Costing your self-build project is an essential step on your journey to building your own home. As well as helping you gain a better understanding of the feasibility of your project, it will also help you secure finance – as many lenders require a detailed budget when considering your application. We explore some of the ways you can work out[…]
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You might have heard of the phrase ‘off-site manufacturing’ or ‘modern methods of construction’ when looking into a self-build project – but what does it really mean, and what are the benefits? Understanding the basics Offsite manufacture and offsite construction fundamentally describe pre-manufactured structures designed to allow for quick onsite assembly. The exact levels of prefabrication can vary depending on[…]
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Embarking on a self-build is an amazing and rewarding journey-guaranteed to return many ups and downs. However, there are some precautions you can take to reduce the negatives and ensure your self-build project runs as smoothly as possible. In this months feature, we explore some of the common failures experienced during a self-build project and how you can take some[…]
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How can the self the build register help you find your dream plot of land The quest to begin your self-build project can be daunting – and finding land is usually the first landmark step on your journey. But what you might not have heard about is local authority self/custom build registers. Introduced in the Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Act[…]
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New build The introduction of the mandatory SAP assessment and CO2 performance targets in Part L 2002; in the form of the TER (KgCO2/m2), have been the major tools for ensuring the improved energy performance of new buildings. This was complimented by the introduction of the EPC system in 2008; requiring assessment of all buildings for rent, sale or change[…]
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Policy context Having set very ambitious targets for zero carbon new homes in 2006, the UK government and the ZCH hub have periodically reduced the scope of the requirements. It seems that to some extent the original definition; which included unregulated emissions, was technically unachievable for many projects (ZCH, 2011) . However it can be argued, that that anticipation of[…]
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The following section highlights some of the key barriers to the diffusion of LZC new build and retrofit in the UK. Although many of the issues are fairly consistent between both new build and retrofit, where innovation and adoption faces similar barriers, there are a number of areas where the challenges diverge. These barriers are associated with concerns over the[…]
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The following section highlights some of the key barriers to the diffusion of LZC new build and retrofit in the UK. Although many of the issues are fairly consistent between both new build and retrofit, where innovation and adoption faces similar barriers, there are a number of areas where the challenges diverge. These barriers are associated with concerns over the[…]
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Clearly there are too many private sector actors involved to summarise here, therefore the following table provides an indication of the key types of organisation and the roles they play within the industry A list of these groups can be found in Table 1. Table 1 Key private sector actors Organisation Sector/Structure Brief description Relevant roles/ activities Architects […]
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There are a number of academic organisations with a notable specialism in areas surrounding research in the sustainable and low carbon built environment. The following table does not provide an exhaustive list, but indicates some of the key players in the UK. A list of these groups can be found in Table 1. Table 1 Major academic centres Organisation[…]
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