Green Building Advice

Green Build Family Home

Society is becoming increasingly concerned about the environment and the damage caused by human activity. Building imposes severe burdens on the environment. At a local level the environment can suffer through the loss of countryside, the increasing need for transport, through quarrying and material manufacture for construction and the depletion of already scarce water resources. Globally our focus is carbon dioxide emissions and climate change. Our buildings contribute around half the UK's total CO2 emissions and there is an urgent need for reductions to meet government targets and international commitments.

This page seeks to encourage awareness of environmental issues as they relate to buildings both in terms of design, location and material selection, and in terms of the impact the building will have on the environment during its life time. Indeed our considerations should not stop there. What happens to the building after its useful life needs to be considered at the point of design. Can the materials and components be recycled? Are they from renewable sources? Are they bio-degradable? How much of the building will finish up in landfill disposal?

There are no completely 'green' buildings. Green building is not 'show-off' building but a series of practical, sensible and discreet considerations knitted into the fabric of everyday building and life.

These considerations, under the following five interconnected Action Areas, are explained in more detail on this page and are used in assessing our annual Environment Awards Scheme which features a Green Building category.

• Health
• Resources
• Energy
• Place
• Climate

It should be noted however, that embracing Green Building, and using green materials, may occasionally conflict with the aims and objectives of both the Planning and/or Building Control legislation (e.g. solar panels on listed buildings). Therefore, in order to try and resolve any conflicts at an early stage, it is recommended that you contact the relevant departments for advice (see Further Information).

Health

We all want to be healthy and live a long life. Diet and exercise are important for this, but so are our homes and workplaces. Every building can be a healthy building supporting the well being of those of us living or working in and around it.

For example, using certain materials, preservatives, paints, finishes and carpets can make us ill, as can insufficient room air changes. Selecting materials more carefully can create a healthy internal environment and help us enjoy our lives.

Our own current health considerations include:

• Reduce or avoid the use of carpets - use natural floor finishes.
• Use lino not vinyl as a floor finish.
• Use solvent-free and microporous paints, varnishes and sealers.
• Use plant-based paints and stains rather than those derived from petrochemicals.
• Avoid toxic timber treatment, eg use borax-based treatments.
• Use zero formaldehyde materials in fittings and furniture.
• Minimise the use of uPVC and lead.
• Avoid portable gas heaters and gas cookers which can cause harmful levels of carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.
• Make sure you have good room ventilation at all times of the year.
• Make it easy for you to open up some of the rooms in your building to the outside when the weather is fine.
• Allow lots of daylight and sunlight to enter the building.
• Reduce electromagnetic fields, particularly in bedrooms, by minimising cable runs and power outlets.
• Control and reduce noise pollution - between both rooms and buildings.

Resources

The single most effective way to reduce the 'ecological footprint' of a building is to ensure that it can be used for generations without major alterations. In general it is also greener to refurbish or extend an existing building than to build a new one and it is therefore important that the building can be easily adapted over time.

The impact of time on a building is important and should be considered when making alterations and when choosing materials and services. Saving money now can 'cost' much more when considering the life-cycle of the materials and services.

The 'embodied energy' in materials and building components is a vital consideration, ie recognising the energy used in the extraction, manufacture, transportation and erection process.

Source your materials and services locally if you can. This supports the local economic and ecological systems and will reduce the energy used in transportation.

Always aim to REDUCE resources, but if you cannot then try to RE-USE. Failing that RE-CYCLE. Then look to RECOVER. Only then DISPOSE (incinerate/landfill).

Our own current resources considerations include:

• Source locally whenever possible.
• Source wood from a sustainable source, eg with FSC accreditation, and avoid the aesthetic lure of endangered timber species.
• Use minimally processed materials, eg timber rather than chipboard.
• Use low energy wall construction and roofing materials, eg timber, clay lump, straw bales, natural slates, wood shingles.
• Design in an ability to recycle, eg quality bricks in a lime mortar (as opposed to cement).
• Re-use or recycle materials found on site (rather than taking to landfill).
• Choice of materials should reflect expected life span of the site and building.
• Consider Lifecycle Analysis and Whole Life Costings.
• Use low flush toilets.
• Consider recycling rainwater from the roof (even the use of a waterbutt helps).
• Design in environmental improvements such as landscaping and using native species of plants.

Energy

Half the national energy bill is used in servicing buildings through heating, cooling and lighting. Energy from 'passive solar gain' (the heating up of space or materials by the sun) should be considered at the same time as thinking through the type of active heating or cooling system you will be using.

The right sized windows in the right place, with well thought through external shading, can reduce your heating and cooling bill and make you feel good when bathed in sunlight in the winter, and cool and comfortable in a hot summer spell.

As well as being good Green Building practice, it is currently much more cost effective to insulate the envelope of a building well than it is to install photovoltaics to generate electricity - even with the grants available at present.

Fitting solar panels on the roof to supply hot water is relatively easy, inexpensive and cost-effective. Fitting photovoltaics, geo-thermal heat pumps, and wind power systems is more complex, substantially more expensive, often with a long investment payback period, and requires professional involvement.

Our own current energy considerations include:

• Insulate your home to a standard higher than current Building Regulations.
• Avoid accidental air leakage. Aim for good structural detailing around windows, doors, and other junctions.
• Put in double or secondary glazing.
• Aim for a North Norfolk District Council Building Control SAP rating of 90 (or above) for domestic buildings.
• Change your electricity supplier to a green tariff supplier.
• Use low-energy light bulbs.
• Use efficient heat sources, eg condensing boilers and high efficiency wood burners.
• Integrate passive and active heating/cooling systems.
• Use good heating controls such as seven day programming, zoning and optimum start.
• Investigate using solar panels for producing hot water.
• Use a passive, rather than mechanical, ventilation system.
• CONSERVE - CONSERVE - CONSERVE.

Place

The place that the building sits in forms a fundamental aspect of Green Building. Every building, or part of a building, needs existing factors to be taken into account. A building not tailored to its site may struggle to work well in its place. Get a green building right by considering the place and you have a beautiful building contributing positively to where it is - feeling right and looking good.

Our own current place considerations include:

• Consider the building's aspects and how the sun impacts on the location throughout the year.
• Consider the site's micro-climate and its impact.
• Consider how the place can provide protection.
• Consider the topography and natural drainage.
• Be aware of the impact of adjoining buildings and their uses; of structures including pylons and overhead power lines, and of walls.
• Be aware of nearby trees small and large and the impact they may have. (Small trees grow big!).
• Consider proximity to public transport and amenities to reduce car usage.
• It is preferable to build on a brownfield site rather than greenfield.
• Aim to restore environmental damage and disruption.

Climate

The previous four action areas deal in the main with what is known as 'Mitigation' - the redressing of our diminishing quality of environment, vanishing resources and the collective impact these have on our buildings and the world we inhabit.

Human activity has also triggered rapid global climate change. This change has started and may now be unstoppable. Climate change will influence every part of our lives - including our buildings and lifestyles. Every building in North Norfolk will be affected by the impact of climate change. 'Adaptation' to these changes are now being developed.

The anticipated effects of climate change include reduced summer nighttime cooling period, increased UV radiation, more air carried pollutants, more electric storms, milder winters with more rain and reduced frost, heavier rain storms in winter and a higher sea level. Such effects may lead to foundation settlement, overheating buildings, flooding and reduced weather tightness of existing buildings.

In no particular order, our own current climate considerations include:

• Pad foundation design and flexible structural materials to reduce building settlement and damage.
• Walls designed for faster response and heat deflection (outer face for summer and inner face for winter) which allow air movement through where appropriate and with an outer layer of plant-life giving additional protection, shade and pollutant filtration.
• High protection from wind driven rain and heavy rain periods.
• The incorporation of cross ventilation into buildings.
• Good surface and rainwater drainage.
• Water conservation.
• Building design that encourages more outdoor summer use.
• A move away from conservatories to verandas for domestic use.

Further information

North Norfolk District Council
Planning Division: 01263 516151
Building Control: 01263 516132
Conservation and Design: 01263 516138

OTHER ORGANISATIONS

AECB - Association for Environment-Conscious Building.
Email: admin@aecb.net - 01559 370908 www.aecb.net

CAT - The Centre for Alternative Technology - 01654 705950

Construction Resources - Building materials, products and systems. Email: info@ecoconstruct.com www.constructionresources.com

The Green Register
Nationwide network of green construction professionals, trades and supporting local authorities: www.greenregister.org
Local contacts:
North Norfolk District Council: 01263 516207
Norfolk County Council: caroline.davison.pt@norfolk.gov.uk

CIRIA - UK based research association for improving the performance of those involved in construction and environment: www.ciria.org.uk

JOURNALS & CATALOGUES

Building for a Future
AECB (as above) quarterly subscription journal.
Email: sally@aecb.net

CAT mail order catalogue of resources.
email: mail.order@cat.org.uk