Recent publications Training courses Diary of … · five titles is £19.50 ... Digest 479 Timber piles and foundations ... brownfield land development presents problems as well as

Constructing the future is circulated in association with Contract Journal.

For £120 a year BRE Connect subscribers receive:– all BRE Digests, Good Building Guides, Good Repair Guides and Information Papers such as those listed on this page – totalling

at least 50 publications each year – all building to form an invaluable reference tool– a CD-ROM each year containing every BRE publication from that year in pdf format– preferential pricing on a range of BRE books and other publications – such as those listed on this page – for which subscribers pay

a significantly reduced price– discounts on a programme of BRE events. BRE Events are accredited to Continuous Professional Development (CPD).

For more information –Alan Wakeford, 01923 664234, Email [email protected]

BREconnectBRE Connect is a subscription scheme that givesunrivalled access to BRE’s expertise on buildings,construction, energy, environment, fire and risk.

Recent publicationsReports and guides

Controlling emissions of particles, vapour and noise on construction sites. Part 1: Pre-project planning andeffective management (PCG/1)First in a series of five pollution control guides. Construction sites can be a major source of pollution. Construction personnel need tofollow good environmental practice to control emissions, complywith environmental legislation and prevent problems. Each of thefive titles is £19.50 (£15 for Connect members). The set of five is £65 (£40 for Connect members)

Best practice in concrete frame construction: practicalapplication at St George Wharf (BR 462)Describes a demonstration of the practical benefits of adoptingmany of the innovative features and techniques used in the designand construction of the European Concrete Building Project’s in-situconcrete frame building at Cardington, for which a series of bestpractice guides and companion reports are available. £30.

UK lessons learnt from PFI and Real Estate Partnerships (FB6)Large-scale outsourcing of public infrastructure through the PFIrepresents the most radical change in UK public procurement policyin the last ten years, and has been extended into corporate and realestate outsourcing through Real Estate Partnerships. FBE-fundedresearch by the College of Estate Management shows that theassociated successes and difficulties provide opportunities to learnand translate best practice into future projects. £49.50

DigestsConcise reviews of building technology

Digest 479 Timber piles and foundationsTimber foundations can be particularly suitable for countrysidestructures such as bridges, forest structures and activity centres, as well as post and beam timber buildings in waterfront or floodprone locations.

Good Building GuidesPractical guidance on building design and construction

GBG 59 Building on brownfield sitesPart 1: Identifying the hazardsBrownfield sites can contain a variety of hazards presenting risks todevelopers, designers, housebuilders, insurers and house owners.Part 1 of this guide describes commonly encountered hazards, theirsignificance for housing developments and how they can be identified.

Information PapersThe latest BRE research information and how to apply it

IP13/03 Sustainable buildingsPart 1 Benefits for occupiersPart 2 Benefits for designersPart 3 Benefits for investors and developersPart 4 Benefits for constructors

IP14/03 Preventing hot water scalding in bathrooms:using TMVsSee page 2.

IP15/03 Proprietary nosings for non-domestic stairsGuidance for designers and building managers on assessing thetypes of proprietary nosing that should be provided on non-domesticstairs. Also considers secure fastening and colour contrast.

IP16/03 Proprietary rendersProprietary render products differ from traditional render in that theyare largely prepared off site. They are widely used in continentalEurope but despite the benefits they offer (detailed in thisInformation Paper), their use remains limited in the UK.

7-10 June 2004 at BRE, WatfordResource04Major four-day exhibition, conference and demonstration ofrenewable and energy efficient technologies for buildings. Willinclude large exhibits showcasing renewable and other innovativeenergy systems, along with a series of daily seminars.Anyone wishing to attend, exhibit at or sponsor Resource04 can email their details to [email protected] to be contacted with further information.

Training courses3-4 February and 6-7 April 2004 at BRE, WatfordBREEAM for Offices assessor training courseTwo-day training course to become a BREEAM assessor. Contact: 01923 664462, [email protected]

12 February 2004 at BRE, WatfordConstruction site fire safety While most construction and safety professionals will be familiarwith general health and safety issues, this course will give them theopportunity to focus on the specific risk of fire during constructionand refurbishment works.

18 February 2004 at BRE, WatfordSmart homes need smart controlsA one-day workshop describing the benefits of the EuropeanInstallation Bus (EIB), focusing on applications and giving a practicalinsight into technical operation.

23-27 February 2004 at BRE, WatfordBuilding services integration with EIBFive-day course designed to provide extensive insight into thetechnical operation of EIB, and the design and commissioning of EIBinstallations. Course content is evenly divided between developingtheoretical understanding and practical skills, and preparesdelegates to sit the EIBA Partner exam.

25-26 February and 4-5 May 2004 at BRE, WatfordEcoHomes assessor training courseTwo-day training course to become an EcoHomes assessor. Contact: 01923 664462, [email protected]

2 March 2004 at BRE, WatfordDampness and crackingCourse focusing on the correct diagnosis of dampness and cracking.

10 March 2004 at BRE, WatfordConstruction health, safety and welfareThis course allows delegates to be aware of health and safetyhazards as part of their responsibilities on construction sites.

11 March 2004 at BRE, WatfordFire safety awareness for personnelCourse aiming to provide personnel with a basic understanding of fire safety in the work environment.

11 March 2004 at BRE, WatfordFire safety awareness for fire wardens or persons in chargeThis course is a continuation of Module 1 Fire safety awareness for personnel

For information on the above training courses contact (unless otherwise stated) BRE Training, 01923 664800Email [email protected], or visit www.bre.co.uk/training

IP 1/04 Design drainage for buildings with reduced water useSummarises the types and characteristics of appliances that may beused for reducing water consumption in buildings, providesestimates of water value consumed for both the present and thefuture, and gives guidance for the design of drain and sewer systems.

PricesDigests and Good Building Guides are £10.50 each, or each part.Information Papers and Good Repair Guides are £7.50 each, or each part.

Where to get themThese publications are available from:– www.brebookshop.com– BRE Bookshop, 151 Rosebery Avenue, London EC1R 4GBT 020 7505 6622, F 020 7505 6606

Diary of forthcoming events12 February and 8 April 2004 at BRE, Watford25 February in SalfordNew Building Regulations and product standardsUK Building Regulations are changing and their relationship to newEuropean products standards is becoming more complex. This seriesof one day seminars will explore the impact of European standardsand codes on UK Building Regulations. It will explain issues such aswhat CE marking means and how it relates to European standards,and what you should do if you want to use innovative products. Contact: Events, 01923 664800, [email protected], or visitwww.bre.co.uk/events

19 February 2004 at BRE, Watford Minimising construction waste and maximising profits Contact: Events, 01923 664800, [email protected]

25 February 2004 at the Institute of Structural Engineers, LondonWind workshop (advanced)Contact: Rosemary Humphreys, 020 7235 4535 ext 239, [email protected] or visit www.istructe.org.uk/courses

3 March 2004 at BRE, WatfordFire safety in hospitalsConference covering the need for fire safety strategies in hospitalsand health care premises, the issues to be taken account of whenputting together a strategy, and how the latest fire safety engineeringthinking can help provide a safer, more secure environment .Contact: Caroline McGill, 01923 664532, [email protected] or visit www.bre.co.uk/events

11 March 2004 at BRE, WatfordConstruction IT ConferenceOne-day joint BRE and CICA conference.Contact: Events, 01923 664775, [email protected]

24 March 2004 Deconstruction and demolition – extracting value fromsurplus buildings and infrastructureContact: Events, 01923 664800, [email protected]

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.Successful audit of EEC schemes The first round of auditing of the energysuppliers involved in the Energy EfficiencyCommitment (EEC) programme has beensuccessfully completed, with the auditedenergy saving schemes found to be generallywell run.

The Energy Efficiency Commitment is a three-year Government programme administeredby the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets(Ofgem), which started in April 2002. It requiresall energy suppliers with 15,000 or moredomestic customers to improve the energyefficiency of housing in Great Britain. Theyhave each been set individual savings targetsbased on how many domestic customersthey supply.

The EEC has an environmental aim, providingcarbon savings under the climate changeprogramme, and a social focus, with half of the energy savings being targeted at a‘priority group’ – households that receiveincome-related benefits or tax credits.

Suppliers are accredited for not only gas andelectricity energy savings, but also savings incoal, oil and LPG. They submit schemes toOfgem for energy saving measures in the areasof lighting, appliances, insulation and heating.

An important aspect of the EEC is the auditingof these schemes. Ofgem commissioned BREto review a number of them to ensure theyhave clear audit trails that confirm the savingsclaimed. A total of 12 schemes spread oversix suppliers were audited and the key findingswere as follows:

– the suppliers were co-operative and open

– the audited schemes were generally well run

– the suppliers had comprehensive audit trailsin place

– quality and customer satisfaction monitoringneed to be improved in a number of schemes– the suppliers in question have this in hand,and hope to meet their targets at the endof EEC.

“The first round of auditing has proved verysuccessful,” said Dr Neil Cutland who led the BRE auditing team. “A second round ofauditing is planned at the completion of theEEC in 2005.”

For further information – Neil Cutland 01923 664131Email [email protected]

Crime and security on transport systemsThe BRE Crime Risk Management Unit wasrecently commissioned to provide an overallpicture of crime and community safety issuesin and around a London railway station. Suchinformation can be useful when making abusiness case for investing in crime prevention.

This and other research have shown thattransport systems can be clear ‘hot spots’ fora number of crimes, including theft, violenceagainst the person, drink and drug-relatedincidents and criminal damage. But whiletargeting railway stations and other transportsystems can lead to reductions in crime andfear of crime, they are often overlooked bycrime reduction practitioners when preparinglocal crime audits and strategies.

Recorded crime figures do not always revealthe full extent or nature of crime in and aroundpublic transport systems. Other factors needto be taken into consideration, including theexperiences and perceptions of transport users,the use of transport systems by criminals totarget vulnerable areas, the impact of crimeon station staff and business, and the role offear of crime in influencing travel choices.

The research found that fear of crime is amajor concern of many people travelling on railways (and other public transport) and can act as a significant barrier to travel,especially affecting vulnerable groups such as women and the elderly. The presence of‘environmental cues’ such as litter, graffiti,vagrants and beggars, and signs of generaldirtiness and neglect, tends to heighten fear of crime.The research was carried out by the BRE Crime Risk Management Unit, which provides a suite of community safetyservices including:

– a Crime Prevention Through EnvironmentalDesign (CPTED) survey of railway/bus/tramstations, both internally and externally,including approaches to the stations

– a quantitative analysis of reported crime to reveal trends, crime ‘hot spots’, etc

– a survey of the experiences and perceptions of users, residents and others

– a business case-based strategy to manageidentified issues.

A fundamental feature of the service is thesetting up of partnerships linking stationmanagement with local communities, includingbusinesses, Crime & Disorder ReductionPartnerships, local boroughs, etc to implementsolutions and build sustainable links.

For further information contact Sharon Monahan 01923 664999Email [email protected]

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Aggregates

Using recycled and secondaryaggregatesA new project aims to show that recycledand secondary aggregates can perform aswell as, and sometimes better than, primaryaggregates when used in construction.

This project, funded through theDTI/WRAP* Aggregates ResearchProgramme, will present the necessaryknow-how to successfully use recycled and secondary aggregates in practicalapplications. It follows an earlier DTI/WRAP study that showed many clients lack the knowledge required to influencedecisions on using these aggregates inconstruction projects.

Up to six best practice exemplar casestudies reflecting a range of applications,products and processes for recycled andsecondary aggregates, will be used to help clients – and the wider constructioncommunity – to specify these materials.They will identify the performance impactsof using various recycled and secondaryaggregates (highlighting national andEuropean standards) in applications acrossdiffering construction project types, fromroads to buildings to landscaping.

The case studies will also be included onthe AggRegain website – the sustainableaggregates information service from WRAP(www.aggregain.org.uk). The AggRegainsite already includes over 50 case studiesthat demonstrate the parity of performanceand the potential cost benefits of usingrecycled and secondary aggregates.

BRE would welcome any ideas and offers ofcase studies. Anyone aware of constructionprojects that are using recycled and secondaryaggregates, or wanting more informationon the project, should contact:

Katherine Adams 01923 664478Email [email protected]

New guidance on preventing hotwater scaldingEvery year around 20 people in the UK dieas a result of scalds caused by hot bathwater, and a further 570 suffer serious scaldinjuries that can result in long-term disabilityand disfigurement.

A recently published Information Paper sets out the issues regarding scalds in theUK and explains how to reduce the risks. It contains guidance on the selection,installation and maintenance of products to provide safe hot water to baths, showersand basins.

Although there is no legal requirement tolimit water delivery temperatures, Defrarecommends the use of thermostatic mixingvalves (TMVs) for terminal fittings in schools,public buildings and other facilities used by the public. In addition, the HousingCorporation recommends thermostaticallycontrolled supplies to bath taps in all housing– and thermostatic control of showers andall hot water taps is considered essential inhousing for the elderly.

The new Information Paper Preventing hotwater scalding in bathrooms: using TMVsexplains how thermostatic mixing valveswork. It advises on where TMVs should beused (housing, nursing homes, hospitals,schools, etc), illustrates their application inbaths, basins and showers, and givesguidance on installation, commissioningand maintenance.

The Information Paper also emphasises the need for care in selecting thermostaticmixing valves that are appropriate for their intended use and provide adequateprotection. A new approval scheme forTMVs is explained.

For further information – John Griggs 01923 664543Email [email protected]

Information Paper (ref IP 14/03) Preventing hot waterscalding in bathrooms: using TMVs is available from the BRE Bookshop, www.brebookshop.com or Tel 0207505 6622.

Lime mortar with recycled glass aggregateA new lime mortar/plaster product thatuses recycled glass as an aggregate insteadof sand is currently being tested at BRE –the tests being part-funded by WRAP –with a view to gaining full BRE Certification.

The company manufacturing the newproduct is Ty-Mawr Lime Ltd. DirectorNigel Gervis says, “As well as utilisingmaterial that might otherwise be landfilled,use of recycled glass also reduces the needfor virgin aggregate extraction. If wesuccessfully gain Certification it will givethe product credibility in the marketplace,proving to customers that it is as effectiveas its lime/sand counterpart.”

Traditional lime mortar/plaster is typicallyused to renovate old buildings, but is alsoincreasingly used as an environmentallyfriendly option in new builds. The newproduct could have the same applications,such as internal plasters, external renders,and for building and pointing mortars. In addition, the appearance of a productcontaining glass aggregate offers otherpossible uses, for example decorativeapplications such as flooring screed.

For more information – Gilli Hobbs 01923 664856Email [email protected]

*WRAP (the Waste and Resources Action Programme)is a not-for-profit company supported by funding fromDefra, DTI and the devolved administrations ofScotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is working topromote sustainable waste management by creatingstable and efficient markets for recycled materials andproducts. For more information visit www.wrap.org.uk

InTEC identifies timber knowledge gapsEstablishing timber as a mainstreamconstruction material in the UK countrysideby enhancing its aesthetic, environmental,sustainable and structural credentials, is the aim of an independent network knownas InTEC (Innovative Timber Engineering inthe Countryside)*.

The network has recently identified areaswhere increased knowledge is needed iftimber is to fulfil its potential in engineeringapplications. It plans to persuadegovernment and industry to fund projectsthat will generate this information so thatthe industry can modernise and expand.

InTEC will also encourage an internationalexchange of information, focusing on the identified knowledge gaps so that the UK can learn from other countries when appropriate.

Vahik Enjily of the BRE Centre for TimberTechnology & Construction (a member ofInTEC) says, “New markets are needed forthe increased supply of timber coming onstream in the UK over the next few years.The challenge for specifiers and users oftimber is to find ways to maximise its specialqualities and overcome any difficulties thatthey may face”.

Topics identified as needing furtherinformation include: – UK-grown stress laminated timber –

friction test data needed – truss bridges– covered timber bridges– pontoon/floating timber bridges– timber signs and barriers– steel/timber beam composites– FRP/timber beam composites– timber piles– round timber connection systems– external green gluing for timber bridges– log retaining walls– standard agricultural buildings– timber crib walls– timber decking– new innovative structures

InTEC would like to hear from anyone withinformation on these subjects.

Contact Dr Vahik Enjily 01923 664392Email [email protected] more information on InTEC go towww.forestry.gov.uk/intec

* InTEC network members include BRE, the ForestryCommission, TTL, Forestry Civil Engineering, the UKCentre for Timber Engineering at Napier University, and the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia.

Designing for climate changeA group of industry experts have concludedthat green roofs are best able to cope withthe expected impacts of climate change –higher wind speeds, heavier rainfall inwinter and longer, hotter summers.

Green roofs are vegetated roof covers, withgrowing media and plants taking the placeof bare membrane, gravel ballast, shinglesor tiles. The number and placement oflayers vary, but all generally include awaterproofing layer, drainage, growingmedia and plants, covering the entire roofdeck surface.

A key feature of green roofs is the covergiven to the waterproofing membrane,which prevents exposure to UV light andextremes of weather. Green roofs cope well with windy conditions and releaserainwater slowly, so reducing the risks offlooding. Gerry Saunders of BRE warns,however, “High quality materials andmethods of installation are needed toensure that the green roof stays watertightfor the lifetime of the building.”

When significant numbers are built in urban areas, the green roof can have otherbenefits such as improved air quality andthe filtering of acid from rainwater. But asthe initial construction costs are higher than other design options, some form of government incentive scheme may be needed to kick-start the use of greenroofs in UK urban areas.

More information will be given in a newBRE Digest, produced as a part of a dualDTI/Industry funded project, which will bepublished in March. The Digest considersactions that can be taken with regard toroof design, which will mitigate the effectsof climate change.

For more information – Gerry Saunders 01923 664382Email [email protected]

BREEAM Excellent for Newcastle UniversityNewcastle University’s new DevonshireBuilding, which will house an environment and sustainability research institute, is the firstuniversity laboratory to be awarded a BREEAMExcellent rating.

The BREEAM certificate was presented at anevent marking the completion of the building,attended by Energy Minister Stephen Timms.He said he was particularly pleased tocongratulate the University on the awardbecause this is the first major buildingbenefiting from photovoltaic panels to becompleted during his term as Energy Minister.

BREEAM is widely accepted in the UKconstruction and property sectors as offeringbest practice in environmental design andmanagement. There are BREEAM schemes for offices, retail developments, industrialbuildings and homes.

As the Devonshire Building does not fall into any of these categories – it containslaboratories, cold rooms, conference andmeeting facilities, and e-science and write-upareas – it was assessed under the BespokeBREEAM scheme in which the assessmentcriteria are tailored to a specific building.

The assessments are carried out by anindependent licensed BREEAM assessor, inthis case from White Young Green. NewcastleUniversity’s building achieved the highest everscore awarded under the Bespoke scheme.This high score reflects the wide rangingenvironmental, health and comfort issuessuccessfully addressed in the building’s designand development.

These included its location, which is in thecentre of Newcastle within 500m of a metrostation and 50m of a bus stop. The DevonshireBuilding has limited car parking spaces, buthas space for travel information displays andcycle facilities for 10% of the occupants –including shower and changing rooms. Thesefeatures encourage the use of transport modesother than the car, and were credited in theBREEAM assessment.

In addition, the building is situated on previouslydeveloped land, has made wide use ofmaterials with low-embodied environmentalimpacts, and any timber used was obtainedfrom sources certified to Forest StewardshipCouncil (FSC) standard.

Energy and water issues also earned BREEAMcredits for the Devonshire Building. For example,296 photovoltaic panels have been installedon the roof of the building, covering an area of 184m2 and generating 25kW of electricity(peak).

Sensors monitor the level of daylighting in the building so that electric light use can bereduced to a level that complements natural

light. A rainwater storage system providesfree cooling to the chilled beam system, and the returned water from the coolingsystem is used to preheat the hot watersystem. Rainwater is also collected for use in sanitary flushing.

The development minimises night-time lightpollution through the specification of fittingsthat limit the light spread to within 70° of thedownward vertical.

Steps taken to enhance building users’ healthand comfort can also gain BREEAM credits.This building’s design, for example, allows allwork stations to have views of the outsideand are within 7m of a window. It also providesgood levels of daylight (at least 2% daylightfactor) in the conference facilities, offices, labs,and e-science areas.

The thermal comfort of building occupantswas addressed using thermal modellingstudies, including sun path shading, windpath, and daylight analyses, and a review of the mechanical services options.

Among many other features, the design of the building also minimises noise disturbanceto those working in it, and provides goodacoustics in the conference and meetingfacilities. In addition, it minimises microbialcontamination, avoids the use of ozonedepleting refrigerants and includes a low NOx emitting boiler.

For more information – Tim Bevan 01923 664645Email [email protected]

BREEAM for Offices 2004BRE has reviewed and updated the BREEAMfor Offices scheme. Launched on 1 November,the 2004 version has been revised to keep thescheme up to date and in line with currentbest practice.

Additional rewards have been included for:

– using renewable energy sources

– seasonal commissioning

– specifying sustainably sourced timber forboth structural uses and temporary site uses

– minimising waste from floor finishes

– implementing independently verifiedschemes promoting considerate construction.

For more information about the schemeupdate, or for information on training tobecome a BREEAM assessor, contact:

BREEAM Office 01923 664462Email [email protected]

Roof design

Designing for safety Roofing industry experts have beenexamining Health and Safety Executive(HSE) prosecutions data to investigate fallsfrom heights associated with roofing.

The committee of experts found that mostsuch falls are the result of fragile roofs,fragile rooflights and unguarded edges. It also found that a significant proportion of the prosecutions were concerned withuntrained ‘roofers’ who either ignored orlacked training in matters of safety, andwere working to inadequate methodstatements and risk assessments.

The committee met as a part of a Partnersin Innovation project, partly funded by DTI,to look at design decisions that could havecontributed to the underlying causes ofaccidents. The main findings of the projectso far are being published in a BREInformation Paper Designing roofs withsafety in mind which will be available early in 2004.

The findings of the next stage of the project will be published as a Best practiceguidance for roofing with safety at thecore in March 2005. This guidance will bebased on reviews of current good practiceguidance and a wide range of BRE roofcondition surveys.

The project is currently surveying safetyissues raised by roofing contractorsbelonging to the main trade organisations.The survey questionnaire can be found on the project website atwww.projects.bre.co.uk/saferoofRoofing contractors that are not membersof one of the main organisations are alsoinvited to complete the questionnaire.

For more information – Gerry Saunders 01923 664382Email [email protected].

The project partners are Ruberoid Building Products,Icopal Ltd, Sandtoft Ltd, Mastic Asphalt Council, FlatRoofing Alliance, National Federation of RoofingContractors, British Nuclear Fuels, Slough Estates andthe Single Ply Roofing Association. HSE is also involvedas a partner and the project is being led by GerrySaunders of BRE.

David Crowhurst, Director of the BRE Centre forSustainable Construction, presenting the BREEAMcertificate to Clare Rogers, Director of Estates at theUniversity of Newcastle

Fitting photovoltaic panels to Newcastle University’sBREEAM Excellent building

3/4

BRE is now looking for organisationsmanaging LPS stock that would like tobecome partners in the parallel BRE LPSproject. The benefits to the project partnerswill include an:

– Owners Guide to the assessment of LPSbuildings (only available to parallel projectpartners)

– advanced assessment methodologyusing both simplified and detailedapproaches

– advanced probabilistic, risk-basedassessment methodology.

Partner organisations will have unrestrictedaccess to the assessment methodologiesfor a period of two years followingcompletion of the project. After this timethe assessment methodology will be madeavailable for purchase.

For further information –Barry Reeves 01923 664558Email [email protected]

The Consortium of PII project partners includes:– Alan Conisbee and Associates – ASLEB through London Borough of Bromley – Birmingham City Council – BRE– Carter Clack– Campbell Reith Hill– Curtins– London Borough of Barking & Dagenham– London Borough of Enfield – London Borough of Greenwich – London Borough of Lambeth – London Borough of Sutton– Stockport Borough Council– Sunderland Housing Group – CityWest Homes (London Borough of Westminster) – Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council – Northern Ireland Housing Executive – Optima Community Association– Wilde and Partners/TNO

News from BRE Certification and LPCB

Red Book DatabaseBRE Certification has moved all the entries in the ‘Red Books’ to a database, which will make it easierand quicker to keep the information in the books upto date. The new database will be used to power new search facilities on www.redbooklive.com whichare being launched at the beginning of 2004 tocoincide with the publication of the next edition of the Red Books.

New fire resistant cable requirementsNew cable requirements set out in the recently revisedBS 5839-1:2002 call for ‘standard’ and ‘enhanced’fire resistant cables. Even before the standard waspublished, LPCB had set up the equipment andprocedures required to be able to offer independenttesting and approval to the new requirements as setout in the standard.

LPCB is the only Certification Body able to offer thistesting and certification in-house – the only true one-stop shop. The testing is carried out in BRE’slaboratories, the only UKAS-accredited test houseable to offer this testing.

For a full list of LPCB approved cables, please visitwww.redbooklive.com

Security products More than 90% of security products evaluated byLPCB initially fail to meet the security levels identifiedby the manufacturers. But this does not put themanufacturers off – by working with LPCB, they areable to identify the weaknesses and ensure that theirproducts work and their customers are satisfied.

Certification is not just about helping manufacturersto improve their products, it also helps reduce the risks faced by specifiers in the selection of products.Specifiers can be confident that LPCB’s rigorouscertification processes help ensure that the productsmeet the standards and performance levels required,and this is reflected in the increasing number ofspecifiers demanding LPCB-approved products in their tenders.

For more information about standards andapproved products, visit www.redbooklive.com

ISO 9001ISO 9001/2:1994 was withdrawn by UKAS on 15 December 2003 and ISO 9001:2000 is now the current standard. The main differences are:

– a change to a process approach to quality ratherthan the old systems approach

– a less prescriptive approach to the requirements for documentation

– a much greater emphasis on the involvement of topmanagement (including the provision of resources)and on the requirements to have and maintain goodtwo-way communication with customers.

Scopes relating to fire and security products andservices will continue to be badged by LPCB, and allother products (such as construction, environmentand energy) will fall under the BRE Certification brand.

For more information on ISO 9000, contactCustomer Services on 01923 664100

Assessing large panel system blocksA new research project could lead to multimillion pound savings in the long-term management of large panel system(LPS) buildings.

Discrepancies in the guidance now usedwhen assessing these buildings will beaddressed by a consortium of companieswith funding from the DTI Partners inInnovation scheme.

The two-year project will focus on theurgent need to:

– revise existing guidance on the structuralassessment of large panel systemmultistorey blocks, and

– develop more advanced methods ofassessing the robustness of LPS blocksunder accidental loading.

The results of the project could lead tomultimillion pound savings in the long-termasset management of LPS dwelling blocks,because unnecessary or inappropriateremedial and strengthening works will beavoided.

The current guidance was developed afterthe collapse of Ronan Point in 1968, but is now thought to be unduly restrictive. This is because it does not take account of the positive contribution made bycertain aspects of structural and materialbehaviour to overall building robustnessunder accidental loading. The result hasbeen inconsistent and sometimesinappropriate recommendations forbuilding strengthening or, in extreme cases, demolition.

The project’s outputs will include thepublication of a national draft guidancedocument.

A BRE research project will be run in parallelwith the consortium’s work to extend thescope and value for money of the overallresearch programme. It will contribute tothe development of more comprehensiveand efficient assessment methodologiesthat should reduce costs for the owners ofLPS blocks.

New large-scale test facility for theNorth EastA new facility has been established by BREFire Division (FRS) to meet the needs ofconstruction and associated industries inNorth East England for large-scale fire andother buildings-related tests.

Known as BRE North East, the new facilityincludes a 20m by 40m by 8m-highbuilding and access to a 40-metre-highfacility, allowing BRE to undertake largeand full-scale scale testing work such as:

– fire performance tests on constructionproducts

– fire safety tests of innovative buildingdesigns

– testing for certification schemes approvaland Buildings Regulations.

The facility’s location in Middlesbrough –close to the north east coast and majortransport routes – will allow FRS to providea more local and cost-effective service tomeet many of the fire-test requirements of northern clients such as constructionproducts manufacturers, building designersand developers.

For more information –Pauline Aitchison 01923 664973Email [email protected]

– buildings have significant impacts in terms of the natural resourcesused in their construction, such as the timber and minerals, and interms of the resulting construction and demolition waste

– there is increasing pressure to find more land for development asdemand for housing continues to grow.

Mrs Beckett announced a new Sustainable Buildings Task Group to pinpoint ways in which industry and government can worktogether to ensure better environmental performance in new and existing buildings. The Task Group will look at incentives for innovation and how the planning system can help to spreadbest practice among designers, builders and other professions. It will concentrate on four areas:– water use– energy use– use of timber and other construction materials– waste reduction.

Mrs Beckett also launched a major new skills and trainingprogramme for heating installers to boost progress on energyefficiency. Up to 70,000 people will be trained to ensure that whennew, higher standards are introduced for more energy-efficientboilers in 2005 there will be a workforce able to fit them. Thescheme will be run in partnership with the heating industry, theEnergy Saving Trust, and the Learning and Skills Council.

Mrs Beckett said, “Everyone must be clear that business as usual is not an option. Most of us live in buildings erected long beforewe were born and our successors will have to live with theenvironmental consequences of the buildings we construct today.It is vital that we minimise harmful impacts for those who comeafter us.”

Mrs Beckett also announced a new Carbon Trust initiative to find a cost-effective solution to the problem of solid wall insulation.Known as the Solid Wall Challenge, funding will be provided forresearch through the Carbon Trust’s Low Carbon InnovationProgramme.

The Better Buildings Summit, organised by ODPM, DTI and Defra,brought key industry players together to join forces with theGovernment and take forward the commitments set out in theEnergy White Paper and the Sustainable Communities Plan.

Sir John Harman of the Environment Agency opened the proceedingsand the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, made the first keynotespeech.

John PrescottThe Deputy Prime Minister identified the scope and scale ofdeveloping sustainable communities and creating a new type ofurban environment. He called for, “more innovation, better design,better planning, higher standards – more of the ‘wow’ factor and amore ‘can-do’ attitude,” and said that all are critical to the successof the Sustainable Communities Plan. Mr Prescott went on to say,“It’s about working better with the people who matter most tocreate high quality neighbourhoods that will stand the test of time.Industry, Government, environmentalists, planners, architects andlocal residents must push for the highest standards, not the lowestcommon denominator.”

Mr Prescott unveiled plans to raise national standards for waterconservation by 2005, and also to bring forward higher standardsfor boilers within the same time frame.

He also announced a £5 billion housing allocation to drive forwardthe Government’s commitment to affordable housing and decenthomes, particularly for key workers, over the next two years.

Margaret BeckettMargaret Beckett, Secretary of State for the Environment, identifiedthe tremendous importance of the environmental footprints of ourbuildings and the lasting legacy they leave for future generations.The significant environmental impacts of buildings were identified,in particular:– buildings contribute almost half of the UK’s carbon dioxide

emissions, with homes alone contributing around 27%– demand for water has risen and continues to rise – more than

half (56%) of water supplied is used by households

No less than three Secretaries of State were on the platform at the Better Buildings Summit on 21 October 2003. This was testimony to theimportance placed by the Government on improving the sustainability of construction and building design. David Strong reports.

“more innovation, better design, betterplanning, higher standards – more of the‘wow’ factor and a more ‘can-do’ attitude”

The Better Buildings Summit

Patricia HewittPatricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, said thata new partnership was required between government and the keycontributors in the construction sector. She identified the followingneeds to be achieved in the UK:

– by 2010, energy savings of around 10 million tonnes of carbonfrom homes and business to meet the domestic CO2 target

– by 2020, a further carbon reduction of 15-25 million tonnes

– by 2050, a fundamental change in the way buildings are designedand built and communities work, if we are going to hit the 60%target that was recommended by the Royal Commission onEnvironmental Pollution.

Mrs Hewitt went on to state that her objectives were “first, tocreate the homes and workplaces people want to live and work in.Secondly, to meet the targets for a low carbon economy that weset out in the Energy White Paper. Thirdly, to create world-classbuilding services and industrial growth for the future, developingskills, services and products that we can export all over the world.”

Mrs Hewitt announced that by the middle of 2004 the Governmentwould have in place minimum sustainability standards for all publicsector procurement of built environment assets (including newleasehold and PFI projects). This will result in a new generation ofgreen schools, hospitals and other public buildings – with lifetimecost being the most important consideration.

The future role of small-scale distributed (embedded) generationwas also addressed by Mrs Hewitt, with simplified connection andmonitoring protocols having been introduced. DTI will continue towork with Ofgem to ensure that electricity networks were capableof incorporating a higher proportion of distributed generation.

WorkshopsParallel Workshop Sessions at the Better Buildings Summitconcentrated on the following four key issues:

The Building Fabric workshop sought to develop an understandingof the barriers to industry and Government working towards moresustainable building fabric. This included an examination of how tomaximise what can be achieved through the current review of PartL of the Building Regulations, and if there are different issues forcommercial buildings and dwellings.

5/6

A unique exhibition todemonstrate renewable andinnovative energy efficiencytechnologies for buildings

BRE Watford7–10 June 2004

www.resource04.com

The Building Services workshop considered what Governmentworking in partnership with the private sector could do to improvethe environmental performance of building services (for example,lighting, ventilation). It covered the design, specification, installationand pre- and post-occupation commissioning of the full range ofbuilding services in both new-build and refurbished buildings.

The Design workshop debated how those with urban design skillscan make greater use of new technologies, and how those whohave a technical understanding could use this knowledge to create‘sustainable communities’ in the fullest sense, rather than thosewith just lower energy requirements.

The Investment workshop considered, amongst other things, the ways in which we can recruit the investment community as an ally in the push for more sustainable buildings. It debated how we can change the outlook of those loaning the money sothat they actively encourage those coming to them for loans forbuilding projects, to make the projects as sustainable as possible.

Question timeThe Summit ended with the three Secretaries of State returning totake questions from delegates. This resulted in a lively debate withdelegate contributions ranging from the controversial to the bizarre!Conspicuously absent was any discussion, or reference by speakers,to the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive or to theimportance of integrating active and passive renewable energysystems into buildings.

A number of delegates called for better training of planners regardingsustainability issues and for much greater enforcement of Part LBuilding Regulations (with real penalties for non-compliance). The importance of design team integration, optimising land useand minimising transport impacts were also identified. The significantpotential offered by energy and environmental labelling of buildingswas also highlighted.

In summary, the Summit successfully brought together for the firsttime the key Government departments responsible for developinga better built environment. Delegates hoped that the constructivedialogue established by the Summit between the Government andindustry would continue.

Brace yourself for climate changeSoon we won’t need scientists to tell us the climate is changing – theimpacts on us and our buildings will be obvious to all. Stephen Garvin looksinto the all-too-near future, and focuses particularly on housing.

Flooding in 2002 and drought in 2003. Are these indications ofclimate change or just natural variability? One-off events cannotyet be attributed to climate change, but climate scientists aroundthe world are nearly unanimous in their belief that the climate ischanging. Most agree that in the near future we will not needsophisticated computer models to tell us this – we will all besuffering the effects, as will our buildings.

Climate change as a result of human activities is one of the greatestenvironmental challenges society faces, and it has already begunto have a discernible impact on global mean temperatures. Therewill be significant effects on the built environment throughout thiscentury. This will happen even if efforts to mitigate against climatechange by reducing greenhouse gases are successful, as it takesmany years for some greenhouse gases to be removed from theatmosphere by natural processes.

The impacts of climate change on buildings and construction aredifficult to quantify. A study published by BRE In 1998 (Impact ofClimate Change on Building) gave a broad view of these impacts,and further work over the period to 2000 resulted in a report(Potential implications of climate change in the built environment) that attempted to quantify the issues for UK buildings. Particular challenges identified were:

– the impact on construction site activities, ie site work becomingmore difficult and hazardous

– increased weather-tightness problems

– more instances of foundation instability

– greater flooding risk, especially in river plains and coastallocations

– poorer materials durability

– increased storm damage

– summer overheating becoming more common.

Climate change scenariosThe science of climate change is a complicated business. To helpthose involved – including the construction industry – to respondto the problem, the UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) haspublished a series of climate change scenarios. These are based on the Hadley Centre (HadCM2) model of global climate patterns,and assume various levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.Table 1 has some typical information from these, based in this case on the medium-high scenario of greenhouse gas emissions. A confidence level is provided for each aspect of climate change.

Building site activityMany on-site activities are vulnerable to disruption by the weather.Climate change is likely to mean that site activity will be subject to more delays, have more health and safety problems for sitemanagement to overcome, and run the risk of having more sitematerials wasted. The main issues are as follows:

Health and safetyIncreased hazards with more protection of site operatives required.Changes in winds, summer gales, temperature and rainfall will allaffect the health and safety of workers.

Materials useSome materials may become more difficult to use on site, for example,concrete and mortar subject to increased drying in transport or onsite. Development of special additives may be required.

Site storageSite storage of materials may become more difficult, and sitespoilage is likely to increase (due to increased UV radiation, rainfalland wind speeds). Improved facilities and processes for the storageof materials will be required.

Soil conditions on siteWetter winters and drier summers may mean that groundwork will be harder to complete effectively. Soil contaminants andground gases could become more mobile at certain times of the year. Changes to the methods of site preparation will berequired and, linked to this, buildings will need improved protectionfrom contaminants.

Days lost due to weatherWetter sites may mean that more days are lost for unprotected siteworking each year. However, the anticipated reduction in winterdays with frosts may help to reduce the days lost in some locations.

Off-site constructionOff-site construction may be a potential means of overcoming the increased risks from climate change, but the vast majority ofbuildings are still constructed using traditional masonry work. This may change, and the increased pressure exerted by climatechange on site activity may be one of the catalysts.

In Scotland 50% of housing is timber framed, allowing aweatherproofed shell to be erected and then internal works to be completed. Modular forms of off-site production also offerpotential benefits that can help to overcome problems, not only ofclimate, but also of working on brownfield and tight inner city sites.

HousingTable 2 summarises the key issues involved in the impacts ofclimate change on housing. These impacts could lead to a greatermaintenance and repair burden for UK houses which is unlikely to be fully covered by insurance in the future. The insuranceindustry is concerned about its own exposure to changing risk andis considering, for example, the possibility of introducing limited orno insurance cover against flood in particularly vulnerable locations.Insurers could become a driving force for improved levels of buildingdesign by recognising in their premiums any positive adaptationmeasures that have a direct consequence for insurance risk.

Revised standards, guidance and regulationsDesigners will need new performance standards to ensure thatfuture buildings have a useful and sustainable life as the climatechanges. The consequences of not changing design standards willbe expensive and wasteful because domestic developments, forexample, typically have at least a 60-year intended service life –significant climate changes are expected over this period.

Additional or revised standards, technical guidance and BuildingRegulations are going to be needed, a process that is only nowreally being started. Current uncertainties about some of theclimatic parameters (particularly wind) mean that the quality andreliability of this data would not yet be sufficient for use as the basisof rigorous design criteria. More work is needed on developingmore reliable and detailed climate scenarios.

Action to take nowDespite the need for better climatic data, it is possible for designersto start taking some pragmatic action to reduce the risk and severityof future impacts. In particular, the following strategy could betaken for all new and existing housing:

– estimate future exposure to climate based upon the currentUKCIP scenarios

– make provision for easier reinstatement of the building fabricafter flooding events, gales or materials degradation

– improve the foundations in areas susceptible to subsidence

– consider using thermal mass and natural ventilation to helpcontrol summer overheating of buildings.

Table 3 details some practical measures that can be taken toensure that both existing and new housing do not suffer from theimpacts of climate change. The economic impact of not taking someof these measures has been assessed and is included in Table 3.

For further information – Stephen Garvin 01355 576200Email [email protected]

7/8

Table 3: Housing impacts and adaptations– existing and new

Issue

Weather-tightness

Materials durability

Foundation movement

Flood risk

Overheating

Key climatic changes

Increased winter rainfalland wind changes.

Increased temperatures.Higher rainfall.Increased UV.

Increased summerdrying of soils.

Increased winter rainfall events, allied with construction on flood plains.

Hotter summertemperatures.

Consequence of no action

More rain penetration of properties

Poorer durability of plastics and timber joinery, plus increased potential for cracking of masonry and concrete. Corrosion of metals more likely

Increased damage due to foundation movement(currently £200-400 million per year)

Increased damage and disruption (currently greaterthan £200 million per year)

Increased use of air conditioning and energy

Design change possibilities

Recessed windows and doors. Greater eavesoverhang. Better detailing around openings. Wider cavities in masonry

Higher quality materials, improved workmanship,detailing of movement joints

Increase foundation depth in susceptible locations

Design to accommodate water ingress in vulnerablelocations, and to help buildings dry out quickly. Use of resistant materials

Better natural ventilation and passive shading. Use of vegetation to keep houses cool in winter.Consider use of thermal mass in design

Table 1: A Summer of climate changescenario (medium-high, UKCIP 2002)

Table 2: Climate change impacts on houses

Existing Housing

Roofs – replace roof tiles

Masonry – render if suffering from rain penetration

Windows and glass – maintain well, use good qualityreplacements and insulating glass units

Foundations – underpin or repair subsidence damage

Flooding – maintain flood defences, improve resilienceof the house, eg water resistant plasterwork

Coastal erosion – manage retreat if possible

Water – collect rainwater from roofs for gardens

Ventilation – raise temperatures to dispel damp in winter

Cooling – allow mechanical ventilation only as a last resort

Heating – a reduction in heating is possible, or dampproblems could be reduced and comfort increased inwarmer winters

New housing

Roofs – choose fixings for 5% to 10% higher wind loads

Masonry – use good building practice to avoidcracking, design for higher exposure to driving rain

Windows and glass – choose good UV resistance andweather-tightness, good quality insulating glass units

Foundations – increase foundation depth onsusceptible clay soil by 0.5 m

Flooding – avoid flood plains if possible, raise floorlevels, avoid underfloor wiring

Coastal erosion – do not build on vulnerable areas

Water – consider water resources as an integral partof new developments, sustainable drainage and greywater collection for example

Ventilation – plan for good ventilation of houses

Cooling – use thermal mass or increase insulationlevels to avoid overheating in summer

Heating – use more efficient heating

Economic impact

Gales – £1-2 billion gales damage per year(including non-domestic)Fixings – £2.5 to £7 billion

PVC-U – £2.4 billion

Subsidence claims – £200 to £400 million

> £200 million damage to buildings per year

Total stock at risk £10 billion

Climate change issue

Sea level rise

Mean annual temperature

Hot summer probability

Summer rainfall

Winter rainfall

Evapo-transpiration (soil moisture loss)

Humidity

UV radiation

Wind speed

Gales

Change

+37 cm increase in East Anglia+17 cm increase West of Scotland

+2.4°C in London+3.3°C in London+1.7°C in Central Scotland+2.4°C in Central Scotland

SE England probability increase from 1 in 50 to 1 in 2.5 years

-20% in south and east England Probability of summer rainfall being 50% of averageincreases from 1 in 100 to 1 in 10

+29% in Scotland+24% in London

+33% increase in eastern EnglandNo change in Scotland

Vapour pressure will increase in southHumidity will decrease in south(autumn and summer)

Increase in southDecrease in north

Autumn increase+9% in Glasgow+4% in London

Increase in summer of +15%Decrease slightly in winter

Date

2050

2050208020502080

2080

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Up to 2080

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High

High

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Medium

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nica

l feas

ibilit

yof

diff

eren

t mat

eria

ls so

lutio

ns, w

orks

hops

and

indu

stry

mee

tings

, and

a w

ebsit

e.

Proj

ect I

mpa

cts

Acco

rdin

g to

the D

irect

or o

f the

pro

ject,

DrPe

ter B

onfie

ld (M

anag

ing

Dire

ctor

of B

RE’s

Cons

truct

ion

Divis

ion)

, ‘For

the f

irst t

ime,

this

proj

ect b

rings

toge

ther

org

anisa

tions

from

the v

ariou

s con

struc

tion m

ater

ial se

ctor

sto

add

ress

indu

stry i

nfor

mat

ion

need

sin

atru

ly co

llabo

rativ

e fas

hion

. By f

ocus

ing

on

a sp

ecific

sect

or (h

ousin

g), B

RE a

nd C

o-Co

nstru

ct h

ave t

he o

ppor

tuni

ty to

mak

ere

al im

pact

s ove

r the

year

of t

he p

rojec

t.’

The s

trate

gy a

nd a

ctio

n pl

an d

evelo

ped

unde

r the

pro

gram

me s

houl

d lea

d to

impr

ovem

ents

that

inclu

de:

– m

ore e

fficie

nt a

nd re

liabl

e use

of

mat

eria

ls an

d pr

oduc

ts in

cons

truct

ion

– im

prov

ed in

terfa

cing

and

inte

ract

ions

betw

een

mat

eria

ls

– fa

ster

expl

oita

tion

of n

ew m

ater

ials

and

tech

niqu

es

– re

duct

ion

in ca

ses o

f inap

prop

riate

use

of

mat

eria

ls

– im

prov

ed co

-ope

ratio

n be

twee

n di

ffere

ntm

ater

ials s

uppl

y sec

tors

– gr

eate

r tak

e-up

and

app

recia

tion

ofre

sear

ch b

y ind

ustry

– m

ater

ials

info

rmat

ion

that

mor

e clo

sely

addr

esse

s ind

ustry

nee

ds.

Wor

ksho

p fin

ding

sAs

par

t of t

he p

rojec

t, a

wor

ksho

p to

gat

her

indu

stry

view

s on

info

rmat

ion

need

s and

barri

ers t

o th

e use

of m

ater

ials

rese

arch

,w

as h

eld a

t BRE

on

12 D

ecem

ber 2

003.

Over

70

peop

le at

tend

ed th

e wor

ksho

pre

pres

entin

g pr

oduc

ers,

supp

liers,

arch

itect

s,de

signe

rs, le

nder

s, in

sure

rs, b

uild

ing

user

s,bu

ilder

s, de

velo

pers

and

cons

ulta

nts.

The

day s

tarte

d w

ith a

num

ber o

f exc

elle

ntpr

esen

tatio

ns fr

om ke

y sta

keho

lder

gro

ups

to se

t the

scen

e. Th

ese i

nclud

ed p

ersp

ectiv

esfro

m:

– Eli

zabe

th W

hatm

ore,

Hea

d of

Cons

truct

ion

Sect

or U

nit,

DTI

– An

ne K

irkha

m, H

ead

of D

ecen

t Hom

es,

Finan

ce a

nd C

oord

inat

ion

Divis

ion,

ODP

M

– To

ny Lo

rd, B

uild

ing

Regu

latio

ns D

ivisio

n,OD

PM

– Ju

dith

Har

rison

, Pro

ject D

irect

or,

Cons

truct

ing

Exce

llenc

e, H

ousin

g Fo

rum

– As

hley

Lane

, Gro

up Te

chni

cal D

irect

or,

Wes

tbur

y Hom

es

– Jo

hn Te

bbit,

Indu

stry

Affa

irs D

irect

or,

Cons

truct

ion

Prod

ucts

Ass

ocia

tion

The p

rese

ntat

ions

wer

e fol

low

ed b

y tw

odi

scus

sion

sess

ions

, one

look

ing

at cu

rrent

info

rmat

ion

need

s and

the o

ther

at s

uppl

yan

d fu

ture

info

rmat

ion

need

s. Th

edi

scus

sion

sess

ions

wer

e ver

y live

ly an

dpr

oduc

ed a

rang

e of f

indi

ngs (

influ

ence

d by

the s

take

hold

er g

roup

s rep

rese

nted

), a

brief

selec

tion

of w

hich

follo

w.

Susta

ining

the e

xper

tise a

nd ca

pabi

lities

requ

ired

to p

rovid

e lea

ding

edge

rese

arch

and

deve

lopm

ent o

n co

nstru

ctio

n m

ater

ials

is be

com

ing

incr

easin

gly c

halle

ngin

g. U

Kgo

vern

men

t inv

estm

ent i

n co

nstru

ctio

nm

ater

ials

rese

arch

is d

ecre

asin

g, a

ndco

nstru

ctio

n ind

ustry

inve

stmen

t in re

sear

chis

low

com

pare

d w

ith o

ther

indu

stries

.

This

chal

lenge

may

incr

ease

even

mor

e,on

ce th

e out

com

e of t

he m

ajor

DTI

revie

wth

at is

curre

ntly

takin

g pl

ace i

s kno

wn.

It is

poss

ible

that

the c

onst

ruct

ion

sect

or w

illha

ve to

com

pete

aga

inst

oth

er in

dust

ryse

ctor

s suc

h as

aer

ospa

ce a

nd tr

ansp

ort

for D

TI su

ppor

t on

rese

arch

and

inno

vatio

n,w

ith a

maj

or fo

cus o

n ad

vanc

edte

chno

logi

es. It

is th

eref

ore c

ritica

l to

ensu

reth

at in

vest

men

t in

rese

arch

on

cons

truct

ion

mat

eria

ls lea

ds to

max

imum

impa

ct.

Mak

ing

rese

arch

resu

lts w

ork

The r

esul

ts o

f mat

eria

ls re

sear

ch h

ave

usua

lly b

een

diss

emina

ted

thro

ugh

scien

tific

journ

als, p

ublic

ation

s and

repo

rts, w

orks

hops

and

sem

inar

s, an

d in

crea

singl

y the

Inte

rnet

.Ho

wev

er, th

ere h

as b

een w

idesp

read

conc

ern

that

this

rese

arch

is n

ot re

sulti

ng in

as m

uch

impr

ovem

ent i

n th

e use

of c

onst

ruct

ion

mat

eria

ls as

it co

uld

and

shou

ld d

o.

Whi

le th

ere h

as b

een

prog

ress

in in

crea

sing

the v

alue

and

impa

ct o

f the

inve

stm

ent i

nm

ater

ials

rese

arch

, furth

er im

prov

emen

t is

only

likely

if a

num

ber o

f key

cons

train

ts a

read

dres

sed.

It is

impo

rtant

, for e

xam

ple,

toha

ve b

ette

r co-

oper

atio

n be

twee

n th

e main

orga

nisat

ions f

undin

g an

d pr

ovidi

ng re

sear

ch.

This

is ne

eded

to en

sure

that

the o

utco

mes

of th

e res

earch

are c

omple

men

tary,

stra

tegic

ally

focu

ssed

, do

not c

reat

e dup

licat

ion,

are

not

bias

ed to

one

or o

ther

par

ticul

ar m

ater

ial,

and

achi

eve o

ptim

um im

pact

.

Book

s, vi

deos

, CDs

and

soft

war

e on

line

An ex

traor

dina

ry ra

nge o

f con

stru

ctio

n, b

uilt

envir

onm

ent,

ener

gy, fi

re a

nd o

ther

info

rmat

ion

from

one

easy

-to-u

se si

tew

ww

.BRE

book

shop

.com

New

Bui

ldin

g Re

gula

tions

Chan

ging

pro

duct

stan

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mar

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How

they

affe

ct yo

ur b

usin

ess w

ill be

expl

aine

d at

a se

min

ar o

n:12

Feb

at B

RE W

atfo

rd25

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in S

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at B

RE W

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9/10Th

e cu

rren

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atio

nRe

liabl

e inf

orm

atio

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ere i

s too

muc

h inf

orm

ation

avail

able,

muc

hof

whi

ch is

of p

oor q

ualit

y. Th

ere i

s a n

eed

for m

ore r

eliab

le, in

depe

nden

t inf

orm

atio

n(ie

whi

ch h

as so

me s

ort o

f inde

pend

ent

verif

icatio

n). T

his t

ype o

f info

rmat

ion

ispa

rticu

larly

help

ful in

get

ting

new

pro

duct

s(a

nd co

nseq

uent

ly de

signs

) acc

epte

d.

Info

rmat

ion

awar

enes

sIn

form

atio

n is

curre

ntly

colle

cted

from

ara

nge o

f sou

rces

– m

anuf

actu

rers/

supp

liers

’lite

ratu

re, e

xhibi

tions

, con

tinuin

g pr

ofes

siona

lde

velo

pmen

t (CP

D), s

emin

ars,

jour

nals

and

trade

pre

ss a

nd so

on.

But

aw

aren

ess i

s abi

g iss

ue e

ven

whe

re th

e ap

prop

riate

info

rmat

ion

is av

aila

ble.

A ce

ntra

l sou

rce o

rpo

rtal fo

r acc

essin

g inf

orm

atio

n w

ould

be a

grea

t help

. This

could

inclu

de en

viron

men

tal

bene

fits a

nd re

gular

upd

ates

on

innov

atio

nto

impr

ove

the

upta

ke a

nd im

pact

of

info

rmat

ion.

Link

ing

info

rmat

ion

to ty

pes o

fco

nstru

ctio

n, d

esig

n iss

ues a

nd re

cogn

ised

prob

lems w

ould

be u

sefu

l.

Info

rmat

ion

trans

fer

Ther

e are

pro

blem

s with

the t

rans

fer o

fin

form

atio

n, kn

owled

ge a

nd th

eun

derst

andi

ng o

f req

uirem

ents

thro

ugho

utth

e sup

ply c

hain

.For

exam

ple,

som

ear

chite

cts f

eel t

hat s

ales

repr

esen

tativ

esla

ck kn

owled

ge o

f pro

duct

s, w

hile s

ome

supp

liers

in tu

rn cr

iticise

arch

itect

sfor

lack

ing

an u

nder

stan

ding

of p

rodu

ct su

itabi

lity/

limita

tions

in sp

ecific

app

licat

ions

. Sup

ply

chain

par

tner

ing is

ther

efor

e im

porta

ntfo

rin

form

atio

n ex

chan

ge.

‘Risk

y’ in

nova

tion

Inno

vatio

n is

a ris

k and

man

y par

ts o

f the

indu

stry

are

risk a

verse

. Thi

s mea

ns th

ere i

sof

ten

a la

g (ty

pica

lly te

n ye

ars)

betw

een

the

deve

lopm

ent o

f inno

vativ

e tec

hnol

ogy a

ndth

e dev

elopm

ent o

f rob

ust t

est d

ata

and

stan

dard

s.

Stan

dard

sNe

w st

anda

rds a

re n

ot w

ell u

nder

stoo

d, so

it is

impo

rtant

that

know

ledge

of s

tand

ards

reac

hes a

wid

er a

udien

ce. S

tand

ards

hav

ea m

ajor in

fluen

ce o

n whe

ther

or n

ot p

rodu

cts

and

the d

esig

ns u

sing

them

are

acc

epte

d in

the m

arke

t pla

ce.

Futu

re in

form

atio

n ne

eds

Info

rmat

ion

form

ats

Info

rmat

ion

shou

ld b

e sim

ple,

ava

ilabl

efro

m a

sing

le so

urce

and

in a

stan

dard

form

at, in

depe

nden

t and

, idea

lly, fr

ee (o

rch

eap)

to a

cces

s. It

shou

ld b

e pre

sent

ed in

form

ats s

uita

ble f

or u

se in

IT sy

stem

s (ra

ther

than

pdf

versi

ons o

f pap

er d

ocum

ents

) and

need

s to

be ‘n

etw

orka

ble’

. The

Inte

rnet

can

be a

n id

eal v

ehicl

e.

Info

rmat

ion

from

pub

licly

fund

ed w

ork

play

s a ke

y rol

e in

mee

ting

info

rmat

ion

need

s thr

ough

out t

he su

pply

chai

n. B

ut if

it is

to b

e of f

ull v

alue

, use

rs m

ust b

e mad

eaw

are o

f wha

t wor

k is b

eing

done

, the

expe

cted

out

com

es a

nd fu

ture

prio

rities

fo

r pub

lic fu

ndin

g. Th

is sh

ould

be a

vaila

ble

to th

em vi

a th

e web

. Mor

e con

tinui

ty o

fpu

blicly

-fund

ed re

sear

ch w

ould

be b

enef

icial.

Inco

mpa

tibilit

ies b

etw

een c

ompo

nent

s use

din

a buil

ding c

an b

e cau

sed b

y lon

g lea

d tim

es.

The i

nvolv

emen

t of a

ll par

ties a

t an e

arly

stage

in th

e des

ign

proc

ess w

hen

spec

ificat

ions

are t

o be

chan

ged

can

prev

ent t

his.

A la

ck o

f tes

t sta

ndar

ds fo

r new

pro

duct

shin

ders

innov

ation

. The

pro

cess

of d

evelo

ping

appr

opria

te a

nd a

ccep

tabl

e tes

t sta

ndar

dsne

eds t

o m

atch

the p

ace a

t whi

ch n

ewpr

oduc

ts a

re co

min

g on

to th

e mar

ket.

Know

ledge

, par

ticul

arly

that

gai

ned

from

the u

se o

f pro

duct

s, m

ater

ials a

nd as

sem

blies

is no

t ade

quat

ely ca

ptur

ed o

r diss

emina

ted.

Case

stud

ies a

re im

porta

nt. Id

eally

thes

esh

ould

be c

arrie

d ou

t by a

n in

depe

nden

tbo

dy a

nd sh

ould

be r

epor

ted

‘war

ts a

ndal

l’. Th

e be

st fo

rm o

f cas

e st

udie

s for

desig

ners

and

spec

ifiers

allow

s the

m to

see

and

‘feel

’ the

mat

eria

ls an

d pr

oduc

ts in

use

,ra

ther

than

thro

ugh

a w

ritte

n ca

se st

udy.

A m

eans

of m

akin

g co

mpa

rison

s bet

wee

nm

ater

ials

and

prod

ucts

is n

eede

d. In

parti

cula

r it is

impo

rtant

that

info

rmat

ion

ispr

esen

ted

in a

stan

dard

form

at to

facil

itate

such

com

paris

ons.

Build

ing

syst

emIt

is es

sent

ial t

o th

ink o

f the

bui

ldin

g sy

stem

,no

t jus

t the

pro

duct

– fo

r exa

mpl

e we n

eed

info

rmat

ion

on h

ow a

wal

l beh

aves

rath

erth

an a

bric

k. Th

is re

quire

s the

pro

visio

n of

impa

rtial

info

rmat

ion

on th

e per

form

ance

of a

rang

e of m

ater

ials

type

s in

cons

isten

tan

d re

levan

t for

mat

s. Pr

oduc

t inf

orm

atio

nne

eds t

o ad

dres

s the

who

le lif

e of

the

com

pone

nt, n

ot ju

st it

s spe

cifica

tion

– fo

rex

ampl

e a p

rodu

ct o

r com

pone

nt m

ay b

eco

rrect

ly sp

ecifie

d bu

t if no

t insta

lled

corre

ctly

may

still

fail.

In a

dditi

on, m

ore i

nfor

mat

ion

is

need

ed o

n th

e int

erfa

ces b

etw

een

mat

erial

san

d pr

oduc

ts, a

nd th

e lim

itatio

ns o

f diff

eren

tty

pes o

f stru

ctur

e.

Flexib

ility o

f use

will

be im

porta

nt in

futu

reto

allo

w h

ousin

g st

ock t

o sa

tisfy

chan

ging

dem

ogra

phic

and

usag

e nee

ds. T

he b

igge

stim

pact

will

be o

n de

sign,

but

this

will

requ

ire m

ater

ials/p

rodu

ct/a

ssem

bly s

uppo

rt.

Who

le lif

e per

form

ance

Ther

e is a

real

and

urg

ent n

eed

for li

fe cy

clein

form

atio

n on

pro

duct

and

mat

eria

ls co

sts

and

perfo

rman

ce, fr

om a

n in

depe

nden

t,th

ird pa

rty so

urce

. Mor

e inf

orm

ation

is ne

eded

on th

e ser

vice l

ife o

f indi

vidua

l com

pone

nts

and

of th

e sys

tem

s in

whi

ch th

ey a

re u

sed.

Whi

le th

e ret

ro-fi

t mar

ket i

s con

sider

ably

larg

er th

an th

e new

bui

ld m

arke

t, th

ere i

sles

s inf

orm

atio

n on

retro

-fit p

rodu

cts t

han

on th

ose f

or n

ew b

uild

.

Info

rmat

ion

coul

d be

embe

dded

into

com

pone

nts u

sing

elect

roni

c tag

ging

tofa

cilita

te m

aint

enan

ce, re

use a

nd d

ispos

al.

Sust

aina

bilit

ySu

stai

nabi

lity i

s a ke

y iss

ue fo

r arc

hite

cts,

desig

ners

and

spec

ifiers

, and

inde

pend

ent,

cent

ralis

ed a

nd ch

eap

info

rmat

ion

isne

eded

on

a w

ide r

ange

of is

sues

.

For e

xam

ple,

info

rmat

ion

on em

bodi

eden

ergy

is in

crea

singl

y bein

g de

man

ded

but

can

be m

islea

ding

– it

may

not

, for in

stanc

e,al

way

s fac

tor i

n ov

erse

as tr

ansp

ort.

Info

rmat

ion

on w

here

mat

eria

ls ca

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Finding solutions to the problems of developing brownfield land isthe goal of a new research consortium comprising nine researchorganisations concerned with regenerating brownfield land andurban environments.

Known as SUBR:IM (Sustainable Urban Brownfield Regeneration:Integrated Management) the research consortium is being fundedby EPSRC under its Sustainable Urban Environments initiative. It is a four-year programme with initial funding of £1.9 million.

The consortium’s aimsSUBR:IM aims to produce integrated and sustainable solutions forthe development of brownfield land in urban areas, with the widergoal of improving the quality of life and economic growth for all.

The consortium will work to enhance the robustness of technicalsolutions and tools for restoring brownfield land and itsinfrastructure in urban areas. It plans to increase the knowledgebase of all stakeholders involved in brownfield development(investors, developers, planning agencies, local authorities, thepublic, scientists, engineers, etc), to integrate their needs within a sustainable framework and encourage investment.

In addition, the programme will establish best environmentalpractice in the development of brownfield land in urban areas,extend existing knowledge and set international benchmarks and sustainability indicators.

Portfolio of brownfield sitesAt the heart of the consortium’s work is a portfolio of brownfieldsites in two regions, Greater Manchester and the Thames Gateway.Both areas include deprived communities and have substantialbrownfield problems. In other respects they represent opposingpressures, for example, the Thames Gateway is a compact region in the heavily populated and expensive South East of England,while the Greater Manchester portfolio in the North of England ismore spread out, has less population pressure and lower land costs.

The regeneration of these areas is important as it has the potentialto improve the quality of life and economic prospects in both. Inturn there should be knock on effects to wider areas. For example,if the Thames Gateway is developed, greenfield sites in the SouthEast should be saved from development.

While the Greater Manchester area has received less mediacoverage, there has been significant government investment there.Greater Manchester has more than 900 brownfield sites dispersedaround it, offering opportunities for greening (eg urban forests), as well as housing and industry. In the Thames Gateway theemphasis is on housing with industry/amenity – ensuring that thedevelopments are truly sustainable will be the greatest challenge.

The portfolio, particularly in the Greater Manchester area, includesmany sites that are of low value. Such sites present the mostchallenging brownfield land problem in the UK – they arewidespread, their low value makes expensive remediation hard to justify, and they are frequently located in areas of socialdeprivation. These sites require cost-effective and sustainablesolutions which combine the expertise of engineering and scienceworking in concert with policy, planning and social engineering.

By focusing the core research around a common portfolio theconsortium will keep its work integrated and interdisciplinary. The portfolio will also encourage work on the problems that areactually facing developers, local authorities and other stakeholders.

Consortium partners and supportersThe nine consortium partners are:– University of Sheffield (the lead partner)– University of Cambridge– University of Manchester– University of Reading– University of Surrey– BRE– College of Estate Management (CEM)– Forest Research (FR)– Greater Manchester Geological Unit (GMGU)

The research is supported by key stakeholders, including thefollowing:– Environment Agency– Office of the Deputy Prime Minister– ICI– Arup– RICS Foundation– Forestry Commission– British Property Federation– English Partnerships– SecondSite Property– The London Borough of Barking & Dagenham– CL:AIRE– Thames Gateway London Partnership

The projectsThe first set of projects to be funded under the SUBR:IM consortiuminclude core projects linking science, engineering and social sciencedisciplines, which contribute directly to the programme’s aims andobjectives. In addition to the core projects are plus projects, which

are designed to add to the understanding of the problem andsolutions, and to link to other consortia in the Sustainable UrbanEnvironment programme of EPSRC.

The core projects are as follows:

– Portfolio and project management (Sheffield)– The role of the UK development industry in brownfield

regeneration (CEM)– Multi-level decision making processes, expertise and sustainable

urban regeneration (Sheffield)– Metrics for sustainable development of remediation projects

(Surrey)– Robust sustainable technical solutions to contaminated

brownfield sites (Cambridge)– Integrated urban remediation and greening (FR)– Quality in land remediation and management (BRE)

The plus projects are as follows:

– Restoration of acid tar lagoons (Sheffield)– Impacts of climate change on pollutant linkages (Cambridge)– The governance of brownfield regeneration in the UK (CEM)– Novel special purpose composts for the sustainable remediation

of brownfield sites (Surrey).

Each project is led by one of the partners (named in brackets in the above lists). The project on quality in land remediation andmanagement, for example, is being led by BRE Scotland withsupport from the University of Manchester. This project aims toimprove the remediation of contaminated land in the urbanenvironment by developing quality protocols, measures andmethods for land remediation. This should give greater confidenceto those involved in procuring remediation technologies. Morespecifically the project objectives include reviewing the currentapproach to quality, undertaking studies on quality in siteremediation and management, and determining the protocols for quality in future land remediation processes.

The project will produce guidance and research reports, anddevelop a series of publications for the whole consortium basedaround quality in land remediation and management. BRE, along with CL:AIRE and CIRIA, will also be primarily responsible for disseminating the findings and guidance produced by otherresearch partners in the consortium.

For further information – Stephen Garvin 01355 576200Email [email protected]

Building on brownfield land meets the need for new housing and economic development whileprotecting the UK countryside. But brownfield land development presents problems as well assolutions. A new research consortium aims to tackle these, as Stephen Garvin explains.

Putting brownfield land to work

11/12Changes to Approved Document E (2003 Edition) ‘Resistance to the passage of sound’ will have a direct impact onbuilders and designers involved with residential properties. Carl Hopkins and Fran Cowlin assess the implications.

Sound regulations impact on builders

Build separating walls or floors and associated flankingconstructions that are not described in ADE, withperformance assessed through PCT. The construction guidancein ADE is intended to provide the builder with some examples ofsuitable designs that can be used to achieve the performancestandards. However, there are many other construction designs,with more being developed every day. For tried-and-testedconstructions, the onus is on manufacturers and builders to gatherand disseminate field test measurement data to give designersconfidence in the use of these constructions. For innovativeconstructions, an acoustic consultant will usually be required toadvise on appropriate laboratory measurements and predictionmodels to predict the sound insulation performance when built on site (PCT will still be required).

Build according to a statistical understanding of the risks offailure for preferred constructions. Building to a higherspecification involves increased costs. The designer/contractor may therefore decide to work out the statistical risk of failing thePCT and build accordingly. For example, if a type of separating wall construction with a particular type of associated flankingconstruction in a purpose-built dwelling has a mean airbornesound insulation of 50 dB DnT,w+Ctr with a standard deviation of 3 dB (which often occurs), then the failure rate would beapproximately 5% with ADE’s performance standard of 45 dB DnT,w+Ctr. Any failures will have to be rectified, butdesigners/contractors may accept that a certain percentage willrequire remedial treatment and build lower-cost constructions with an allowance for the cost of remediation.

The testing processTesting should preferably be carried out by a test body with UKASaccreditation (or a European equivalent) for field sound insulationmeasurements. BRE Acoustics Centre is one of four acousticstesting companies in the UK with UKAS accreditation.

Where possible, testing should be carried out as the rooms arecompleted, rather than waiting until the whole development isfinished. This way, any potential problems can be rectified at anearly stage. Building control bodies should stipulate at least one set of tests for every ten dwelling houses, flats or rooms forresidential purposes.

One set of tests will comprise either two, four or six individual soundinsulation tests, depending on the type and layout of the building.

If a room fails the sound insulation test, the appropriate remedialtreatment should be carried out. However, a failed set of tests thenraises questions over the sound insulation in other rooms, so thecontractor will need to demonstrate to the building control body’ssatisfaction that these rooms meet the performance standards.

Further information from BRE’s Acoustics Centre 01923 664300, Email [email protected]

Everyone involved in the development of residential accommodationin England and Wales will be affected by the major changes toApproved Document E (ADE) of the Building Regulations whichcame into force on 1 July 2003. New-build rooms for residentialpurposes and buildings converted into dwellings or residentialrooms must now be designed, constructed and tested for soundinsulation. Pre-completion testing for new-build developmentscomes into force in January 2004.

Why have the regulations changed?The Government has introduced the new, more stringent regulationsin an attempt to reduce the increasing number of complaints aboutnoise that have risen dramatically over the past few years. Datagathered in the late 1990s showed that complaints about domesticnoise had trebled in ten years, and that by 1996 over a third ofhouseholds in England had experienced problems with noise in the previous year.

Noise can have effects ranging from mild annoyance and disturbedsleep to more serious psychological and physiological effects suchas high blood pressure, stress and mental-health problems.

What’s new?The new regulations explicitly include standards for ‘rooms forresidential purposes’. This means rooms that are used by one ormore people to live and sleep in, including rooms in hotels, hostels,boarding houses, halls of residence and residential homes. The1996 noise data showed that neighbour-related noise problemsreported by the occupants of flats was more than double thosereported by people living in houses. With this in mind the newregulations place emphasis on separating walls, floors and stairsand associated flanking constructions, as well as reverberation incirculation areas such as corridors.

The second major change is the move to a performance-basedspecification. Constructions given in ADE as guidance can achievethe required sound insulation values in the majority of cases only if they are built correctly to a good standard of workmanship. To ensure that the required standards are met, the regulations have introduced pre-completion testing (PCT), a formalisedprocedure for carrying out site testing of sound insulation.

Meeting the regulationsResponsibility for ensuring that the testing is undertaken lies with‘the person carrying out the building work’ – ie the contractor. That person is also responsible for the cost of testing. Designersand contractors have the following three options.

Build separating walls or floors and associated flankingconstructions described in ADE, with performance assessedthrough PCT. ADE gives guidance on the main constructiondetails. However, additional design checks should be carried out to ensure that there are no devils lurking in the detail that couldadversely affect the sound insulation (eg masonry cavity separatingwalls built off the same concrete slab floor, pipework runningthrough separating floors without adequate isolation, etc). Carefulsite supervision is needed to ensure good workmanship and thatsuitable products are used. If the relevant expertise is not held in-house, designers/contractors can bring in outside experts.

The construction industry must change the way it manages waste. James Hurley looks at the difficulties of doing this, and how they can be overcome.

Waste – challenging the status quo

Most people in the UK buy, consume and dispose of resourcesevery day, and most would admit that there is plenty of scope forreducing and making better use of their waste. If we as individualsstruggle to achieve better waste management, how can a wholeindustry be expected to change its working practices and theperception that it has a right to dump damaged, excess or simplyunused materials?

As individuals we can choose on a whim where to buy our goodsand what brands. We can easily and cost effectively segregate our comparatively small volumes of waste and put them out forcollection or take them to civic amenity sites. But many constructionindustry businesses cannot match an individual’s flexibility when it comes to purchasing, use and disposal of resources, and thereare significant problems with implementing better practices.

The barriersConstruction, simply put, is a manufacturing process. Materials and components are brought in, adapted where necessary andfitted together into saleable goods. Unlike a manufacturing plant,however, a construction site has some very specific challenges tochanging its practices:

Variability. Every site is different – in design, location, materialsand client – making the implementation of generalised wastemanagement plans on a company level fraught with difficulties .

Other priorities. The construction industry still has a poorreputation for its record on health and safety, noise, dust andpollution control. Although there have been improvements, sortingthese issues out is still generally a much higher priority thanchanging waste management practices on site.

Lack of data. Data about how much waste is being produced bythe industry – and whether implementing change is cost effective –remains limited. There are case studies that show cost savings butthese are often viewed with some scepticism by people working onwhat they consider ‘real’ sites, as opposed to demonstration projects.

Low profit margins. Many construction companies work on verylow profit margins, often only 3-4%. Risks tend to be avoided andthis promotes a conservative approach to innovation and change.

Contractor/sub-contractor relations. Most large sites are run by a main contractor with the individual work packages beinglet out to specialist sub-contractors. Main contractors are oftenresponsible for the supply of materials and waste management,leaving sub-contractors with little or no incentive to reuse off-cutsor segregate material to save on disposal costs.

The need to changeSet against these problems are the ever-increasing costs of disposal,tightening regulations and increased pressures from shareholders,clients and government for the construction industry to be seen to be doing the ‘right thing’. Simply put, waste and resourcemanagement practices on site have to change. Companies thatdon’t change will start to see themselves losing out to those thatare leaner and smarter, operating tighter sites, using less material,paying less for disposal, making more profit and ultimately winningmore jobs.

Getting startedIt’s all well and good saying that companies have to change, buthow do they get started? How can a company go from paying little or no heed to waste and resource management to being pro-active, whilst not overburdening already busy staff with extraloads? The following will help get the journey to more effectiveresource management on site underway.

Act early Negotiate with waste management/logistics companies early inthe process, and plan for effective material storage and skip/container placement on site. Identify the key waste products likelyto arise on site, looking at the specification and build programme,and organise waste management activities accordingly. Engage allsub-contractors at tender stage and, where appropriate, contractuallyoblige them to comply with waste management plans on site.

Discuss take-back schemes with your material suppliers and ensurethat they supply returnable or practicably recyclable packagingmaterials. Include waste and resource management information in site health and safety inductions.

Monitor and reportKeep an active check on how much waste you produce from site to site. Use this information to begin to set waste reduction targetsand report it back to the people on site. This can be done usingexisting (paper) skip records or software such as SMARTStart.Ensure that any lessons learnt on one site, good and bad, are notlost when moving on to the next site.

Best valueRemember that the cheapest price per mixed skip does notautomatically equate to the cheapest price for waste managementon your site. Discuss all of the options – from compactors andsegregated skips to mini-skips and rubbish chutes – with yourwaste/logistics companies. Use the most appropriate solution for your site.

Entering a fixed price waste management contract can discouragemaking changes to waste management practices – this is becauseyou will get charged the same price regardless of whether youreduce the amount of waste produced. Discuss entering a fixedprice contract tied to targeted waste reduction activities, implementwaste segregation and ensure that the benefits of better wasteand resource management practices are shared across the entiresupply chain.

Get help when neededProject management teams on site are often extremely busy andcannot afford the time to trawl through research papers and theInternet looking for advice and waste management tools. To be of practical use to design teams and senior management on site,these need to be readily available and easily implemented. Thefollowing sources of waste management tools and advice can get you on the road to more effective resource management in the construction industry.

James Hurley

13/14

1. Software and web-based tools The SMARTWasteTM system includes a range of web-based toolsranging from simple recording mechanisms to more advancedresource management tools. These are briefly described belowwith more information at www.smartwaste.co.uk

SMARTStartTM

The first step onto the SMARTWaste ladder is a very quick andeasy-to-use software tool called SMARTStart. This enables users to define their environmental performance indicators (EPIs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) for waste generation on a site-by-site, and organisational basis. Using SMARTStart, contractorscan keep records of waste arisings and their approximate composition,report on levels of segregation and recycling on site, and continuouslyupdate environmental performance indicators for waste generationfor the project.

Several companies have committed themselves to using SMARTStarton their sites, including major contractors (eg Taylor WoodrowConstruction), property managers (eg Slough Estates) and logisticscompanies (eg Alandale Logistics).

SMARTAudit TM

The second step up the ladder is SMARTAudit, which is a more detailedand time-dependent tool related to SMARTStart. SMARTAudit was developed to provide a robust and accurate mechanism ofbenchmarking wastes arising and categorising them by source,type, amount, cause and cost. SMARTAudits have been completedfor construction, demolition, refurbishment, manufacturing andprefabrication projects.

The data gathered provide a springboard to identifying andprioritising actions to reduce waste, reuse at source, and maximiserecovery to extend materials’ life-cycles. It includes mechanisms for analysing the data, providing instant reports and setting targets and action plans.

Both SMARTStart and SMARTAudit collect, process and displaydata automatically via secure web pages set up for individualconstruction sites. Depending on levels of access allowed, each site can monitor its own performance and compare it to others.Also, environmental managers for a particular client or contractingcompany can now very easily monitor site size, value, materials and construction type with respect to resource efficiency.

BREMAPTM

The third step up the ladder is to define the best practicableenvironmental option (BPEO) for your waste. Sustainable wastemanagement often depends on the availability of recovery facilities and their location in relation to the point of waste arising.The extra transportation of bulky and heavy materials by road can negate environmental benefits associated with the reuse and recycling of materials.

BREMAP is a new geographical information system (GIS) thatallows firms to reduce transport of bulky waste by locating thenearest, most suitable waste management site. BREMAP combinesthe large quantities of available information detailing recycledproducts, landfill sites, transfer stations, incinerators, recycling sites,reclamation companies, composting facilities and manufacturertake-back schemes, into a consistent and accessible format. The system has been developed by BRE and funded by Biffawardthrough landfill tax credits, and through a grant from the Institutionof Civil Engineers’ R&D Enabling Fund.

SMARTStartLGCentral and local government (LG) procures around 60% ofconstruction in the UK. Rethinking Construction and BREdeveloped SMARTStartLG in response to a local governmentquestionnaire that identified a need to integrate resourcemanagement into their procurement processes. SMARTStartLGincorporates the measurement tool SMARTStart to provide local government with a way of measuring the performance of contractors – this is an essential requirement for achieving best value and continual improvement. Several local authorities are using the tool with preferred contractors.

2. PublicationsA range of information on construction and demolition wastemanagement and recycling/reuse of materials can be found in BRE publications (available from www.brebookshop.com or tel 020 7505 6622) and elsewhere:

GBG57 Construction and demolition waste

BR418 Deconstruction and reuse of construction materials

Digest 447 Waste minimisation on a construction site

Digest 433 Recycled aggregates

IP 9/03 Best practice timber waste management

IP 8/03 Construction site packaging wastes: a marketposition report

IP 7/00 Reclamation and recycling of building materials

IP 14/98 Blocks with recycled aggregate: beam and blockflooring

IP12/97 Plastics recycling in the construction industry

IP3/97 Demonstration of reuse and recycling of materials

IP1/96 Management of construction and demolition waste

IP5/94 The use of recycled aggregates in concrete

Collins RJ and Sherwood P. The use of waste and recycled materialsas aggregates. Standards and Specifications. London, HMSO, 1995

Skoyles E R and Skoyles J R. Waste prevention on site. London, Mitchell, 1987

Snook K, Turner A and Ridout R. Recycling waste from constructionsites. CIOB, 1995

The EA Waste Handbook is freely available at:www.recycle.mcmail.com/content.htm

The Symonds Report is a European source of C&D waste information:http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/waste/report.htm

3. ContactsBRE Centre for Resource Managementwww.smartwaste.co.uk, 01923 664200Email [email protected]

The Environment Agency’s Strategic Waste ManagementAssessments (SWMA): www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/waste/147529/?version=1

Materials information exchangewww.salvomie.co.uk

NetRegs is a source of information on environmental legislationand the construction industry:www.environment-agency.gov.uk/netregs

ReclamationSalvo – have listings of reclamation sites by county.

T 01890 820333, F 01890 820499Email [email protected]

Rethinking Construction and the Construction Best PracticeProgramme have now joined forces under the banner of ‘constructingexcellence’ to provide information through best practice clubs,cluster groups, demonstration projects, guidance and keyperformance indicators: www.constructingexcellence.org.uk

Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP)T 0808 100 2040 (Helpline)F 01295 819911Email [email protected]

For more information – James Hurley 01923 664675Email [email protected]

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