Tips & Insight
Extending a Home in Guernsey – Our Guide to Part L
Each of the Bailiwick’s of the Channel Islands apply their own rules for the conservation of fuel and power in buildings. These cover new build homes, non-dom ...
Japan’s Biggest Housebuilder Moves into UK Market
Japan’s biggest house builder has struck a £90m deal with Homes England and Urban Splash to deliver thousands of new properties across England. Sekisui House ...
EPC’s, SAP and BRUKL – A Guide for Planners and Building Control
Energy assessors are responsible for producing SAP, BRUKL and EPC documents on behalf of those creating new buildings. These can be used to show how a new build ...
Why is Dorset falling Short?
Dorset lags behind the rest of the country in it’s approach to sustainable construction. Local policy has been labelled unambitious, unenforced and fallin ...
What are Psi values? A rough guide for SAP
Psi-values are a critical component within the design of low energy buildings. Historically they have been given a cursory glance by design teams, and often lef ...
How do I get my EPC?
A very common question is “my build is reaching completion, how do we get the EPC?” Well firstly congratulations on getting to the final stage! Befo ...
BE gains Constructionline Gold & Acclaim Status
We are very proud to say that Build Energy has gained Constructionline Gold status, as well as Acclaim SSIP accreditation. In recent months we’ve been wor ...
The Draft London Plan – Six Changes to Watch for in 2019
The Greater London Authority have recently released new guidance on preparing energy statements for planning applications. Many of the changes to the expected d ...
Greater Manchester wants all new buildings ‘net zero’ by 2028
‘Net zero’ for all new buildings from 2028 in Manchester Plan. The draft Greater Manchester Plan for Homes, Jobs and the Environment was released in ...
Do I need SAP, SBEM or an EPC?
SAP, SBEM, EPCs. These all come up as part of Building Regulations, but when do you need what? You may be familiar with some common acronyms which appear around ...
MVHR Systems – What You Need to Know
Mechanical Ventilation Systems with Heat Recovery (MVHR) are becoming much more commonplace in new builds and they can play an important part in energy efficien ...
Grid electric – the green choice for new homes?
Changes to the Building Regulations and SAP 10 mean homes powered by mains electricity will be seen as greener than ever before. Electrical systems will now be ...
SAP 10 Released – What’s New?
The BEIS and BRE have finally published SAP 10 – the eagerly awaited update to SAP 2012. SAP Calculations are used to demonstrate the energy performance o ...
The Hoover Building – Journey through a Sustainable Renovation
Re-purposing a 1930’s factory is not without it’s challenges, especially for an iconic listed building. Standing in Perivale to the west of Central ...
Part F Ventilation Testing – an inconsistent approach
Part F Ventilation Testing is something you may be asked to carry out, especially if you are building new houses or flats. However it can be a difficult one to ...
SAP in Scotland: Further Comparisons with England and Wales
In a follow up to our previous blog about SAP in Scotland, we delve a little deeper into the key differences between SAP in Scotland compared to England and Wa ...
Completion at the Hoover Building!
We are delighted to say that the redevelopment of the iconic Hoover Building has achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating. Since June 2014 we have been working closel ...
Air Permeability Testing – Get Your Building Airtight
Once a dwelling is complete, an essential part of our work is testing for airtightness. Air permeability testing is a crucial phase of any build as the result w ...
Pupdate!
Some of you may know that we’ve been raising money for Guide Dogs over the last few years, and more specifically through our ‘Name a Puppy’ fu ...
How to Succeed with SBEM Assessments
SBEM, or the Simplified Building Energy Model is an essential element in not only getting your construction project off the ground – or on the ground – but ...
What is SBEM and Why is it Important?
SBEM calculations, much like SAP for residential developments, are used to demonstrate the energy performance of new non-dwellings (or extending existing ones). ...
Why BREEAM is so Important
On 2nd August 2017 we reached Earth Overshoot Day. You’d be forgiven for thinking we were talking about a disaster movie starring Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck ...
The Bournemouth Development Company
In the 1960s a development corporation was established to create the UK’s first modern, planned town. Milton Keynes was touted as a new garden city that follo ...
Is the Future Modular Construction?
The concept of prefabrication is nothing new. Examples of buildings being constructed in one place and relocated elsewhere go back centuries including settlemen ...
How to Pass L1a with Electric Heating
We are using more power than at any other point in history. A sample house had been modelled to determine what kind of measures would be needed to meet compli ...
The Impact of Super Towers
A city skyline is an incredible, romantic and striking thing. It’s also in a constant state of evolution. It’s a rare thing to look out over London and not ...
Scotland – What Do Gold Silver & Bronze Mean?
On the 1st May 2011 Sustainability labelling was introduced to the Scottish Building Standards through the Building (Scotland) Act. The labelling system has bee ...
Zero Carbon London – Nine Months On
It was in October last year that rules for Zero Carbon Homes were introduced in London. What impact have the rules had so far? As part of the London Plan, all n ...
SAP in Scotland: A Comparison with England & Wales
SAP in Scotland can be much more challenging than England and Wales. Let’s look at why. For a new home, the main target for SAP in Scotland and the rest of th ...
The Self Build Checklist
Self Builders! Are you embarking on your first build? Confused by all these SAP calculations and air tests? Have no fear, BE is here with the essential checkli ...