New houses ‘way off’ green target
Poor-quality construction and design detailing is leading to an unacceptable energy performance in new homes that could undermine the Green Deal, a leading academic is warning.
Professor Chris Gorse, director of the Leeds Sustainability Institute, based at Leeds Metropolitan University, is one of the authors of soon to be published research paper, which shows some new homes are losing twice as much heat than they are designed to.
The performance gap is irrespective of what level of energy efficiency the homes were built to or what style of home they are. Whether the homes matched their specifications tended to come down to the material selection, quality of detailing and management of the construction process, said Professor Gorse.
The university has measured the energy loss of 29 new homes built to the 2002, 2006, 2010 Building Regulations, the Code for Sustainable Homes level 3 and 4, passive house and other enhanced performance standards.
The paper, Building Confidence, is a joint venture with Carbon Futures – an initiative between the universities of Sheffield, Hull, York and Leeds – to provide an overview of buildings that performed well and those that did not. Gorse hopes this will act as a catalyst for the construction industry to ensure it constructs buildings that perform well.
Gorse, a member of CIOB Research and Innovation Panel, said the performance of some new homes was often “way off target”. “We can’t allow that to happen,” he said. “If there’s no confidence we can build homes that perform as they are meant to, what confidence can we have that the Green Deal will work?”
The government’s flagship energy policy is to be launched in October. It follows a so-called golden rule where households make energy efficiency improvements to their homes that are paid for over a number of years on the back of saving in energy bills. The paper builds on an earlier collaboration with the Zero Carbon Hub and work from Professor Malcolm Bell that first highlighted the energy performance gap.
Leeds Metropolitan University research has pinpointed common problems: cold bridging; vapour barriers poorly fitted; loosely packed insulation allowing heat to flow through fabric. “Some homes are hitting the mark so we can get it right. In these instances the Green Deal would work. We need to identify the good practice and builders that deliver buildings that perform, and learn from them. We need to start to think carefully about the way we sequence work on sites – all too often we’re putting holes in the fabric and making ad hoc decisions that are building in thermal defects,” he said.
Communities minister Andrew Stunell branded UK housing a “joke” due to the construction industry’s failure to build houses to design specification.
Speaking at a seminar at the Ecobuild conference in London last month, Stunell compared UK housebuilding with the British car industry of 20 years ago.
New houses were “leaving the factory broken”, he said. He called on the building industry to adopt a more Rolls Royce approach to quality.
BREEAM scheme extends to home refurbishmentsThe BRE is taking its sustainable building certification scheme to a new audience with the launch of BREEAM Domestic Refurbishment this June.
It is intended to help improve the sustainability and environmental performance of existing dwellings – which account for 27% of national carbon emissions. The voluntary scheme will see certificates for individual properties issued to homeowners for as little as £70 and a new workforce trained up to carry out assessments.
The scheme will provide the methodology, software tools and certification needed by those responsible for delivering sustainable domestic refurbishment projects, such as project managers, architects designing home renovations for private clients, Green Deal advisers or social housing providers looking to upgrade
their stock.
“It’s a very wide-ranging scheme, which could be useful if you’re a local authority looking to set new planning requirements or a homeowner looking for a property with high-quality green improvements,” said Gavin Summerson, senior consultant at BREEAM Sustainability Group, BRE Global.
The scheme is aimed at more ambitious domestic upgrades, where various alterations are required, such as window replacement and insulation, plus domestic conversions and change-of-use projects or regeneration schemes covering a large number of dwellings.
It will also assess environmental issues including energy, water, materials, pollution, health and wellbeing, waste, management and innovation.
“We want to create a demand for more sustainable buildings. Part of that is better energy use, but it’s also important that contractors think about waste, and the impact of the materials they use,” said Summerson.
A property’s sustainable performance will be rated on a sliding scale similar to the existing BREEAM schemes using the terms “pass”, “good”, “excellent” and “outstanding”. These will be based around standards on Energy Performance Certificates, so a dwelling that achieves “outstanding” has reached EPC band B. To reach the UK target of an 80% energy reduction by 2050 the average existing house will have to meet this – band C is “excellent”.
The BRE will carry out assessments, but in June it will also launch a domestic refurbishment course to train other refurbishment professionals to complete the assessments.
In brief
FMB launches warranty for homes
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has launched a 10 -year warranty for new homes. This marks the first time that building companies of any size can offer such a guarantee.
Build Assure New Home Policy provides 10-year structural insurance cover and can even be purchased for single homes. The new policy, underwritten by Lloyds of London and structured by Aon Benfield, protects builders by covering the cost of rectifying errors due to materials, design and workmanship.
Mitie offers £5m pot to start-ups
MITIE, the FTSE 250 outsourcing and energy services company, is offering six entrpreneurs a share of a £5m fund. They will pitch for the cash in front of a panel of top business leaders, led by MITIE chief executive Ruby McGregor-Smith. Applications close at the end of the month.
Going down well
Titanic Belfast, the new £97m museum built to capitalise on global interest in the Titanic, which sank nearly 100 years ago, opened this month. The six-storey building, built by Harcourt Construction – a subsidiary of Harcourt Developments – was designed by Eric Kuhne and is covered in 3,000 aluminium panels. The museum is a flagship development in the new Titanic Quarter of Belfast, which has been designed to drive tourism to the area. Meanwhile across the water in England, the Titanic will also be a key theme in the new £15m SeaCity Museum, again opening this month, in Southampton.
Survey: councils do use SMEs
NIEP survey flies in face of claims that smaller contractors lose out, reports Michael Glackin
A survey of local authorities appears to refute criticism from small contractors that they are squeezed out of local government contracts.
The survey, carried out last year by the National Improvement and Efficiency Partnership for the Built Environment (NIEP) – an umbrella group for improving procurement in local authorities – looked at NIEP member framework agreements at about half the UK’s 400 local authorities. It found that 85% of subcontractors employed through such frameworks were small or medium-sized businesses.
The survey also found that 75% of the money spent by authorities in these framework agreements is spent through construction SMEs and that 67% of subcontractors engaged were local firms. The figures represent work given to SMEs in all aspects of the supply chain.
Michael Lee, project manager with Hampshire County Council, whose chief executive Andrew Smith pioneered the NIEP, said: “All the evidence indicates local authority NIEP frameworks show a high degree of SMEs and local supplier participation. In order to get onto a NIEP framework contractors have to show how they provide real local economic benefit.”
Lee added that although large contractors that win NIEP frameworks can use their own suppliers, they are encouraged to work with local firms.He said: “The pressure from local councillors to show these contracts are providing benefits to the local economy and businesses is quite intense.”
The findings are in stark contrast to a Construction Manager survey that revealed more than three quarters of small and medium-sized contractors believe they are being excluded from government and local authority contracts.
Commenting on NIEP’s figures, National Federation of Builders policy manager Paul Bogle said: “NFB research on winning work in 2010 showed that 79% of our members were finding it harder to win work with local authorities. We have a current survey out with suppliers, local authorities and framework operators, so it will be interesting to see if our updated results align with those of the NIEP. Of more interest is the benchmarking work NIEP is doing as part of the government construction strategy. This will provide a more comprehensive picture.”
The government has said it is committed to increasing the number of small and medium-sized businesses involved in public sector contracts.
Last month Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude unveiled measures aimed at enabling SMEs to participate in public sector contracts. Companies that have won large framework contracts, including Amey and Balfour Beatty, will have to publish subcontracting opportunities on government website Contracts Finder.
- The CIOB and Construction Manager have launched a survey to gather views on the government construction strategy, a year after implementation. The strategy aims to cut construction costs by 20% over the life of the Parliament and covers BIM, procurement, SME access and the supply chain. The results will be in the May edition of CM. Go to http://constructionstrategyCIOBCM.questionpro.com to complete the survey.
Picture: Joe Clark
Bath time
Amsterdam’s famous Stedelik Museum of Modern Art has been restored and extended with a new entrance and exhibition space in the shape of a 100m long white ‘bath tub’. Creation of the moulded facade has been made possible by the use of a pioneering new composite material developed by manufacturer Teijin. Aramid.
CSCS gets real with health and safety testing
The CSCS has overhauled its health and safety test in a bid to make it more realistic and focus on behaviour rather than factual knowledge, writes Michael Glackin.
The main change is a series of behavioural case study questions based on hazards facing site workers, from encountering dangerous materials to working in an unsafe manner.
The test will incorporate a storyboard video feature based on a walk through a building site, which will ask how site workers should react to various hazards they encounter. Those taking the test will be given three case studies followed by multiple choice questions to test how they would respond.
The CSCS said the test, which was launched this month, will mirror conditions on site more accurately.
A spokesperson said: “The idea is to move away from the ‘pop quiz’ approach to get the person to learn and really think about what they’re doing on site.”
The update is not related to 2010/11’s increase in construction fatalities, he said. “The test is in response to the number of people who die from illnesses developed at work sites – around 4,000 a year – rather than those who die in accidents.”
Although construction trade unions have been involved in the development of the behavioural video for the test, they have been critical of CSCS test procedures and point to the need for a more rigorous approach on site. It is understood UCATT members will call for the reintroduction of compulsory safety training courses on sites at its annual conference in May. One member said: “All the CSCS test does is measure your ability to pass a test. People don’t get a driving licence by sitting at a screen and ticking boxes; they have to have practical training and pass a practical test. We should have similar standards in construction because we’re working in the most dangerous industry in the country.”
UKCG director Stephen Ratcliffe said: “We wouldn’t disagree with the unions on this. We’ve noticed a lack of training impeding health and safety on sites. That’s why we introduced a health and safety standard last month, which requires employers on UKCG sites to establish improved training programmes.”
Chris Little, product delivery manager with CITB-ConstructionSkills, said: “The improvements to the test will hopefully give site managers much more confidence that successful candidates will have a better understanding of the hazards to be found on a construction site.”
Contractors urge rethink on site waste management U-turn
Major contractors have called for the government to reconsider its decision to scrap waste management plans for construction sites.
The UKCG welcomed the government’s commitment to making regulation more effective, but urged it to rethink the scrapping of Site Waste Management Plans and Waste Transfer Notes. The regulations were launched in July 2004.
Simon Nathan, UKCG head of policy, said: “UKCG members continue to believe there is a place for smart and effective environmental regulation. Waste management regulations have given contractors an effective framework for driving best practice and the focus must be on improving not removing them.”
Constructing Excellence called the decision a “retrograde step”.
The decision to abandon the legislation, announced last month, is part of the government’s Red Tape Challenge to remove what are deemed unnecessary regulations, to help reduce costs to businesses.
Environment secretary Caroline Spelman said 53 environmental regulations would be scrapped as they are deemed to be “obsolete”.
The new regime will allow the sale of secondhand items containing asbestos, as long as it does not represent a health risk, which the government says will save businesses £29m a year.
The government said the move, which will affect items such as machinery and gas cylinders, was in line with HSE advice that asbestos should be left in place if in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed.
Many contractors believe the regulations have been effective in improving waste management in the industry. One said: “The Site Waste Management Plans raised the bar across the sector, compelling everyone to get their act together.
“Over the past three years most firms have found complying with the regulations has helped cut costs.”
Jon de Souza, director of Constructing Excellence, said: “The government has sacrificed legislation where there is still risk of market failure to drive deregulation. The scrapping of the legislation is too much too soon.”
Building control highly valued
Two new surveys measuring the scope and value of building control has shown that a profession often tarred as intrusive, meddling or simply ineffective is both effective and highly regarded by contractors and designers.
The first survey looked at the number of compliance instructions issued nationally in a period of 20 working days last November. Covering 67.5% of all building control bodies, there were 277 923 instructions a year to change designs or site works to meet the building regulations. This suggests that the profession issues 5 million interventions a year in England and Wales.
The survey also ranked the “parts” of the regulations by the number of interventions, with Part A (structure) and Part B (fire safety) attracting nearly 56 00 each, followed by Part L on 39 485.
A second survey, commissioned from an independent research company, looked at customer opinion, asking contractors and designers for their views on building control involvement on their projects. It found that 92% said they benefitted from an independent third party service, with 80% prefering external inspection to the idea of self-certification.
Both studies were commissioned by the Building Control Alliance, which brings together the Local Authority Building Control and the private sector Association of Consultant Approved Inspectors.
Kevin Dawson, a member of the CIOB Building Control and Standards Faculty and head of construction and compliance at Peterborough City Council, welcomed both surveys as a chance for building control surveyors to shout about their successes. “Previously all the feedback has been anecdotal, we’ve heard people say “building control isn’t enforcing Part L properly’. But this proves how heavily we’re involved.”
Phil Hammond, LABC deputy chief executive, commented: ‘We were actually genuinely surprised, the numbers [of interventions] were much bigger than we expected, and the research shows we’re valued far more than we expected.”
The research has been submitted to DCLG, which is currently consulting on possible changes to Building Control and building regulations. Ideas being considered include unifying regulations where overlaps exist, a new power to issue stop notices, and increasing the window when local authorities can take enforcement action from 2 years to 3.
The DCLG’s proposals are generally viewed as driven by the coalition’s deregulation agenda, but Hammond points out that its function in promoting market competition is often overlooked.
CIOB under-35s group launches global network
Novus, the CIOB group for members and candidate members under 35, is to launch in all the CIOB overseas branches this year.
Novus is already established in Hong Kong, after an existing group there rebranded last year. It will be joined in mid-June by an Australia branch, followed by further branches in Malaysia, South Africa, Singapore and Abu Dhabi.
Amy Gough, head of international at the CIOB, says she expects the successful UK format, combining social and CPD events and engagement with local universities, to work well overseas. The new Novus chapters will also share the same branding and structures.
“We want to keep consistency [rather than having different national flavours]. This has been building for six months and we’ve no reason to think it will be any different elsewhere.”
In the UK, Novus has played a key role in the CIOB’s efforts to attract and recruit a new generation of construction professionals.
“We found it to be an issue in our age profile, so creating the groups will boost membership and be vital for our success,” says Gough. “Talking to students is vital and Novus members are much better placed than the older generation.”
In the UK and Ireland Novus has grown to between 100 and120 young adults actively involved in Novus Committees.
As well as putting on technical and social events for their contemporaries, part of Novus’ remit is to recruit and support student members. In December 2008 there were 6298 student members of the CIOB and in December 2011 this had risen to 9858.
