As Low Carbon Consultants and Energy Assessors, we hold the relevant accreditations which allow us to assess on-construction domestic and all non-domestic buildings in England, Wales and Northern Ireland against Part L of the Building Regulations. This approved document is concerned with the conservation of fuel and power and is split into two documents:

• Volume 1 - Dwellings

• Volume 2 - Buildings other than Dwellings

Compliance with the approved documents is a statutory requirement and is the gateway to achieving planning approval and practical completion.

Enviro Sustain offer both design and as-built stage assessments for both type of buildings. There are three methods of assessment depending on what type of building it is:

Domestic Buildings

• SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure)

Non-Domestic Buildings

• SBEM (Simplified Building Energy Model)

• DSM (Dynamic Simulation Model)

How we assess a building is dependent on building type and complexity.

As accredited energy assessors we take care of lodging the buildings Energy Performance Certificate to the government portal.

This document normally forms part of a larger sustainability statement.

Major developments generally require an energy statement prior to submitting for planning. The purpose of this document is to demonstrate:

1. Energy efficiency

2. Overheating risk

3. Project feasibility

Our consultants are at hand to help you determine what is necessary and offer the most cost effective solutions for compliance.

Government or private funding could be available to decarbonise a building or site.

Normally a case needs to be made to apply for funding. Eligibility for funding is determined on the basis of carbon and energy savings versus capital cost.

In order to make the case, a digital twin is created which replicates the location, size, shape, orientation, fabric and building services performance. This would act as the base energy model.

After a base energy model has been established and results reviewed, several iterations are made to the base energy model including several upgrades (fabric, building services and LZC technologies).

Carbon and energy savings are logged and reported within a Heat Decarbonisation Plan and issued for funding.

BREEAM is a leading sustainability assessment method which is often elected by developers and local authorities to show that their buildings achieve the necessary sustainability policies and targets.

There are a multitude of BREEAM ‘credits’ available including those which would require input from Low Carbon Consultants and Energy Assessors such as ourselves:

• HEA 01 - Visual Comfort

• HEA 04 - Thermal Comfort

• ENE 01 - Reduction of energy use and carbon emissions

• ENE 04 - Low carbon design

Our consultants can carry out the relevant thermal modelling exercises for you and provide BREEAM compliant reports.

Overheating assessments are required for projects in both the commercial and residential sector.

Our consultants will conduct an overheating assessment in compliance with the requirements of industry standards such as the CIBSE Technical Memoranda (TM52) and the Building Regulations Approved Document O to demonstrate and mitigate against the risk of summertime overheating.

Daylight analysis is often required at planning stage to confirm adequate daylight levels are achieved within the proposed development and to prevent access to daylight being restricted in adjacent existing properties (referred to as right to light).

Schools require another analysis, Climate Based Daylight Modelling (CBDM) which predicts the illuminance levels in occupied spaces by way of two separate assessments. The results are dependent on the building location and orientation, building form and configuration i.e. depth of classrooms.

Where inadequate daylight levels are simulated, these can be overcome by ensuring large enough windows, limiting room depths and increasing the reflective properties of interior finishes.

Energy can be conserved by ensuring heating and cooling plant is accurately sized.

Hand calculations are acceptable for the purpose of high level design decisions however accuracy is vastly improved by creating a thermal model of the building. A thermal model considers:

• Building orientation

• Building fabric

• Thermal mass

• Local weather file

• Shading

• Intermittent operation of plant

• Diversity for internal gains