Low Carbon Europe’s Planning and Policy specialists were commissioned to provide expert advice in relation to energy and sustainability in the built environment to the Planning Divisions at Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils.
Assessment of Energy and Sustainability Statements
Low Carbon Europe’s core service focused on the assessment of energy and sustainability statements submitted by developers in order to ensure compliance with national design standards including the Building Regulations Part L (2013) and Local Plans. Our extensive knowledge at every stage of the energy hierarchy (Energy Efficiency, Decentralised Energy and Renewable Energy), enabled Low Carbon Europe to offer clear advice to Planning Officers for all major residential, commercial and mixed-use developments at the design, construction and post-construction stages.
As part of the assessment of Energy and Sustainability Statements, Low Carbon Europe provided technical consultancy support and advice in relation to:
Active and passive design measures.
Energy Modelling: Target Emission Rate (TER) and Dwelling Emission Rate (DER).
BREEAM, Code for Sustainable Homes and the Building for Life Standard.
Renewable Energy Feasibility.
Discharge and recommendation of energy and sustainability planning conditions.
Passivhaus Technical and Financial Feasibility Report
As part of the retained energy and sustainability service, Low Carbon Europe also produced a detailed Passivhaus Technical and Financial Feasibility Report in order to provide the Council Executive Committee and Housing Division on the environmental benefits and financial feasibility of constructing new social housing developments to the Passivhaus standard.
Low Carbon Europe’s appraisal focused on the following areas in order to provide impartial advice on the possible energy efficiency standards of future dwellings within the Council’s jurisdiction.
Analysis of all stages of the construction process: feasibility, concept, detailed design, contract tender, construction, completion and defects liability and evaluation.
The Passivhaus certification process and energy modelling.
Comparison of costs against standard Building Regulations compliant developments and Code for Sustainable Homes certified dwellings.
Environmental and financial benefits of Passivhaus certification.
Analysis of longer-term socio-economic benefits for occupants.
Feed Back from the Client
“Low Carbon Europe helped to fill a short term need within our team supporting our planning department in determining the acceptability of planning applications from the grounds of energy use and environmental sustainability. I would recommend using Low Carbon Europe for a similar role where you require external expertise with knowledge that tasks will be completed to a high standard within very short time frames.”
Nathan Pittam (Senior Environmental Management Officer) Mid Suffolk and Babergh District Council
