The Code for Sustainable Homes; Examples from ZeroC and Ecofirst Consult

Derek MossSustainability Consultant

BREEAM Licensed Code Assessorsderek@ecofirstconsult.co.uk

www.ecofirstconsult.co.uk01305 344011

Armitage HouseVictor Jackson Avenue

PoundburyDorchester

DorsetDT1 3GY

Contents

• Introductions• Developers Thought Process• Example: Osprey Quay• Example: Glove Factory, Yeovil• Observations

Introductions

Derek Moss Code for Sustainable Homes AssessorRenewable energy consultant

EcofirstConsult

Code Assessors, Energy Assessors, SAP, SBEM, BREEAM, Energy Consultants, Sustainability planning consultants, PR for wind farms....

Part of a group......

ZeroC

• Dorchester based house builder• Delivers approximately 200 houses a year• Specialist in high quality, design led, sustainable development• Current projects include:

– Poundbury, Dorchester – Mixed use schemes (30 homes and offices)

– Portland, Dorset – Olympic village for 2012 sailing events (80 homes)

– Weymouth, Dorset – New cadet centre and 32 Eco Homes

– Cumnock, Scotland – New urban extension (500 homes)

– Haverfordwest, Wales – Mixed use scheme – offices and 100 homes

– Roussillon Barracks, Chichester – Code 4 development (250 homes)

ZeroC Projects

ZeroC ProjectsZeroC Projects

– Supplies and installs throughout the UK:

• Solar photovoltaics• Solar thermal systems• Wood pellet boilers• Rainwater harvesting • Wind turbines

Based in Yeovil

Ecofirst Consult

• Sustainable Building Consultants

• Energy Consultants

• Code for Sustainable Homes Assessors

• SAP and SBEM assessors

• Sustainable Planning Consultants

• Training and public outreach

Ecofirst Consult

Current Projects:

• Two Code 6 houses near Bedford

• 23 Code 4.5 flats in London

• 4 Code 3 houses in London

• ‘zero-carbon’ country estate

• Duchy/Poundbury/Knockroon

• ZeroC work and many more......

Developer’s Thoughts

Developer’s Thoughts

• Can I get away with it?

• Can I design it to be really expensive, and then go back to the planners saying that it’s too expensive?

• Can I pay someone to tell the planners that I have done it?

• Can I negotiate it down?

• Ok, what is the cheapest way?

Developer’s Thoughts

• Do I care about sustainability or just ticking boxes?

• Do I care about house running costs or just ticking boxes?

• Can I use my existing plans, or do I need to think about design?

ZeroC’s Thoughts

• How far beyond the minimum can we go? • Code 6? 5? • Code 4? Code 3 if we have to.

Good Design• How am I going to do energy?• Can I orientate the buildings for best

passive gain?• Can I mass the buildings to use district

heating?• Am I going to go with passive or active

energy measures? How much insulation?• Am I going to reduce emissions and

running costs, or tick boxes• Can I use biomass heating?

Good Design• How am I going to do water?• Are the roofs big enough for RWH?• What is the mix of affordable to market?• Can I get away with efficiency measures

(low flow taps, small baths)?

• How am I going to do drainage?• Where are my bin and bike stores going to be?• Can all my materials be A-rated?• How many ecology points do I need?

Bad Design• Here’s a building. Can I slap a solar panel on it?

• What is the minimum number of credits I can scrape by with?

• We will assume the highest performance on behalf of the contractors

• The place doesn’t flood, it will be fine• Bin and bike stores can go in the garage• Let’s put in a heat pump; I’ve heard they

are good• How do I need to have set those targets 6

months ago?

Glove Factory

27 Houses, 10 apartments and 3 retail unitsOriginally designed beyond the regs, and

including solar thermal panels

Glove Factory

Glove Factory

DCLG MoneyAs part of Yeovil’s Ecotown bid, the development was awarded a £800k grant to

upgrade to high Code levels

A Code 6 house (true zero carbon)36 Code 5 dwellingsThen we had an election.....

A Code 6 house (true zero carbon)12 Code 5 dwellingsRest back to original

Glove Factory

Emissions

HeatToo late in process to alter design for better passive gains.

Unlike heat pumps, biomass gives a genuine carbon saving.

Renewable heat is the largest single step

District heating removes inconvenience from users, and enjoys economies of scale, allows the developer to keep RHI money

Slightly increased the insulation; but was pretty good already

Heat

Wood pellet rather than chip, as less room for storage, more experience, confident in supply and higher energy density

ElectricityWe have zero carbon heat (around a 70% reduction)Code 5 still needs electricity for lights

Code 6 still needs electricity for lights and appliances

Easy, flexible option: Solar PVHarder, better value option: Wind

ElectricityWind

11 to 20 kW wind turbineAround 25m tall

Electricity

1.6 kW per Code 5 house

Solar PV

Around 1,400 kWh per year

ElectricitySolar PV

The Code 6 house also needs to power its appliances

5.22 kW needed, which is around 42 m2. This needed a slight change in roof design

It did not change the appearance from the outside of the development

Other Issues

Sustainability is not just energy

Rainwater harvesting or grey water recycling Low impact materials

Lots of cycle storageEcological planting to increase biodiversity Good recycling and bin storage

Code 6 house also built from ICF and includes MHRV

AttenuationHUG, composting, Energy Advice, CCS, SWMP, etc.

Osprey Quay

77 Houses, the athletes village for the Olympic sailing

Designed to Code level 4 from the begining

Osprey Quay

Osprey Quay

Heat

Wood pellet district schemes. 3 different heat networks +

18 individual biomass boilers

Whole scheme designed and phased to fit these

Good insulation and air tightness

ElectricityCode 4 does not require any

electricity generation if you have renewable heat

However, each south-facing roof has the wiring/plumbing to accept solar panels if occupant wants to add

Other Issues

Rainwater harvestingLow impact materials

Lots of cycle storageEcological planting to increase biodiversity Good recycling and bin storage

All buildings build from timber frame.

AttenuationHUG, composting, Energy Advice, CCS, SWMP, etc

Observations

It can be an absolute painMany planning authorities don’t understand it, and

therefore policies are hard to enforce

There is no national timescale for its implementation

You need to tell the developers at the first initial discussions, they need advice at the start

The Code can be really useful

Any Questions?