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HOT WATER SOLUTION FROM RINNAI FOR PREMIER LEAGUE

RINNAI HYDROGEN BLENDS READY 20% CONTINUOUS

FLOW WATER HEATERS BEATS STORED WATER

SYSTEMS AT PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS 

Property experts and contractors have completed the installation of a complete new hot water delivery system at a top London Premiership football club, replacing an outdated stored cylinder configuration with a practical and economic hot water solution. The renowned club replaced their old traditional system with a specifically designed new energy efficient Rinnai continuous flow delivery on demand water heaters that offer and are certified for Hydrogen blends of up to 20%.

Rinnai water heating systems have been installed in almost all top UK Premiership clubs in the UK. The latest installation was completed at a stadium which is less than 20 years old and was considered ‘state-of-the-art’ once completed. The club had initially utilised a traditional stored system where hot water is kept heated until required. The new system is capable of delivering over 9000 litres of temperature controlled hot water each and every hour, non-stop.

A premiership football club will have huge peaks of demand and the site simply cannot afford to run out of hot water on match days. The demand is for the kitchens, the catering, the hospitality, the toilets and the extensive wash and showering facilities.

Continuous flow systems heat water upon demand meaning that fuel is only used when the system is operational.

The installation completed at this London premiership club included a manifolded bank of 10 Rinnai Sensei N series 1600i continuous flow water heaters together with the Nexus scale protection and a BMS Integration. All units featured Rinnai commissioning to secure long term warranty guarantees.

For Rinnai Ricky Lewis, Associate Director Corporate Sales, said, “We were able to demonstrate that the Rinnai system can yield financial reductions of nearly 20% of the running cost, over 30% of the upfront cost, over 15% in carbon footprint, over 75% in space, over 85% in weight compared to heated storage systems, creating a highly practical and economic solution for the client whilst lowering onsite carbon.”

Rinnai continuous flow water heaters are an integral part of the organisations H1 initiative which aims to utilise natural gas, Hydrogen blends, Hydrogen, LPG and Bio-LPG to lower onsite emissions. Rinnai continuous flow units are typically 30kg – a one-man lift, making the entire installation process far easier. Two sizes are available – 47kW and 58kW. Both produce 774 and 954 litres per hour at a 50-degree rise respectively.

Rinnai H1 continuous water heaters and boilers offer practical and economic decarbonization delivered through technological innovation in hydrogen and renewable liquid gas ready technology. Rinnai’s H1 option is centred on hydrogen, as it is anticipated that clean hydrogen fuels will become internationally energy market-relevant in the future; Rinnai water heaters are hydrogen 20% blends ready and include the world’s first 100% hydrogen-ready hot water heating technology.

Rinnai H2 – Decarbonization simplified with renewable gas-ready units, Solar Thermal and Heat Pump Hybrids. Rinnai H2 is designed to introduce a practical and low-cost option which may suit specific sites and enable multiple decarbonisation pathways with the addition of high performance.

Rinnai’s complete range of hot water heating units are available for next day delivery on orders placed before the previous mid-day.

 

RINNAI’S H3 DECARBONISATION OFFERS PATHWAYS & CUSTOMER COST REDUCTIONS FOR COMMERCIAL, DOMESTIC AND OFF-GRID HEATING & HOT WATER DELIVERY

Rinnai’s H3 range of decarbonising products include hydrogen / BioLPG ready technology, hybrid systems, and a wide range of LOW GWP heat pumps and solar thermal. Also, within Rinnai’s H3 range is Infinity hydrogen blend ready and BioLPG ready continuous flow water heaters which are stacked with a multitude of features that ensure long life, robust & durable use, customer satisfaction and product efficiency.

Rinnai’s range of decarbonising products – H1/H2/H3 – consists of heat pump, solar, hydrogen in any configuration, hybrid formats for either residential or commercial applications. Rinnai’s H3 range of products offer contractors, consultants and end users a range of efficient, robust and affordable decarbonising appliances which create practical, economic and technically feasible solutions. The range covers all forms of fuels and appliances currently available – electric, gas, hydrogen, BioLPG, rDME solar thermal, low GWP heat pumps and electric water heaters.

Rinnai H1 continuous water heaters and boilers offer practical and economic decarbonization delivered through technological innovation in hydrogen and renewable liquid gas ready technology.

Rinnai’s H1 option is centred on hydrogen, as it is anticipated that clean hydrogen fuels will become internationally energy market-relevant in the future; Rinnai water heaters are hydrogen 20% blends ready and include the world’s first 100% hydrogen-ready hot water heating technology.

Rinnai H2 – Decarbonization simplified with renewable gas-ready units, Solar Thermal and Heat Pump Hybrids. Rinnai H2 is designed to introduce a practical and low-cost option which may suit specific sites and enable multiple decarbonisation pathways with the addition of high performance.

Rinnai H3 – Low-GWP heat pump technology made easy – Rinnai heat pumps are available for domestic and commercial usage with an extensive range of 4 – 115kW appliances.

Rinnai’s H3 heat pumps utilise R32 refrigerant and have favourable COP and SCOP.

Rinnai is a world leading manufacturer of hot water heaters and produces over two million units a year, operating on each of the five continents. The brand has gained an established reputation for producing products that offer high performance, cost efficiency and extended working lives.

Rinnai’s commercial and domestic continuous flow water heaters offer a limitless supply of instantaneous temperature controlled hot water and all units are designed to align with present and future energy sources. Rinnai condensing water heaters accept either existing fuel or hydrogen gas blends. Rinnai units are also suited for off-grid customers who require LPG and BioLPG or rDME.

Rinnai products are UKCA certified, A-rated water efficiency, accessed through multiple fuel options and are available for purchase 24/7, 365 days a year. Any unit can be delivered to any UK site within 24 hours. Rinnai offer carbon and cost comparison services that will calculate financial and carbon savings made when investing in a Rinnai system. Rinnai also provide a system design service that will suggest an appropriate system for the property in question. Rinnai offer comprehensive training courses and technical support in all aspects of the water heating industry including detailed CPD’s. More information can be found on Rinnai’s website and its “Help Me Choose” webpage.

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Living Walls Enrich Urban Spaces

Delegates at this year’s Futurebuild exhibition are being encouraged to visit stand G24 to discover how Biotecture’s living wall systems can transform urban environments and enrich spaces inside and out.

This year’s Futurebuild is being held between 7 – 9 March 2023 at ExCel, London.

Biotecture is an innovative vertical green infrastructure company with a proven track record of successfully designing, installing, and maintaining living walls both in the UK and overseas. Recent projects include the living walls across the Canary Wharf estate, 20 Fenchurch Street in London and Wimbledon Court No.1.

Urban greenery provides many benefits from reduced air pollution to better wellbeing. When space is at a premium, both literally and financially, living walls are a space efficient solution for bringing more plants into urban areas.

A recent survey commissioned by Biotecture found that two thirds (66%) of people who live in urban environments want to see more botanical beauty where they live. And 78% say greenery improves their mental wellbeing.

Recognising that space in urban areas is limited, the majority (57%) would welcome more vertical greenery, such as living walls, to make up for the lack of ground level room in their city.

The Biotecture stand will be easy to find thanks to the largescale living walls which will be on display.

Biotecture’s BioPanelTM system is a patented modular hydroponic living wall that combines efficient water management with remote sensing technology. It is the UK’s leading green wall rainscreen cladding system.

The PlantBox system is a stackable, modular living wall that is ideal for ‘quick win’ urban realm improvements. It’s modular and stackable and only requires restraint fixings. Biotecture recently installed PlantBox living walls across the Canary Wharf estate and the scheme won a prestigious BALI Award.

Rounding up the reasons to visit stand G24 is the living wall industry’s new ‘External Cladding: Living Walls and Fire Safety Best Practice Guidance’ which Biotecture was closely involved in developing. The team will be available to discuss what is essential reading for anyone looking for clarity on the National Building Regulations in relation to living walls.

Richard Sabin, Managing director at Biotecture, said: “We are encouraging as many visitors as possible to our stand at Futurebuild. We welcome discussion with clients, architects and designers on how we can enrich their projects with green walls.”

He added: “We have a solution for all types of buildings; Our patented modular hydroponic system combines efficient water management with remote sensing technology, and our freestanding PlantBox system facilitates vertical greening in smaller commercial and residential locations.”

The Biotecture suite of urban greening products are made from recycled materials and enable the incorporation of nature into the built environment.

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RINNAI: UK ENERGY FOR THE FUTURE

A GUIDE TOWARDS NET ZERO AND LOWER CARBON EMMISSIONS – UK ENERGY FOR THE FUTURE

 

 

 

Rinnai’s Chris Goggin lists a brief guide to national & local power variables that do, and might, in the future, supply the UK end-user and consumer. He looks at what is currently on offer and how that energy is manufactured and operates within the total UK mix of fuels.

 

As the UK is now firmly in an era of energy transition it is important that all interested parties – heating engineers, contractors, consultants and end-users – should be aware of what alternative energy is currently available and future options being actively considered.

Carbon heavy fuels are currently being phased out and replaced with a variety of low carbon alternatives. Instead of oil, natural gas and fossil fuel-generated electricity, renewable sources such as wind, wave and solar are being gradually introduced into the UK energy mix.

Biofuels such as BioLPG and RDME could also become UK market relevant along with green gasses such as hydrogen, which is supported by the UK hydrogen strategy and a myriad of pilot schemes across the UK. Energy policy in the UK is also planning to increase nuclear capacity with the construction of several new facilities, with the objective of providing low carbon electricity and potentially hydrogen. Following is a short exposition of each energy vector.

 

HEAT PUMPS

Heat pumps are an old but current technology – the first was invented by Peter von Rittinger in 1867. They can be considered zero carbon at the point of use. However, the carbon intensity of the system is dictated by the electrical grid generation method. A heat pump works by extracting heat from air outside and elevating its temperature using a compressor. Compressed heat Is then transferred into a body of water for heating and DHW.

Residual heat is stored in a hot water cylinder used for showers and baths. If installed correctly on to an appropriate property a heat pump will prove to be an energy efficient, effective tool of decarbonisation to the end-user.

Heat pumps are widely used in Scandinavian countries and other major European economies such as Germany. Mainstream UK media support heat pumps as do governmental grants that supply most initial purchase costs. Heat pumps are available with approved technology that encourages decarbonisation.

SOLAR ENERGY

 

Solar energy absorbs sunlight into photovoltaic panels which produces an electrical charge. This charge of electricity is then converted and transported into a domestic or commercial application. The UK government encourages domestic renewable energy installation. Homeowners can partly subsidise their solar panels through several governmental grants.
One example of UK homeowners incentivised towards solar thermal installation through a governmental scheme is the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) which allows homeowners to receive payments for unused excess energy exported back to the national grid.

Solar power is viewed as holding the potential to contribute meaningfully towards the current and future domestic UK energy mix as well as multiple others across the globe. Only recently it was announced that Global renewable energy company – Low Carbon, has announced construction of 3 new large solar farms in Essex, Derbyshire and Buckinghamshire. Construction in Buckinghamshire will begin immediately. Once complete the facility will provide clean power to more than 7300 homes. Capacity of this site will be 23.4MW. Work on the 28.8MW Derbyshire and 23MW Essex locations will begin in the early new year – 2023. Similar installations are being constructed across every continent.

WIND ENERGY

Renewable wind energy is created when wind turbines are pushed by natural currents of air which is then converted into electricity via a generator. Current UK direction of onshore wind energy is convoluted. At present there is a ban on installing new onshore wind farms inside the UK. However, some media outlets report that the ban is lifted, others maintain the ban is still in effect. Offshore wind farm capacity is being expanded to meet future demand. There are several new installations being constructed inside UK and Irish waters.

Offshore wind facilities under construction and due to begin operations. Amongst the new sites to be introduced is the Dogger Bank Wind Farm off the coast of Yorkshire, Northeast England which will begin operations in 2025. £8.27 billion has been invested into this project and is a joint venture undertaken by SSE Renewables, Equinor and Eni Plenitude.

WAVE ENERGY

Wave energy is created once captured kinetic energy gathered by tidal movements pushes a turbine, which in turn produces electricity. Wave and wind energy rely on the same concept of utilising kinetic energy to generate power. Wave energy is considered 100% carbon neutral. Wave energy is expensive to produce and maintain but is also effective. UK policy adjustments in market and planning legislation could see wave power become expanded to meet future demand.

Further on-land construction work is continuing on the £35 million Holy Island Tidal Energy Scheme, in North Wales. 35 sq km of seabed will be used to generate as much as 240MW of clean tidal electricity, enough to power 180,000 domestic properties.

rDME

Renewable DiMethyl Ether – known as rDME – is a molecule-based fuel that can be produced through a wide range of renewable feedstocks which allows for quick and long-term sustainable production. rDME contains a similar chemical composition to Butane and propane and can be mixed with LPG in existing appliances to continue product operations.

rDME combusts cleanly and releases no “soot” emissions. It has many fuel properties that make it easily used in sites and appliances currently using diesel as a fuel. It has a very high cetane number, which is a measure of the fuel’s ignitibility in compression ignition engines.

Future capacity of rDME is set to rise sharply, further increasing the likelihood of rDME being introduced nationally at some stage soon. A demonstration plant is to be opened later this year, whist the first operational commercial site manufacturing rDME will be on-line in 2024 in Teesside.

LGP & BioLPG

LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) is a low carbon fuel source that is supplied in two forms – propane and butane. BioLPG is 100% carbon neutral and produced through renewable feedstocks such as plant and vegetable waste. Both are considered future forms of carbon friendly energy.

LPG producers see a role for Bio-LPG in the future whether that be blended with LPG or BioLPG. The fuel can be theoretically drop in, meaning limited disruption and user familiarity. Companies have invested over £260 million to date in developing clean liquid gases, including bioLPG and rDME to market. During the transition to renewable liquid gases LPG will remain a valuable part of the low carbon energy mix.

As economies and industry attempt to decarbonise fuel supplies, demand for LPG and BioLPG will rise. Legislation amendments introduced by the US, EU and Japan could see both demand and produced volume of BioLPG increase.

NUCLEAR ENERGY

Nuclear energy occurs when a reaction from either uranium or plutonium is stimulated to generate electricity. The UK government is keen to expand nuclear capacity.

As of writing, it has been confirmed that the UK government will inject £700 million of taxpayer’s money in developing Sizewell C nuclear power plant. Doing so will provide 6 million homes with low carbon electricity for more than 50 years and strengthen national energy security.

HYDROGEN

Hydrogen is produced in various forms signalled by a spectrum of assorted colours: blue, green, pink, brown, grey, yellow and turquoise.

 

  • Blue hydrogen is formed once natural gas is heated with steam in a process called Steam Methene Reforming (SMR). Hydrogen and carbon dioxide are created as a result meaning that emissions must be captured and stored for blue hydrogen to become a low carbon fuel source.
  • Grey hydrogen uses Steam Methene Reforming without capturing any emissions.
  • Green hydrogen occurs once water molecules are split into oxygen and hydrogen using renewable energy to power an electrolyser which sits in a water basin. Green hydrogen is considered 100% carbon neutral and is regarded as a source of future clean energy.
  • Pink hydrogen is created through nuclear powered electrolysis whilst yellow hydrogen is produced through solar powered electrolysis.
  • Turquoise hydrogen is made using a process called methane pyrolysis which produces hydrogen and solid carbon.

 

An extensive list of major international energy companies, such as BP and Equinor has announced various projects costing billons that explore the introduction of hydrogen as a major contributor towards future global energy needs. Spanish renewable energy company Iberdrola are planning to develop a green hydrogen production facility at the UK’s largest port in Felixstowe. Iberdrola is prepared to invest £150 million in the project which is expected to be operational in 2026.

Closer to home the UK issued its Hydrogen strategy in 2021, with the objective of achieving 10GW of Low Carbon Hydrogen by 2030. The strategy is also seeing rapid developments in pilot schemes using 100% hydrogen across the UK.

CLICK HERE

For more information on the RINNAI product range

 

 

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RINNAI’S H3 (Hydrogen / Hybrids / Heat Pumps) RENEWABLE OPTIONS NOW AVAILABLE

Rinnai’s H3 range includes all mainstream varieties of renewable energy alternative options including, LOW-GWP heat pumps (4kw – 110kw) Hydrogen Blends 20% ready and BioLPG ready water heaters and boilers and market leading solar thermal. All options focus on creating decarbonisation pathways that are technically, practically and economically feasible based upon real life requirements. The H3 range is supported by in house design support along with carbon and cost modelling.

 

Rinnai can offer multiple avenues of cost reducing decarbonisation across various energy vectors. To create a healthier way of living, Rinnai is expanding customer choices in hot water provision as well as heating domestic and commercial buildings through a wide range of renewable energy systems. Rinnai’s solar thermal water heating systems are a market leading solution that saves up to 3.5x more carbon per m2 compared to conventional solar technology. This combined with the Rinnai Hydrogen and BioLPG ready condensing water heaters water heating system will save carbon and cost as the Rinnai water heaters will modulate from 58kw – 4.4kW dependent on the solar input therefore only using gas to boost the temperature when needed – harnessing renewable gains and not compromising on performance.

Core design values of Rinnai VirtuHOT solar thermal collectors have benefited from multiple workshops with experienced installers, whose valuable insights have been integrated into design and innovation. This has resulted in a system that is focussed on installer needs to simplify transportation, installation, and maintenance. From an in-life end user perspective the Rinnai VirtuHot system will deliver 50% greater financial returns per m2 in comparison to conventional solar technology, reducing ROI and saving energy and carbon in the process. The Rinnai condensing water heaters and VirtuHOT solar thermal array are backed with a warranty of up to 10 years to give additional peace of mind for installers and end users.

Rinnai intelligent condensing continuous flow water heaters can save more than 30% in operational running costs when compared to gas fired storage systems, helping to reduce fuel costs and exposure to ever-increasing energy and climate change legislation. All Rinnai & Naked Energy solar thermal products are precisely aligned with the hot water heating systems & units which are hydrogen blends-ready 20% and renewable liquid fuel (BioLPG and rDME) ready combustion technologies.

Rinnai’s H3 range of decarbonising products include commercial and domestic heat pumps that contain a variety of features: the HPIH range of commercial heat pumps is suited towards schools, restaurants, and small retail outlets. Rinnai’s HPIH Monobloc Air Source Heat Pumps – 21, 26, 28 & 32kW range can allow for up to seven units to be cascaded together or operate alone as one unit. Once joined together – can serve increased demand for heating and hot water.

The HPIH series includes a range of controls and system peripherals which ensures that all technical machinations can be monitored. Rinnai’s HPIH commercial heat pumps also deploy the refrigerant – R32. The HPIH use maintains an ERP rating of A++ making this range of heat pumps an ideal economic and environmental option for new build and refurbishment projects.

Rinnai’s HPHP series of LOW GWP heat pumps range from 48kw – 70kw. State-of-the-art technology added in the injection process outperforms gas compression technology and ensures that even with outside temperatures of –25 Celsius, heating, and hot water of up to 60 + Celsius can still be delivered.

Rinnai’s HPI SL range models perform with ultra-low sound capability ensuring compatibility with areas that hold strict sound compliance standards. All units operate in three different modes: heating, cooling and DHW and include specific system programmes that enhance product performance in all modes.

Rinnai’s H3 range is supported by free training courses, CPDs, FREE design services and extensive warranty options

 

CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER DETAILS

  RINNAI H3 PRODUCT ROADMAP TO LOWER CARBON AND NET ZERO DE-CARBONISATION

Rinnai’s product and service offering is based on H3- Hydrogen, Heating and Heat Pumps – which allows any site in either residential or commercial sites to maximise the energy efficiency and performance in striving for NetZero and Decarbonisation. Additionally, Rinnai is developing and introducing electrical formats to all existing product ranges within the next few months. Rinnai’s new “H3” range of products includes a wide selection of commercial heat pumps as well as hydrogen blends-ready and hybrid hot water heating systems.

Rinnai is a world leading manufacturer of hot water heaters and produces over two million units a year. The company operates on each of the five continents and the brand has gained an established reputation for high performance, robust cost efficiency and extended working lives.

Rinnai’s commercial and domestic hot water products offer a limitless supply of instantaneous temperature controlled hot water and all units are designed to align with present and future energy sources and accept either natural gas or hydrogen gas blends. Rinnai units are also suited for off-grid customers who require LPG and BioLPG or rDME.

Rinnai units are UKCA certified, A-rated water efficiency, accessed through multiple fuel options and are available for purchase 24/7, 365 days a year. Any unit can be delivered to any UK site within 24 hours. System design services are available if needed and cost comparison services are accessible to all customers who require further cost detail.

Rinnai’s Innovation Manifesto clearly outlines the path to carbon neutrality and maintains a pledge to fully decarbonize company operations by 2050. Rinnai will further support the global clean energy transition by introducing a wide variety of domestic heating options across multiple energy vectors.

Rinnai is committed to decarbonisation. Rinnai’s water heating products are all hydrogen-blends ready NOW including the world’s first 100% hydrogen powered water heater. Rinnai products also accept BioLPG capable of delivering NetZero carbon emissions. Rinnai offer comprehensive training courses and technical support in all aspects of the water heating industry. More information can be found on Rinnai’s website and its “Help Me Choose” webpage.

 CLICK HERE For more information on the RINNAI product range

 

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West Fraser – perfect for your 2023 panel projects

As the expert in innovative engineered wood panels for the UK construction and housebuilding market, we support our customer in lots of ways. Our popular downloadable checklist for housebuilders and interactive product guide proved invaluable in 2022; they are simple tools which ensure you are choosing the best panel product for your project.

 

You can download the checklist which will help in the selection of the perfect product from floor to roof. As you’ll see, the checklist is just one of many resources, available here, designed especially for the housebuilder.

 

The housebuilders’ page includes a fully interactive product guide to download, details of projects using our popular boards, answers to frequently asked questions, and samples and brochures to order. A simple click on the tabs at the side of the guide opens up the chosen product, application or technical information page. Whatever the project, the easy-to-navigate guide makes choosing the right product simple. The guide contains all the information needed on panels in the SterlingOSB Zero, CaberFloor, and CaberMDF portfolios, including detailed technical product data and installation advice. In addition to this, our guide highlights different applications, including roofing, flooring, walling, timber frames, hoarding, shopfitting, and furniture among others such as moulding and packing.

 

If you prefer a paper copy of the guide, which also encompasses contact information for general enquiries and technical expertise, you can request one here!

 

As you’d expect from the UK’s No 1 producer of engineered wood panels, we are committed to playing our part in reducing our emissions, and we are greener than you might think.  Our products are net carbon negative.  Find out more here.

 

All West Fraser panel products produced in the UK are manufactured in mills that have obtained the coveted environmental ISO 14001 accreditation. Responsibly sourced, the panels are FSC-certified and created from locally grown timber, cutting embodied carbon from transportation.

For further information, call 01786 812 921.

 

 

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RETROFIT OR RISK MISSING NET-ZERO AMBITIONS

Cost of living causing consumers to think again about retrofitting

 

RICS and YouGov survey shows homes therefore less likely to be able to cope with climate impacts or to mitigate rising energy costs

The cost of living crisis, has cast new doubt on the progress towards the United Kingdom’s Net-Zero ambition. Previous research from RICS* had found that homeowners were citing cost of retrofitting as a barrier, but despite new policy measures, new research from RICS and YouGov shows that consumers are now concerned about paying for the cost of living above upgrading their homes.

Retrofitting has obvious benefits, such as being able to maintain a constant temperature in the home, as well as increasing the desirability of your property – the December 2019 Residential Market Survey*, prior to the energy crisis, cited almost two thirds of the survey’s respondents believed that the willingness to pay for energy efficient homes would rise in the next three years.

However, the latest consumer research from RICS and YouGov shows that homeowners are unsurprisingly looking to concentrate spending on escalating household costs.

The new research backs up previous calls made by the institution in 2020 for more policy measures to incentivise industry and consumers to retrofit the UK housing stock. The research found that while 34% of homeowners said they would invest in green technology to lower bills in the future, 45% would be focusing on using any savings to pay for their existing living expenses, meaning more incentives and cheaper options must be made available if the country is to stay on track to meet target and green 15million properties*.

This latest research follows the RICS January 2020 Residential Market Survey* where members operating in the residential sales and lettings market stated that without strong market driven incentives, regulation was the policy lever with the greatest potential to improve energy efficiency outcomes. Alternatively, a tax policy could achieve a similar effect through a mix of stamp duty and a reduction of VAT on home improvements.

Currently, the Government’s ambition to hit Net-Zero carbon emissions requires significant numbers of private homeowners to retrofit their properties to make them greener.

51% who confirmed they hadn’t already installed new energy saving measures in their homes but would know how to, said it was because of the costs involved. And of the same group, even those who would consider it to make their home more attractive to prospective buyers, 40% said they’d only consider spending around £1000 to £5000 on energy improvements, which could pay for some solar panels** but wouldn’t cover the heat-pump.

As the cost of living continues to consume more household finances, measures are needed to avoid many properties failing to meet targets and becoming un-mortgageable. To review the potential impact that failure to support consumers would have on the housing market, most homeowners (55%) would consider installing energy saving schemes if they knew it would make their property more attractive when it came to selling up. With figures from Rightmove showing that greener homes can attract a higher premium, properties need more than an EPC assessment to help inform decisions**.

As EPCs aren’t the best measure for all properties, as some listed buildings can’t have triple glazing for example, RICS is recommending and working with lenders and government to look into ‘Retrofit Surveys’ which would enlist the expertise of a professional – such as a building surveyor- to provide detailed advice on what technologies homeowners could install to help inform their decisions. This is supported with 77% of homeowners saying they’d find this advice helpful when thinking of buying a new home.

Sam Rees, Senior Public Affairs Officer at RICS, said:

“The retrofitting of millions of UK homes will be essential to helping to meet our net zero ambitions, however homeowners’ immediate concerns are understandably with the rising cost of living, especially their energy bills. It is important to recognise that retrofitting and the cost of living are not mutually exclusive issues.

“A suitably retrofitted, low-carbon home can help with the long-term challenges of the cost of living and reducing high levels of energy consumption. Achieving this however is not cheap. With the UK Government giving financial support to homeowners to support them with rising energy prices, RICS is calling on the government to extend this support and provide additional financial incentives to homeowners to encourage retrofitting and ultimately helping to tackle the cause of high energy usage.

“Before any significant investment is made on retrofit measures, RICS urges homeowners and the government to ensure a retrofit assessment is undertaken on the property first – ensuring that no unintended consequences occur such as overheating or increased energy demand. This is critical to protecting consumers and RICS is undertaking significant research to support such assessments.”

FURTHER INFORMATION

*RICS UK Residential Market Surveys UK Residential Market Survey (rics.org)

**Rightmove-Green-Homes-Report.pdf

The top energy saving measures homeowners who know how to make their home more environmentally friendly said they already had installed in their property were:

Double or triple glazed windows – 71%
Energy-efficient lighting – 69%
Loft/cavity wall insultation – 63%
Energy efficient appliances – 52%
Solar panels – 17%
Air source heat pumps 5%
Geothermal heating – 2%

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 4357 adults of which 2776 are homeowners. Fieldwork was undertaken between 31st May – 3rd June 2022. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

* 15 million homes need energy efficiency upgrades – Lloyds Banking Group plc

** Solar panels typically cost between £2,900 and £6,700 according to the Energy Saving’s Trust.

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Could achieving net-zero disrupt business as we know it?

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With government legislating for net-zero by 2050, what does this mean for UK energy markets and business models?

Getting to net-zero will require economy-wide changes that extend well beyond the energy system, leading to rapid and unprecedented change in all aspects of society.

Research published today by the UK Energy Research Centre shines a light on the level of disruption that could be required by some sectors to meet net-zero targets.

With many businesses making strong commitments to a net-zero carbon future, the report highlights the stark future facing specific sectors. Some will need to make fundamental change to their business models and operating practices, whilst others could be required to phase out core assets. Government may need to play a role in purposefully disrupting specific sectors to ensure the move away from high carbon business models, facilitating the transition a zero-carbon economy.

Sector specific impacts

The in-depth analysis presented in ‘Disrupting the UK energy systems: causes, impacts and policy implications’ focuses on four key areas of the economy, highlighting how they may need to change to remain competitive and meet future carbon targets.

Heat: All approaches for heat decarbonisation are potentially disruptive, with policymakers favouring those that are less disruptive to consumers. Since it is unlikely that rapid deployment of low carbon heating will be driven by consumers or the energy industry, significant policy and governance interventions will be needed to drive the sustainable heat transformation.

Transport: Following the ‘Road to Zero’ pathway for road transport is unlikely to be disruptive, but it is not enough to meet our climate change targets. The stricter targets for phasing out conventional vehicles that will be required will lead to some disruption. Vehicle manufacturers, the maintenance and repair sector and the Treasury may all feel the strain.

Electricity: Strategies of the Big 6 energy companies have changed considerably in recent years, with varying degrees of disruption to their traditional business model. It remains to be seen whether they will be able to continue to adapt to rapid change – or be overtaken by new entrants.

Construction: To deliver low-carbon building performance will require disruptive changes to the way the construction sector operates. With new-build accounting for less than 1% of the total stock, major reductions in energy demand will need to come through retrofit of existing buildings.

The report identifies how policy makers plan for disruptions to existing systems. With the right tools and with a flexible and adaptive approach to policy implementation, decision makers can better respond to unexpected consequences and ensure delivery of key policy objectives.

Prof Jim Watson, UKERC Director and Professor of Energy Policy, UCL said “The move to legislate for net-zero is welcome progress, but we need economy-wide action to make this a reality.
This includes policies that deliberately disrupt established markets and business models in some sectors – and address any negative impacts.”

Prof Jillian Anable, UKERC Co-Director and Professor of Transport and Energy, University of Leeds added “The UK transport sector is nearly 100% fuelled by fossil fuels, with only tiny niches of electrified and bio-fuelled vehicles.

Whilst politically challenging, the sector can only hope to reach ‘net-zero’ through whole-scale change that involves reducing hyper-mobility and fuel switching. This will lead to disruption to actors, global networks, governance and lifestyles.”

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Labour to make climate change core part of school curriculum

Labour is announcing that climate change will be a core part of the curriculum from primary school onwards. The announcement comes on the same day that the UK Climate Strike Network hosts more school strikes across the country.

Under plans set out by Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner, the next Labour government will ensure all young people are educated about the ecological and social impact of climate change.

A review of the curriculum will also make certain that it focuses on the knowledge and skills that young people need in a world that will be increasingly shaped by climate change, particularly in renewable energy and green technology jobs.

Climate change adaptation and mitigation will drastically increase future demand for the knowledge and skills required for the green jobs of the future, with these skills severely underrepresented in the current curriculum.

As part of the review, an expert panel will consider how climate change and its impact are taught from primary school onwards.

One of the key demands of the climate school strikes is that the national curriculum is reformed to address the ecological crisis as an educational priority. Currently, teaching climate change is restricted to Chemistry and Geography in Key Stages 3 and 4.

Under the Conservatives, the curriculum has narrowed, with Michael Gove scrapping the last Labour government’s plans to start teaching children about the environment and climate change when they are in primary school.

Angela Rayner MP, Shadow Education Secretary, said “Today, young people are taking to the streets to send a  clear message to the government that climate change will be a fundamental and defining feature of their adult lives, and we must take the action needed to tackle it.

“We need to equip people with the knowledge to understand the enormous changes we face, and skills to work with the new green technologies that we must develop to deal with them.

“That must be part of a broad education and that prepares pupils for adult life. Climate change should be a core part of the school curriculum, and under a Labour government it will be.

“As well as teaching young people about the impact of climate change, their education must prepare them for the jobs of the future. As part of Labour’s Green Industrial Revolution to create 400,000 skilled jobs across the country, young people will be taught the skills they need.”

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Joe Bradbury explores the true potential of wood

As the built environment moves towards becoming eco-friendly, buildingspecifier Editor Joe Bradbury posits the question – are we not seeing the wood for the trees in the quest for a viable green alternative?

The construction industry accounts for almost 7% of the economy in the UK and we hold a 10% share of total employment. However, with great size comes great responsibility and unfortunately – a very big carbon footprint. 47% of greenhouse gas emissions are generated from buildings and 10% of CO2 emissions come from construction materials. Shockingly, 20% of the materials used on the average building site end up in a skip. According to a 2011 report, in 2010 up to 4.3 million tonnes of timber waste was generated.

However, it isn’t all doom and gloom and reckless capitalism, as the construction industry has come on leaps and bounds over the past 20 years or so in a bid to make the industry a cleaner, greener entity. One area where vast improvements have been made is in the recycling and usage of wood in buildings. In 1992, less than 2% of all waste wood was recycled; 10 years later approximately 60% (2.8 million tonnes) of all wood waste generated in the UK was recycled.

The energy industry is also beginning to see the potential of wood for cleaning up its act. Because trees absorb carbon dioxide whilst they grow, burning wood for energy is considered ‘carbon neutral.’ In 2010 around 0.55 million tonnes of wood was used in energy generation. Some coal-fired power stations have had some of their boilers converted to accept wood and they burn more than 100,000 tonnes of recycled woodchip a year.

Remarkably, the future of wood in construction of buildings has reached soaring new heights recently as innovations in engineered timber could spell the beginning of a new era of eco-friendly wooden skyscraper design.

Despite wood in its raw form not being able to compete with the steel-frame design used in skyscrapers globally, a new type of super-plywood has been created that just might give steel a run for its money.

By gluing layers of low-grade softwood together to create timber panels, today’s “engineered timber” resembles Ikea flat-packed furniture rather than traditional sawn lumber and removes the height limits usually imposed on buildings with timber frames. Free from these constraints, ambitious architects are exploring the possibility of a next generation of “plyscrapers.”

Architect Michael Green has drawn up plans for a 30-storey, naturally grown tower for downtown Vancouver, which if built would become the world’s highest wooden building – an accolade currently awarded to London’s Stadthaus at nine storeys and the 10-storey Forte Building in Melbourne.

With China next on the list of countries suspected to implement timber skyscrapers into their cityscapes, it is definitely possible that we could one day be working in a building that began life as a seed.

However, there is still deep mistrust of timber builds en masse, with many considering them a tinderbox responsible for causing ravaging city fires such as the great fire of London, San Francisco and Chicago, to name a few examples.  Whilst historically fires have razed great cities to the ground, today’s engineered timber develops a protective charring layer that maintains structural integrity and burns very predictably. This means that it would actually be more structurally sound than steel, which warps drastically under intense heat.

NASA satellite photos of our planet help biologists calculate the number of trees there are on Earth. Whilst impossible to settle on a specific number, many professors agree that there are roughly 61 trees per person worldwide. It requires 22 trees to produce the amount of oxygen consumed by one person, with an acre of trees producing enough oxygen for 18 people. The forest loss is 49,421 acres per day, equivalent to an area twice the size of Paris – an alarming statistic when you consider the expanding population.

Obviously trees alone aren’t the answer to the construction industry’s environmental issues, however, through responsible usage and with the utmost respect it could help us edge further towards that cleaner, greener future we all need.

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New framework unveiled to help industry become net zero carbon by 2050

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Building industry charity, the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) have unveiled an ambitious framework for the UK construction and property industry to help us transition new and existing buildings to become net zero carbon by 2050, in line with the ambitions of the Paris Climate Agreement.

The report follows six months of intense industry engagement, involving over 180 experts and stakeholders from across the built environment value chain, and is supported by 13 trade associations and industry bodies including BPF, RICS and RIBA. It provides an overarching framework of consistent principles and metrics that can be integrated into tools, policies and practices, and aims to build consensus in the industry on the approach to decarbonising buildings.

The new framework offers guidance for developers, owners and occupiers targeting net zero carbon buildings, setting out key principles to follow and outlining how such a claim should be measured and evidenced. Two approaches to net zero carbon are proposed by the framework which can be accurately measured:

  1. Net zero carbon – construction: the embodied emissions associated with products and construction should be measured, reduced and offset to achieve net zero carbon.
  2. Net zero carbon – operational energy: The energy used by the building in operation should be reduced and where possible any demand met through renewable energy. Any remaining emissions from operational energy use should be offset to achieve net zero carbon.

With the report presented as a starting point, the next ten years will see the scope and ambition of the framework increased to encourage greater action. In the short-term, additional requirements will be introduced to challenge the industry, including minimum energy efficiency targets and limits on the use of offsets. In the longer term, the two approaches for construction and operational energy will be integrated into a broader approach for net zero whole life carbon, covering all of the emissions associated with the construction, operation, maintenance and demolition of a building.

The work has been made possible thanks to the generous support of lead partner Redevco Foundation, and partners BAM, Berkeley Group, Grosvenor, JLL and Hoare Lea.

Richard Twinn, Senior Policy Advisor at UKGBC said “The urgency of tackling climate change means that businesses must work together to drive down emissions as fast as possible. But this requires a shared vision for what needs to be achieved and the action that needs to be taken. This framework is intended as a catalyst for the construction and property industry to build consensus on the transition to net zero carbon buildings and start to work towards consistent and ambitious outcomes. It is the first step on a journey towards ensuring all of our buildings are fit for the future.”

James Wimpenny, Chief Executive at BAM Construct UK added “Contractors, clients, supply chains need to work together – and quickly – to radically change the way we procure, design and deliver buildings. Smart use of renewable technologies and efficient use of low carbon materials are a priority. Reducing carbon makes financial sense over the lifecycle of buildings and that means we should not focus solely on capital costs when procuring a building.”

Rob Perrins, Chief Executive at Berkeley Group concluded “This framework is an important step towards defining net zero carbon buildings and helping the industry understand how they can be delivered. We want to help lead this work, which is so important to decarbonising the built environment and protecting our planet for future generations. Sustainability runs through everything we do at Berkeley Group. We have already become a carbon positive business and have committed to creating new homes that can operate at net zero carbon by 2030.”

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