Archive for August, 2006
Growth of mandatory BREEAM assessments in the north of England
A new report out today from DCLG outlines the potential brownfield land available for redevelopment in the UK. As a BREEAM assessor, I would predict that the majority of land owned by local authorities or other public bodies (such as English Partnership) would require a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’ in order for any development [...]
The strange tale of the company who offered someone else’s services
I’m deep into some competitive analysis for BREEAM services at the minute and whilst browsing through some websites found this very odd example.
The chain of events went such:
Find a BREEAM for schools assessor using www.breeam.org
Find website addresses on the list of assessors
Go to Gifford website listed on the website
Use the prominent search box at the [...]
Is this the future for energy generation - magnets?
I had to check it wasn’t April 1st, but this sounds interesting:
Steorn develops free energy technology and issues challenge to the global scientific communityLondon, 18th August 2006: Steorn, an Irish technology development company, has today issued a challenge to the global scientific community to test Steorn’s free energy technology and publish the findings.
Steorn’s technology [...]
Book Review - Guide to Part L of the Building Regulations. Conservation of fuel and power
If, like me, you have been tearing your hair out, trying to get your head around Part L since long before April this year, this book may help alleviate some of those stresses. Available from RIBA and NBS, the Guide costs £25. The RIBA blurb is below:
Guide to Part L is a thoroughly [...]
New Online Environmental Assessment Tool
Business in the manufacturing sector can quickly assess if they are taking the correct measures required to comply with environmental legislation thanks to a new online questionnaire from NetRegs, the free and confidential website that provides practical guidance to small businesses on their environmental obligations. Go to Net Regs for further information:
NetRegs is a [...]
DEFRA Consultation on EcoDesign Requirements announced
From DEFRA :
Consultation on new regulations on ecodesign requirements for energy-using products
This consultation relates to draft new regulations which will implement in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland a European Directive (2005/32/EC) establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for energy-using products.
We are seeking the views of all interested stakeholders, which we shall [...]
First blogs, now wikis…
photo via Flickr
David Miliband was one of the first MP’s to have his own blog and now he and DEFRA have a Wiki. If you don’t know what a wiki is, have a look at www.wikipedia.org (the daddy of all wiki’s). Basically, it’s a site which you, the user, can edit. Changes [...]
Springboard Business Centre in Stokesley, Yorkshire
image via Green Building PressGood to see a green building which has been designed to cope with the unusually warm recent weather:
even though the building (Springboard Business Centre in Stokesley, Yorkshire) doesn’t have air conditioning it has remained comfortably cool throughout the heatwave.
The building also reflects a trend of ‘green’ buildings and entrepreneurship going hand [...]
Olympic Delivery Authority’s 12 Sustainability Principles
photo via Flickr
The ODA are proposing the following as the principles contractors will have to follow when delivering London 2012:
Energy – maximise the opportunities for carbon efficiency whilst reducing the carbon footprint of the Olympic and Legacy development wherever possible.
Waste – maximise opportunities to design out waste and provide new waste infrastructure, whilst minimising off [...]
Malcolm Gladwell’s Father explains Geothermal heat pumps
image via Flickr
Malcolm Gladwell, journalist and author of the Tipping Point and Blink, has an interesting post on his blog where his father explains how his newly installed geothermal heat pump system works.
Most of us prefer the temperature in the house in the winter to be nearer 70˚F then 60˚F, so we need to raise [...]
