Tools & Guidance

Name of Tool or Guidance

Description

Building Regulations

The Building Regulations set standards for the design and construction of buildings, primarily to ensure the safety and health for people in or around those buildings, but also for energy conservation and access to and about buildings.

BREEAM

Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Model (BREEAM) is an assessment model which looks at good and best practice under a wide number of issues.

Considerate Constructors Scheme

The Considerate Constructors Scheme is the national initiative, set up by the construction industry, to improve its image

Energy Performance Certificates

In January 2003, the European Union Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD) came into force, creating a common framework to promote the improvement of the energy performance of buildings across the European Union. One of the requirements of the Directive is the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs).

The directive was implemented in England and Wales in 2008. Since October 2008, it has been a legal requirement for all properties including homes, commercial and public buildings to have an EPC whenever they are: Constructed, Sold,Let

EPCs give the building owners, occupiers and purchasers information on the energy performance of their building compared to a benchmark. The energy performance is expressed using an ‘asset rating’ or ‘CO₂ index’ which grades the building’s CO₂ performance from G (least energy efficient) to A+ (most energy efficient).

Key Performance Indicators

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are a standard way of measuring and benchmarking against an industry standard

SBEM

SBEM is a recognised software approach which calculates energy use and CO₂ on the basis of certain building parameters following the National Calculation Method (NCM)

Sustainability Checklist for Developments

This is an on-line tool which allows Project Applicants to consider a wide number of sustainability issues.