GHA Knowledge Base
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The fourth event in our Bitesize Webinar series.
Robust and targeted Local Plan policies are a necessary component of achieving net-zero emissions. GHA member Bioregional understand how to create the evidence base, and how to implement the policies in practice.
All local planning authorities have a legal duty to address the climate and ecological crisis and to contribute towards the UK’s legally binding net-zero target for 2050. In practice, this means taking bold steps to achieve zero emissions from new buildings and adopting policies that drive drastic and rapid emissions reductions from transport, energy and land-use.
As Local Plans set out the vision for future development in a borough, they are key to ensuring that any land-use changes, or new development that happens – from homes and offices to transport infrastructure – results in the least amount of greenhouse gas emissions possible, whilst enabling economic growth and addressing housing need.
The Good Homes Alliance was joined by Bioregional to discover why we need Zero Carbon planning policies and what are the powers that Local Authorities have to create them.
The new tool responds to demand from designers, housing associations, environmental health officers, and other parties concerned with overheating risks in the existing housing stock, which are likely to increase further due to climate change and higher temperatures.
This tool is intended for use at the early stages of residential retrofit projects, or on existing homes, in order to identify key factors contributing to overheating risk and possible mitigation measures. It is applicable to existing homes, retrofits, and conversions of non-domestic buildings to residential accommodation.
The tool and guidance are meant to be easy to use by non-specialists to inform early-stage big impact decisions. They promote holistic consideration of overheating risk together with the site context and linked design issues such as ventilation and noise. The potential impacts of energy efficiency measures through retrofit are included, but the tool also highlights the important opportunities for retrofit to contribute not only to overheating risk mitigation, but also improvements in air quality and energy efficiency.
The tool builds upon the beta version which launched in March 2022, with new case studies and improved functionality. We would like to thank everyone who contributed with their comments and case studies.
The main author of this guidance is Julie Godefroy of Julie Godefroy Sustainability, with support from Susie Diamond of Inkling LLP.
The project has been co-funded by the National Energy Foundation, and the BEIS funded REFINE project on radical decarbonisation of social housing through whole house energy retrofits.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the development of this tool and guidance, including Clare Murray (Levitt Bernstein), John Palmer (LETI), Jack Harvie-Clarke (Apex Acoustics), Anthony Chilton (Max Fordham), Harry Paticas (RAFT), Amad Kayani (Historic England), Lucy and Tom Pemble, and all those who provided comments in the feedback workshop or by email.
The REFINE project is one of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Demonstrators led by Warwick District Council and Oxford Brookes University with Enhabit/QODA Consulting and Sarah Wigglesworth Architects.
We would like to thank the following steering group members for their input during the project:
For more information about the Overheating in Retrofit and Existing Homes tool, please contact Julie Godefroy – julie@juliegodefroysustainability.co.uk or Susie Diamond – susie@inklingllp.com.
For more information about the Good Homes Alliance, please contact Julian Brooks, Programmes Director – julian@goodhomes.org.uk, 0330 355 6274.
Download content available for Good Homes Alliance Vanguard Network members only.
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This document provides guidance on how to comply with the Building Regulations Part O requirement to assess and limit overheating risk in residential buildings. It focuses on homes (“residential dwellings” in Part O). While much of it is applicable to other types of residential buildings, specific considerations will apply to accommodation such as care homes.
Find the Overheating: Approved Document O on the UK Government Website here
Despite the benefits of community-led housing, the sector in the UK remains small compared to other countries in Europe and North America, currently delivering less than 0.3% of total housing output.
Past government initiatives have sought to increase uptake, but the original £163m Community Housing Fund closed at the end of 2019 with only a fraction allocated. However, a new £4 million programme launched in 2021, managed by the Community Led Homes (CLH) partnership, will see more than 1,200 new affordable homes delivered across the UK.
How does the community led housing mission align with the net zero agenda? We’ll hear from organisations pushing the boundaries in terms of both community and low energy aspirations.
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Download content available for Good Homes Alliance Pathfinder Network members only.
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Content available for Good Homes Alliance members only.
If you are already a GHA member, please Log In or Sign Up for an account. Check our Member Directory to see if you are a member.
Find out the benefits of membership and sign up as a GHA member to access this content.
If you have any queries, please contact richard@goodhomes.org.uk.
COP26 further stressed what we already knew. If we are to meet our net zero commitments and limit global warming, we must start delivering net zero buildings NOW.
Q&A panel discussion chaired by Lynne Sullivan (Good Homes Alliance). The panel includes Adam Mactavish (Currie & Brown), Nicole Lazarus (Zero Carbon at Scale) and Tom Dollard (PTE)
Lynne Sullivan (Good Homes Alliance) talks through the latest standards and policies for zero carbon homes
Susie Diamond (Inkling LLP) discusses the Good Homes Alliance overheating project
Q&A panel discussion chaired by Lynne Sullivan (Good Homes Alliance). The panel includes Richard Partington (Studio Partington), Susie Diamond (Inkling LLP), Dr Julie Godefroy (CIBSE), Dr Anastasia Mylona (CIBSE) and Victoria Tink (MHCLG)
(20 mins) Q&A panel discussion with Lynne Sullivan (Good Homes Alliance), Richard Cook (Lendlease), Paula Higgins (Home Owners Alliance), Peter Caplehorne (CPA), and Robin Nicholson (Cullinan Studio and The Edge).
(6 mins) Lynne Sullivan from the Good Homes Alliance discusses the issues raised after Grenfell and recommendations to the industry for change.
Download content available for Good Homes Alliance Pathfinder Network members only.
If you are already a GHA member, please Log In or Sign Up for an account. Check our Member Directory to see if you are a member.
Find out the benefits of membership and sign up as a GHA member to access this content.
If you have any queries, please contact richard@goodhomes.org.uk.