5. Future-proof building
When Hounslow declared a climate emergency in 2019, it acknowledged that the impacts of climate breakdown are already causing serious damage around the world. The Hounslow Climate Emergency Action Plan, published in 2020, sets out actions to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the main cause of Global Warming and climate breakdown. The energy consumed by homes in Hounslow currently accounts for around one third of the Borough’s total annual territorial carbon dioxide emissions. Minimising whole-life carbon dioxide emissions must therefore be a fundamental consideration in the refurbishment and maintenance of existing homes and the delivery of new homes, particularly given the anticipated scale of regeneration in the Borough.
Our buildings must aim to attain the highest possible standards of energy efficiency to minimise in-use carbon dioxide emissions, with ‘fabric first’, passive, and accessible design solutions prioritised. Our buildings should also be built and maintained using materials and construction processes that minimise embodied carbon.
Residents should be supported in their efforts to live in energy-efficient and low-impact ways. Our buildings and open spaces must be resilient to the changing climate and have a positive environmental impact on the neighbourhoods of which they are a part.
5.1. Whole-life carbon
5.1.1. Is the project targeting net- zero whole-life carbon dioxide emissions, including operational carbon and embodied carbon?
5.1.2. Has sustainability expertise been appointed to the project early in the design process and is there a strategy to regularly review the performance targets delivered during design and construction, e.g. whole-life carbon assessment?
5.1.3. Have all opportunities to re-use or retrofit existing buildings been considered as an effective strategy to reduce embodied carbon?
5.1.4. Do designs and strategies prioritise the re-use and reclamation of materials prior to recycling or fabricating new materials?
5.1.5. Is a Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) strategy in place to assess the energy performance of the new homes in use?
5.1.6. Is there a clear strategy for M&E commissioning and handover to make sure that the mechanical systems are operated as efficiently as possible?
5.2. Passive environmental design
5.2.1. Have clear, ambitious energy efficiency standards for the project been agreed at an early stage to reduce operational carbon dioxide emissions e.g. LETI, Passivhaus?
5.2.2. Has a 'fabric first' approach been taken and has the form factor been optimised to minimise heat loss?
5.2.3. Has the orientation of buildings been optimised to maximise passive solar gain?
5.2.4. Is a low-carbon heating strategy incorporated in the scheme?
5.2.5. Has overheating been considered and have passive cooling strategies been prioritised?
5.3. On-site renewable energy
5.3.1. Is there a clear strategy for on site renewable energy generation?
5.3.2. Has an appropriate mix of renewable energy sources been incorporated in the design to maximise on-site energy production during different conditions and times of day?
5.3.3. Has a centralised energy storage solution been explored to maximise the amount of energy generated on-site?
5.4. Simplicity in use
5.4.1. Does the development incorporate a future-proofed approach to the provision of data infrastructure?
5.4.2. Have internal stakeholders, such as asset management teams, been engaged on building maintenance?
5.4.3. Is there a waste and recycling strategy in place that includes appropriately sized storage within the home and communal stores that are close to homes and easily accessed by refuse operatives?
5.4.4. Are the building systems, including the heating, ventilation and cooling systems, digitally inclusive and intuitive for residents to run and economical to maintain?
5.4.5. Is there a clear handover process to ensure that residents, landlords and housing management teams know how to use building systems?
5.5. Circularity and durability
5.5.1. Have circular economy Principless been considered in the design and in the selection of materials, components and equipment?
5.5.2. Has the full life cycle of the materials and components been considered in assessment of whole- life carbon dioxide emissions?
5.5.3. Is there a strategy to minimise construction waste-to-landfill?
