Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating, say G or F, to a high level of B or A (A being the best) – and to deliver other benefits such as water efficiency and waste minimisation.

The UK’s existing housing stock currently achieves an average EPC rating of D/E, with more than 5 million homes managing only F/G. To achieve the emission reduction targets, the average EPC rating for all housing will have to be brought up to a band B or better, a level currently achieved by only 1-2% of homes.

The specifications developed will reflect and be sympathetic to the inevitable economic and heritage considerations on any refurbishment. They will consist of a series of sequential improvements, each being considered in terms of its CO2 savings, best value carbon impacts and costs, so that the actual improvements made can be tailored to advise future decision makers and their individual budgets.

The results of the project, which is due for completion by the end of June 2010, will be widely disseminated through the National Refurbishment Centre to increase awareness of the benefits of low carbon retrofit solutions, help develop the skills base needed for undertaking the work, and foster the development of a more coherent market for this work.

Wide range of partnersThe importance of improving the environmental performance of current housing, 80% of which will still be in existence in 2050, is now widely recognised. This is reflected in the wide range of organisations collaborating on the project, including DECC, the East of England Development Agency, the BRE Group, Wates Living Space, Housing Market Renewal Partners, PRP Architects, St Gobain, Unidek, BASF and several local authorities and housing associations.

More information – More information about the Victorian Terrace project is available at www.rethinkinghousingrefurbishment.co.uk

BRE Global is developing a new standard under BREEAM to cover domestic refurbishment. For information – www.BREEAM.org/domrefurb

A £4.5 million project to refurbish and carry out extensive R&D on three Victorian terraced houses will demonstrate innovative retrofit solutions that are designed to reduce, by up to 80%, carbon emissions from existing homes.

Why refurbish? Sustainable refurbishment is essential if we are to meet national targets for reducing carbon emissions. About 150 million tonnes of carbon dioxide are released each year from the housing stock, with older buildings contributing disproportionately.

Sustainable refurbishment can avoid the wholesale waste of resources that results from clearing swathes of older housing to make way for new homes. It also preserves the character of our towns and cities.

A more positive perception of refurbishment must be generated in which its wider role in financial and social sustainability is better understood, alongside its environmental benefits. Innovative ways of using sustainable refurbishment to upgrade social housing and bring stock back onto the market must be developed. And we need to harness the close interest that private owners take in their properties – and help them to recognise sustainable refurbishment as a practical and cost effective option.

As most houses standing today will still exist in 2050, it is essential that this stock is viewed positively as a platform for achieving carbon emissions reductions, rather than a national problem. Millions of houses have options for upgrading – the trick is to use best practice to identify the right solutions and deliver them successfully for owners and communities.

Cub house comes to the BRE Innovation Park 11 | 12

Hot on the heels of its launch at the Ideal Home Show, the ultra-modern and highly sustainable, factory manufactured ‘Cub house’ has joined the BRE Innovation Park community in Watford.

The Cub house concept is the brainchild of interior designer, property developer and former fashion entrepreneur, Charlie Greig, who is aiming to bring modular housing to the mainstream. ‘My vision is to provide as many people as possible with the opportunity to live in their own beautiful home that works with the environment rather then against it,’ says Greig.

Cub is manufactured by the UK-based company FutureForm at its factory in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. Designed to Level 5 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, it is a steel frame modular house that competes on cost with traditionally built housing and boasts average energy bills of £55-100 a year.

Each Cub has an open-plan kitchen and living room, a shower room and a bedroom. It is transported in two halves and fitted together on site – the wiring and plumbing is connected, and the internal join covered with double-skin plasterboard and painted. More space can be made by stacking extra Cubs to add one or two floors. Each has two bedrooms and a bathroom, with connecting staircases, and can be part of the initial order or added later as the owner’s needs and budget grows.

Buyers can choose floor, wall, kitchen and bathroom finishes, and extras such as integral sound systems, and can opt for one of Greig’s furniture packages. The homes can be clad in a choice of timber or brick, or the innovative Steni fibreglass cladding that covers the Innovation Park Cub. Impeccable green credentials, however, are standard.

The buildThe Cub’s factory construction reduces waste by 90% and allows for very effective quality control. The responsibly sourced building materials include FSC-approved timber and steel that is 65% recycled.

High acoustic and thermal installation systems prevent noise pollution between floors and minimise heat loss. Argon gas sealed window units adhere to strict requirements for solar gain, reflection and brightness, with UV values as low as 1.1. An airtight seal eliminates drafts and contributes to exceptionally low running costs.

The Cub is designed to meet Lifetime Home and Secured by Design standards. The home also comes with NHBC Building Control Type Approval, the recognised accreditation for mortgage lenders and insurers.

cuB housE comEs To ThE BRE INNoVATIoN PARk

Energy and waterAn exhaust air heat pump ventilates the house as well as providing space heating and hot water. The super-insulated walls minimise heat loss.

Further energy requirements are met with the PV panels that come as standard. Greig sees the timely introduction of the Clean Energy Cashback Scheme (Feed-in tariffs) as an added bonus for Cub home owners. ‘Not only will running costs be low,’ she explains, ‘ but owners of a Cub can earn an income from the energy generated by the PVs through this government scheme.’

‘A’-rated appliances and low energy lighting are used throughout. Water-saving features, including flow restrictors, reduced-flush systems and rainwater harvesting, limit water use to less than 80 litres per person per day.

Wide appealThe home is designed to suit first-time buyers, those with growing families and older people as well. ‘The Cub would be great as a starter home, but I can also see the over 50s really going for it,’ says Greig.

‘As well as the running costs being exceptionally low, disabled access has been factored into the design process – with all corridors and doorways being SDS compliant. Also, the ground-floor bedroom comes with a large walk-in shower with double width door openings.’

Costs for one 51m2 Cub module (excluding planning and groundwork) start at £88,500.

Combining superior sustainability with top-quality modern design, Charlie Greig’s Cub house has brought its own unique take on housebuilding to the BRE Innovation Park. Linda McKeown reports.

The basic Cub, to which additional bedrooms and bathrooms can be added as and when required.

“My vision is to provide as many people as possible with the opportunity to live in their own beautiful home that works with the environment rather then against it.”Charlie Greig, Cub house designer

More informationWelcoming the Cub house, BRE Innovation Park Director Jaya Skandamoorthy said, ‘We currently have eight homes on the Park, demonstrating a range of different designs in timber, concrete, SIPS, masonry and hempcrete. The Cub is our first modular steel home bringing with it a new and unique approach to sustainable housebuilding that we are very excited about.’

For more information or to visit the Cub house and the other buildings and technologies on the Innovation Park go to www.bre.co.uk/innovationpark or call 0845 2232 966.

fire performance – Putting new building systems to the test

AssessmentThe performance of the system is evaluated in relation to integrity, insulation and stability criteria.

The integrity of the building system is demonstrated if the fire is restricted to the compartment of origin for the duration of the test. Any breakthrough of the fire into the adjoining units constitutes a failure.

The insulation criteria are met if the temperature on the unexposed surface of the party wall, or the floor of the unit above, remains below an average value of 140°C and a peak value of 180°C for the duration of the test.

The stability criteria are met if the floor above continues to support the applied load for the duration of the test, or exhibits deflections not exceeding span/20 for the duration of the test.

To assist with regulatory compliance and to provide information in a language understood by many building professionals, the severity of the natural fire exposure is evaluated with respect to an equivalent period in a standard fire test. The equivalent period of fire resistance will be determined either by calculation or direct measurement or a combination of the two.

Performance is classified with reference to grades relating to the specific purpose group(s) against which the construction system has been assessed.

The introduction of LPS 1501 provides a credible property based fire performance test for innovative methods of construction. Specification of LPS 1501 approved building systems will give fire services, regulatory authorities and insurance companies in the commercial property sector, a high degree of confidence that the buildings in question achieve satisfactory levels of fire performance – over and above that required for compliance with the minimum standards of the Building Regulations for life safety.

For more information – 01923 664100, email enquiries@breglobal.com

Debbie Smith is Director of Fire Services at BRE Global.

Fire test buildingThe fire test building comprises three individual units (illustrated right) constructed with all internal and external finishes, but without building contents. One of the units is the fire test compartment and has a similar unit adjoining it, connected through a party wall, and a similar unit above.

The units adjoining and above the fire compartment are lined in accordance with the manufacturer’s specification. The unit above is loaded uniformly over the floor area to provide a value of imposed load. This is consistent with the fire limit state value appropriate for the specific occupancy. Each building unit is supplied with the cable and service penetrations appropriate to its end use.

Ventilation is provided by unglazed windows in the fire compartment. Their size and location reflect, as far as reasonably practicable, the building’s end use.

The fire load is provided by a number of softwood cribs distributed uniformly on the floor of the fire compartment. Each crib is ignited by applying a flame to strips of paraffin-soaked porous fibre board. The fire load density (fire load per unit area of floor) is specified by LPCB and is dependent on the nature of the occupancy.

MeasurementMeasurements during the test include the atmosphere temperatures in the fire compartment, the surface temperature of the unexposed face of the party wall, and the surface temperature of the floor above the fire compartment.

Additional temperature measurements are made on either side of all cavity barriers to assess performance. Additional instrumentation may be installed at the request of the manufacturer to provide information on the response of the floor, wall and connecting elements.

LPS 1501 – Fire test and performance requirements for innovative methods of building construction – is a new Standard that provides a means of assessing the performance of novel forms of building systems, which have no proven track record of performance in fire.

It has been developed by BRE Global, in collaboration with key industry stakeholders, to enable LPCB certification of innovative building systems in different building types, such as offices, hotels and schools.

The Standard’s primary objective is to provide insurers, fire services and regulatory authorities with evidence that innovative building systems can maintain acceptable levels of fire performance in the event of a fire. It covers a range of building types and applications by defining alternative nominal fire loads and floor loading depending on the intended use of the building.

LPS 1501 identifies modes of failure that might prevent specific forms of construction (such as modular or panellised systems) from achieving the presumed performance in fire, based on the regulatory compliance of structural elements with current standard testing and assessment. Potential weak links include the premature failure of connections or a breach in compartmentation due to inadequate fire stopping.

Fire testLPS 1501 provides a performance and classification system for modern buildings based on the results of a full-scale fire test. The test is carried out in a purpose-built fire test building. It demonstrates the performance in fire of innovative building systems in relation to the interaction between floors and walls, fire stopping around openings and the correct functioning of cavity barriers.

The current standard fire test procedures for elements of construction, which are required for building regulation compliance, do not generally consider interactions between different elements or the performance of the system.

fIRE PERfoRmANcE -PuTTING NEw BuILdING sYsTEms To ThE TEsTNew building systems have no proven track record of performance in the event of a fire. LPS 1501 has been developed to test and assess the fire performance of innovative construction methods, and to provide insurers, fire services and regulatory authorities with the performance evidence they need. Debbie Smith reports.

Compartment wall

Compartment floor

Fire compartment

13 | 14fire performance – Putting new building systems to the test

Basic layout for full-sale fire test

The fire test building comprises three individual units constructed with all internal and external finishes, but without building contents.

Installing productsLPCB certification standards not only cover construction, fire and security products, but also associated services such as installation. Selecting approved products is only half the story – their performance can be severely undermined by poor installation or maintenance.

When BRE Global receives an application for certification under one of LPCB’s installer schemes, the company applying is carefully audited as follows:

Office audit The office audit establishes the way the company operates. It tracks the work being carried out on site, ensuring the competencies, qualifications and training of operational staff are current and suitable. Records and supporting documentation are examined to ensure that products and systems are consistently installed in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions and any codes or standards that may apply.

For the products being sourced and used, records containing batch/serial numbers, manufacturers’ installation instructions, third party approval and/or supporting test evidence (demonstrating suitability for the application in question) and/or current assessment reports, and evidence of any recorded Quality Assurance inspection must be available to the auditor.

Site audit The site audit ensures that installation teams carry out the work in accordance with the correct procedures, as detailed in the manufacturers’ documentation, required codes and standards.

It also looks for an operational system through which all installations are traceable, and the operatives, dates and products used are all suitably referenced and recorded. There should also be a system in place for project supervisors to physically check work being done – ensuring that products are correctly installed and that this information is recorded to an agreed level.

An ongoing programme of site and office audits ensure consistent conformance with the certification scheme.

Certification When the assessors are satisfied that all systems and procedures are being correctly operated and adhered to the installer is issued numbered LPCB certificates of conformity for each project.

All currently approved installers and products are listed on the RedBookLive website – www.redbooklive.com

Provision of sanitary appliances and their space requirements (GG 79) Gives minimum recommendations on providing sanitary appliances in a range of buildings, domestic and non-domestic. £16 (£11 for subscribers).

TO OBTAIN THESE PUBLICATIONS OR TO SUBSCRIBE TO BRE CONNECT www.BREBookshop.com T 01344 328038 F 01344 328005 E brepress@ihs.com

Discount on BREEAM and CSH assessor training June-August 2010 at BRE Global, Watford For a limited period (1 June 2010 to 31 August 2010) BRE Global is offering a 10% discount on BREEAM and Code for Sustainable Homes assessor training for all existing assessors. Now is an ideal time to increase the scope of your qualifications and license and take advantage of the significant growth in the specification of BREEAM schemes in the UK and throughout the world. Contact: 01923 664462, breeam@bre.co.uk, www.breeam.org/training

SMARTWaste Plan and SWMP Training 15 June and 13 July at BRE Watford Training on complying with Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) requirements, and on using the free web-based tool, SMARTWaste Plan for preparing, implementing and reviewing SWMPs. Contact: 01923 664800, events@bre.co.uk, www.bre.co.uk/events

BREEAM Education assessor training course 15-17 June in East Kilbride, Scotland The first two days of the course provide a foundation for all UK non-domestic BREEAM schemes. Day three focuses on the technical aspects of education buildings. Contact: 01923 664462, training@breglobal.com, www.bre.co.uk/training

Power from building components 16 June at BRE Watford Building-Integrated PV (BIPV) allows the generation of electrical power from components such as tiles and roof laminates. The BIPV Conference will provide construction professionals with the expertise and experience of UK installers and suppliers, and of experts from Europe. Contact: www.bre.co.uk/events

Introduction to renewables 17 June at BRE Scotland, East Kilbride and 22 June at BRE Watford A comprehensive introduction to renewable energy technologies. It will allow participants to make fundamental assessments of the energy efficiency and costs of particular renewable technologies in relation to Scotland. Contact: 01923 664829, train@bre.co.uk, www.bre.co.uk/training

Building Services Integration with KNX/EIB 21-25 June at BRE Watford Five-day course providing delegates with an understanding of the key elements of design, installation and commissioning of KNX/EIB systems. Contact: 01923 664627, webbg@bre.co.uk, www.bre.co.uk/events

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

EVENTS AND TRAINING

REPORTS

Building-mounted micro-wind turbines on high-rise and commercial buildings (FB 22) Guidance on the most effective height and location for wind turbine installations on tall buildings (see page 6). £25 (£17.50 for subscribers).

A guide to the Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM). What it does and how it works (FB 24) SBEM was developed to meet requirements for the energy labelling of buildings. This report describes how SBEM works. It has been written specifically for professionals who need (or want) to see behind the user interface, without going into mathematical detail. £25 (£17.50 for subscribers).

Vacant dwellings in England. The challenges and costs of bringing them back into use (FB 25) This report looks at the challenges and costs of bringing vacant dwellings back into use. Using data from the English House Condition Survey, it examines the profile of vacant dwellings, uncovering the real facts about vacant properties and dispelling a number of common preconceptions and myths. £22.50 (£15 for subscribers).

DIGESTS Concise reviews of building technology.

Drying distortion of timber (DG 514) Timber that has become distorted after delivery (due to incorrect storage for example) can be very expensive to rectify. This Digest provides guidance on selecting, conditioning and handling timber, with the emphasis on how to avoid drying distortion. £10 (£8 for subscribers).

Lessons learned from real fires (DG 515) A concise review of fire investigation and the lessons learned from real fire incidents (see page 6). £16 (£11 for subscribers).

INFORMATION PAPERS The latest BRE Group research information and how to apply it.

A guide to GreenPrint. Understanding the benefits for sustainable masterplanning (IP 6/10) BRE’s GreenPrint methodology will help design teams to deliver masterplans that maximise the environmental sustainability of a site development, and can be applied to a wide range of building developments from residential to business. £13 (£10.50 for subscribers).

SBEM for non-domestic buildings (IP 7/10) This Paper describes the basis of SBEM, the input information it requires and the energy consumption issues included in the calculation. It explains the roles of SBEM, iSBEM, BRUKL and EPCgen, and supersedes IP 2/07 which is now withdrawn. £15.50 (£12.50 for subscribers).

Digitally enabled communities (IP 8/10) Gives a definition of digitally enabled communities and an overview of the technologies available. £9.50 (£8 for subscribers).

GOOD BUILDING GUIDES Practical guidance on building design and construction.

Below-ground drainage systems (GG 78) This Guide gives recommendations on all aspects of installing below-ground drainage systems, including performance requirements, drain systems, calculating wastewater flows, materials, bedding and backfilling, access to drains, rodent control, workmanship, manholes, testing and inspection. £16 (£11 for subscribers).

Level 3 Diploma in on-construction new build dwellings 22-24 June at BRE Watford A comprehensive programme of training and assessment leading to the Level 3 Diploma in on-construction domestic energy assessment. Contact: 01923 664829, train@bre.co.uk, www.bre.co.uk/training

BREEAM International assessor training 23-25 June at BRE Global, Watford Three-day training for new BREEAM assessors. Contact: 01923 664462, training@breglobal.com, www.bre.co.uk/training

Benefitting from FITs 28 June at BRE Watford Seminar providing RSLs with the information they need to benefit from Feed-in tariffs (FITs), and an overview of the planned, similar scheme for heat generating technologies – the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). Contact: 01923 664800, events@bre.co.uk, www.bre.co.uk/events

Energy Management 28-29 June at BRE Watford Energy Management System BS EN 16001 30 June-1 July at BRE Watford These new courses will help businesses to implement effective energy management systems that identify and prioritise where energy can be saved in order to reduce costs. Contact: 01923 664829, train@bre.co.uk, www.bre.co.uk/training

Code for Sustainable Homes assessor training 28-30 June at BRE Global, Watford Three-day training course plus additional examination. Contact: 01923 664462, training@breglobal.com, www.bre.co.uk/training

Low carbon solutions for existing homes 29 June at BRE Watford T-Zero (www.tzero.org.uk) is a free, web-based tool that identifies optimal low-carbon solutions tailored to specific house types. A series of seminars is demonstrating the use of the T-Zero website, and explaining how refurbishing existing homes can contribute to national CO

2 targets whilst saving money. Contact: 01923 664800, events@bre.co.uk, www.bre.co.uk/events

BREEAM In-use training 1 July at BRE Global, Watford A one day training course to assess existing buildings. Contact: 01923 664462, training@breglobal.com, www.bre.co.uk/training

MORE INFORMATION For more information on events and training courses, T 01923 664800 E events@bre.co.uk www.bre.co.uk/events