0 Local Planning Authorities are increasingly requiring Energy Statements for minor developments

• News
• by Administrator
• 21-02-2017

Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) are now increasingly requiring Energy Statements to accompany planning applications. For such schemes, LPAs are expecting these will be able to reduce CO2 emissions and energy consumption by a certain, LPA dependent, percentage over the 2013 Building Regulations Part L requirements. This is to be achieved through full consideration of the energy hierarchy including: building fabric efficiency, district heating networks or CHP, and on-site generation of renewable energy. An Energy Statement should be submitted at the planning application stage. The Energy Statement must clearly outline the applicant’s commitments in terms of CO2 savings and measures proposed. These commitments and measures will normally become part of the formal planning conditions to Approved planning permissions. Therefore it is vital to have an Energy Statement undertaken as accurately as possible. The schemes requiring Energy Statements differ between LPAs. The requirement for an Energy Statement normally applies to “major” new developments. However we have seen a rapid rise in demand by LPAs for Energy Statements for very small schemes including the provision of, or conversion to, a single new dwelling. For example, the L.B. Enfield LPA gives the following pre-planning advice: “ENERGY STATEMENT - As your proposed development involves the provision or conversion of 1+ new dwellings or involves the creation of 100+ sq.m. of floorspace, you will need to submit an Energy Statement in accordance with London Plan Policies 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3, and Core Policy 20 of Enfield's Core Strategy 2010.” Innervision Design has undertaken Energy Statements for a variety of schemes. We have a quick turnaround time for Energy Statements depending on the size of the scheme. For example, for small developments with less than 5 units, we can normally complete the report within 3-5 working days. Our service is also affordable. Please get in touch for a friendly discussion and some initial advice.

0 Innervision can design SuDS schemes to meet various limiting discharge rates

• News
• by Administrator
• 24-01-2017

Significant differences in limiting discharge rates exist within Local Lead Flood Authority (LLFA) and Local Authority (LA) for SuDS design. DEFRA and the EA have produced guidance within Report SC30219 “Rainfall runoff management for developments”. It is from here that the 5 l/s minimum outfall rate "rule" was established. This was widely adopted by many institutions including BRE and HR Wallingford together with many local authorities. However this is no longer considered appropriate for some LA and LLFA. For example, one local authority will formally condition a planning application with flow rates from the site to be no lower than 5l/s whereas an adjacent LA will only consider flows at, or near to, greenfield rates and 1l/s is widely cited. In one LLFA a SuDS proforma points to the use of on online tool produced by HR Wallingford, which uses the 5 l/s "rule" as the basis for attenuation volume calculations; yet the same LLFA will not accept the 5l/s rule when bespoke calculations are produced. Innervision can design SuDS schemes to meet various limiting discharge rates. Please get in touch with us for a free initial consultation.

0 Will Your Local Planning Authorities Demand Surface Water Drainage Reports?

• News
• by Administrator
• 22-01-2016

Under the background of increasing flooding events in recent years, the UK government is placing a greater emphasis on managing surface water using sustainable drainage systems (SuDS). Since April 2015, Local Planning Authorities have a statutory duty of enforcing SuDS for new developments where applicable. In general, SuDS strategies are required for the major developments, as defined in the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015, where: the number of dwellings to be provided is 10 or more the development of dwellings is to be carried out on a site having an area of 0.5 hectares or more the provision of a building or buildings where the floor space to be created by the development is 1,000 square metres or more, or development carried out on a site having an area of 1 hectare or more For small development of less than 10 dwellings, SuDS reports are required for those located in areas at risk of flooding or in areas with critical drainage problems. However we have recently seen an increasing number of small developments requiring SuDS reports even though they are not located in areas with flooding or drainage issues. This is particularly the case for small sites with an increase in impermeable areas. Some local planning authorities are even demanding SuDS reports for extensions because of the so-called “Urban Creep” effect. We have undertaken SuDS design for many projects, which range from single dwellings to large residential and commercial developments with more than 300 units. We have successfully helped our clients to obtain planning permissions by addressing issues from the Environment Agency and Local Planning Authorities in a robust and methodological manner. We are here to help you to speed up your planning applications. Our initial phone consultations are always free, please call 01279 862447, or visit our website at the early design stage for initial advice.

0 Innervision Design releases the latest water efficiency software

• News
• by Administrator
• 03-11-2015

UK-based Innervision Design Ltd has now released G-Calc 2015, a MicroSoft Windows-based calculation tool. G-Calc 2015 facilitates compliance checking to the latest Building Regulations - Approved Document Part G 2015 Edition. G-Calc 2015 now supersedes the previous version G-Calc 2010, which has been widely used by architects, energy assessors, sustainability consultants and other building professionals across the country. The development of G-Calc 2015 incorporates changes set in the latest 2015 edition of Approved Document G, which came into effect on 1 October 2015 in England. The key additional features of G-Calc 2015 in comparison to the previous version of G-Calc 2010 include: Incorporation of an optional requirement for tighter water efficiency. In particular, it facilitates an optional requirement of 110 litres/person/day where required by planning permission, Incorporation of a fittings approach as an alternative to using the full water efficiency calculator. G-Calc 2015 inherits the familiar interfaces and features of G-Calc 2010 including: Producing accurate and real-time calculations using a simple interface, Saving and re-Opening project files, Printing concise “As designed” and “As built” calculation reports, Generating a “Notice of Water Efficiency” as required by the Building Regulations. G-Calc 2010 software will continue to apply to work started before 1st October 2015, for example, work subject to a building notice, full plans application or initial notice submitted before that date. For further information on G-Calc 2015, please contact us on 01279 862447 or visit http://www.innervision-design.co.uk/water-calculations-and-part-g-software.php.

0 Innervision Design Ltd, in collaboration with Xtratherm, delivered a CPD seminar titled "Design to comply with Part L1A 2013"

• News
• by Administrator
• 22-05-2014

This seminar, organised by Innervision Design Ltd in collaboration with Xtratherm, offers detailed technical design advice on how to achieve compliance with Part L1A 2013. A group of architects and Building Control Bodies from Herts, Essex, Cambridgeshire and London attended this 3-hour seminar.Any new residential dwellings registered after 6th April 2014 with a Building Control Body will now have to comply with more stringent Part L1A 2013 Building Regulation Standards. Target Fabric Energy Efficiency (TFEE) is introduced for the first time by the government. Architects and designers will have to pay increasing attention to building fabric and thermal bridging in order to achieve compliance. The seminar covers issues including how to enhance building fabrics and reduce thermal bridging using Accredited Construction Details (ACD) and Enhanced Construction Details (ECD).

0 Innervision Design becomes a member of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers

• News
• by Administrator
• 15-01-2014

Innervision Design had long been a member of the Association of Building Engineers, which gained Royal Charter in 2013 and subsequently rebranded as the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE). Our submission to CABE for becoming a Chartered Building Engineer and a member of CABE was approved in January 2014. Innervision Design has been undertaking technical design and offering technical advice for architects, property developers and builders over the past 10 years. The recent approval of our chartered status will enable us to continue offering quality services to our existing and prospective clients.

0 Innervision Design was invited by BRE to participate in workshop-

• News
• by Administrator
• 18-07-2012

Innervision Design was invited by BRE to participate in a workshop relating to green building opportunities in China. Based on the original BRE Innovation Park model in Watford, BRE, in collaboration with the world's largest property developer Wanke, is now developing a large-scale Green Building Park in Beijing, China. During the workshop, Innervision Design shared experiences with other delegates on the current situation and future opportunities in the Chinese Green Building market.

0 Innervision Design becomes a member of British Hydrological Society

• News
• by Administrator
• 28-03-2012

Innervision Design joined the British Hydrological Society. This move aims to enhance our current hydrology-related services including Flood Risk Assessments, Surface Water Run-Off Calculations and SuDS advice.

0 Innervision Design delivered a seminar to Southwest University of Science and Technology in China

• News
• by Administrator
• 22-05-2011

Innervision Design delivered a seminar on sustainable buildings to Civil Engineering and Architecture Department of Southwest University of Science and Technology in China. After the seminar, Innervision Design had an in-depth discussion with staff of the Department on sustainable buildings in China and in the UK.

0 Innervision Design was invited by Mianyang city government in China to deliver a seminar on sustainable buildings

• News
• by Administrator
• 18-05-2011

Innervision Design, invited by Mianyang city government in China, delivered a seminar on sustainable buildings to around 400 delegates who are from Local Authorities, architectural practices, building research institutes, buildings materials manufacturing firms and other construction-related companies.