Energy Strategies for Planning Approval

The Merton Rule

Increasingly, developers are being required to incorporate renewable energy into new buildings.  Typically planning authorities specify the “Merton Rule” as a fraction (e.g. 10%) of energy or carbon reductions to be provided  by renewable technologies. The rule helps to reduce the specification of unnecessary renewable technologies.  The solution is to include an energy hierarchy triangle which illustrates that the first step is to reduce energy demand through passive design of buildings and using energy efficient plant and equipment.  Opportunities should then be examined for sharing or recovering.  Renewables can then cost effectively meet the residual energy demand. The choice of renewable technologies  for a new development requires a full understanding of the pattern of energy demand expected for the building as well as  the site’s opportunities.

What we Deliver

b:ssec has the ideal mixture of experience and expertise to ensure developers, architects and engineers meet  renewable requirements cost effectively. b:ssec has experience in, and can support on:

• Advising on low carbon design
• Predicting the costs  and impacts  of carbon reducing measures.
• Negotiating with planning officers and planning submissions.
• Auditing mechanical and electrical designs and examining tenders for supplying renewable technologies.
• Surveying and post occupancy studies.

 

Show more Case Studies from: Central Government, Commercial Office, Construction, Culture, Education, Healthcare, Hospitality, Industrial, IT/Data Centres, Local Authority, Retail, Social Housing

Back to Case Studies