News update - October 2007

A brief synopsis of some of the key news items related to technical guidance, construction practice, and new regulations that you might have missed in the press.
 

Zero carbon homes target
Communities and Local Government (CLG) (see NBS Shortcut on the Sustainable Homes Initiative) has published revised guidance on how to meet the government's zero carbon homes target under the Code for Sustainable Homes, following feedback from the construction industry. The key changes to the new guidance are:

• The way in which energy efficiencies for flats without renewables are calculated
• The way water efficiencies are calculated

A further change will mean that off-site renewable energy sources will be eligible to count towards overall energy efficiency unless it is directly connected to the development concerned. But the Code for Sustainable Homes will still allow homes to be connected to the gas and electricity grids so long as they produce net zero carbon emissions over the year.

Contract Journal, 2nd October 2007

Construction product sales rise
Construction product sales have again risen during the third quarter despite the recent credit crunch. Ernst and Young/Construction Products Association Activity Barometer records a score of 73 for the third quarter of 2007 compared to the record high of 80 in the second quarter. Overall product sales are predicted to rise further during the fourth quarter, albeit at a slower pace. The survey recorded a score of 66 for construction product sales during the next three months, firmly above the 50 “no change” mark.
QS Week, 3rd October 2007

Urban design compendium
English Partnerships (EP), together with the Housing Corporation has launched its updated urban-design manual, outlining what it regards as the ‘key strategies for creating quality places’. As noted in NBS Shortcut 58, The new Urban Design Compendium Two replaces the original manual, published in 2000, and describes ‘five fundamental building blocks’ of sustainable development. These are: legacy, leadership, integration, collaboration and long-term involvement. The document also identifies what EP and the corporation see as the main barriers to good urban design, and includes exemplar schemes which have overcome the difficulties. The full document is on www.urbandesigncompendium.co.uk.
AJ Plus, 19th September 2007

Gateshead church to get long-awaited overhaul
Four developers have put forward bids to regenerate St Cuthbert’s Church (1846 -1848) by 19th-century Neo-Classicist architect John Dobson. The church was declared redundant by the Church of England more than a decade ago, and fears had been raised that it might be demolished. John Dobson was one of the most prolific architects of his time working in the North East, and was responsible for Newcastle’s Central Station and the All Saints Church.
AJ Plus, 24th September 2007

Green kitchen goods
Dynamic demand controlled appliances such as fridges and freezers could be able to reduce the amount of electricity they use during peak periods and eventually save an estimated two million tonnes of emissions a year when fully integrated across the network. The green kitchen goods would have small electronic controllers installed to track peak times on the electricity grid, helping to reduce demand. See the report on http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file41011.pdf.

New homes boost
Plans to transform 150 acres in the Scotswood Benwell area of Newcastle with up to 1,800 new homes have been approved by the Government Office for the North East. Some 23 expressions of interest were received from house builders and property developers hoping to deliver the £380m masterplan. A shortlist will be drawn up in October and a final award made next summer.
CN Plus, 25th September 2007

RICS to offer paper-free procurement
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is launching a more efficient way to manage the procurement process. RICS eTendering service, which will be launched on 18 October, aims to cut the costs for buyers and suppliers as well as improve the overall way business is conducted. The service will be offered on a pay per tender basis to buyers at £500 to register each tender, and there are no subscription fees. Contractors and suppliers can use the system for free. It will be applicable to competitive tenders, negotiated tenders and framework contracts.
QS Week, 1st October 2007

Tyre chip fuel
A trial using tyre chips as an alternative fuel in the high-temperature cement kiln at Tunstead Quarry, Buxton, has been a resounding success. The kiln operator, Tarmac Buxton Lime & Cement notes that the used tyres would have previously gone to landfill. The trial, supervised by the Environment Agency, was carried out during 2006-07. State-of-the-art monitoring methods compared plant emissions when using conventional fuels, coal and petroleum coke with replacement of up to 50% of tyre chips. The very high kiln temperatures, long combustion times and excess air in the cement kiln ensures complete combustion of the tyre chips and eliminates any black smoke or smell. As the trial was a success, the use of tyre chips as substitute fuels can continue while the Environment Agency considers the trial results in detail.
Concrete Quarterly, Autumn 2007

Eurocode guides
See NBS Shortcut 39 on Eurocodes. Also, the UK Department for Communities and Local Government has launched a new series of online guides to various parts of the new structural Eurocodes. Visit: www.eurocodes.co.uk.

Get into the refurbishment game
The first in a series of three articles tracking the issues and solutions involved in upgrading the thermal elements of an existing solid walled property.
Insulation, Issue 4 2007, pp.6 and 8

Green standards to be reformed
BRE’s widely used BREEAM environmental rating system and the principal method of calculating Part L compliance are to be overhauled to take account of the drive towards zero-carbon buildings. BRE is to add a rating above the present top category of “excellent” in April next year. It is likely to be called “outstanding”.

Meanwhile, the 2016 Zero Carbon Homes Taskforce has asked the Construction Products Association (CPA) to examine the SAP system for calculating compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations by 2010 when Part L is next revised. John Tebbit, the CPA’s industry affairs director, said it needed revision to accommodate future changes to Part L. He cited the example of hot water use, which is calculated by floor area rather than number of occupants in a house. This means larger homes would lose out as standards rise. The contribution of thermal mass to energy use may also be considered in the revised SAP.
Building Online, 21st September 2007

Portugal gambles on 'sea snakes' providing an energy boost
Portugal is poised to open what will be the world's first commercial wavefarm. The Pelamis machines, named after the Latin for sea snake and developed by a Scottish company, are a series of red tubes, each about the size of a small commuter train, linked together, and pointed in the direction of the waves. The waves travel down the tubes, causing them to bob up and down, and a hydraulic system harnesses this movement to generate electricity.
Guardian Unlimited, 1st October 2007

USA – Green Roof Performance Report (see also NBS Shortcut 43)
The American Society of Landscape Architects’ (ASLA) green roof demonstration project retained thousands of gallons of stormwater, reduced building energy costs by hundreds of dollars a month, and significantly lowered outdoor air temperature according to a report. See: www.asla.org/greenroof. The full report and a comprehensive water monitoring report are also available.
ArchNewsNow.com, 25th September 2007

Bridge permanently closed to cars
The High Level Bridge over the Tyne has been closed to traffic since February 2005 while owners Network Rail carried out essential structural work. It is now due to re-open in May 2008, but only to buses and taxis travelling in a southbound direction. Engineers say the restrictions are needed to prolong the working life of the bridge, which first opened in 1849. Once re-opened, it will be used by public transport, cyclists and pedestrians. Mike Cookson, executive member for regeneration, planning and transport for Newcastle City Council, said: "The High Level Bridge is a much-loved local landmark, but sadly it was built to carry horses and carts, and was simply not designed to support 21st century levels of traffic. So to give the bridge a viable future we have decided with our partners that there is no option but to limit the traffic flow across it."
BBC News Online, 20th September 2007

Water Efficient Product Labelling Scheme
The Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) has launched its very own voluntary water efficient product-labelling scheme to facilitate product selection. The scheme is supported by a website which will be a useful reference tool for plumbers, hosting a comprehensive database of qualifying products and a detailed description of criteria explaining how a product qualifies for the label. For further information, go to
www.water-efficiencylabel.org.uk.

Modern Concrete Architecture
The creative potential of site cast concrete will be examined at a forthcoming Concrete Elegance lecture to be held at the School of Arts, Culture and Environment at Edinburgh University on 30 October 2007. Hosted by The Concrete Centre, in conjunction with the Building Centre Trust, the lecture will include a presentation by Jamie Fobert, of Jamie Fobert Architects, who will discuss 'Concrete Marbling and Woodchip Finishes' using polythene-lined formwork and chipboard-textured concrete. He will also discuss his recent Kander Residence project in King Henry's Road where only the Victorian façade was retained. Jochen Glemsar, of David Chipperfield Architects, will discuss the use of coloured concrete for the Villaverde Housing Projects in Madrid and the City of Justice buildings in Barcelona. In particular he will focus on 'Surface Tonality and Patination with Coloured Concrete'. Finally, Remo Pedreschi of the University of Edinburgh will examine the casting of concrete in formwork made with flexible materials. His presentation introduces the evening's launch of the book Fabric Formed Concrete, published by RIBA Publications.

Attendance is free. For further details and registration, please email: education@concretecentre.com.