Alan Little

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Case Study in Sustainable Construction
Alan Little Senior Quantity Surveyor
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Sustainable Construction and the Private House
Builder

• Reasons against / Reasons for
• Carvill Overview of Recent Schemes
• Carvill New Schemes
• Carvill Future Schemes

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Reasons against Sustainable construction

• Renewable Technologies / Sustainable methods
  increase costs
• Tradesmen and Site Staff are resistant change
• Currently Sellers market - demand for homes
  outstrips supply
• To date Sustainability is not a priority with
  most purchasers
• Government initiatives do not apply to private
  developer
• Lack of public awareness of sustainability
  badges
• Eco-Homes applications involve considerable time
  and cost

4
Reasons for Sustainable construction

• Rising fuel and energy prices
• Increasing public awareness of Global warming /
  Green issues
• Government forcing change through legislation /
  tax system
• Changing personal lifestyles and family units
• Moral duty toward sustainability for individuals
  and businesses
• Increasing demand for sustainable homes
• Better to decide to change before being forced to

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Decision to change was made 5 years ago and is
being driven by Managing Director
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Recent Schemes

• 8 Residential developments have been constructed
  
  to Eco Homes standards (950 units)
• Eco Homes Logo on Sales Brochures
• Good and new Very Good ratings being obtained

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• Energy

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Parkmount 58 units
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• Energy
• Transport

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Halcombe Square 60 units
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• Energy
• Transport
• Pollution

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Chatsworth Square 133 units
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• Energy
• Transport
• Pollution
• Materials

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Rosss Mill 165 units
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• Energy
• Transport
• Pollution
• Materials
• Water use

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Loopland Mews 79 units
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• Energy
• Transport
• Pollution
• Materials
• Water use
• Land use and Ecology

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Dunmore 136 units
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• Energy
• Transport
• Pollution
• Materials
• Water use
• Land use and Ecology
• Health and Well being

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Old Bakers Court 240 units
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New Schemes

• WOODBROOK
• Phase 1
• 25 acres
• 360 units
• 4 year construction
• Phase 2 700 units?

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Woodbrook the next stage?

• Very Good Eco Home rating
• Urban design planned to encourage sense of
  community and maintain site ecology
• Large area of green space, cycle paths and river
  walk
• Roads modelled to reduce vehicle speed
• Incorporate renewable technologies
• Insulate to higher standard than Building
  Regulations.
• Provide One Year Translink Travel Pass free per
  unit
• Reduce carbon emissions

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Renewable Technologies

• Ground source heat pumps lack of plot space
• Wind power location / small scale / planning
  permission / payback
• Photovoltaic panels orientation / cost /
  payback
• Solar hot water heating orientation / redesign
  of plumbing system
• Wood pellet boilers storage of fuel / bagged
  fuel cost
• Incorporate as standard or as purchaser extra?
• No Grants available to private developers

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The Solution Biomass Fuelled District Heating
System

• One large boiler room more efficient than
  individual boilers
• All units benefit from the technology though
  reduced energy costs
• Good reduction in CO2 emissions
• Marketing potential largest housing scheme in
  Britain
• Technology can be re-created on apartment
  schemes
• Support local businesses with fuel supply
  contracts

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The System

• Three 600 kW biomass boilers
• 1600 tonnes of wood chip per annum (160 hectares
  willow)
• 75 tonne fuel store on site - 300 m3 2 week
  supply
• 5200 m insulated steel / plastic distribution
  pipe work under roads
• each unit has plate heat exchanger, distribution
  manifolds, heat meter and charge card reader
• house owner pre-pays for energy onto electronic
  card in local shop

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Low Carbon benefit
1400 ft2 three storey town house Highly insulated
with 90 efficient gas combination boiler TER
17.85 DER 17.47 CO2 Emissions 2.26 t/year Highly
insulated with Biomass district heating TER
17.85 DER 5.42 CO2 Emissions 0.67 t/year A 70
reduction in CO2 emissions
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Future Schemes

• SIROCCO
• 15 acres
• 2000 units
• 14 year construction

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Sirocco future living

• Build to Code for Sustainable Homes / Green
  Guide
• Aim for Zero Carbon Scheme
• Encourage city centre living
• Improve pedestrian access to city and entire
  river walkway
• Reduced carpark provision on site / incorporate
  high quality Car Club
• Consider Modern Methods of Construction
• Incorporate recycled building products and
  technologies
• Investigate rain water harvesting

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Thank-you Alan Little