The Greenest Games Ever!

As the 2012 Summer Olympics in London draw to a close we consider it; The Greenest Games Ever. Following nine years of planning towards minimizing the carbon output it seems that the initial target; 20% of energy generated from on-site renewable sources was too ambitious for this scale of event.  Despite not having achieved this target the sustainability efforts have set new standards for large-scale events to build upon.

Sustainability was a key driver in the design and construction of Olympic Games Venues. Not only is the Olympic Park a regeneration site but all new construction was designed to embody carbon. Before works began 2 million tons of soil from the wasteland was decontaminated and reused to create the lush park that you see today with trees, flowers and wetlands supporting biodiversity. 

Temporary structures were built from materials that will be reused/ recycled after the games. Such as; The baseball arena, which is essentially a huge tent. The steel frame and PVC cover can be dismantled and reused. Permanent structures have also been designed to be used for many years after the Olympics and they too contain embodied energy, for example;

·        The Copper Box (used for handball, martial arts and wheelchair rugby) is equipped with 88 light pipes, filling the inside of the building with natural light during the day. The outside is made from largely recycled copper cladding, and the sloped roof collects rainwater for the toilets, reducing the building's water consumption up to 40%.

·        The Aquatics Centre was constructed with 50% recycled material. It has two removable wings to accommodate up to 17,500 people and will be used as a public facility after the games.

·        The Velodrome contains sustainably sourced timber. The passive solar design allows the building to utilize natural light during the day to reduce energy consumption. The building also uses natural ventilation eliminating the need for air conditioning and collects rainwater to reduce water consumption by up to 70%.

Sustainability was also a priority for the London 2012 organizing committee and all efforts were made to minimize the environmental impact during the Olympics, including;

·        Ticket-holders receive a one-day pass for public transportation, had access to trails in the Olympic Park and reduced rates for England's coach and train services.

·        All food packaging at the events is recyclable which will considerably reduce waste as an expected 14 million meals are to be served at the events. Overall, the 2012 Summer Olympics aims to recycle 70% of the anticipated 8,000 tons of waste produced at the events.

·       Biomass boilers, solar panels and wind turbines are used throughout the park. Although these technologies have not produced the original target of 20% they are now expected to produce about 9% of the overall energy consumption.

The concept of the Olympic Games is not very eco-friendly but given its rich historical, cultural, and political significance throughout the world, the Olympic Games will continue for many years to come. All London’s efforts combined will only amount to a 40% reduction of carbon output but despite this shortcoming, London has established a model for future Olympic Games to improve upon.

DO YOU KNOW WHEN AN EPC IS REQUIRED??

DO YOU KNOW WHEN AN EPC IS REQUIRED??

Following the new 2012 EPC regulations we have received many calls and emails from our customers to confirm when they are required to produce an EPC. The following information covers the majority of queries we have received.   

According to the DCLG (Department for Community and Local Government), a building is defined as;

“a roofed construction having walls, for which energy is used to condition the indoor climate”

An EPC is required when the building is;

·        Constructed  

·       On the Market for Sale or Rent

·       Material Change of use

·       Fit Out

There is often confusion with multi-let properties when parts of the building are sold or let separately. According to the DCLG part of a building is;

“Part of a building which has been designed or altered to be used separately”.

The services within a building also determine when an EPC required;

Buildings with a common heating system

One EPC is sufficient for the whole building which can be used when the building, or any part of it, is sold or let. However if a part of that building was to be sold or let separately an EPC can be produced for that part.

Buildings without a common heating system

One EPC is required for each part of the building being offered for sale or let. If an EPC does exist for the whole building (e.g. from construction) it is not possible to use this unless the whole building is to be sold or let.

The following building types are exempt from EPC requirements;

·       Places of worship (EPC’s are required on construction).

·       Temporary buildings (with a planned time of use of less than two years).

·       Stand-alone buildings (with a total useful floor area of less than 50m2 that are not dwellings).

·       Low energy demand buildings (such as industrial sites, workshops and non-residential agricultural buildings).

·       Buildings due to be demolished.

Find additional information and contact details @ www.g2a-energy.co.uk .

 

The information above is taken from the Department for Communities and Local Government document; A guide to energy performance certificates for the construction, sale and let of non-dwellings.

Get ready for the GREEN DEAL

The Green Deal is a new government scheme to encourage business and home owners to employ more green technologies in their properties. This scheme offers loans to install new green technologies into your property with no up-front costs. Funds are then recovered as charges added to the properties energy bill over a period of time. Unlike a conventional loan these payments are attached to the property so if you were to move out of the property before the loan is paid off the payments will be transferred to the new occupier who will continue to benefit from the green energy savings.

The following statement is the ‘Golden Rule’ of the Green Deal; the expected financial savings must be equal to or greater than the costs attached to the energy bill. This rule ensures that bill payers will not pay any more than what the original energy bill would have been.

To qualify for the Green Deal all properties will require an inspection carried out by a certified Green Deal Assessor. This assessment will take into account the building fabric and look into the way the occupants currently use the building. The government intends to use the current Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) as the framework to work from. An updated EPC will be needed to qualify for the Green Deal.

If you are interested in greening your building at no up-front cost then get in touch now; g2a energy’s accredited energy assessors can update your current EPC and give you information on how to apply for a green deal loan.

ATTENTION ALL COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AGENT’S!!

YOU WILL SOON BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMERCIAL EPC’S  

Commercial property landlords, owners, tenants and agents in England and Wales planning to sell, let or sublet their property must comply with The Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2011. These regulations include changes regarding agent’s liability and energy efficient marketing. The following changes were postponed from July 2011 to October 2011 and are now due to come into force on 6th April 2012.

·       EPC’s to be commissioned before a property is marketed for sale or rent.

·       Trading standards enforcement officers have powers to issue fines (up to £5000) for non-compliance.

·       A 'responsible person' (usually the agent) must use 'reasonable efforts' to ensure that the EPC is available within 7 days of the start of marketing, rather than the current 28 days.

·       The first page of the EPC (as opposed to the summary graphs) must be provided as part of written property particulars.

·       The FULL EPC must be provided to prospective buyers or tenants 'at the earliest opportunity' but, in any event, before they receive literature or view the property.

·       A copy of any inspection report on air conditioning systems (above 12kW) included in the EPC must be lodged on the England and Wales Central Register kept on behalf of the Secretary of State.

·       Finally, the changes make the agent liable to prosecution if the EPC rules are broken.

The above changes will have a significant on commercial property estate agent’s, they will now have the same responsibility for enforcing EPC compliance that domestic estate agents have always had. This should also lead to a boost in the number of EPC Lodgments as most commercial properties are currently being marketed without an EPC; The reason being that owners have been opting to take a chance on the relaxed enforcement regime.

Despite the extensive documentation on these changes; the date for implementing them has not yet been confirmed by The Department of Communities and Local Government. As it is now 17^th February 2012 and no confirmation has been given I suspect that this date may also be further postponed. Whether it is or not agents beware; it is coming, SOONER OR LATER!

Join The Carbon Fast

Lent is becoming a cultural practice as well as a Christian practice. The traditional purpose of Lent is 40days of penitential preparation  (through prayer, penance, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial) to mark the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The cultural practice has developed from this tradition. People now use Lent as a time to give up or take on something that they want to achieve, as it is easier to commitment to something for 40days than say; a new year’s resolution. This year we are asking you to join The Carbon Fast for Lent and give up a part of your carbon footprint for at least 40days.

You can be part of The Carbon Fast by making small changes in your daily life e.g. reducing the heating in your home, recycling, taking the bus, turning off lights and electrical equipment etc.

Although our day-to-day lives have not yet been impacted severely by the changing climate, there are people around the world who struggle to feed their families, whose homes have been washed away by floods, who can’t work because the fields have been destroyed by droughts and storms and even here in the UK, as many people who struggle to heat their homes.

Please join The Carbon Fast this Lent.

Find out more at; www.tearfund.org/carbonfast.

Renewable Heat Incentive