Sustainable Refurbishment: Myth, Magic or Mandatory

HEDQF 9TH October 2012 Ben Humphries

Understand the Building,

Intimately

Accurate and Invasive Surveys and

Upfront Work

Proper Analysis - Energy Profile,

Thermal, Daylight and Ventilation

Modelling

Occupancy Evaluation, User

Surveys, eg BUS (Building Use

Studies) Occupant Survey

A Good Feasibility Study with the

RIGHT Consultants

This then FEEDs the Brief/Budget

Ability Media, 56 Southwark Bridge Road, Refurb of 1903 Library

Write a Rigorous Brief

Building Regulations or BREEAM

(Building Research Establishment

Environmental Assessment

Method) will not ensure low

energy use

Unregulated Loads are Not

Included

Set Ambitious Energy Targets That

are then Demonstrated at Every

Design Stage

Holy Trinity Primary School - Extension and Refurb of 70s Primary

Fabric First

Focus on Air-tightness

Super Insulate

More Bang for Your Buck! Cost of

Measures vs Carbon Saved

Heating System Costs Dramatically

Reduced

St.Quintin’s Centre - refurb of 60s Community Centre

The Cost of Carbon Saving Initiatives

Model It!

‘‘‘‘Finger in the Air’’’’ is NO GOOD

Accurate Thermal Modelling - Basic

SBEM (Simplified Building Energy

Model) is not Sufficient

Detailed Daylight Modelling

Use PHPP (Passivhaus Planning

Package) even if not doing a

Passivhaus Project

Properly Assess the Lifecycle

Implications of Decisions

Daylight Analysis on Holy Trinity Primary School and Rapier - Lifecycle Cost and Carbon

The High Cost of Adequate

Ventilation

Increased Air Tightness Means

Serious Attention to the

Ventilation Strategy

Detailed Assessment of Options,

from Energy and Cost Perspective

Heat Loss Through ‘‘‘‘Natural’’’’

Systems is NEVER advertised

MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation

with Heat Recovery) is Almost a

Given

Ventilation Heat Loss Analysis at Herts PCP

It’s Often Not What You Put In,

BUT What You Take Out

Thought to be Effective Measures

can Often Mean Increased Energy

Use

E.g. Suspended Ceilings put in to

Reduce Heat Loss, but Lighting

Energy has Tripled as a Result

Cutting Away Sections of

Buildings, e.g. Heavy 60s RC Slabs,

can mean Additional Loadings can

be Applied, eg EXTRA FLOORS

Robert Fitzroy Academy - Refurb of Edwardian FE College

‘‘‘‘Sweat the Asset’’’’;

Long Life Loose Fit

Keep it Lean

Timetable Analysis / Overlapping

Uses

Forecasting Future Operation

Designing Robustly rather than

Flexibly

Design for Easy Replacement, Easy

Removal

Rectory Grove CLC - refurb of Victorian Education Centre

Early Contractor Involvement

Creates Better Understanding, More

Economic Designs, More Efficient

Programming

Try Contractor as a Paid Consultant,

E.g. as IESE (Improvement and

Efficiency South East)

SPD (Single Point Delivery) Route

Means Innovation can be Road

Tested Before it’’’’s too Late!

Upper Twyford - Refurb of Rural Barn

Closing the Performance Gap

Soft Landings can Save you a

Fortune

POE (Post Occupancy Evaluation),

even Basic, using e.g. SMeasure

will help optimise and REDUCE

energy use

Use BUS Occupancy Survey as a

Metric

Consider KPIs and Performance

Contracting

All Builds Towards a Whole Estate

View

Holy Trinity Primary School - Extension and Refurb of 70s PrimaryPOE at Bessemer Grange Primary School

Healthy Living; Low Embodied

Carbon

More Demanding ‘‘‘‘Customers’’’’

will ask ‘‘‘‘What Gives this Place the

Edge?’’’’

Natural Materials with Low

Toxicity = Improved Air Quality;

Better for Concentration

Consider Going Beyond

Operational Energy and

Incorporate Embodied Energy into

the Brief

Ability Media, 56 Southwark Bridge Road, Refurb of 1903 LibraryBeyond Autism: The Rainbow School - Refurb of Victorian Villa and 60s extension

5 Top Tips

Evidence Based Approach to Setting

the Brief

Rigorous Analysis and Investigation

to Develop the Design

Close Collaboration between Client,

Design Team and Contractor to

Realise the Design in Reality

Monitor the Building Extensively to

Optimise the Building’s

Performance and Comfort

Recognise the Importance of a

‘Health and Wellbeing’

Ability Media, 56 Southwark Bridge Road, Refurb of 1903 LibraryBeyond Autism: The Rainbow School - Refurb of Victorian Villa and 60s extensionHugh Myddelton Primary School – refurb and extension of 60s building