“A multi-material approach allows for more responsible resource use by selecting materials with lower environmental impact where possible,” says David Connacher, Marketing Manager of  West Fraser.

Architects today rarely rely on a single material or solution when designing buildings. Instead, they indulge in a diversity of materials that has never been greater and that allows hybrid solutions to be embraced that make possible the creation of dynamic and resilient buildings that meet the structural, aesthetic, environmental and economic demands of modern society.

Material and product innovation is key to achieving the interlinked goals of sustainability and adaptability that architects must aspire to. The merging of materials allows the design of structures that are both innovative and responsive in a way that would be impossible if relying on just one material. By selecting a hybrid material palette, it is possible to exploit the qualities of each so that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Some provide strength, others thermal mass or acoustic insulation – some are simply aesthetically pleasing. The cost and durability of a structure may also be fine-tuned through the material mix.

A multi-material approach allows for more responsible resource use by selecting materials with lower environmental impact where possible. Combining materials such as wood with steel or concrete can reduce the amount of each material needed, lowering the building’s overall carbon footprint by limiting those with the highest embodied carbon without sacrificing strength or durability. What must not be overlooked when mixing materials is the ability to separate them for reuse, recycling or disposal at end of life.

The most obvious advantage of hybrid solutions is the appearance of the finished building. People respond to textures and colours; by incorporating multiple materials, products and techniques, architects can create buildings that are dynamic, layered and visually engaging. No architect can ignore the benefits of hybrid solutions and their use is likely to become ever more common, reflecting a broader trend in architecture toward flexibility, innovation and responsiveness to the world’s evolving needs.

For further information, call 01786 812 921 or visit https://uk.westfraser.com/

The post The importance of using a diversity of materials appeared first on PHPD Online.

The journey to Net Zero is underway, but using current standards, new buildings may never achieve true zero carbon. Donaldson Timber Systems Technical Director, John Smith, explains.

While it sounds complex, the message is simple: without measuring and reducing the cradle to grave impact of a build, there is a very real risk that buildings constructed to new standards in 2026 and beyond won’t achieve true zero carbon.

On the face of things, it seems that the journey to Net Zero Carbon homes is progressing, with the first Building Regulation changes already in effect as we work towards the Future Homes Standard (FHS). From 2025, newly built homes need to be ‘zero carbon ready’, with a 75% reduction in carbon emissions to 2021 levels in England and Wales.

While this is a much-needed step in the right direction, more clarity is required on what it means to be carbon neutral. The new standards focus on reducing operational carbon, failing to recognise the impact of embodied carbon.

The reality of embodied carbon
Embodied carbon is the total greenhouse gas emissions generated during the construction and demolition phase. It is calculated in two separate elements: from raw material extraction through to construction of the building on site, including fuel and power for transport, factories and plant; and end-of-life emissions from demolition, transport from site and recycling / landfill.

In a new home completed to 2021 standards, embodied carbon is around 15- 20% of the whole life emissions, with the rest from operation carbon (energy required for heating, lighting and hot water). With a target to reduce emissions by 75% through operational carbon reductions, the embodied carbon becomes much more significant. By 2025, it will be over 40% of whole life carbon for a new-build, and over 60% by 2030.

Despite this, embodied carbon emissions are currently unregulated in the UK construction industry, with only voluntary measurement and mitigation required. The UK is lagging behind in this area. The Netherlands and Sweden already have mandatory embodied carbon requirements for all new buildings, with Denmark and Finland following suit. In France, embodied carbon in housebuilding has been regulated since 2022. This regulation addresses the entire life cycle of buildings and requires developers to measure both operational and embodied carbon. To comply, developers must perform Life Cycle Assessments (LCA), which evaluate environmental impacts from raw material extraction through to demolition or reuse.

Measure and reduce
As demonstrated elsewhere in Europe, the only way to achieve zero carbon is to measure and reduce the whole-life carbon of buildings. The availability of environmental product declarations (EPDs) is an important step in recognising this.

An EPD communicates the environmental performance of a product over its lifetime, making it possible to compare the impacts of different materials and products accurately and allowing customers to select the most sustainable option.

We’re investing in this process for all our products and were proud to become the first timber frame manufacturer to offer a published EPD for an off-site assembled timber frame wall panel. We always champion the use of offsite timber frame as the best way to achieve sustainable building practices, but a verified EPD proves these claims.

Time for timber
When we factor embodied carbon into the zero-carbon journey, timber comes into its own. Life cycle studies of timber frame homes show that they significantly outperform alternatives – saving around 40% of emissions in comparison to concrete and 30% compared to steel. Timber frame homes are more sustainable during the build, when in use and throughout its lifetime. Timber can also lower or offset its embodied carbon thanks to sequestration, absorbing one tonne of CO2 in every mÑ while the tree is growing and storing it until the timber is incinerated or goes to landfill.

Timber frame offers a safe, reliable, technical solution – homes have been built this way across the UK for years and we know that it works. At DTS, we have been working with our partners in the UK housebuilding market for almost 50 years. Our Sigma® II closed panel solution achieves FHS from the factory, with no additional works required on site, as well as very low levels of embodied carbon. Sigma® II has achieved a range of third-party approvals, including BOPAS Plus, BBA, NHBC Accepts and STA Gold Assure, delivering the confidence that it is durable and complies with building regulations and technical standards.

In missing embodied carbon, FHS has a major flaw. It aims for homes to be ‘zerocarbon ready with no further work needed’, yet by using these incomplete measurements, the carbon in the fabric will not be offset by even the greenest energy without improvements to the insulation and air-tightness.

With the Government committing to building 1.5 million homes in the coming years, embodied carbon must be legislated, or we’ll never achieve true zero carbon homes.

More information on Donaldson Timber Systems

The post Donaldson Timber Systems explains Net Zero appeared first on PHPD Online.

Caroline Gray-Mason, director of water services at Cenergist discusses staying ahead of the next environmental hurdle: water neutrality

Following the election, the new chancellor launched plans to “get Britain building again” with mandatory housebuilding targets and an overall goal of 1.5 million new homes. This was quickly followed by the King’s speech and the proposed Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

Understandably, this will lead to a lot of attention on planning system reform. However, when considering this, it is important to ensure that these new homes will not come at a cost to the environment.

Developers have been supporting greener, more sustainable developments. However some of the requirements, such as nutrient neutrality, have significantly impacted the planning process.

There is another water-related environmental issue on the horizon which has the potential to be a significant environmental issue for developers: water neutrality.

It is essential for developers to become aware of the issue now and explore solutions that navigate the challenge of water neutrality before more localised. mandates are introduced across the country.

What is water neutrality?
Water neutrality can be defined as: “For every new development, water demand should first be minimised then any remaining water demand offset, so that the total demand on the public water supply in a defined region is the same after development as it was before.”

The first significant step is to minimise water use and reduce per capita consumption (PCC). There are measures already in place which reduce PCC including adapted showerheads, taps and low-flush toilets.

But in the context of water neutrality requirements, there is a risk that these could not go far enough, further stalling development planning at a critical point for UK housebuilding.

Why does it matter now?
Environmental pressures, including water-related ones, are a well-known feature within the planning process. And although nutrient neutrality is a more widely discussed topic, water neutrality is widely considered the next ‘battleground’ that could be catalysed by the government’s housebuilding ambitions.

In March 2024, the Environment Agency released a report saying that by 2050 in England, an additional five billion litres of water a day will be required to meet growing consumer demand. Alongside water shortage incidents such as droughts and hosepipe bans, escalating water demands and supply challenges are having a significant ecological impact. This led to water neutrality requirements on new developments, following a position statement from Natural England. Although these were initially localised to the South East, mitigation requirements recently spread to Cambridgeshire, with reports that Norfolk and Suffolk will follow.

Clearly, 1.5 million new homes will exacerbate water supply pressures – not only in those areas currently facing water neutrality, but in other areas too. The increased water demands may also force more local authorities to focus on water conservation in local environmental plans.

Water infrastructure updates could also feature in yet-to-be announced policies to increase resilience in water supply, but this cannot be assumed.

In the meantime, the water scarcity crisis and need to address consumption must be noted – and developers should get on the front foot while they can.

How can a building’s water wastage be reduced?
The question, then, is how can developers take steps to reduce PCC on a scale acceptable to Natural England and in line with the government’s housebuilding targets? One meaningful solution is to optimise the supply of water into homes.

There are naturally occurring pressure fluctuations in any mains water connection which result in water wastage, and this can be reduced by regulating the incoming flow using management solutions such as Control Flow with HL2024® technology.

Tests of these technologies have shown they reduce mains pressure fluctuations to less than two per cent, which leads to a PCC reduction of 25 per cent. Field deployments have shown daily PCC drops ranging from 35 litres for an individual and up to 84 litre reductions for a household.

Importantly, not only does this lower the water waste levels to support water neutrality strategies, but also reduces wastewater and subsequent nutrient pollution generated by homes, offering a more cost effective and timely solution compared to nature-based solutions. This is also important to note as nutrient pollution will be another key consideration in the government’s housebuilding ambitions.

Staying ahead of the curve
This type of proactivity is essential to unlock developments which are likely to get stuck in the planning process held up by water neutrality, which is likely to rise up the housing agenda.

However, there is a good opportunity to stay ahead of the curve and for the development sector to consider now how they can tackle water neutrality in a precise, credible and deliverable way. As field tests have shown, optimising mains water supply into homes is a strong first step.

It will be interesting to see how activity progresses, but it is important to take note of water neutrality to unlock the full potential of these ambitions and deliver much needed housing.

Doing so will ensure water neutrality does not become the next environmental stumbling block for developers.

The post Staying ahead of water neutrality appeared first on PHPD Online.

Hampshire-headquartered Metis Homes has undertaken £75,000 of ecology and grassland translocation works, in preparation for construction taking place at its £5m Harbour Reach development in the coastal town of Emsworth, Hampshire.

Working alongside Havant Borough Council, Metis Homes’ specialist ecologists have addressed Harbour Reach’s designation as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC). By relocating rare grassland to common land, it will have a much greater chance to survive and thrive. A number of proactive measures will also be taken across the site to protect and enhance local wildlife.

Full detailed planning permission for the prized development opportunity, located on land off Long Copse Lane, was awarded to Metis in June 2022. The three-month ecology programme commenced on site during September. Due to the complexity of the works, the first homes at the bespoke development of nine two-, three-, and four-bedroom houses will become available for occupation in autumn 2023.

Alistair Harris, Planning Director for Metis Homes, said: “The complex ecology works at our site in Emsworth illustrates how bespoke residential development can fund and facilitate the ecological betterment of the wider area. Without the sensitive action to translocate an area of important grassland, it may not have survived, as it sat on private, unmanaged land.

“By transplanting an area of turf on our Harbour Reach development site to an adjacent meadow, the floristic diversity can be improved. Working alongside Havant Borough Council, we are proud to be delivering biodiversity net gains, including landscape enhancements, new wildlife habitats, and additional features of interest.

“We want to pass on our thanks to all those living locally for their patience while these complex ecology works take place. The Metis Homes team is really looking forward to seeing construction activity progressing, as these nine eco-focused homes are in very high demand.”

The one-acre (0.4 Ha) Harbour Reach scheme is located a mile from Emsworth town centre and train station. The harbourside neighbourhood is nestled in Chichester Harbour. It is also three miles from the idyllic Emsworth Yacht Harbour, which is the current winner of the Coastal Marina of the Year (under 250 berths).

75% of the scheme has already been reserved off-plan. There are two final homes available for build completion in late summer/autumn 2023. Both are three-bedroom semi-detached houses, each with driveway parking for two cars. The available homes offer 1,099 sq ft and 1,114 sq ft respectively, with green credentials including photovoltaic solar panels, EV charging points, and energy-efficient boilers. Prices at Harbour Reach start from £490,000.

The development plan features mature woodland trees and hedgerows, as well as newly planted trees and hedgerow to provide additional wildlife habitats. Bat and bird boxes are being installed in carefully chosen locations to increase roosting and nesting opportunities. Modern bat-friendly roofing membranes will also be used for the construction of the homes, and a network of hedgehog highways will be purposely fitted within new boundary fences.

A purpose-designed hibernacula for the local reptile population, which will be made from rubble, logs, sleepers, topsoil, and rough vegetation, is also being created at the Harbour Reach development by Metis Homes’ team of specialists.

Just beyond the development boundary, there is a network of footpaths leading to picturesque harbourside walks. The traditional architecture and red brick elevations of the new houses are inspired by the local Emsworth vernacular.

Internal specification features for the new homes include fibre broadband, and all flooring included, which is from a range of Karndean hard flooring and premium carpet choices. Bathrooms feature contemporary sanitaryware and complementary Porcelanosa wall and floor tiles, while the designer kitchens have integrated white goods and Neff cooking appliances. All principal bedrooms will feature built-in wardrobes, while the four-bedroom homes will also benefit from built-in wardrobes to bedroom two. 

To find out more about Harbour Reach, call 01962 893 535, or visit https://www.metishomes.co.uk/our-developments/harbour-reach/

The post Metis Homes undertakes grassland translocation works in conjunction with Hampshire’s Havant Borough Council appeared first on PHPD Online.