Architects with a project that would benefit from a bio-energy installation should note that Defra has just announced a 10-week grant application window for biomass-fuelled heat and CHP projects. Grants are intended to help bridge the cost differential between bio-energy and a fossil fuel alternative and range from £25,000 to £1m.

This is the third funding round of the £10-15m Bio-energy Capital Grants Scheme, which was announced by the government last year as part of its response to a report from its Biomass Task Force, and is open to the industrial, commercial and community sectors (including local authorities and schools).
The grant application window will close on 9 March 2007.

For more information 

Code for Sustainable Homes signals the future for Building Regulations

At the end of December 2006 the government formally published its long awaited Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH), which becomes effective in April 2007.  This is widely regarded as an important tool for achieving ‘zero carbon’ status in housebuilding, building homes which are both thermally efficient and which generate locally their own low energy requirements (eg using solar panels on the roof). 
The government has made it clear that the Code signposts the direction that future changes to Building Regulations will take.  In other words, the concepts, tools and standards in CSH will be encompassed in future changes to Part L.
The CSH is a voluntary tool for both public and private housing developers.  To access central government funding, however, all public housing will need to achieve at least the minimum rating (1 star).
As we all know, achieving carbon reduction has been one of the government’s top priorities for some time - and it is using three main ‘levers’ to effect change:

The government also hopes that the Code, with its maximum 6 star rating scheme, will provide a marketing tool for private developers.  Consumers have responded very well to energy rating schemes for electrical white goods and the government hopes that by informing customers of the overall energy ratings of houses it will lead to the same positive changes in spending decisions.

How will the scheme work?

Developers can achieve ratings from one to six stars.  The lowest level, 1 star, demands an improvement on the minimum requirements given in Part L1A, calculated on a ‘points out of 100′ basis across nine categories (see table below).  The higher star ratings naturally require higher point scores.  There is flexibility in how points are achieved, but some performance aspects are compulsory, as the chart below simply summarises.

Certification for Code compliance

To gain certification for code compliance there is a four-part process:

1. The developer produces an initial design for appraisal
2. A trained and certified Code Assessor conducts an initial assessment on the design, recommends a sustainability rating and issues an interim Code Certificate.  This is carried out for each house type (but not each dwelling)
3. The assessor performs a post completion check on a sample of the development to verify the rating
4. The assessor produces a final Code Certificate of compliance.

The concept of the Code is a positive move towards improving sustainable housing and should promote the greater use of sustainable materials.  Further details of this will be laid out in a revised Green Guide, scheduled to be ready by this April.  The guide will provide sustainability ratings for generic materials and products with a methodology for appraising specific manufacturer’s products.
 

For full details of the Code - visit this site 

 Please find summary below of new Fire Safety regulations which are coming into force April 07 

Approved Document B: Fire Safety

Significant changes to Approved Document B - Fire Safety are due to come into force on April 6th 2007. All applications received after this date need to comply with these new regulatory guidelines although there are a number of relatively minor transitional provisions as follows:
  

Transitional Provisions
Regulations 16B and 17C relate to requirement to provide detailed fire safety information (as required under the Regulatory Reform Act) and Clause 2A allows self-certification of certain works.
 

Regulations 16B and 17C
Where a building notice has been submitted to the local authority; full plans have been submitted (regardless of whether they have been approved); or an initial notice submitted before April 6th 2007, then the requirement to provide detailed fire safety information can be waived regardless of whether the scheme departs from the information deposited.
 

Clause 2A
Works to install heating and hot water service systems started before January 15th 2007 that are in accordance with a building notice, full plans submission or an initial notice are not eligible for the self-certification scheme provisions.
 

Schools
The DCLG states that ‘if BB 100 is not published by 6 April 2007, the relevant provisions of the 2000 edition of Approved Document B (incorporating the 2002 European amendments) will continue to have effect with respect to schools until such time as BB 100 is available. What implications this has for scheme submissions is uncertain.

General outline

Approved Document B is now 2 volumes: Volume 1: Domestic and Volume 2: Non-domestic. The draft versions - when combined - are over double the number of pages as the 2002 edition.

• Volume 1: Dwellinghouses is 80 pages and
• Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellinghouses is 155 pages

There are major changes in the compliance criteria and greater detail has been included. The new Approved Document B relies more on risk assessment than prescription although it also contains important alterations to:

• the means of escape;
• travel distance calculations;
• the acceptance of ‘alternative means’ (fire engineering), and;
• a greater responsibility on the building designer (or competent person) to provide detailed information on the maintenance and operation of the building.
   

Some of the changes are as follows:

Volume 1: Dwellinghouses recognises:

• the use of sprinklers (and other automatic fire suppression systems) in domestic situations, especially in lieu of alternative means of escape in certain circumstances (e.g. the ability to use domestic sprinklers as an alternative to a secondary escape from houses with a storey over 7.5m above ground level);

changes to Schedule 2A - competent person certification schemes

• that smoke alarms must have standby power sources and in extensions, smoke detection should be placed in circulations spaces
   

Additional information has been provided re:

• Resolving the conflict between ‘smoke control’ and ‘ventilation systems’;
• The ‘alternative’ method of compliance (ie, fire engineered approach) for loft spaces has been removed
• Compartmentation and cavity barriers
• Instead of the traditional 100mm step between integral garages and dwellinghouses, this can now be achieved with a 100mm sloping floor. NB: Apart from integral garage/dwellinghouses, “fire doors need not be provided with self-closing devices”
• Fire tenders should be able to access within 45m of all points ‘within’ a dwellinghouse.
   

Volume 2: Non-dwellinghouses, includes much of that detailed above and also other clauses as follows:

• Includes a new Regulation (16B) that details the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO) that came into force in October 2006.
• Under the RRO, “Fire Certificates” have been done away
• Employers, building owners and others with responsibility for the premises and its operation must now ensure the safety of everyone who uses their premises including those in the immediate vicinity. The emphasis is now on the ‘responsible person’ to make the premises safe by using ‘preventative measures’.
• Other than this document, HTM 05 should be used for health care buildings and hospitals; and BB 100 should be used for schools.
   

Volume 2 includes:

• New calculations on fire escape stairs and escape routes;
• Specific guidance for disabled users and within tall buildings;
• Details for the protection of ventilation systems
• ‘Extensive’ underfloor voids must be protected with cavity barriers
   

Additional requirements include:

• Fire doors within flats need not be provided with door closers, unless the doors relate to flats designated ‘multiple occupancy’;
• ‘Open sided’ car parks must be constructed in non-combustible materials;
• Certain buildings with compartments over 280m2 should have fire hydrants;
• Buildings exceeding 900m2 with a floor level above 7.5m must have fire fighting shafts
• Unsprinklered buildings need to provide have fire main outlets within 45m of all parts of every storey over 18m

There is also new guidance on:

• the provision of sprinklers in tall (30m+) blocks of flats;
• the provision of sprinklers or free-swing devices in residential care homes;
• the provision of additional fire mains and the need to consider the impact of building design on fire fighting operations in tall buildings;
• inclusive design and the means of escape for disabled people; 
• a maximum compartment size for unsprinklered single storey storage buildings.

NBS is holding a seminar on Part B on 30 January 2007 in London. It is intended to be a forum where we can dissect the documents, explore design implications and examine the implications on professional liability as well as consultative opportunities. Find out more by reading the event summary now

• Its a Canon, so should be idiot proof!
• Gill has created a log, which will be used in both offices, to log out/in the camera. Once you’ve used it, it must be returned.
• Use your best judgement, when you return the camera, if it needs charged or not. Since its not held on a dock, its not automatically charged, so check when you return it, or before you intend to take it out (incase the user before you ignored the rules). It only takes an hour or so to fully charge the battery.
• As with every digi camera, there are a few settings that alter the size of the image file. In order to preserve Mr Hatcher’s sanity, I’ve already set both cameras up so that the images are fairly small, 100kb or so…unless you intend to use the images for presentation, do not change the settings or we’ll overload the server PDQ!
• Images are transferred to your PC by USB cable, which will be kept with the charger, etc.
• There are basic instructions in a paper copy manual with both cameras, but a CD with more details manuals in PDF.

We’re working with Meeting Place Communications on a scheme in Dudley, and they handle community consultation and media. They have produced a guide to how the planning system works. Have a look - you might learn something! Have a look