CARBON R E D I R review E engage D develop I implement
_______________________________________________________________ While existing buildings in the UK effect some 46% of our total CO2 annual output - there is scope for good reductions within many residential and community establishments. Within a UK annual tCO2e output, existing domestic buildings effect 26% pa and institutions effect 14% pa. 1 _______________________________________________________________ Carbon profiling is a worthwhile exercise and several toolkits suited to community establishments, are available. Shrinking the footprint, Ecocongregation2 in England and Wales and Southwark Churches Action Re: Environment [SCARE] are suited to church, or community buildings and translate well to domestic establishments. The following is a step-by-step carbon review as an introduction to carbon profiling, adapted in part from these sources, Carbon Trust workshops and CIRIA seminars. Providing a range of supporting references, key building characteristics to check for and partnership organisations. _______________________________________________________________
REVIEW : Have considered.
Would consider
Energy / heating + lighting Monitor energy consumption to check trends. – Switch to 'green' sources + low energy light bulbs. – Regularly service boiler or heating appliances. – Fitting a condensing gas-fired boiler which is efficient. – Fitting 'tadpoles' to flush & optimise heating radiators. – Choose appropriate sized rooms for activities. – Timetable meetings to minimise heating use. – Heating system using timer and thermostatic controls. –
1 Andrew Eastwell BSRIA/CIRIA 2008. 2 Shrinking the footprint + Eco-congregation 2014.
Have Would considered. Consider. Commission an energy/environmental consultation (particularly useful if considering a new heating system or undertaking refurbishment). – Encourage users to switch off unnecessary lights. - Encourage avoidance of standby (e.g. photocopier). – Provide background heating for light traffic areas. – Use of multi-fuel type equipment + plant. – Improving the heating of basement / semi-basement areas in preparation for new uses. –
Water Use of filtered grey water for utility purposes. Use of rainwater storage, with cleaning + repair of rainwater goods for utility purposes. – Check water outlets – fix drips + leaks. – Install water saving devices e.g. water 'hippos' + dual flush toilets; spray or auto turn-off taps. – –
Building characteristics + fabric Clean windows to maximise natural light + replace cracked or broken windowpanes. – Renewal of window + door seals, with provision of trickle ventilation. – Improving glazing for solar captures + air convection. – Improving thermal + sound insulation in walls. – Improving damp-proofing to basement / semibasement areas in preparation for new uses. – Improving the thermal + sound insulation in floor and roof construction. – Choose timber from approved sources + use a percentage of reclaimed materiel. – Provide for foot traffic on roof terrace areas with a wearing surface over new insulation upgrade. – Improving pedestrian areas to open courtyards with waterproof awnings or coverings. –
_______________________________________________________________
ENGAGE: partnership organisations as follows :The Green Building Council 26 Store Street Bloomsbury WC1E. 7BT Telephone : 020 7580 0623 [ www.ukgbc.org ]
The Carbon Trust a registration and on-line carbon assessment toolkit. [ www.carbontrust.com ]
Low Energy Victorian House 17 St Augustines Road, Camden A project associated with UrbanBuzz, a developed example of green attributes retrofitted to a typical Victorian house which aims to reduce CO2 emissions from a Victorian building in a conservation area......by 90%. [ David Cobb UrbanBuzz Programme Director ] [ 020 7554 4063 www.urbanbuzz.org ] Church & Neighbourhood Development in London CANDL Project – a range of capacity building initiatives and group development support services, always pleased to speak or recommend others. [ Simon Vincent - Programme Director ] [ 020 7729 9701 www.barnardos.org.uk/candl ] _______________________________________________________________ DEVELOP : key green building characteristics to check for attributes to encourage
negative attributes to ameliorate
Stable grounds landscaped of uncontaminated soils & ballast.
- Contaminated land.
–
Precincts with gradient drainage.
- Impermeable drainage surfaces.
–
Basement use or crypt space.
- Damp and unheated living rooms.
Yards, light-wells, staircases with weather-proof glazing.
- Open uncovered areas.
Glazed areas with trickle vents and effective seals.
- Poorly fitting or unopenable glazing.
–
–
–
-
Glazed areas with solar capture.
- Unventilated glazed rooms.
-
Southern aspects / solar capture.
- Blank opaque sunny walls.
-
East – west spaces with natural lighting.
- Rooms with limited sunlight.
-
Roof terraces and precincts with regular foot traffic, wind screens, water harvesting.
- Limited access flat roof areas, gutter and maintenance slippage.
-
Roof profiles with natural ventilation of air flows.
- Roof profiles inhibiting ventilation cowls or flues.
-
Durable materials with a recycling percentage e.g. UK steel mills recycle 50% in their production process.3
- Use of long-distance transport in choice of materials or harvesting.
_______________________________________________________________ IMPLEMENT : Lead organisations are available as follows :The Carbon Trust 4th Floor Dorset House 27-45 Stamford Street London SE1. 9NT
Building Research Establishment Bucknall Lane Watford WD25. 9XX
telephone : 020 7170 7000 E-mail : footprinting@carbontrust.com webpages : www.carbontrust.com
telephone : 0333 321 88 11 E-mail : enquiries@bre.co.uk webpages : www.bre.co.uk Shrinking the footprint Advisor David Shreeve : 020 7591 3111
CIRIA Griffin Court 15 Long Lane London EC1A. 9PN
Eco-congregation England & Wales 18-19 Avenue Road Southall Middlesex UB1. 3BL
telephone : 020 7549 3300 E-mail : enquiries@ciria.org webpages : www.ciria.org.uk
telephone : 020 8574 5935 Email: ecocongregation@arocha.org - a PDF toolkit is available here : http://ew.ecocongregation.org/resources
Š Colin D. Brooking Dip.Arch. '14 3 The New Science of Strong Materials : James E. Gordon (1991).