|
STBA Summer Newsletter 2020
|
|
|
STBA and SPAB Conference
The STBA/SPAB Virtual Conference will take place in October over 3 days (between the provisional dates of 6th - 13th October)
6th Day 1
Focus on Embodied Carbon.
This session will look in more depth at the issue around embodied carbon in the existing structures and how this affects the overall balance when making decisions on retrofit of traditional buildings. We shall also explore how to measure the LCA using new and emerging tools from the industry. Lastly we hope to explore an ongoing case study where embodied carbon of retrofit materials is being measured in minute detail. This will be a thought provoking session that will set out the case for how to reduce carbon emissions in retrofit at this most crucial of times.
8th Day 2
Focus on Skills.
With one year to go before PAS2035 becomes mandatory in ECO projects w hope to hear direct from Government how this is being embraced and how it is affecting policy and direction. In planning for new skills we will also explore how NOS and courses are being developed within the industry. Lastly we will be looking at some practical courses that are being run to hear how these are starting to effect in the industry
13th Day 3
Focus on Research.
Chaired by SPAB
The update to the Guidance Wheel highlighted the number of research papers that have been produced over the past 8 years. This day will focus on some key pieces of research that have either: reached their long term conclusions about hygrothermal performance in walls; delved in great depth into the effectiveness of a large number of retrofit projects or; explored exciting new materials that might radically change the retrofit of traditional buildings.
All sessions: 10 until 12.30
Price for all 3 days - £100 non-members, £65 for members or
Individual days - £40 non-members, £25 for members
* Links to join virtually are forthcoming *
|
|
STBA's website
Since February we have been working tirelessly on our website.
Peter has been laborious behind the scenes, endeavouring to improve its functionality and endeavouring to build one which reflects the wealth of knowledge within our network.
Look out for a new improved site which will include:
Policy
Events
Articles and Presentations
Guidance
Research papers
STBA's Tip of the Day
Knowledge Centre
Guidance Wheel
*launching soon*
|
|
New inquiry: Energy efficiency of existing homes
The Commons Select Committee Call for Evidence on the energy efficiency of existing homes ends 13th July. STBA is responding and we urge all our Supporting Organisations to do the same, particularly making the point about the EPC rating system needing to change from the EER to the EIR. This is developing into something of a campaign, as other members of an informal group concerned about the MEES regulations for the Private Rented Sector are also responding with the same recommendation, among other key points.
see below 'EPCs - switching from the EER to the EIR' for more detail on the EPC question
|
|
|
|
EPCs - switching from the EER to the EIR
The headline rating on domestic EPCs is currently based on the EER (“Energy Efficiency Rating”) - which actually estimates the cost of energy, rather than the EIR which is on the final page of an EPC and estimates CO2 emissions. By fuel switching to heat pumps, biomass or bioLPG, the carbon emissions could be reduced and the EIR improved significantly, without introducing inappropriate fabric measures just to meet an EPC target. There would be significant advantages to traditional buildings if the EIR were used instead as the headline rating, as government policy for homes is currently based around the EPC rating. STBA’s one-page proposal for this change is available here.
Heritage Counts Case study in Low Carbon retrofit
STBA technical expert Harry Paticas was commissioned to design a whole house retrofit using the STBA approach, for a house in Bournville in Birmingham. The brief included not retaining and adding to the house’s character, which is of course important in this model village built by Cadburys around the turn of the last century. The 2-page case study is available here.
|
|
|
|
Testing out the Whole House Approach (BEIS)
The Melin Homes project has been delayed by Covid19 as we cannot get into houses to install measures and monitors. The Melin team have been forced to postpone on site activities like window installs, works on ventilation and EWI. However, BEIS have offered us the opportunity to apply for a delay of 12 months for the project completion, which would now be in March 2022, and we await their decision. The great value of delaying completion is that we would be able to collect data over the course of a whole calendar year after measures have been installed, which would make our conclusions more robust. We have installed a new antenna up in Blaenavon, so we can hopefully get some monitors installed soon and also collect some data prior to the retrofit works. However, there is an issue with tenants being convinced to have such monitors and Melin are working on this.
|
|
|
|
SMETER (Project BEIS)
This STBA and PassivSystems project to test out metering approaches as been significantly delayed due to issues with the installation of the monitors in Melin’s homes and the lack of antenna coverage in Blaenavon. To help counteract this we installed 17 monitors across Cardiff in the early part of March. We have managed to couple this with weather data from Cardiff and the associated spreadsheet of data from all sources is currently with Laura from BPN who is creating a more easy-to-read comparison tool. We shall be feeding this analysis back into the project for their consumption. However, the overall project has moved into the next phase of commercialisation.
|
|
|
Update on Guidance Wheel
STBA were approached by Trustmark who wanted to link their website to the Guidance Wheel. As the Wheel was based on reports available at that time, we asked Trustmark for a small budget to update the references. Our researcher identified a long list of peer reviewed researched projects from 2012 -2020. PD and NG then reduced these down to a much smaller number, and took out some reports which had been superseded or simply had become too old.
Guidance Wheel can be seen here
|
|
Guidance for retrofit in Turkey
STBA is part of a team looking at how old buildings should be renovated in Turkey. The team is led by Dr Yasemin Atkas of UCL and includes Peter Rickaby and Valentina Marincioni. They are using the survey template developed by STBA via the Melin project. NG was due to visit several sites in Turkey in March but this is postponed indefinitely due to COVID.
|
|
|
ESC
21st and 22nd September 2020 – Glasgow
Level 3 Award Qualification in Retrofit: 2-day course: Energy Efficiency Measures for Older and Traditional Buildings
Achieves a qualification that is a requirement under PAS 2035. Delivered by Prof John Edwards, a member of the STBA’s Panel of Experts, BSI Retrofit Standards Task Group, a Chartered Environmentalist who has been responsible for the retrofitting of thousands of buildings from small houses to listed buildings and Scheduled Monuments.
|
|
|
|
Woodknowledge Wales
Developing a Welsh Wooden Windows Specification for Social Housing
Housing associations across Wales are increasingly interested in using wooden windows. The benefits of these are compelling: Improved performance, reduced whole life cost, improved sustainability and higher quality. Alas, at present wooden windows manufactured in Wales aren’t 3rd party certified to Secured by Design standard as certification is too costly for most small joinery businesses. To overcome this roadblock, Woodknowledge Wales has brought together a group of Welsh window manufacturers to develop a set of standard specifications with agreed technical solutions that will be 3rd party certified. Further information here.
|
|
|
GBE Green Calculator
This summer Brian Murphy released The Green Calculator
It assesses and compares designs for Whole Building, Elements, U Values, Areas, Temperatures differences, Heat loss, Element percentages, Fuel choice and CO2.
|
|
|
|
|
