2. Agenda
Introduction to Moores
Background to Sustainability
Building Standards
Building Standards – Section 7
Code for Sustainable Homes
Carbon Footprinting
Conclusions
Agenda
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4. Introduction to Moores Furniture Group
Introduction to Moores Furniture Group
Leading manufacturer and installer of kitchen and bathroom
furniture in the UK
Supply furniture into contract markets for social housing
developments and private builds
Operate a number of retail brands which are sold in
independent retailers throughout the UK
Supply furniture for builders merchants and large DIY stores
Established in 1947, joining Masco Corporation in 1996
Based on 30 acres in Wetherby, West Yorkshire
Factory extends over nearly 600,000 square feet
Granted the Royal Warrant of Appointment to Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II in 1995
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6. Background to Decent Homes
Ten year programme to achieve a ‘decent home for all’
Government drew up a range of options for the
implementation of the policy
Background to Decent Homes
In 1997 2.1 million social housing properties did not
meet the Decent Homes Standard
By the end of 2010, 92% of social housing met the
standard
£40 billion invested in decent homes refurbishments
Recognised that Government Ministers have not given
a great deal of thought to what should happen after
2010
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7. What is a Decent Home?
A common definition of ‘decent’ was required
‘A Decent Home: The definition and guidance for
Implementation’
A property is defined as ‘decent’ if:
What is a Decent Home?
– It meets the current statutory minimum standard for
housing
– It is in a reasonable state of repair
– It has reasonably modern facilities and services
– It provides a reasonable degree of thermal comfort
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8. Requirements for a Decent Kitchen?
Requirements for a Decent Kitchen?
Criterion A: It meets the current statutory minimum standard for housing
– Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
– Risk assessment procedure looking at:
• Risk of harm
• Deficiencies that can give rise to a hazard
• Likelihood of an occurrence that a deficiency could cause harm
– 29 hazards are identified each of which sits under one of four main categories:
A – Physiological requirement
B - Physiological requirement
C – Protection against infection
D - Protection against accidents
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9. Requirements for a Decent Kitchen?
Requirements for a Decent Kitchen?
Number. Hazard
1 Damp and mould growth
6 Carbon monoxide and fuel combustion products
15 Domestic hygiene, pests and refuse
16 Food safety
23 Electrical hazards
24 Fire
25 Flames, hot surfaces etc
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10. Requirements for a Decent Kitchen?
Requirements for a Decent Kitchen?
Criterion B: It is in a reasonable state of repair
– Property fails if:
• One or more key building components is old and, because of its condition
needs replacing or major repair; or
• Two or more other building components are old and, because of their
condition need replacing or major repair.
– A kitchen is not defined as a „key building component‟
– Lifetimes used to assess whether the building components are „old‟
– Kitchens assumed to require replacing on grounds of repair every 30 years
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11. Requirements for a Decent Kitchen?
Criterion C: It has reasonably modern facilities and services
Requirements for a Decent Kitchen
– A property fails this criterion if it:
• Lacks three or more (of 6) facilities which include:
– A kitchen which is 20 years old or less
– A kitchen with adequate space and layout
– Age used to define a „modern‟ kitchen is less than the one used for the disrepair
criterion
• Takes into account modernity of kitchens, as well as their functionality and
condition
• This allows for dwellings to be improved to a more modern standard than
would simply be achieved by applying the disrepair criterion.
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12. Decent Homes – The Current Position
Decent Homes – The Current Position
Decent Homes target was not met
– By 2010, there were still 410,000 non decent
• Government, despite the challenges faced in tackling the budget deficit still
committed to the programme
– Announced (in 2010) a £2.1billion capital funding investment
• Help halve the backlog of non-decent social homes over the next four years
• £1.6billion allocated to refurbishing of council homes
• £0.5billion allocated to housing associations
• The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) is in place administer the Decent Homes
Backlog Programme on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local
Government (DCLG)
– Assess funding bids from local authorities
– Make recommendations to ministers on allocations
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13. Beyond Decent Homes Inquiry
House of Commons requested an inquiry into Decent Homes programme
Inquiry sought urgent, detailed thought as to what succeeds the decent homes
standard and the legacy of the programme of work it entailed
Beyond Decent Homes Inquiry
Communities and Local Government Committee published ‘Beyond Decent
Homes’ in 2010
The committee’s conclusions and recommendations were intended to aid that
process of reflection and be a spur to action
• Although the inquiry covered implementation, management and funding, this
briefing guide will focus on the standard itself. To this end, the following
responses and recommendations were made:
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14. Beyond Decent Homes - Recommendation
Beyond Decent Homes - Recommendation
Criterion Response Recommendation
Criterion (a): the HHSRS has been embedded successfully Gov and TSA to take steps to improve
statutory Evidence of lack of understanding of the availability and take-up of HHSRS
system by some landlords. training.
minimum
standard for
housing
Criterion (b): a Broadly operating as intended No action required
reasonable state
of repair
Criterion (c): Allows homes with quite different standards TSA should collate and disseminate best
reasonably of amenities to be classified as decent practice on compliance
Landlord may avoid installing new kitchens Assist landlords and tenants in
modern facilities
and bathrooms if he judges other elements to discussions of how the standard is
and services be “adequate” and “appropriate”. applied at a local level
Criterion (d): a Requires absence of Category 1 hazards Gov to formulate and disseminate
reasonable under the HHSRS in criterion (a) and it is not, practical guidance on what constitutes a
therefore, necessary to repeat this risk of excess cold under HHSRS
degree of thermal
requirement specifically in relation to thermal Criterion should be redrafted explicitly as
comfort comfort in criterion (d) a minimum energy efficiency rating.
Confusion around how to use the HHSRS in Accompanying guidance should indicate
this area inputs likely to be necessary for warmth
Should not mandate specific inputs needed and energy efficiency, while recognising
to reach that energy rating, as there will be that different solutions may be necessary
various ways to reach the desired outcome for different properties.
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15. Tenant Service Authority (TSA)
• TSA launched in 2008 under the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008
– Inheriting regulatory powers from the Housing Corporation
Tenant Service Authority (TSA)
– New powers came into effect for all social housing providers in April 2010
– Every social housing tenant in England now benefits from a common set of
standards
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16. TSA Consumer Standards - Home
• Quality of Accommodation outcomes
TSA Consumer Standards - Home
– Reaffirms TSA‟s commitment towards achieving the Decent Homes Standard
• Compliance with the HHSRS
• Challenges social housing landlords to maintain higher standards for new
build properties designed, using public funding, to a standard higher than
that of Decent Homes. When landlords and tenants plan local offers, the
quality of homes should be set at or above these standards.
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17. TSA Consumer Standards - Home
• Repair and Maintenance outcomes
– Promote the importance of good service
TSA Consumer Standards - Home
– Considers success factors such as:
• Fixing repairs first time
• Keeping tight controls on spending
• Giving tenants real choices in their services
– Landlords must plan the repair and maintenance of homes and common areas
carefully
• Make best use of the money available
• Healthy balance between:
– Spending on everyday (responsive) repairs to tenants‟ homes
– Planned maintenance to keep the housing as a whole in good condition
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18. TSA Consumer Standards - Home
• Outcomes
TSA Consumer Standards - Home
– Provide a cost-effective repairs and maintenance service to homes and communal
areas
• Respond to the needs of, and offers choices to, tenants
• Has the objective of completing repairs and improvements right first time
– Meet all applicable statutory requirements that provide for the health and safety of
the occupants in their homes
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19. Regulating the Home Standard
• The Localism Act (2011) specifies the TSA‟s role in, and its approach to, regulating the
consumer standards
Regulating the Home Standard
• Although TSA‟s responsibilities are limited to setting standards they do retain the power
to intervene when there is, or is a risk of, serious detriment to tenants
• The regulatory and enforcement powers can be used by the TSA following the „Series
Detriment Test‟
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20. Best Practice Approach to Kitchens
Best Practice Approach to Kitchens
• Decent Homes Standard will continue to be operate as the foundation upon
which the new Home standard is based
• Anticipated that TSA will, in due course, collate and disseminate best practice on
compliance with Criterion (c): reasonably modern facilities and services
– Assist landlords and tenants in discussions as to how standard is applied at local
level
• Within the context of kitchen furniture, a best practice approach to future social
housing kitchens is likely to include:
– Refurbishment
• BS6222 – Strength and durability
• BREEAM Domestic Refurbishment
• PAS 2050:2008 and Furniture Industry Research Association – Carbon
Footprinting
– New Build
• Code for Sustainable Homes
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21. Refurbishment – BS6222
• British Standard specifies performance requirements and test methods for
strength and durability of:
– Structure of domestic and residential fitted kitchen units
– Peninsular units
– Island units
Refurbishment – BS6222
– Breakfast bars
• Compliance provides social housing landlords with confidence that kitchen
furniture is of sufficient quality that it will not require to be maintained or
replaced in the short to medium term
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22. Refurbishment – BREEAM Domestic Refurbishment
Refurbishment – BREEAM Domestic
Refurbishment certification scheme launched in October 2011
Sets a new standard for sustainable refurbishment by promoting:
– Moving towards an 80% reduction in CO2
– Impacts on overheating and health
– Flood resilience
– Embodied impacts of materials
– Recycling of refurbishment waste
– Water efficiency
Refurbishment
– Health, security and fire
– Good project management and design
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23. Refurbishment – BREEAM Domestic Refurbishment
Refurbishment – BREEAM Domestic
Evaluates environmental credentials of refurbishment projects based upon
BREEAM's UKAS accredited certification standards
Properties measured against specific criteria and then given a score out of 100
Developed as a tool for designers, financiers, policy makers, developers,
planning authorities and landlords
BREEAM Domestic Refurbishment will give confidence that housing
refurbishment meets best environmental practice by
– Saving carbon, water and waste
– Being adaptable to climate change
Refurbishment
– Providing a healthy indoor environment for occupants
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24. Refurbishment - PAS2050
Publicly available specification for assessing product life cycle GHG emissions
Prepared by BSI British Standards co-sponsored by
– Carbon Trust
– Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
Independent standard which can be applied to manufacturers
Refurbishment – PAS2050
Broad scope as it was designed to be applicable to a wide range of products
Many organisations and industries use PAS 2050 as a best practice framework
for developing more bespoke product carbon footprint assessment
methodologies
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25. Refurbishment – FIRA furniturefootprinter
Refurbishment - FIRA furniturefootprinter
Furniture Industry Research Association developed the furniturefootprinter
Leading carbon footprint calculator for furniture industry
Provides analysis and accounting data to enable manufacturers to work with
their supply chain reduce their carbon footprints
The furniturefootprinter:
– Calculates the carbon and ecological footprints of products, processes, projects and
companies
– Compares the impacts of different product or project options
– Identifies areas where significant improvements can be made
– Creates easy to understand reports and charts
– Helps to raise employee awareness
– Demonstrates continuous improvement
– Stores your data and is continuously updated to reflect the latest footprint figures.
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26. New Build – Code for Sustainable Homes
New Build - Code for Sustainable Homes
The challenge for home builders is:
– To comply with mandatory elements
– To obtain additional „points‟ within the flexible elements
A higher CSH rating does not require the installation of expensive and complex
added value features
Simple adjustments to the design specification can improve the rating with little
or no additional cost
A well-planned kitchen can make a significant contribution towards gaining
credits
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27. New Build – Code for Sustainable Homes
New Build – Code for Sustainable Homes
Specification of a sustainable kitchen can achieve up to 17 credits (from the 107
available) towards the CSH rating
The credits, as approved by a BREEAM CSH Assessor, can be gained from the
following features:
Feature Issue ID Potential Credit
Contribution
Energy Efficient Appliances ENE5 2
Tap with Flow Restrictor WAT1 5
FSC / PEFC Materials MAT3 3
Waste Separation Bin WAS1 4
Kitchen Furniture Brochure MAN1 3
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28. Best Practice Beyond Decent Homes Kitchen
Best Practice Beyond Decent Homes
Kitchens
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30. Conclusions
Decent Homes Standard was incepted to improve the standard of living for social
housing tenants but did not achieve its 2010 target
• Recognised that little or no thought was given to maintaining the standards post
decent homes
• ‘Beyond Decent Homes’ inquiry offered an extensive review of the Decent Homes
programme and proposed a number of recommendations
• Tenant Services Authority assumed regulatory responsibility for social housing
• Home standard directly supersedes the Decent Homes Standard in that it
focuses on outcomes within two categories
– Quality of Accommodation
– Repair and Maintenance
Conclusions
• With a robust knowledge of social housing, Moores has been able to design and
develop a best practice kitchen range which provides social housing landlords
with a kitchen which is durable, sustainable and no more expensive than the
average social housing kitchen.
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Editor's Notes
Moores Furniture Group is a leading manufacturer of kitchen and bathroom furniture in the UK, supplying furniture into contract markets for social housing developments and private builds. With a number of retail brands, sold in independent retailers throughout the UK, Moores also supply furniture for builders merchants and large DIY stores. In recognition of Moores Furniture’s continuing, direct and significant supply of goods and services to the Royal Households of the Queen over a minimum period of five consecutive years, Moores were granted the Royal Warrant of Appointment to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1995.Moores is part of US based Masco Corporation which is, with approximately 6,000 shareholders and 32,500 employees, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of products for home improvement and new home construction markets. The ethos at Masco, and indeed Moores, is epitomised by the culture underpinned by the following approach: “Do not be satisfied with average performance, strive for excellence. If you cannot give your customers a better value and a better product, do not sell the product.”The implementation of sustainability policies and procedures has impacted the new build and refurbishment property sectors and, in response to an element of confusion in the marketplace, Moores has developed this presentation which captures the key requirements. In particular, this presentation will look at the sustainability of kitchens and the role played by manufactures in helping home builders achieve CSH credits as well as highlighting best practice measures which go over and above current sustainability standards.
The programme was launched, by John Prescott, at a time when the UK was enjoying unprecedented levels of prosperity. In that climate it was deemed appropriate to strive towards giving everyone the opportunity of a decent home. The Government, recognised that, after years of underinvestment, many social housing tenants had endured bad experiences with their housing and were living in poor accommodation. The repair backlog was estimated to be £19 billion. The ‘Quality and Choice: A Decent Home for All’ Green Paper was the first comprehensive review of housing for 23 years and it proposed modernisation and reform across the whole range of issues. At the heart of the strategy was the Government’s commitment to ensure that all homes were ‘decent’ by 2010. Implementation of the policy involved developing new funding mechanisms which would allow investment to be leveraged without it being reflected in the public sector borrowing requirement. As a result, the Government actively encouraged local authorities to transfer their housing stock through large scale voluntary transfers and arms length management organisations. They would then be responsible for delivering the decent homes standard. 700,000 new kitchens525,000 new bathroomsover 1 million new central heating systemsre-wiring of 740,000 homes
‘A Decent Home: Definition and Guidance for Implementation 2004 and 2006 (Update)’ provided detailed definitions of each of the four criteria that make up the Decent Home standard. Social landlords and local housing authorities are permitted to deliver housing above this standard but to ensure at least a minimum standard across all housing, a common classification was required which set and monitored the national target.It meets the current statutory minimum standard for housingDwellings which fail to meet this criterion are those containing one or more hazards assessed as serious (‘Category 1’) under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHRS).It is in a reasonable state of repairDwellings which fail to meet this criterion are those where either:one or more of the key building components are old and, because of their condition need replacing or major repair; ortwo or more of the other building components are old and, because of their condition, need replacing or major repair.It has reasonably modern facilities and servicesDwellings which fail to meet this criterion are those which lack three or more of the following:a reasonably modern kitchen (20 years old or less);a kitchen with adequate space and layout;a reasonably modern bathroom (30 years old or less);an appropriately located bathroom and WC;adequate insulation against external noise (where external noise is a problem); andadequate size and layout of common areas for blocks of flats.A home lacking two or fewer of the above is still classed as decent, therefore it is not necessary to modernise kitchens and bathrooms if a home meets the remaining criteria.It provides a reasonable degree of thermal comfortThis criterion requires dwellings to have both effective insulation and efficient heating. It should be noted that, whilst dwellings meeting criteria b, c and d are likely also to meet criterion a, some Category 1 hazards may remain to be addressed. For example, a dwelling meeting criterion d may still contain a Category 1 damp or cold hazard.
The HHSRS focuses on the condition of properties using a risk assessment approach. The HHSRS does not set out minimum standards as it is concerned with avoiding or, at the very least, minimising potential hazards. This means that landlords must review conditions regularly to try to see where and how their properties can be improved and made safer. Properties are in inspected with a score calculated to determine risk. Landlords can then consult government the Enforcement Guidance to determine the actions that they can take. A ‘decent home’ is should be free of category 1 hazards.
The 7 hazards highlighted in the table are all related to the design, installation and performance of kitchens. Examples of the preventive measures that could have a significant effect on likelihood and harm outcomes relating to the hazard are outlined below:1. Damp and mould growth• Properly installed baths, sinks etc.6. Carbon monoxide and fuel combustion products • Proper installation and maintenance of gas/oil/solid fuel burning appliances15. Domestic hygiene, pests and refuse • Personal washing/sanitation/food preparation/cooking/storage areas should be capable of being maintained in a hygienic condition;• Drainage inlets for waste and surface water to be sealed;• Suitable storage for refuse within the dwelling;• Storage to be accessible to occupants but not be a danger to children16. Food safety • Should be facility for food cupboard/larder and refrigerator and freezer with appropriate sockets;• Suitably sized work tops, securely fixed; smooth impervious surface, easily cleanable;• Wall surfaces should be smooth, or with impervious finish and easily cleaned, especially those adjacent to cookers/sinks/drainers and worktops;• Layout/relationship of facilities should ease the stages of preparation, cooking and serving;23. Electrical hazards • Electrical installations to avoid close proximity to water including areas of damp24. Fire • Furniture to comply with current regulations (currently the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 as amended) in furnished accommodation25. Flames, hot surfaces etc • Design and layout of the kitchen, including location of the cooker, the design and controls of heating appliances;• Ideally, hot water should be no more than 60°C in kitchens, 41°C for hand basins and 46°C for baths.
Building components are the structural parts of a dwelling (e.g. wall structure, roof structure), other external elements (e.g. roof covering, chimneys) and internal services and amenities (e.g. kitchens, heating systems). A full list of building components is given in Annex A of this guidance. Key building components are those which, if in poor condition, could have an immediate impact on the integrity of the building and cause further deterioration in other components. They are the external components plus internal components that have potential safety implications and include:external walls;roof structure and covering;windows/doors;chimneys;central heating boilers;gas fires;storage heaters;plumbing; andelectrics.As the kitchen is not defined as a ‘key building component’ a property cannot fail due to the age and condition of the kitchen alone. A component is defined as ‘old’ if it is older than its standard lifetime. Components are in poor condition if they need major work, either full replacement or major repair.One or more key components, or two or more other components, must be both old and in poor condition to render the dwelling non-decent on grounds of disrepair. Components that are old but in good condition or in poor condition but not old would not, in themselves, cause the dwelling to fail the standard.A building component which requires replacing before it reaches its expected lifetime has failed early. Under the terms of the definition, this early failure does not render the dwelling non-decent but should be dealt with by the landlord, typically on a responsive basis.The disrepair criterion is set in such a way that it helps plan future investment needs. Landlords are more likely to be able to predict component failure after the component has reached a certain age than predicting early failures.
The ages used to define the ‘modern’ kitchen were agreed with local authority representatives during a Government consultation on the formulation of the Major Repair Allowance allocations. A kitchen failing on adequate space and layout would be one that was too small to contain all the required items (sink, cupboards cooker space, worktops etc) appropriate to the size of the dwelling.
The Beyond Decent Homes inquiry came at a time of change in the world of housing policy. The economic climate has had a dramatic effect on the resources available for public spending. The growing consensus on climate change lends renewed urgency to efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from housing; and the tension between building new homes and maintaining existing ones continues to exercise decision-makers. A new regulator of social housing, the Tenant Services Authority, was been established.In this context, the inquiry recognised the successes and challenges of the decent homes programme over the ten years of its existence and drawn conclusions to help shape the policy of the next ten.
Although the inquiry covered implementation, management and funding, this presentation focuses on the standard itself. To this end, the following responses and recommendations were made. The inquiry found that there is widespread interest in making additions to the standard with the suggested additions falling into three categories: The fabric of the homeEnergyPhysical and social conditions of the neighbourhood or estate.Whilst setting national standards was acknowledged as a way of improving housing, the inquiry concluded that it is not appropriate for all types of improvement and that some standards are more appropriately set in local standards or agreements. This is the approach which the TSA’s statutory regulatory framework embraces
‘The Regulatory Framework for Social Housing in England’ came into force in April 2012 and the six standards are central to the regulatory framework. Each standard has specifies outcomes the TSA want to see delivered and some specific expectations they expect social housing landlords to meet in delivering these outcomes.TSA’s approach to regulation built around ‘co-regulation’Set clear outcome-focused standards for providersOnus on robust self-regulation by the boards and councilors who govern the delivery of housing services in order to meet those standardsSix consumer standards that social housing providers in England must meet:Tenant involvement and empowermentHome TenancyNeighbourhood and communityValue for moneyGovernance and financial viability
These standards are central to the regulatory framework and they describe the outcomes the TSA wants to see delivered and some specific expectations they expect social housing landlords to meet in delivering these outcomes.OutcomesEnsure that homes meet Decent Homes Standard and continue to maintain their homes to at least this standard after this date ExpectationsRegistered providers may agree, with the TSA, a period of non-compliance with the Decent Homes Standard, where this is reasonableProviders must ensure tenants are aware of reasons for periods of non-compliance, their plan to achieve compliance and then report on progress delivering this plan.
These standards are central to the regulatory framework and they describe the outcomes the TSA wants to see delivered and some specific expectations they expect social housing landlords to meet in delivering these outcomes.
These standards are central to the regulatory framework and they describe the outcomes the TSA wants to see delivered and some specific expectations they expect social housing landlords to meet in delivering these outcomes.ExpectationsRegistered providers must ensure a prudent, planned approach to repairs and maintenance of homes and communal areasDemonstrate an appropriate balance of planned and responsive repairs, and value for moneyApproach should include:Responsive and cyclical repairsPlanned and capital workWork on empty propertiesAdaptations
These standards are central to the regulatory framework and they describe the outcomes the TSA wants to see delivered and some specific expectations they expect social housing landlords to meet in delivering these outcomes.The regulatory and enforcement powers can be used by the TSA following the ‘Series Detriment Test’Considers whether a standard has been failed and there are reasonable grounds to suspect that:The failure has resulted in a serious detriment to the provider’s tenants (or potential tenants), orThere is a significant risk that, if no action is taken by the TSA, the failure will result in a serious detriment to the provider’s tenants (or potential tenants)
These standards are central to the regulatory framework and they describe the outcomes the TSA wants to see delivered and some specific expectations they expect social housing landlords to meet in delivering these outcomes.
These standards are central to the regulatory framework and they describe the outcomes the TSA wants to see delivered and some specific expectations they expect social housing landlords to meet in delivering these outcomes.The following types of tests are specified:Handling testsStatic load testsFatigue testsImpact tests
In August 2010, while launching the Energy Technologies Institute, Government’s Chief Construction Adviser Paul Morrell, from the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, stated the need to upgrade 12,500 homes a week to hit the government's target of achieving an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050 (Climate Change Act, 2008). To date, much of the government and industry effort has been directed at establishing how to reduce energy consumption in our homes. Unfortunately, much of the UK's existing housing stock is old, very inefficient in terms of energy consumption, and will not be replaced within the foreseeable future. The challenge for Government and industry is therefore to fund and deliver a nationwide refurbishment programme which meets the sustainability objectives. The recently launched BREEAM Domestic Refurbishment, which complements CSH, addresses the sustainability challenges for refurbishment projects within existing homes. Sits alongside the Code for Sustainable HomesDevelopment informed by the National Refurbishment CentrePiloted on 200 properties by Code for Sustainable Home assessors
The standard evaluates the environmental credentials of refurbishment projects based upon BREEAM's UKAS accredited certification standards. Properties are measured against such criteria as energy and water use, and then given a score out of 100 and a rating ranging from ‘pass' to ‘outstanding'. Following initial stakeholder workshops, a six-month pilot programme tested the method in properties of varying types and ages, ranging from apartments to traditional houses. The pilot followed a similar approach to the CSH in evaluating the key sustainability measures that relate to housing. These issues were tuned to the needs of existing housing but still remain at a level that aims to maximise sustainability. Some of the key differences in the approach that were adopted in the pilot version include:Recognising the limited influences on site issues such as water, transport and ecologyRecognising the varying baselines of existing stock from pre 1900’s to post 2002Providing greater differentiation in the Green Guide rating for refurbishment to recognise the small changes made in the refurbishmentEnsuring refurbishment is not penalised by providing flexibility on issues which are hard to improve such as daylighting and sound insulationConsidering future climate change adaptation issues such as flooding and overheating.
PAS 2050 is a publicly available specification for assessing product life cycle GHG emissions, prepared by BSI British Standards and co-sponsored by the Carbon Trust and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). PAS 2050 is an independent standard which can be applied to manufacturers. The scope of PAS 2050 is very broad as it was designed to be applicable to a wide range of products. Many organisations and industries use PAS 2050 as a best practice framework for developing more bespoke product carbon footprint assessment methodologies.
The Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA) was established over 60 years ago by the furniture industry for the industry. FIRA provides a wide range of independent expert services that are not only dedicated to the global furniture supply chain, but also to furniture consumers, and continues safeguarding the industry through managing the Association's membership activity. Within the context of sustainable homes, a best practice approach to specifying furniture will ensure manufacturers actively use FIRA’s furniturefootprinter: a carbon footprint calculator, developed in partnership with leading environmental consultants Best Foot Forward, for the furniture industry. The online tool allows all parties within the furniture supply chain to quickly and easily generate and compare carbon footprints for their businesses and products.
The sustainability rating which a home achieves represents its overall performance across the nine Code design categories. Minimum standards exist for a number of categories. These must be achieved to gain a one star sustainability rating. Energy efficiency and Water efficiency categories also have minimum standards that must be achieved at every level of the Code for Sustainable Homes, recognising their importance to the sustainability of any home. Apart from the minimum requirements, the Code for Sustainable Homes is completely flexible; developers can choose which and how many standards they implement to obtain the ‘points’ under the Code in order to achieve a higher sustainability rating.There is a common misconception that achieving a higher CSH rating requires the installation of expensive and complex added value features. However, this is not the case and by making simple adjustments to the specification of core elements of the design, the quality of the home can improve for little or no additional cost and a higher CSH rating can be achieved.
Moores has been able to demonstrate the achievement Energy efficient appliancesHome appliances (i.e. washing machines, tumble dryers and refrigerators) account for a significant proportion of household CO2 emissions, so the installation of energy efficient products will cost less to run and help lower CO2 emissions. CabinetsBRE whole life costing of 20 yearsMFC (melamine-faced chipboard) contains a high proportion of recycled materialABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) edging an environmentally friendly alternative to PVCLow formaldehyde E1 gradeWater wastageShallow bowl sinkFlow restrictor tap for reduced water usageFinishing100% recyclable handlesLow voltage LED lightingFittingDeploy tools to allow worktop to be removed without damaging the wall tilesTap with flow restrictorWater, our most precious resource, is more and more in demand. As water usage and its costs continue to rise, architects, planners andenvironmentalists are searching for new alternatives. Fitting a water restrictor allows you to control the amount of water a tap uses. Water usage is determined by water pressure and the size of valve in the tap so if there is particularly high pressure a tap could be delivering many unnecessary litres of water per minute. Taps with flow restrictors limit the of volume of litres of water per minute up to a specified pressure. FSC / PEFCForest Stewardship Council certified products have been responsibly managed from the forest right through to the kitchen. Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation which promotes sustainably managed forests. The PEFC certification provides assurance that products and organisations promote the sustainable management of forests.Waste separation binRecycling saves energy, reduces raw material extraction and combats climate change. In order to increase the ease, and therefore propensity to recycle, waste separation bins can be incorporate into a kitchen design. A waste separation bin typically houses 3 compartments and total capacity of 40 litres.Kitchen Furniture BrochureProviding a simple user guide can be an important tool in supporting tenants / occupants to embrace the features within their kitchen. The user guide should provide information relevant to the ‘non-technical’ tenant/ occupant on the operation and environmental performance of their home, together with information that the user guide is available in alternative accessible formats
Examples of a best practice activities currently employed within kitchen furniture manufacturers which span the product lifecycle include: Raw MaterialsProcurement policy and promotes the procurement of sustainable raw materialsFSC and PEFC certificationMFC material that contain a high proportion of recycled materialOrganisation’s own waste sent back to the manufacturer for recycling85% of raw carcase materials sourced locally (within 100 miles of factory) ManufactureChallenging environmental objectives and targets for:Energy and water consumptionWaste to landfillRecycled materialFuel usageAccredited with BS EN ISO 14001:2004FISP (Furniture Industry Sustainability Programme) memberConsumer UseWater wastageShallow sinkFlow restrictor tap for reduced water usageA or A+ rated appliances for the maximum efficiencyFinishing100% recyclable handlesLow voltage LED lightingWaste disposal units and waste separation binsFittingDeploy tools to allow worktop to be removed without damaging the wall tilesFactory systems optimised to minimise wasteFactory is heated by renewable (i.e. biomass waste boilers)Disposal / Recyling‘Waste hierarchy’ focused on Eliminate, Reduce, Re-use, Recycle / Recovery and DisposalOptimisation systems for panel (Melamine Faced Chipboard and Medium Density Fibreboard)Worktop cutting programmes to reduce production wasteOut of specification / damaged panels cut down / re-edged for reuseRecycled materials where possible / appropriate, with excess waste wood recycled back into chipboardRecycling schemes for paper, cardboard, metal, plastic, ink cartridges, batteries, aerosol cans and waste oil MFC and worktop waste returned to board manufacturer for recyclingWood waste incinerated if biomass waste boilers in use MDF, PVC foil and MFC panels with 3mm lipping sent to fuel power stationsWRAPInternal events / programmes
The Decent Homes Standard was incepted to improve the standard of living for social housing tenants. The UK Government set itself ambitious targets for achieving a ‘decent home for all’ and although the programme has been a success, large numbers of properties still fall short of the standard, despite the passing of the 2010 target date. Additional funding has been allocated to the Homes and Communities Agency, whom have assumed responsibility for administering the Decent Homes Backlog Programme on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government. Over the course of the Decent Homes programme, the priority was very much focused on creating economic delivery models which would drive the programme at a local level. This involved complex projects such as large scale voluntary transfers and the setting up of Arms Length Management Organisations. The Government has now recognised that little or no thought was given to maintaining the standards post decent homes. The Beyond Decent Homes inquiry offered an extensive review of the Decent Homes programme. The review, which considered scrutinised each of the criterion within the standard, proposed a number of recommendations which, if implemented, will provide a sustainable future for the social housing stock in the UK. The Tenant Services Authority has assumed regulatory responsibility for social housing and their approach is built around ‘co-regulation’ where they set clear outcome-focused standards for providers and with the onus being on robust self-regulation. The Home standard directly supersedes the Decent Homes Standard in that it focuses on outcomes within two categories: Quality of Accommodation and Repair and Maintenance. Although the TSA does not go into detail, as to how the outcomes are to be achieved, it is anticipated that best practice guidance will be introduced in the future. A best practice approach for kitchen refurbishments is likely to consider the quality, durability and environmental impact of the design and installation of kitchens. With a robust knowledge of social housing, Moores has been able to design and develop a best practice kitchen range which provides social housing landlords with a kitchen which is durable, sustainable and no more expensive than the average social housing kitchen. The ReAction kitchen range has been reviewed by a BREEAM Code for Sustainable Homes Assessor and can contribute to up to 17 credits for the Code for the Sustainable Homes. This range is the current benchmark for sustainable kitchens within the industry. With a robust knowledge of the sustainability agenda, Moores has been able to design and develop a best practice kitchen range which provides developers and landlords with a kitchen that reduces, re-uses, recycles and is responsibly sourced. The ReAction kitchen range has been reviewed by a BREEAM Code for Sustainable Homes Assessor and can contribute to up to 17 credits for the Code for the Sustainable Homes. This range is the current benchmark for sustainable kitchens within the industry.
