Energy Efficiency
As a house builder you have an important role to play to ensure that the homes you are building meet the required standards.
Energy Saving Trust (EST)
This is the most useful and trusted web site to find best practice information about energy efficiency in homes. It holds a wealth of publications and technical guides to help design, build and refurbish homes to high standards of energy efficiency. EST also has a technical helpline offering you some of the leading experts in energy efficiency and renewable technology in housing.
Building Research Establishment (BRE)
‘BRE provides the buildings expertise to the Energy Saving Trust and to the various Carbon Trust customer support programmes, providing unbiased advice and guidance to improve energy efficiency and make greater use of energy-efficient techniques.'
EST (September 2007) Energy Efficiency Best Practice
It provides a list of the good practice guides on energy efficiency available from the EST website; making it easier for you to know what guidance they have and and if it is applicable to your company or trade. It includes community heating, general advice, heating systems, insulation, ventilation, lighting, multi residential and tower blocks, renewable energy systems, whole house new build, whole house refurbishment and windows.
RICS (Dec 2007) Towards an Energy Efficient European Building Stock - RICS Status Report An RICS Status Report on the Implementation of Directive 2002/91on the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD) in the EU Member States
‘The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) promotes best practice, regulation and consumer protection to business and the public. With more than 140,000 members worldwide, and 19 national associations in Europe, RICS is a leading source of independent property related knowledge. Moving towards a low carbon built environment is the number one priority for RICS. Its members have unique insight into energy efficiency in new and existing buildings as they are involved at all levels in the life cycle of a building: new construction, refurbishment, facilities management and valuation.'
EST (2005) Best Practice in New Housing - A Practical Guide (CE95)
This is intended to help designers and builders achieve best practice standards of energy efficiency. It includes straightforward specifications for building energy efficient homes, different options for achieving best practice and recommendations for a range of dwelling types.
EST (2005) Building your own Energy Efficient House (CE123)
Here the guide demonstrates how homes that exceed the requirements of Building Regulations, in terms of their energy efficiency, can be cost effective. It includes how to achieve an integrated design, a checklist for a low energy home, references and resources for further information.
EST (2005) Building energy efficient buildings using modern methods of construction (CE139)
A guide that shows that homes that exceed the requirements of Building Regulations in terms of their energy efficiency and use of modern methods, can be built cost effectively. The document also includes information on costs and has 6 small case studies.
EST (2004) Energy Efficient Refurbishment of Existing Housing (CE83)
Provides practical advice to help housing mangers, landlords, builders and installers to refurbish existing housing in an energy efficient way. An invaluable tool for refurbishing in full or for specific features including heating insulation, lighting and appliances.
EST (2004) Refurbishing Dwellings - A Summary of Best Practice (CE189)
Offers advice to those who specify refurbishment work in homes and provides information on best practice standards for typical dwellings in the UK. The main construction elements and building services are summarised in this document.
Code for Sustainable Homes: Technical Guide - Department for Communities and Local Government (March 2007),
