CSH 2009 and
Beyond….
Matt Robinson

UK Construction:
Some Shocking Facts
50% of new builds miss ‘as designed’ energy use by up-to 50%.
30% of new builds fail infiltration standard of 10ach@5pa
Energy Saving Trust (2004)
Room in roof U-values on average 104% worse than ‘as calculated’
Average full-fill cavity wall was 20% worse than ‘as calculated’
Dept. Environment Travel Regions (DETR) (2001 report)
Energy use in residential buildings has increased by 20% since 1970
Building Research Establishment (BRE 2003+2007)

Step Change
Today
2016

The route: Policy
• 2006, 2010, 2016
building regs – Part L
• Code for Sustainable
Homes
• Low Carbon Building
Programme
• Green Taxes?

Issues: Is Zero truly 0 ?
• What if we use a lot of energy
and resources, and create a lot
of pollution to do ‘Zero’?
• What if ‘Zero’ doesn’t exist?
Is there a ‘sweet spot’ just below
‘Zero’?

CSH:- Deeply flawed
• Heat loss Cheating • Water Leaking
– Due to SAP calculations – Too high a credit for
and basing ‘reductions’ on recycling, rather than
savings against notional efficiency.
buildings. – No account of energy
• Fuel Factor Fudging taken
• Green Guide Greenwash
– Bung a ASHP on and its
easy. – ‘Should not be used to
– See SAP problems specify products’!!!
• Eco B*ll*cks
– Who monitors claims and
performances?

2010
Currently CSH and SAP under review and consultation
CSH 2010
SAP 2010
• Absolute energy use in
• Becoming more like PHPP
kw/h/m2/year and
• Absolute energy use in
CO2/m2/year
kw/h/m2/year and
• Responsible sourcing of
CO2/m2/year
materials
• Stop ‘ticking the box’
• Simplified Water
– Eg Y-values calculated for
• Post occupancy
each dwelling
monitoring?

If I was to go there, would I start here?
UK Construction industry
2008
UK Construction industry
2016

Achieving CSH -
Strategy
Matt Robinson

Eco or Sustainable or....
Passive Haus
– ‘Ultra low energy building
standard.’
R2000
– ‘...based on an energy
consumption target.’
Minergie
– ‘...quality label for new and
refurbished low-energy-
consumption buildings.’
UK 2006 L2
– ‘Conservation of fuel and
power...’

CSH Case
Studies
Matt Robinson

Dunham Road, Dundee
23 Homes for Abertay
Housing Association
Lifetime homes
standard, secured by
design
Winner, Sustainability Design
Award, Angus
Project Value £2.2m (incl.
services and roads)
Wellwood Leslie Architects

Dunham Road
• Wall U-values 0.15-
0.18w/m2/K
• Roof U-values 0.15w/m2/K
• Infiltration 3m3/h/m2@50pa
• Minimal use of solar
orientation
• Solar Thermal
• Electric resistance heating
• MVHR

Dunham Road
Timber frame, cold roof.
Timber double glazed
Pavatex Diffutherm or
Pavaclad, Hemp
Insulation
Modern lime renders and
plasters by Baumit
Breathable NBT Contract Eco
Paints
Minimal VOC’s / Toxins in fit
out , FSC etc

Dunham Road

Dunham Road
• Clear performance
specification
• Simplicity and proven
products
• Good team
• Overall sustainability
theme (eg healthy
homes)

Lincoln Grove, Bladon
9 New Homes in Cotswold
Style
Kingerlee Homes and Lifehaus
Started at CSH3.....
Project Value £3m
ALP Architects
Post occupancy monitoring.

Lincoln Grove, Bladon
Walls 0.22w/m2/K, Roof
0.18w/m2/K, Floor 0.2w/m2/K,
Windows 1.4w/m2/K
Excellent overheating control
Infiltration 4m3/h/m2@50pa
Solar Thermal
Passive Stack Ventilation
Biomass and Gas heating

Lincoln Grove, Bladon
Issues
• Technical design team:-
– eg Cold bridging from
structural engineers
• Build issues:-
– Infiltration problems due to
missing parge coat in hidden
areas
– Window performance
• ‘Different’ materials and
specifications.

Old Apple Store, Ecos Homes
• 5 new residential properties in rural Somerset.
• CSH 5 certified (one of only 2 in UK?)
• Pippin Properties main contractor
• 2006 ‘Best sustainable development in the UK’

Old Apple Store, Ecos Homes
• Timber frame
• Super insulated –
Warmcell and external
Pavatex board
• Wood pellet heating
• Solar thermal
• Simplified design
• Procured in packages

Old Apple Store, Ecos Homes
• CSH 5 Certified
• Walls 0.14w/m2/K, Floor 0.15w/m2/K,
Roof 0.12w/m2/K, Windows
1.2w/m2/K
• Infiltration of 3m3/m2/hour
• Passive ventilation, solar thermal,
PV and rainwater harvesting
• Central internal service run,
minibore pipes, reduced pipe
runs, no radiators in living space
• Apart from infiltration, would
exceed PassivHaus

Old Apple Store, Ecos Homes
• Experience led them down
the envelope led route
• Off-site panel
manufacture, onsite
insulation and airtightness
• Whole house monitoring of
energy, water, temperature
and humidity
• Still a long way from ‘Zero
Carbon’

Future & Current Projects
One Brighton for Crest Princes Foundation –
Nicholson and Bioregional Natural House at BRE
Quintain

Resources
www.goodhomes.org.uk
www.natural-building.co.uk
www.carbonlite.org.uk