18 C O N T E X T 9 9 : M A Y 2 0 0 7 The guide on wind energy is due to be published shortly. The full list will include: • wind • solar and photo-voltaic energy • bio fuels • air and ground-source heat pumps • combined heat and power • rainwater and grey water recovery • hydro • fuel cells. Part L and Historic Buildings This is due to replace the interim guidance Building Regulations and Historic Buildings produced in 2002 (updated 2004). English Heritage commissioned a firm of conservation surveyors, Oxley Conservation, to draft a series of leaflets which together will form the new guidance. A total of 42 leaflets are planned, divided into four groups. ‘The Background’ will include general principles, understanding u-values and standard assessment procedure ratings, and specific advice for development control, building control officers and domestic energy assessors. ‘Building Elements’ includes leaflets on insulating different pitches of roofs, walls and floors, and draughtproofing windows and doors and secondary glazing. Boilers, controls and lighting are also covered. ‘Building Types’ looks at typical examples of buildings such as 18th and 19th century terraced housing, earth-walled buildings and solid-wall housing. A series of case studies completes the guidance. All the leaflets have been considered by a panel of 24 representatives of relevant organisations such as all the building control bodies, the Energy Saving Trust, CIBSE, IHBC, RTPI, RIBA and RICS, and technical representatives. The panel is chaired by English Heritage. It is important to remember the status of this new guidance. It will replace the interim guidance and will form part of the Approved Documents for Part L1B and L2B. In other words, where it is clear that a proposal which aims to implement the standards suggested in the Approved Document (for example trying to achieve a specific u-value), but which could harm the historic or traditional building, reference should be made to the English Heritage guidance. The conservation officer will still need to advise where there is doubt about the importance of the building in question. Clearly not all buildings in conservation areas are significant, whereas important unlisted buildings outside conservation areas may well be. A key message of the revised guidance is to keep in mind the big picture. The most effective energy savings measures are those which are carried out with the minimum of disruption and destruction, and which have an effective pay-back period. Simple draughtproofing and replacement boilers with updated controls achieve the most effective savings. It is seldom cost-effective to insulate walls and roof slopes unless other substantial building works are proposed; especially as such ‘improvements’ can harm the appearance and performance of the building. Ultimately, real gains will not be achieved by a slavish adherence to a marginally lower u-value. Sensible energy-saving measures combined with the efficient and economical running of a building will result in lower carbon production. The guidance is to be published on the English Heritage website toward the end of the year with a hard copy version to follow. Climate Change andYour Home is a pilot interactive website which was shown last year at an Environment Agency conference. The site shows what measures owners living in traditionally built homes can take to combat the anticipated effects of climate change. A typical brick-built Victorian terrace house is used to illustrate the first example. The anticipated consequences of global warming are listed down the side and will be tailored on a regional basis. Clicking on one of the ‘consequences’ will bring up more details on the expected changes and effects. The site will also guide the visitor through possible adaptation measures related both to climate change and energy efficiency requirements. The pros and cons of each of the measures are discussed and best practice for implementation is explained. The site will also act as the main signpost for other more detailed material, such as the Part L guidance documents. Clicking on a part of the house (for example to the slate roof) will describe what additional work needs to be taken given expected changes (for example following increased driving rain). Clicking again will open further information boxes, including best practice guidance. Anumber of typical building types are to bemodelled. At this stage there is likely to be a significant emphasis on maintenance unless there is clear evidence of more immediate and dramatic change, such as increasing and more severe flooding in a particular area.This site is due to go online towards the end of the year. As the culmination of these initiatives, English Heritage is also planning a summit on climate change. Rather than looking at the needs of the historic environment, as many have already done, this will put the historic environment at the centre of a far wider debate. We hope to have some influence on the inevitable period of transition from a high to a low carbon economy. The aim is to explore how previous individuals, societies and economies functioned, concentrating on what lessons can be learned and how these might be translated into action for the future. This will inevitably critically question current concepts. It could well conclude that we need a wide reappraisal of how we live and an urgent assessment of the implications of transition. Chris Wood, a member of the IHBC Technical Panel, works for English Heritage.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjgyMjA=