AEA provides technical support to raise energy efficiency standards in buildings
The planning process provides local authorities with an opportunity to encourage developers to use improved energy performance and sustainable construction in developments. We undertook two studies to assist South Oxfordshire District Council investigate the feasibility of using the planning process to advance higher energy efficiency standards on a major housing development
Issue
Local Authorities are tasked with responding to a range of Governmental policies and sustainability initiatives, including the Home Energy Conservation Act. AEA were able to provide the relevant technical expertise to identify the energy targets for their proposed development and where cost effective energy saving measures could be achieved.
Results
This project helped to raise energy performance standards in the South Oxfordshire area as part of the Council’s strategy towards achieving their Home Energy Conservation Act and Local Agenda 21 objectives.
Solution
In the first study, we provided a strategic briefing on a range of energy issues relevant to a development in South Oxfordshire, including advanced housing design, zero carbon and zero heating designs, transport energy use and the potential scope for reducing the embedded energy in building materials. Our report also identified overall energy targets for the development.
In a follow-on study, AEA examined the developers’ standard dwelling designs to identify where specific cost effective, energy-saving measures could be used. These potential measures were grouped together and their overall energy performance was assessed using the Government approved Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP). Outline specifications for the energy efficiency measures were developed for the basic SAP 100 rated dwellings and the more advanced zero carbon and zero heating house designs