Structural Survey and the Internet

Citation

Todd, S. (2003), "Structural Survey and the Internet", Structural Survey, Vol. 21 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ss.2003.11021dag.001

Structural Survey and the Internet

Stephen Todd

The Web site information in this volume includes some key sites and other sites which mainly have an environmental/energy conservation focus. If there are any other interesting sites or sources of information that you have found useful, please e-mail me at s.todd@salford.ac.uk

The Building Research Establishmentwww.bre.co.uk

The “Latest News” section of the BRE’s Web site gives information of the following:

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  Controlling construction pollution – construction projects will increasingly need to demonstrate that the noise and air pollution they cause are within acceptable and legal limits.

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  Toxicity test becomes standard – exposure to toxic gases and smoke is the main cause of injury and death in fires. Since the 1950s, annual toxic smoke deaths have increased fourfold, and injuries by a factor of 40.

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  Extinguishing office fires – a new BRE video demonstrates how to safely handle small office fires using water fire extinguishers and, in the case of electrical fires, carbon dioxide extinguishers.

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  Assessing heat-treated timber for cladding – the performance of a modified timber product that has undergone thermal treatment to improve a number of its properties is being assessed by BRE, especially for use in cladding.

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  Crime and security in hospitals – the cost of crime in hospitals can be huge, running to millions of pounds a year in a typical urban hospital. There are also hidden costs, such as those of high staff turnover and sick leave due to injury or stress. But hospital security is frequently overlooked and under resourced.

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  Transmission of infectious diseases on aircraft – in view of the current interest in transmission of infectious diseases, an expert from the RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine will be speaking at the forthcoming conference Air Quality in Passenger Aircraft, to be held at the Royal Aeronautical Society on 16 and 17 October.

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  Building airtightness – a reminder to designers and contractors.

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  Construction products from papermill waste – a new research programme aims to develop innovative construction products utilising papermill waste. The work will focus on three main product groups: renders, blocks and clays; wood-based joinery and industrial materials such as additives and extenders.

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  Innovations in masonry construction – despite the apparent basic nature of bricks, blocks and mortar, the masonry sector has continually demonstrated an ability to develop new products to meet new situations.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyorswww.rics.org.uk

The RICS Web site main menu includes the following:

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  About us

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  Faculties

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  Forums

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  Regions

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  Career Zone

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  Resources

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  Help

The news and press release sections have information on:

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  UK construction health;

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  Improved planning performance;

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  RICS questioned about the proposed Housing Bill;

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  House price fears recede;

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  “Euro membership will spur homes inflation” – this study by RICS economics shows that adoption of the euro is likely to push house prices up by 15-28 per cent. The study also finds that early entry to the euro will set off a short economic boom, spurred mainly by increased consumer spending as the cost of mortgages fall.

DEFRA (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) – Sustainable Developmentwww.sustainable-development.gov.uk/index.htm

Sustainable Development Web Site from DEFRA (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). This Web site reports on progress by the UK as a whole towards sustainable development. It includes a discussion forum, a list of indicators to track progress and annual reports on progress.

Action Energywww.actionenergy.co.uk

The Action Energy/HEEBPPs Web site aims to keep you up-to-date with programme-related information, news, free publications and events, in accordance with its primary objective of disseminating best practice guidance for implementing energy efficiency measures in housing. It currently gives information on:

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  interest free energy loans;

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  Carbon Trust launch of national innovation awards.

Affordable Warmth Programme (Local Authorities)http://www.affordablewarmth.co.uk

The Affordable Warmth Programme is a partnership between Transco and the Government. The aim is to install central heating and other energy efficiency measures in up to 1 million homes and train up to 10,000 people to work in the gas and energy efficiency sectors.

TRANSCO underwrites operating leases for Local Authorities and Housing Associations to enable them to borrow money to install new gas central heating coupled with other energy efficiency measures. The LAs and HAs can tender for the best finance deal to suit their needs. The borrowing is said to be at least as financially efficient as capital borrowing. Transco will underwrite the lease arrangement. The training should ensure that there is an adequately trained pool of labour to carry out the gas installation and energy efficiency work. The perceived advantage with using the leasing financing mechanism is that investment can be made without increasing capital spending. There are Treasury approved tax incentives for authorities who do this. Leasable elements include: Gas fired boiler or heat exchanger (e.g. in community heating programme); radiators, controls and pumps (typically 70 per cent of the domestic system can be leased).

Association for Environmentally Conscious Buildings (AECB)www.aecb.net

The objective of the AECB is to facilitate environmentally responsible practices within building. Specifically the AECB aims to:

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  promote the use of products and materials which are safe, healthy and sustainable;

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  encourage projects that respect, protect and enhance the environment;

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  make available comprehensive information and guidance about products, methods and projects;

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  support the interests and endeavours of members in achieving these aims.

This Web site also has: a “frequently asked questions” section.

Association for the Conservation of Energy (ACE)www.ukace.org

The Association for the Conservation of Energy was formed in 1981 by a number of major companies active within the energy conservation industry, in order to encourage a positive national awareness of the need for and benefits of energy conservation, to help establish a sensible and consistent national policy and programme, and to increase investment in all appropriate energy saving measures.

Membership of ACE is limited to 24 UK-based companies which have substantial interest in energy conservation equipment and services. Current members include controls manufacturers, energy service companies and manufacturers and distributors of insulation materials.

In addition, there is unlimited membership of the “Friends of ACE”, which is open to local authorities and housing associations who are actively engaged in energy conservation and related issues. ACE produces a free newsletter called the Fifth Fuel, copies of which are available on request, as is its publications list.

BedZED – The Beddington Zero Energy Developmentwww.bedzed.org.uk

BedZED will only use energy from renewable sources generated on site. It is the first large-scale “carbon neutral” community – i.e. the first not to add to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. BedZED shows how housing can be built without degrading the environment. BedZED aims to be a beacon to show how we can meet the demand for housing without destroying the countryside. It shows that an eco-friendly lifestyle can be easy, affordable and attractive – something that people will want to do.

The development comprises 82 one, two, three and four bedroom flats and houses for sale and rent and 18 live/work spaces and is on a former sewerage works. Each flat or maisonette has its own skygarden – a garden is made up of 300mm of soil and 300mm of insulation allowing real gardening and growing to be possible. The ground floor opens into an integrated conservatory with an outer and inner facade. This means that every home has a private garden at densities that would normally only allow for a balcony. No chipboard has been used which will reduce the amount of formaldehyde in each dwelling. Where possible, natural, recycled or reclaimed materials are used. All the wood used has been approved by the Forest Stewardship Council to ensure that it comes from a sustainable source. The houses face south so that they can make maximum use of the heating effect of the sun on glass. The dwellings shade offices so that they do not receive solar heat gain and can thus avoid the use of air-conditioning. The heat demand is so small that it can be met from the incidental air vents and topped up by a tiny finned tube radiator in the hallway. A 130kw electric output wood-fuelled chp station is used to supply the energy needs of the 100 dwellings. There is on site photovoltaic cells to support 40 electric cars and a local electric van to bring local produce to the on site organic farm shop

Centre for Alternative Technologywww.cat.org.uk

CAT is an environmental charity aiming to “inspire, inform, and enable” people to live more sustainably. A solutions driven organisation, offering practical solutions to environmental problems, our key areas of work are renewable energy, environmental building, energy efficiency, organic growing and alternative sewage systems. They have been in existence for 25 years.

Their services include a visitor centre open seven days a week, practical and informative publications, a mail order service of “green” books and products, educational services for schools, consultancy for individuals and businesses, residential courses, membership and a free information service.

Eagawww.eaga.co.uk

Eaga Partnership was established in 1990 specifically to manage the Warm Front Team Grant Scheme (previously the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme – HEES) on behalf of the Government. The Eaga Partnership has now evolved into an organisation which manages over 500,000 HEES grant applications a year from low-income families. Additionally, they have also administered over 30,000 grants on behalf of local authorities and energy utilities. A large number of these customers contact them through their call centre, which deals with up to 2,000 calls on a daily basis. On a national basis, they manage the Warm Deal Scheme in Scotland, the Warm Homes Scheme in Northern Ireland and HEES in Wales.

The Earth Centrewww.earthcentre.org.uk

The Earth Centre is built on the site of Cadeby Colliery which was closed in 1986 with devastating effects on the local community. In 1995 the Millennium Commission allocated a £50 million grant to the Earth Centre. The Earth Centre covers 400 acres of South Yorkshire landscape packed with interesting things to do and see! Experience futuristic ideas and interactive shows both inside exciting and innovative buildings and among the inspirational gardens.

Forest Stewardship Councilwww.fsc-uk.demon.co.uk

The Forest Stewardship Council is a market mechanism for improving the world’s forest management. It does this through an independent forest certification scheme which bridges the gap between responsible producers and consumers of forest products worldwide. Products from FSC-endorsed forests are marked with the internationally-recognised FSC Trademark. FSC is an international non-profit organisation committed to bridging the gap between responsible producers and consumers of forest products world wide. It is an association of members, with representatives in more than 40 countries. FSC’s executive director and secretariat are based in Oaxaxa Mexico.

More than eight million hectares of forest have been certified to the FSC’s principles and criteria. There are now certified forests in around 30 countries including Costa Rica, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, South Africa, Sweden, the UK and the USA.

Glass and Glazing Federationwww.ggf.org.uk

The Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) is the recognised leading authority and voice for employers and companies within the flat glass, glazing, window, home improvement, plastics and applied window film industries in the UK. Their Web site includes guidance on meeting the requirements of Part L of the Building Reguulations.

Hockerton Housing Projectwww.hockerton.demon.co.uk/

The Hockerton Housing Project is the UK’s first earth sheltered, self-sufficient ecological development. Project members live a holistic way of life in harmony with the environment which all ecological impacts have been considered and accounted for. The residents of the houses generate their own clean energy, harvest their own water and recycle waste matter causing no pollution or carbon dioxide in Europe.

Imagination Solar Systemswww.atonsolar.nl/english.htm

This Bristol based company now supplies the ATON solar systems produced in The Netherlands. Distinctive features of these systems are:

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  solar panels which are sunk into the roof tiles rather than fitted on top, greatly improving appearance;

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  low flow rates so that the water returns from the panels at a high temperature;

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  low electricity usage to power the pump;

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  drain back principle so that maintenance costs are apparently minimal.

Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)www.ipcc.ch/

Recognising the problem of potential global climate change the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988. It is open to all members of the UNEP and WMO. The role of the IPCC is to assess the scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant for the understanding of the risk of human-induced climate change. It does not carry out new research nor does it monitor climate-related data. It bases its assessment mainly on published and peer-reviewed scientific technical literature.

The IPCC has three working groups:

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  Working Group I assesses the scientific aspects of the climate system and climate change.

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  Working Group II addresses the vulnerability of socio-economic and natural systems to climate change, negative and positive consequences of climate change, and options for adapting to it.

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  Working Group III assesses options for limiting greenhouse gas emissions and otherwise mitigating climate change.

The IPCC has continued to provide scientific, technical and socio-economic advice to the world community, and in particular to the 170-plus parties to the UNFCCC through its periodic assessment reports on the state of knowledge of causes of climate change, its potential impacts and options for response strategies. Its second assessment report, Climate Change 1995, provided key input to the negotiations, which lead to the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC in 1997. The IPCC also prepares Special Reports and Technical Papers on topics where independent scientific information and advice is deemed necessary and it supports the UNFCCC through its work on methodologies for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories.

Royal Commission on Environmental Pollutionwww.rcep.org.uk

The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution is an independent standing body established in 1970 to advise the Queen, Government, Parliament and the public on environmental issues. The Commission’s terms of reference as set out in its Royal Warrant are to advise on matters, both national and international, concerning the pollution of the environment; on the adequacy of research in this field; and the future possibilities of danger to the environment. Within this remit the Commission has freedom to consider and advise on any matter it chooses; the government may also request consideration of particular topics. The Commission has interpreted “pollution” broadly as covering any introduction by man into the environment of substances or energy liable to cause hazards to human health, harm to living resources and ecological systems, damage to structures or amenity, or interference with legitimate uses of the environment. It now approaches issues within the framework of sustainable development. The primary role of the Commission is to contribute to policy development in the longer term by providing an authoritative factual basis for policy-making and debate, and setting new policy agendas and priorities. This requires consideration of the economic, ethical and social aspects of an issue as well as the scientific and technological aspects. In reaching its conclusions, the Commission seeks to make a balanced assessment, taking account of the wider implications for society of any measures proposed.

Although funded by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, the Royal Commission is independent of government departments. The Commission maintains links with government departments, Parliamentary committees, pollution control agencies, research organisations, industry and environmental groups. It has an annual budget of around £770,000.

www.bridgingthegap.uk.com

This Web site provides information on regeneration funding for developers. There is online access on the role of gap funding. The main aims of the site include improving the success rates for developers.