Energy Matters Issue 5

ISSUe 5 | 2020 www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk

ENERGY MATTERS New ReGISTeR lAUNCHeD what is PAS 2035?

what next to improve energy CertiďŹ cates?

which is better passivhaus or SAP?

for england, wales and Northern Ireland

Energy Matters | Issue 5 | 2020

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Foreword Since a return to work in June, the demand for existing dwelling ePCs has rocketed..

Market recovery Since energy assessors were allowed to return to work in 1June, the demand for existing dwelling EPCs has rocketed, driven by pent up demand, changes in home owners’ needs and expectations and the reduction in stamp duty and 1Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) in Scotland.

Martyn Reed Managing Director Elmhurst Energy

welcome to the second edition of energy Matters since the arrival of the pandemic. At the time of writing, wales and several other regions across the UK are experiencing growing infection rates and the government is imposing local restrictions.

Our sympathy goes to members and customers and we hope that these restrictions end quickly, as soon as it is safe to do so.

Here at Elmhurst we continue to do all we can to operate ‘business as normal’, with staff available to provide any support that you need. In the last three months we have seen some of the biggest opportunities and challenges, with a strong demand for Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), especially for existing dwellings, as well as the launch of the Green Homes Grant, new register providers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and a new style EPC.

New ePC design for england, wales and Northern Ireland Together with the new Central Register for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) also launched the new style online EPC. We put in a lot of effort, including weekly emails, bulletins and marketing materials, to ensure that Elmhurst members were suitably prepared. Despite our best efforts to communicate the changes it didn’t stop the phones from ringing as the significance of the update was realised. For a while the phones rang red hot, with three times as many calls as normal, but fortunately things are now settling down.

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The new-style EPC is now an excellent platform on which we can improve energy advice and I am confident that when all the wrinkles are ironed out we will look back and wonder why we didn’t do it years ago.

Green Homes Grant Elmhurst campaigned for the Green Homes Grant to require an EPC and was therefore disappointed that it went the other way. The explanation given was that the scheme had priorities: 1) To be set up very quickly 2) To create the maximum number of employment opportunities in the retrofit sector 3) Save energy (in that order).

Elmhurst argued that over half the homes have an EPC already, and if a home has not got one, that it would not add significant cost or time to the process to obtain one. Whilst disappointed, I don’t see this as a government’s loss of confidence in EPCs, it was simply a necessity to secure the funding. We are already in discussion with government about future initiatives such as ECO 4, and EPCs are front and centre of them all.

New building Regulations If you are working in England and involved with new build you will be aware that new building regulations have been on the horizon for a couple of years. For obvious reasons things have slowed slightly, but Elmhurst is still very much involved and is advised that a consultation on commercial buildings, existing dwellings, overheating and ventilation is imminent, as is their response to the new

build dwelling consultation from spring 2020.

The expectation is that the new regulations for domestic, nondomestic, new build and existing dwellings, will all be ready for issue in the spring 2021, for implementation in the autumn.

Watch this space.

professionally, over the coming months and to remind you that the Health and Wellbeing webinars that we recorded for you in April and May are still available to view at https://www.elmhurstenergy.co.u k/health-and-wellbeing-webinars.

New opportunities Despite the short term problems we are all experiencing, I am confident that now is a great time to be an energy assessor. Many of us are benefiting from the surge in house sales, the government is committed to increase new house building by over 30% to 300,000 per annum and now there may be even bigger opportunities ahead.

Elmhurst was asked to contribute to an exciting piece of political research known as “Bricks and Water” which considered ways in which the sustainability of our homes can be improved.

The authors, Policy Connect, considered resistance and resilience to flooding, water demand and rain water management. Elmhurst explained the successes of EPCs and proposed that an energy assessment could, quite easily, be extended to consider how water is used in the home and that, with some training, energy assessors would be perfectly placed to undertake the assessments.

The report was launched in October with support from both MPs and members of the House of Lords with the intention of engaging with the appropriate departments in government. For more information, and to read the report, look at Elmhurst latest news on the website.

I will sign off by wishing you the best of luck, both personally and

Martyn Reed Managing Director Elmhurst Energy

FOllOw US ON SOCIAl

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Energy Matters | Issue 5 | 2020

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Contents F e AT U R e

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05 Training Update 06 New energy Performance of Buildings Central Register launched for england, wales and Northern Ireland 08 what next to improve energy CertiďŹ cates?

How elmhurst cut through the COVID-19 confusion and supported members

11 The future for new build dwellings

18 Non-Domestic legionella Update

12 Big Plans for Scotland's 'Green Recovery’

20 Technical Corner with eCO Surv

14 elmhurst energy Consultancy launches Measured energy Performance service

22 which is better passivhaus or SAP?

10 elmhurst energy Competency Schemes

16 How elmhurst cut through the COVID-19 confusion and supported members

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24 Market data 26 what is PAS 2035?

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t: 01455 883 250 • www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk

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Training Update Mitesh Nathwani, Training Manager

The coronavirus has brought about many changes in the way we live, work and learn.

As the premier trainer in the energy industry we had to move with the demands of our courses and make changes quickly to ensure we could still meet the needs of our members. Although, we adapted the majority of our courses to either live online versions (our DEA course for example) or online recorded courses (Section 63), our aim was always to return to a classroom based environment.

Our team have worked tirelessly to ensure we are able to offer as much of our regular training courses on our online platform as possible. We currently have over 50 of our courses available either as live online courses, online recorded courses or short webinars. That’s over double what we had available prior to April 2020! We are constantly looking at ways in which to improve our online presence and if anyone has any ideas please do not hesitate to contact me.

After going into lockdown on 23rd March we were unsure as to whether we would ever return to classroom teaching. Although we wanted to, the grasp of the coronavirus had stopped pretty much everything. As much as we wanted to get back to some form of normality, we had to wait in anticipation and try and deal with the unknown. But as the government’s guidelines started to relax in terms of work and people being able to meet those

outside their households (for work), we found we were able to make the necessary changes within our offices and to our courses for us to briefly return to classroom teaching.

We started off by limiting the number of people on a course, thus enabling social distancing, and introduced more sanitisation stations around the building.

We ensured that learners and staff wore masks and gloves when entering and exiting the office and when entering communal areas- as well as many other such Covid and Health and Safety measures.

Therefore when we returned to classroom based training on 28th September, before the second lockdown, we were compliant with the government’s guidelines and put in our own more stringent measures. Amazingly we found the demand for classroom based training increased dramatically. Clearly there is a great deal of confidence in the housing and energy industries as well as in Elmhurst Energy. The housing industry must be one of the most buoyant and has seen a massive growth in the past few months especially since the introduction of the government’s Stamp Duty

holiday, with lodgements being at their highest in the last five years or so.

More evidence of the growing confidence in the housing market comes from the interest from our large clients who are recruiting new people into the industry to meet the demands put on them.

We are filling each and every course within hours of releasing new dates, especially those in the Domestic strand. We are now at a point where we are having to put more courses on than we had ever imagined. With that in mind, we are looking for freelance trainers who have experience in the industry. If you or anyone you know may be interested in working with us to deliver our ever expanding portfolio of DEA courses please do not hesitate to contact me (info@elmhurstenergy.co.uk).

Overall, the pandemic has led us all to change the way we work, learn and live. We will still be continuing with our fantastic online courses (both live and pre-recorded), meaning that all our members should still be able to access our high quality CPD and training courses.

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F e AT U R e www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk

New energy Performance of Buildings Central Register launched for england, wales and Northern Ireland James Gill, Business Analysis Manager

On the 20th September you hopefully experienced a seamless transition from the old landmark ePC register to the new energy Performance of Buildings Central Register. we were made aware of a few bugs, but, due to the Governments agile software delivery, ethos updates were quickly released to address any minor bugs.

During the development of the new Energy Performance of Buildings Central Register the government held numerous consumer focus group sessions to ensure the replacement met consumer requirements and to ensure the user experience is flawless, which led to a number of changes in the new register.

Elmhurst has been aiding the inception and delivery of the new register for well over a year.

Consolidating and transferring the previous four (Domestic England, Non-domestic England, Domestic Northern Ireland and Non-domestic Northern Ireland) Landmark EPC registers into one has been an enormous task for both the schemes and government. This change has been very significant for Elmhurst, with almost every application and back office system requiring some form of development. To support the government, Elmhurst chaired an IT working group, holding regular meetings with the government’s delivery teams. This allowed all the accreditation schemes to meet and discuss the suggested changes, while also allowing accreditation schemes to voice the requirements and desires of energy assessors and associated industries. Following the release of the new register, MHCLG stated that the IT working group chaired by Elmhurst was vital to the success of the project.

Some of the biggest changes implemented by the new Energy Performance of Buildings Central Register relate to the certificate itself. Following the results of the focus group work conducted by the government the design and content of Energy Certificates has been changed to ensure that the most relevant information is available and easy to follow for home owners and tenants.

Secondly there has been a big shift in ideology regarding how certificates are accessed, stored and distributed. Historically, a PDF of the certificate would have been used in these circumstances. The new register has replaced the PDF with a URL. This will ensure tenants and building owners have access to the latest EPC for that building and access to any previously lodged certificates. With the EPC now being webpage-based it offers the government more opportunities to expose tenants and building owners to possible building improvement grants and

“Some of the biggest changes implemented by the new energy Performance of Buildings Central Register relate to the certificate itself.”

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funding options, energy saving recommendations and policy changes. A printable version of the certificate is available but we anticipant the usage of this to reduce as we move into a more digital age in line with checking your vehicles MOT via the .Gov website.

Frustratingly our feedback was overlooked regarding the energy assessors’ need to preview a certificate prior to lodgement.

We continue to voice energy assessors’ desires to have this feature during our working group sessions with government.

Elmhurst has introduced an

Overview Report for our domestic EPC lodgements to aid in the absence of an EPC preview feature and we are currently analysing options for a non-domestic overview report.

The move to a .gov website cements the government’s wish that Energy Certificates (EPCs, DECs and AirCon) remain central to government thinking and policy, as the country aims to meet its climate change commitments. This consumer focused attitude will continue as the government will look to act on the recommendations derived from the Energy Certificate

consultation from 2019.

We believe that this is a necessary step to ensure that Energy Certificates remain fit for purpose.

With the data now clearly owned and controlled by Government, we are excited by the opportunities that will come to improve both compliance and the energy efficiency of the buildings in which we live and work.

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what next to improve energy Certificates?

Stuart Fairlie, Technical and Operations Director

elmhurst is delighted to see the release of the long-awaited response to the call for evidence on energy Certificates. The government recognises responses from a wide variety of stakeholders and the document certainly makes for interesting reading.

The good news is, due to the delayed response, lots of the improvements requested have already taken place and there is now a clear action plan that we fully support and intend working with government on.

Further good news is, in reading back over Elmhurst’s response back in 2018, we are very pleased to see the majority of our key points included in the action plan proposed by government.

The three key areas that government wants to improve are: 1. Quality: Provide a trusted, accurate and reliable measure of a building’s energy performance 2. Action: Engage consumers and support action to reduce energy use in buildings 3. Data: Enable consumers and third parties to access the data they need to make decisions

Quality As Elmhurst members know, we have always, and continue to,

advocate for energy assessments and for them being done in a quality assured way. We see quality assurance as everything from qualifications, support and software to methodologies, ongoing CPD, news and information, as well as auditing, which are part of the overall mix required to deliver quality assurance. We need to ensure that a closed feedback loop exists to go back and improve the areas that need improving.

The government action plan wants to see the following: n n

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Confidence that the Energy Certificates are correct Enforcement of compliance by lots more professionals and stakeholders Sanctions for fraudulent practices Evolution to move towards ‘metered’ energy

We fully support all of the above.

But we stress that it is absolutely vital that we do not head down the rabbit hole of ‘metered energy use is all that we need’ to ensure

energy efficient buildings.

Elmhurst has said time after time, that we need three bits of data to solve our buildings’ energy efficiency deficiencies: asset, occupation and meter.

One without the other is blind.

For too many years people criticised EPCs for not resembling their fuel bill! This misunderstanding needs to go.

We need asset (RdSAP, SAP, SBEM) to understand the whole building, we need occupation (occupancy models) to understand the people in the asset and finally we need to get measured data to see how the asset is performing with the occupants in it. If all we have is metered data, we will not know what parts of the asset or occupants’ behaviour we need to improve.

Action For many external stakeholders, the Energy Certificate was a means to an end. We have always stood for helping people take the next steps in improving the energy efficiency of their building.

We are delighted to see that the call for action is attempted to encourage and help people make improvements to their buildings.

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“It is great to see government acknowledging the importance of energy Certificates within current and future policy and we want to make sure that we work with them.”

Creating a process that stopped at the Energy Certificate meant that we all felt frustrated and, for some external stakeholders, it was seen as a simple tick box exercise.

We are therefore very pleased to see an intention to look at more trigger points, more policy engagement such as PRS/MEES, and a review of reducing the 10 year lifespan. All the points in this section will hopefully lead to more energy efficient, warmer and healthier buildings.

Data The world has changed since 2007 when the national registers first went live. The ability to use ‘big data’ is certainly surrounding us. We at Elmhurst have long campaigned that the data stored shouldn’t be simply stored away and never see the light of day again; it has to be used to improve information for consumers of those buildings!

Conclusion

We are therefore delighted to see the start of joined up thinking connecting the Simple Energy Advice website, Data Warehouse and Trust Mark etc. using the data wisely so that people can understand the energy efficiency of their home or business and most importantly, know what to do next. This vital step doesn’t just happen with opening up data, but fundamentally requires independent experts who are able to advise owners on the right course of action for a building.

The Each Home Counts review concluded this was essential; stop just sticking stuff into buildings because there is funding for it, understand the building as an overall asset, throw in the people and let them decide the best approach for them. The opening up of data and connectivity and customer journey is absolutely paramount if we are to seriously improve buildings’ energy efficiency in the UK.

Stuart Fairlie, Technical and Operations Director of Elmhurst, comments: “we fully support the response and we recognise all the issues raised, but it also shows that we all seem to be heading in a much better direction to drive real change to homes and buildings. we will continue to advocate for energy assessors and for energy Certificates and we strive to ensure that they are valued more by consumers and are the foundation on what we use to allow us to meet our climate ambitions.

“It is great to see government acknowledging the importance of energy Certificates within current and future policy and we want to make sure that we work with them. we look forward to the challenges ahead and we will make sure it is done in a way that is pragmatic, achievable and works in practice. we know the lessons of the past and we must get it right moving forward.”

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COMPeTeNCy CORNeR www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk

elmhurst energy Competency Schemes elmhurst’s competency schemes are an excellent way to gain sought after industry skills and grow your business.

After successful completion of training you can apply to become a member of the associated competency scheme where you will gain a recognised stamp of approval and listing on our website as an approved competent person.

elmhurst Competency Schemes energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (eSOS)

iATS (AirTightness Testing)

legionella

Property Inventory

Psi-Value

Thermography

U-Value

Ventilation

Visit the elmhurst website to ďŹ nd out more about our competency schemes and related training courses.

t: 01455 883 250 • www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk

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The future for new build dwellings Jason Hewins, On Construction Support Team Leader

A year ago, the Ministry of Housing Communities and local Government (MHClG) released the Future Homes Standard consultation, with proposed changes to Part F and l1A of the building regulations expected in 2020. This was a significant moment for the industry as with a cancelled uplift in 2016, the last change to Part l1A in england was in 2013.

In brief, the headline changes proposed were: n

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A move away from traditional fossil fuel heating systems by 2025 Either a 19% or 31% uplift on the current Carbon Dioxide standard Introduction of the Primary Energy Rate and Householder Affordability Rating compliance standards and removal of the Fabric Energy Efficiency Standard Use of the SAP 10 calculation methodology Mandatory air tightness testing for all new dwellings Tightening of the transitional arrangements for dwellings where construction has started before the latest regulations

The consultation closed on 7th February 2020 with over 3000 responses, significantly more than normal for this type of consultation.

It was expected the responses would be published in spring/summer 2020 and new regulations implemented towards the end of 2020.

Many members are asking us what is happening with the planned changes. We believe the response to the consultation will be issued in autumn 2020. This will show the responses for each question posed, and MHCLG’s intended direction of travel. The publication of the Approved Document should then take place in spring 2021, with implementation into regulations expected in autumn 2021.

Of course the other devolved administrations in the UK have their own building regulations/standards. The Welsh Government also consulted on a planned change to Part F and L1A last winter. The proposals were fairly similar to the Future Homes Standard for England, however uplifts of either 37% or 56% to the current carbon standard in new dwellings were proposed. As with England we are awaiting the publication of the responses from the Welsh Government which will give an indication of the changes that will be introduced.

In Scotland the recent announcement ‘Protecting Scotland, Renewing Scotland’ contained some information on the planned trajectory for Section 6 of the Building Standards.

It was proposed to launch a new scoping consultation in autumn 2020 on standards for new buildings, and similar to the Future Homes Standard, require them to use renewable or zero emission heating from 2024.

Finally in Northern Ireland an uplift to the Technical Booklet F1 and F2 is overdue. The usual consultation process will take place and we believe this will occur at some point in 2021.

The common theme for all regions of the UK is they are using a version of the SAP methodology that is at least 8 years old. The SAP 2012 (or 2009 if in Northern Ireland) methodologies are well out of date and do not reflect the current state of the energy generation or new technologies in the construction industry.

Elmhurst would urge all areas of the UK to move to SAP 10 as soon as possible to ensure energy assessments are reflective of the UK’s current energy generation mix and to reflect innovation as much as possible.

Rest assured we will keep all members informed of any developments in building regulations and standards, for all areas of the UK, as soon as they are published. Once released, we will fully support our members to be ready for any changes with CPD events, news articles and software.

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F e AT U R e www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk

Big Plans for Scotland's 'Green Recovery'

…our economic recovery must be a green recovery...

Nicola Sturgeon

Jonathan Bourke, Scotland Business Manager

On 1st September 2020, the Scottish Government introduced the 'Protecting Scotland, Renewing Scotland' Programme which established the strategic actions that the Government will be taking in the coming year and beyond.

It’s clear that there are significant challenges in the months and years ahead and in this article I’ll share a few key points from Part One of the Programme to highlight future objectives in Government policy together with some opportunities it brings…

Despite the immediate challenges presented by COVID-19, the Government remains committed to reaching its goal of net zero by 2045; this remains central to its new Programme. Scotland's economic recovery will be very much a green one with investment running in parallel to a sustained approach to transform the energy efficiency of our homes and buildings.

With around 1.4 million domestic properties rated as being below EPC Band C, we have a lot of work to do - but this Programme provides reassurance about the long-term social, economic, and commercial viability of our recovery.

Key Points n

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A £100 million Green Jobs Fund will invest alongside businesses to support new and increased opportunities for job creation in Scotland A £1.6 billion investment in transforming Scotland's buildings to eliminate emissions from heating by 2040

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Removing poor energy efficiency as a driver of fuel poverty with the publication of a new Fuel Poverty Strategy to be published in 2021

A ‘Youth Guarantee’ will give every young person access to a job, education, training or development programme and to support other workers at risk of redundancy, retraining opportunities will be provided through a new £25 million ‘National Transition Training Programme.’ With Elmhurst’s position as the industry-leading learning and development provider within the energy efficiency sector, we have the infrastructure to fulfil demand and I will continue to engage with Government in the year ahead to ensure we adapt to their requirements and in turn - promote Elmhurst’s members’ status at the forefront of the sector.

In addition to the 'Protecting Scotland, Renewing Scotland'

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Programme, the forthcoming publication of the ‘Energy Efficient Scotland Route Map’ looks set to hit the restart button in efforts to get to net zero by 2045. The Scottish Government has acknowledged that more action is required to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels in Scotland's existing homes and buildings (86% of all domestic homes and 50% of all non-domestic buildings use fossil fuels). This will require rigorous action to lessen the demand for heat in homes and buildings and will be achieved by a combination of installing energy efficiency measures, replacing fossil fuel heating systems with renewable or zero emissions sources, and increasing public awareness of steps we can all take to achieve net zero in energy consumption.

I’m also looking forward to the release of the long-awaited consultation for new buildings standards but, in the meantime, members of Elmhurst’s On Construction accreditation scheme can be encouraged by the Programme’s ambition to deliver 50,000 new homes as quickly as it is safe to do.

Other matters of interest include: n

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An additional £2 billion of infrastructure investment over the next Parliamentary session to stimulate demand and create jobs The Scottish National Investment Bank is on track to open imminently A £3 billion Green Investment Portfolio with continued commitment to launching Green Growth Accelerators

Recently-qualified Retrofit Coordinators and Retrofit Assessors will be pleased to learn the document confirms the Scottish Government’s commitment to provide more ‘Whole House’ approaches to refurbishment works.

During lockdown, Elmhurst experienced a large increase in demand from Domestic Energy Assessors looking to use their time to upskill to the role of Retrofit Assessor and although Covid-19 has obviously delayed wider adoption of the PAS 2035 in public sector works, assessors and installers can take great heart from the desire for this Quality Framework to become more commonplace. In fact, the Government state in the Programme that: “we will work collaboratively across the public sector to develop tools,

guidance, and a practical approach to influence and empower buyer, supplier and key stakeholder communities to use public procurement to support a green recovery embedding climate considerations in organisational procurement strategies by 2021 and reporting progress in annual procurement reports.”

Very promisingly, the Programme will: “adapt to meet the twin objectives of reducing both emissions from heat and fuel poverty and will continue to build on the successful energy efficient Scotland programmes” in this regard.

I’m immensely proud of Scotland’s ambitions and, as an Approved Organisation, we support it in its entirety.

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Energy Matters | Issue 5 | 2020

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Elmhurst Energy Consultancy launches Measured Energy Performance service Chris Ricketts, Elmhurst Energy Consultancy Business Manager

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As discussed in our last article for energy Matters, elmhurst Consultancy has been working to further develop our partner’s, Build Test Solutions (BTS), Smart HTC method of measuring the thermal performance of a building into a viable industry leading service.

We successfully launched our Measured Energy Performance (MEP) Service in September, following which we received a lot of interest from Elmhurst Energy members and the wider surveyor and energy efficiency community in registering their desire in being an early adopter of the technology.

As a reminder, our real-time energy efficiency testing service is set to help a number of clients ranging from housing associations and social landlords to housing developers and insurance companies.

Each client will have their own objective but we can help them understand the actual thermal performance of their properties, enabling:

Better tailored advice on how a resident heats their home and the effect of energy improvement measures Quality assurance on retrofit works and new build homes Certification of offsite modular structures, showcasing that they are meeting design intent.

Information to assist manufacturers in modelling of heating system components and products.

Quantification of the effect of energy improvement or fuel poverty alleviating measures.

As an advertisement to customers and residents that their new or retrofitted homes really do perform, helping leading lights to promote their good practice.

Taking away the reliance on a calculated prediction of energy performance, this new innovative service - called Measured Energy Performance - is making use of new technology developed by our sister company BTS that provides instant, accurate data on actual energy use.

The Measured Energy Performance rating is formulated using a non-intrusive assessment that can be conducted with the resident in-situ.

Small temperature sensors are placed around the house and collect data over a three-week period during the colder months of the year.

The Elmhurst Consultancy team uses this data, alongside additional weather and energy usage information, to calculate the Smart Heat Transfer Co-efficient (Smart HTC) score.

The Smart HTC score is added to the Design Standard Assessment

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Procedure (SAP) to create the Measured Energy Performance rating. We can produce a variety of outputs via our Measured Energy Report in line with the outputs contained within an EPC based on how the dwelling is being used in real time: n n

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Measured Energy Rating (Score and Band).

Estimated CO2 emissions of the dwelling calculated in SAP from measured inputs.

Annual kWh consumption calculated in SAP from measured inputs HLP- Heat loss Perimeter

All of these are generated using the UK’s National Calculation

elmhurst energy Consultancy is effectively a ‘proving ground’ for new methods of energy assessment...

Methodology for dwellings, Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), but instead of using a calculated value the Heat Transfer Coefficient (HTC) has been measured using Smart HTC. The HTC figure is calculated and used as part of the SAP calculation and energy assessment. This allows the measured Smart HTC to be directly comparable and substituted into the assessment to enable further analysis and indications on how the dwelling is performing. The dwelling’s total heat transfer, represented by the HTC figure, is illustrative of the heat transfer through the building fabric, thermal bridges and by air movement by infiltration and ventilation.

The introduction of the heat loss parameter (HLP) metric, a measure of the rate of heat transfer to or from the building per degree of temperature difference between inside and out, normalised by the total floor area with units of W/m2K. means that we can compare different

buildings and the inherent bias that a larger building will tend to have a larger HTC, but may actually have better fabric performance.

Elmhurst Energy Consultancy is effectively a ‘proving ground’ for new methods of energy assessment, which we hope will benefit Elmhurst members in the future once the methodology has been proven to be sound and the service commercially viable.

For this reason we have involved members in our project work to consult with them and use their expertise to carry out trial assessments.

In the case of MEP, I’m incredibly excited about the possibilities of the service which has gained a lot of interest from clients across a range of sectors.

It is my ambition that we can create a scalable version of the service for our members to use, supported by ourselves and BTS.

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F e AT U R e www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk

How elmhurst cut through the COVID-19 confusion and supported members Dominic Reed, Marketing Manager

A small number of elmhurst’s commercial team exhibited at Futurebuild 2020 back in March, when COVID-19 was only just starting to hit UK shores.

The event itself was pretty much business as usual, with the exception of the odd jovial touch of elbows in place of handshakes. It’s fair to say that a lot has changed in just 8 months, with the landscape of energy and building assessment changing dramatically. elmhurst has continued to support members throughout the pandemic to ensure they remain well informed of relevant guidance and continue to work safely. Here are just some of the activities that we’ve undertaken on behalf of our members:

Communicated with Government

Communicated regularly with members

Towards the end of March a national lockdown was announced which left many energy assessors confused about whether or not they could still continue to work. Elmhurst was aware of the worries and frustrations felt by members across all strands, particularly as financial support was still yet to be announced for the selfemployed. With this in mind we wrote directly to the chancellor asking for support in this area and requested that official guidance for house moves be released sooner rather than later. These actions were later echoed by the Property Energy Professional Association (PEPA).

Keeping our members up to date with everything COVID-19 related has been trickier than it sounds particularly as restrictions continue to change (even to this day). Our team continues to monitor all the latest news, updates and information released by government and is very quick to highlight this to members so that they can work safely. We have even published our own guide to safer energy assessments which members can access anytime from Access Elmhurst.

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Updated our Training offering With our classroom based training closed, Elmhurst went online during lockdown, with many individuals undertaking a CPD or qualification course from the comfort of their own home or office. Elmhurst continues to maintain and add to this online library to ensure that members, unable to travel to our training locations, can still experience learning and development with Elmhurst.

Prioritised wellbeing Elmhurst teamed up with Wellbeing4Life to create a series of free health and wellbeing webinars for members and other industry professionals. Although a lot of people don’t actively take time to consider their own health and wellbeing, the pandemic has left some feeling isolated, anxious and often frustrated. Throughout all of our communication we have continued to state that the health and wellbeing of members remains our number one priority, which is why we continue to grow our library of these important webinars.

If you are ever in doubt about what you can or can’t do as an Energy Assessor during the

pandemic, then we recommend viewing our COVID-19 FAQs which are regularly updated in line with the latest government guidance: https://www.elmhurstenergy. co.uk/covid-19-updates

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Non-Domestic legionella Update Josh Wakeling, Non-Domestic Support Team Leader

During the pandemic there has been increased interest in the health and safety of the working environment. legionella risk assessments provide a detailed report to reassure property owners that their water system is safe, providing peace of mind and minimising the risk of legionnaire’s disease.

With this in mind we’ve released a new version of our online software and for the Legionella Go app. This new version has been created with our members in mind, with an efficient and user-friendly interface that represents the format of our most popular applications. This update has enabled us to include the all important commercial building type option - with a free text box to be more specific.

Previously, risk assessors could not state whether a building was commercial, meaning that many assessors did not push for assessments in the commercial industry - leading to a lack of commercial legionella awareness.

Assessors and legionella advocates can now have a key involvement in informing landlords and clients on the regulations of work place safety.

Although there is no law insisting that a risk assessment is performed, all commercial building owners have a responsibility to keep their work place safe and free from any risk associated with legionella. It is up to ourselves to inform and

educate non-domestic buildings owners of the importance of Legionella Risk Assessors (RAs).

We are currently reviewing our legionella course and webpages to include more information on Non-domestic risk assessments to improve and excel in our own abilities to educate competent assessors interested in nondomestic Legionella RAs. There is a demand and the industry is now in a position to inform, educate and advise.

We would also like to thank every member who completed our non-domestic legionella survey, which has given Elmhurst a valid and relevant insight in to how interested and informed our members are in the current legionella industry. There has been immense interest in our online legionella course with 98% of respondents stating they would be interested in attending - the course is available from the Elmhurst Energy Marketplace.

If you have already attended a legionella course then apply to join our Legionella Accreditation Scheme by visiting www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk/accr editation/legionella-riskassessment, to gain access to our software, detailed reports, and first class support.

Now available for non-complex water systems including commercial buildings.

Find out more about Elmhurst’s leading mobile and desktop software for legionella risk assessments on the Elmhurst website.

www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk

Energy Matters | Issue 5 | 2020

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TeCHNICAl www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk

Technical Corner with ECO Surv Nathaniel Butters, Founding Director at ECO Surv

who is eCO Surv?

ECO Surv provides software solutions and mobile surveying applications in workflow management for the ECO, Green Homes Grant (GHG) and Retrofit Industry. Established in 2013, Founding Directors Nathaniel Butters and Alessandro Zerillo brought their 25 years of experience in the energy and software sectors along with their passion for making businesses run more efficiently through innovative, cutting edge software solutions and technology. Since then, ECO Surv has gone from strength to strength, particularly in recent months, and despite the adverse effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, has gone on to nearly double its team from 2019 to 2020.

The beauty of ECO Surv is in its ability to act as a vital cog for the entire energy efficiency supply chain. Through connecting fieldbased operatives, which include technical surveyors, gas, electrical engineers, and installation engineers to quality assurances, managing agents and utility companies to then notify through to OFGEM.

what the software is and who is it for?

Through this, the ECO Surv software platform streamlines the workflow process for installers of energy efficient measures in homes under the government Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and the newly launched Green Homes Grant scheme making data capture and processing simple and efficient.

As a cloud-based SaaS platform with mobile applications, using ECO Surv offers substantial time savings at all stages of the process from lead generation, surveying, installation, verification, audit and generation of compliance documentation.

ECO Surv eliminates human error in handling and producing paperwork for the entire supply chain, ensuring leaner processing, faster pay-outs and more profitable business processes.

Using innovative technology, the platform allows compliance led workflows for all roles within the

At eCO Surv it is vital to keep the customer at the forefront of what they do.

process to communicate seamlessly during the curation, qualification, and installation of ECO and GHG energy efficient measures. Hence, providing a whole new way of working for Installers, Lead Gens, Funders and Utility companies.

How it has been adapted for PAS2030: 2019 and 2035 A continuous improvement culture is something that is integral within the ECO Surv philosophy and the adaptation to comply with the new PAS2030:2019 standard is vital to upholding this. Alongside the workflow and compliance available on ECO Surv, they are currently in the process of integrating their new PAS workflow with market leading accreditation schemes to provide a seamless handoff between platforms along with an intuitive user experience.

t: 01455 883 250 • www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk

At ECO Surv, it is vital to keep the customer at the forefront of what they do. They are constantly striving to support the supply chain in any way they can with the new PAS framework through providing that continued assistance that they are known for to our current customers and any new customers that join us throughout the process. In addition, being on the Retrofit Academy PAS Steering Group ensures the ECO Surv software is always up to date with the latest industry news and compliance.

The benefits of the software Since entering the market in 2013, the ECO Surv platform has facilitated the installation of over 500,000 energy efficient measures in over 450,000 households resulting in significant carbon savings across the UK. Growth in 2020 and 2021 is forecast that under the ECO scheme, over half of the notified

measures to OFGEM will have been processed by clients using the ECO Surv platform. Client feedback also suggests that submissions that used to take half a day to a full day, now only take 20-30 minutes through ECO Surv, compared to completing the same work on paper by hand.

In its essence, ECO Surv is passionate about quality and ensuring continued compliance with the idea that ‘we do the work, so you don’t have to’. To ensure they are at the forefront of industry knowledge and updates, Nathaniel and Alessandro sit on various working groups including; OFGEM ECO Reporting Working Group, the Retrofit Academy PAS Steering Group, being members of the Retrofit Academy Centre of Excellence and also working

closely with TrustMark and other key industry partners.

A little about integration between elmhurst and eco Surv It is always important for ECO Surv to work with companies whose values and ethos aligns with their own. The integration between ECO Surv and Elmhurst will be a new step towards a more joined up approach between key industry stakeholders in the Retrofit sector.

Through strategic partnerships, the industry will experience better standards and ultimately a better experience for the customer along the way in creating healthy homes, which ECO Surv believes is what everyone deserves.

If you would like to understand more about what we do here at eCO Surv, feel free to get in touch either via the telephone (0161 960 0100) or email (hello@eco-surv.co.uk) and one of our friendly team members will be more than happy to answer any queries you may have.

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Energy Matters | Issue 5 | 2020

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which is better passivhaus or SAP?

data and other inputs to understand how a home will actually perform in use.

Organisations seeking to drive improvements in energy efficiency should use this measurement, space heating demand, as the primary metric, say the Passivhaus experts.

So who is right?

Stuart Fairlie, Technical and Operations Director

Take three experts and get them talking about energy efficiency. I guarantee it’ll be a great conversation.

There’s a fundamental problem with EPCs for some experts, as the EPC for a new home is calculated using the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP). This is a building physics modelling method which has also been at the heart of the compliance framework for Building Regulations since 1995.

pay any attention to those ratings anyway.

SAP is regularly and vocally criticised for being inaccurate. It assumes every dwelling is at the centre of the country, somewhere in the east Pennines, so that the climate conditions are always the same. And it uses other assumptions to figure out a ‘typical’ number of occupants and their ‘typical’ heating patterns.

In another camp is the Passivhaus community which makes use of the Passivhaus Planning Package (PHPP). PHPP is another building physics methodology which focuses on calculating a kWh/Yr rating for a new dwelling and uses very specific local climate

And while there’s also an environmental impact rating and an indication of space heating demand expressed in kilowatts hours per year (kWh/year) generated by a SAP calculation and hidden right at the back of the EPC report, these are not considered accurate, they don’t cover all fuel uses, the carbon data needs updating, and homebuyers don’t tend to

So abolish it - “SAP is crap!” say the carbon lobby.

No, says the government we need something standardised that allows us to compare across different dwellings in different locations.

Well, all I know is that every year of squabbling between green building experts just leads to more delay in achieving our goals. So three leading organisations in this space the AECB, Passivhaus Trust and Elmhurst Energy - got together to carry out a detailed piece of technical research, comparing PHPP and SAP calculations and outputs to see if they could put the arguments to bed.

And it turns out that the two sides are not as far apart as we once thought.

We have concluded, contrary to some rhetoric, that the core of the models is very similar. While PHPP allows a user to enter more data in some areas and considers some elements such as thermal junctions differently from SAP, the physics behind the methodologies that calculate the energy efficiency of the building fabric is very similar.

t: 01455 883 250 • www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk

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energy efficiency is one of those issues which usually means something different to each expert you ask.

At its heart, this is a story of two different approaches, but one common goal.

Perhaps we shouldn’t have been that surprised. Physics is physics, after all.

But what this work now allows us to do is to move forward helping housebuilders, architects, energy consultants and other green building professionals. This should finally allow for a direct and fair comparison between all homes, whatever their type or level of energy performance.

Our objective is to learn from the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches, thus improving both. We want to make it easier to demonstrate compliance for both Building Regulation purposes and for those who want to build homes that are above and beyond the minimum regulatory standards.

We already have creative ideas about how we could present key performance data for a property

in a clear and visually engaging manner, and giving equal prominence to carbon emissions, energy demand, running costs and fabric efficiency.

We think we can provide clarity regarding the scope of the of the energy use covered, such as space heating only, regulated energy or all energy use. We can standardise the units of measurement of a home’s performance to allow for direct and fair comparison. And we can develop a common energy reporting process capable of being driven by either PHPP or SAP as the starting point.

Both SAP and PHPP are effective tools at what they do. It’s horses for courses. But bringing them together in some way and aligning with national regulations will make life easier for energy assessors and housebuilders while also presenting consumers

with a clear and unambiguous statement of a home’s overall performance.

Given a common set of easy-tounderstand results, we will all be able to make a fair comparison between homes, and therefore make a choice based on what matters most to us.

At its heart, this is a story of two different approaches, but one common goal. All of us working on this initiative agree that our aims are the same our commitment is to facilitate the building of more energy efficient homes.

What are currently considered to be high performing homes will, very soon, become the norm.

By working together that goal will be easier to achieve.

Stay updated on this project at www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk

Energy Matters | Issue 5 | 2020

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Market data

existing Dwellings Volume of EPC lodgements and residential house sales on a rolling 12 month basis (by quarter).

Martyn Reed, Managing Director

n

Volume of ePC lodgements on a 12 month rolling basis

n

Volume of Residential housesales on a 12 month rolling basis

Commentary

Here at elmhurst we collect and analyse data from many sources in the belief that it helps us make better business decisions. Turning this data into a digestible form takes time and requires a detailed understanding of context.

In each edition of Energy Matters we will provide you with a snapshot of this data, with a brief commentary, which we hope you find of interest and helps you prepare for the future.

COVID-19 has obviously had a major impact on the construction, housing and energy assessment markets since March 2020, which is reflected in each of the charts. The good news is that all markets have returned, at various speeds, but due to a lag with some external data, this might not be totally apparent.

House sales spiked in March 2016 on the back of changes to stamp duty and then quickly fell back to a run rate of under 1.16 million. Until March 2020 the volume had been relatively constant, the market fell away in March but had recovered by July. Due to a lag with external statistics, the numbers have not yet captured the anecdotal evidence of the strong market, driven by pent up demand and reductions in stamp duty /LBTT The volume of EPCs peaked in the 12 months to May 2014, in large part driven by ECO. This fell back sharply to a low of 1.2 Million in March 2018. Two years of recovery peaked again in February 2020 with year on year growth of 11%, largely due to Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) in the private rental sector. In March and April 2020 the volume dropped drastically but the graph illustrates the quick recovery which is now showing 10% year on year growth.

Outlook This is obviously difficult to predict, but the short term reduction in stamp duty / Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) is due to expire in March 2021 which may burst the bubble. The focus on new build dwellings should have a trickledown effect on existing dwellings, and government initiatives such as MEES and parts of the Green Homes Grant should keep demand high.

t: 01455 883 250 • www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk

New Build / On Construction

Volume of EPCs in the last twelve months fell to 250,000 from its peak of 300,000.

Volume of residential house starts and completions on a rolling 12 month basis (by quarter)

Outlook It is worrying that house starts have fallen so rapidly, especially with government indicating that house building needs to increase to 300,000 per annum.

With completions now significantly ahead of starts, ‘work in progress’ is falling and this is bound to impact completions in the medium term.

Non-Domestic / Commercial buildings Non residential (commercial) property sales in the UK on a 12 month rolling basis. n

Volume of residential house starts on a rolling 12 month basis

n

Volume of residential house completion on a rolling 12 month basis

Volume of Commercial property EPCs in the UK on a rolling 12 month basis.

Recent data for Scotland is estimated.

Volume of On Construction (new build residential) EPCs in the UK issued on a rolling 12 month basis

n n

n

Volume of on-construction (new build residential) ePCs in the UK issued on a rolling 12 month basis

Commentary House completions peaked at 213,000 in March 2020 but have been significantly impacted by Covid-19.

Starting before COVID-19, house starts have fallen back dramatically from their 204,000 peak in December 2018 to a six year low of 153,000.

Not surprisingly COVID-19 has had an immediate and dramatic impact on this sector in regards to starts, completions and EPCs. The good news is that EPCs have now returned to their pre-Covid levels which, because they are issued just prior to house sale, should positively impact the house completion numbers going forward.

Volume of Commercial property ePCs in the UK on a rolling 12 month basis Non residential (commercial) property sales in the UK on a 12 month rolling basis

Commentary Commercial property transactions have continued to fall since October 2017 and are now at 100,000, 28.1% down from the peak and 18.8% down year on year.

The impact on EPCs has been similarly dramatic and the graph shows that the market has not yet fully recovered, although the deficit is reducing.

Outlook With massive uncertainty in the business community, it is difficult to imagine that there will be any major improvements in the commercial property sector.

The impact of COVID-19 on the retail and office sectors may reduce demand for such properties, but, as an EPC is required whenever there is change of owner or change in tenant, this should be good for energy assessors.

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Energy Matters | Issue 5 | 2020

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Many of you will already know about the PAS 2035 standard (Publicly Available Specification).

This is the domestic retrofit specification that was published by the British Standards Institute (BSI), including direct input from elmhurst energy. It outlines the functions of Retrofit Assessors, Retrofit Coordinators and the need for a retrofit plan for all dwellings that are considered for energy efficiency improvements and installations.

The PAS has been adopted for the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) policy, and Government intends making it a requirement for all future initiatives, which has included elements within the Green Home Grant (GHG) scheme. As a result, hundreds of domestic Retrofit Assessors and Retrofit Coordinators have now been trained and many opportunities will continue to grow within this sector.

PAS 2035 & Green Homes Grant Scheme In early August Government released details about the Green Homes Grant (GHG) scheme, which is soon to commence from November 2020. In summary: n

n

n

The Scheme applies only in England The fund is £2 billion and is expected to assist up to 600,000 homeowners Consumers can claim vouchers worth up to £5,000 (66% funding) and £10,000 (100% funding) for low income households.

IN FOCUS www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk

What is PAS 2035?

Amo Sihra, Head of Commercial

The Green Homes Grants scheme was mainly developed to help with our economic recovery and support to create tens of thousands of greens jobs immediately. Elmhurst was very pleased to hear of the launch of the GHG scheme and the opportunities this was creating, however was disappointed to see that not all energy efficiency measures/installations for this scheme were to be certified by the PAS 2035 standards. This was a missed opportunity!

PAS 2035 addresses the whole house retrofit approach which helps in ensuring that all the needs of the home are considered before design and installation, maximising energy performance potential.

The good news is that not all buildings from the GHG scheme excluded from adhering to PAS2035 standards. Anyone installing energy efficiency measures for park homes, high rise buildings that are both traditionally constructed and

protected need to be certified to install measures against PAS2035.

More details in regards to the GHG scheme can be seen by visiting the Elmhurst website.

EPCs and Green Homes Grant Scheme This was another missed opportunity and Elmhurst lobbied for an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) on each property as a minimum. An EPC defines the most appropriate measure for the home and it gives the homeowner the opportunity to understand the features of the home and those that can be improved to best effect, using the skills of an independent expert.

Elmhurst also argued that a postinstall EPC would help government understand the value, in terms of carbon emissions, that they have delivered from the Green Homes Grant.

That being said, Elmhurst believes there is still an opportunity for

t: 01455 883 250 • www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk

27

??

energy assessors. Tucked away at the end of the announcement is a commitment to spend £500 million of the £2 billion via local authorities through the Green Home Grant Local Authority Delivery Scheme. Local authorities will be able to bid for funding to support low-income homes that currently live in households with an EPC rating of E, F or G. It was also good news to hear further clarity from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in regards to what can and cannot we funded via the Green Homes Grants scheme and EPCs are included!

To reiterate, an EPC is not a requirement to access funding but where the EPC leads to retrofit improvement the cost can be added to the project costs and reimbursed at normal rates (66% or 100%). An EPC that doesn’t lead to a retrofit improvement cannot be reimbursed.

Elmhurst will continue to ensure that all government polices relating to energy efficiency continue to use EPCs at both the start and end of the process so to set expectations on what will be achieved and, at the end, ensure that the improvement, at both a building and national level, is recognised.

PAS 2038 Consultation - Non Domestic Buildings Recently, the long awaited draft PAS standard for non-domestic buildings was released. BSI has considered non-domestic buildings and have drafted the first version of PAS 2038 ’Retrofitting non-domestic buildings for improved energy efficiency - Specification’.

Elmhurst totally supports the aims of this new specification but is currently fighting to ensure that the national calculation methodologies of SBEM and ORCalc are considered the

preferred methods of calculating energy performance.

The draft was issued on the 28th September and Elmhurst responded with members’ feedback on the 26th October 2020.

Visit the elmhurst website to find out more about elmhurst’s PAS2035 training and accreditation opportunities, the GHG scheme and elmhurst’s draft PAS 2038 Retrofitting Non-Domestic Buildings for Improved energy efficiency Response.

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