Planning gain
Increasingly, Local Planning Authorities are putting sustainable energy
provision towards the top of their planning policies. If a Developer can apply a low carbon solution, they will inevitably not only help secure Planning Permission, but also achieve a consent that makes their scheme more profitable in terms of density and mix.

Greater London Authority (GLA)
Developers who are under the jurisdiction of the GLA are now, finally aware that unless they show an environmentally responsible approach towards low carbon/renewable technologies, then it is safe to say the Mayor will use his powers of veto to block their Planning applications.

By engaging with EcoCentroGen, a Developer can address the GLA's issues and policy with out it necessarily costing more in terms of construction costs.

GLA website

London Plan
The London Plan clearly states that new developments need to address the whole issue of low carbon utilities, and specifically encourages the use of District Heating and CHP.

London Plan

Mayor's Energy Strategy
EcoCentroGen were one of only two Private companies involved in the consultation process regarding the Energy Strategy which has subsequently become GLA policy and is also reflected in the London Plan.

In short, the Mayor expects that any Planning application for a potential scheme should, and indeed will show due consideration to low carbon and renewable technology.

Mayor's Energy Strategy

Regional sustainable development targets
The incorporation of EcoCentroGen’s low carbon/renewable approach to on site utility delivery helps to address local/regional planning authorities policy and aspirations towards implementing Central Government’s existing legislation to help reduce CO2 emissions. Individual Borough’s are taking different policy decisions to address the issues, however it is safe to say, policy with regards to low carbon/renewable on site utility delivery is only going to become more onerous for developers.

Developers who embrace this approach are going to help prove their sustainable credentials with local planning authorities.

Compliance with building regulations
The adoption of a district heating/CHP solution for the delivery of utilities can and does mitigate compliance issues. Rather than being forced to spend more on building fabric and other technically expensive solutions the ECG district heating/CHP/renewable energy solution helps, significantly to comply with the revisions to Part L conditions (due in April 2006).

Energy performance of building directive
Buildings are major consumers of energy. Around 40% of final energy consumption in the European Community is in the buildings sector. EC research has indicated that by improving energy efficiency, carbon emissions from buildings could be reduced by 22%. This will help the EU to meet its climate change objectives under the Kyoto Protocol commitments as well as improve the energy performance of new and existing buildings.


EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings

EcoHomes
BRE's Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) has been used to assess the environmental performance of both new and existing buildings it is regarded by the UK's construction and property sectors as the measure of best practice in environmental design and management.

The BREEAM/EcoHomes points and weightings system includes credits for energy efficiency measures over and above building regulations - however, each development will score differently under different EcoHomes criteria (eg Ecology, Transport etc) so the energy credits are not always needed to reach the required rating.

Currently, EcoHomes also awards points for doing better than building regulations on target U values for insulation - this will change because EcoHomes is always calibrated to the current version of Building Regulations, and the 'target U-value' methodology in Building Regulations is due to be phased out in the 2005/6 Review.

EcoHomes 2005 (current version) gives 2.14% points directly to developments that generate 10% energy onsite. A further 2.14% would be gained indirectly through improved carbon performance. Nothing is given for green electricity due to the fact that consumers can change their supplier within 28 days.

BREEAM