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Author: Robin Goldberg

  • HPH188 : What are Paragraph 80 builds and how do they work? – with Richard Hawkes from Hawkes Architecture

    HPH188 : What are Paragraph 80 builds and how do they work? – with Richard Hawkes from Hawkes Architecture

    Richard Hawkes from Hawkes Architecture tells us about the exceptional circumstances in which planning for rural new builds may be granted.

    *Since recording this podcast, the government has updated the National Planning Policy Framework. ‘Paragraph 55’ (or ‘Para 55’) policy changed in name to ‘Paragraph 79’ and then ‘Paragraph 80′, although the content remains largely unchanged. * 

    We have amended the show notes but the interview will still talk about Paragraph 55.

    Interview with Richard Hawkes

    Richard Hawkes’ self-build, Crossway, helped launch his own practice Hawkes Architecture nine years ago. Before that he worked at a large commercial practice in London.

    As planning is rarely granted for new rural homes, Richard had to learn what circumstances were considered exceptions. His expertise then led to work gaining planning consent for others in similar circumstances. Nowadays Richard even sits on a Design Review Panel, made up of professionals including landscape architects and engineers, that advises planners whether or not a proposal is meeting policy.

    Crossway

    Planning policy allows rural development in exceptional circumstances

    Paragraph 79 has four special circumstances that can permit a new dwelling in the countryside:

    1. An agricultural worker’s dwelling. It’s quite difficult to create a business case for these so they don’t happen very often.
    2. Re-use of a heritage asset, e.g. saving a listed building.
    3. Re-use of redundant farm buildings. Relaxation of permitted development legislation has made this moot for now.
    4. If the dwelling is of exceptional quality or innovative in its nature of design. All of Richard’s Paragraph 79 projects fall into this last category.

    Four tests determine if a design is sufficiently exceptional

    For a dwelling to be of exceptional quality or innovative in its nature of design, it has to pass all of these tests:

    • Help to raise the standards of design more generally in rural areas
    • Be of the highest standards in architecture
    • Significantly enhance the immediate setting
    • Be sensitive to the defining characteristics of the local area
    Hawkhurst

    Paragraph 79 is an important design-led policy

    Since Planning’s introduction in 1946, there has been a reluctance to approve new homes in the countryside. Green Belt, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Heritage Coast and other designations evidence this. Even Paragraph 79, which Richard describes as a piece of national policy originally introduced in 1997 to enable landowners to get permission for their “English country house”, states that planning authorities should generally seek to resist new dwellings.

    In 2003 the Labour government sought to get rid of (then) Paragraph 55 which they felt was an elitist policy, but were lobbied by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) who argued the policy would move forward dwelling design. As a result, the policy evolved into PPS 7, Paragraph 11 and actually used the term ‘contemporary architecture’.

    The policy recognises the mediocrity of typical dwelling design, and has a practical significance in terms of architects’ professional development. It encourages them to learn how to respond to a setting and produce amazing buildings. Richard explains that the principles of good design can be looked at entirely objectively, even if people’s responses to design are inherently subjective.

    Sustainability must be factored into the design

    A beautiful house isn’t enough. A house of the highest standards in architecture will incorporate lots of insulation, heat recovery ventilation, triple-glazing, and passive solar gain. Richard describes these Passivhaus principles as just sensible design and something planners would expect to see in a Paragraph 79 scheme, not reasons why they would grant consent.

    The nature of the site and its management will often tie in to the energy strategy they develop for each individual building.

    West Pearroc

    There are different types of Paragraph 79 house

    Some locations suit a contrasting building, like an English country house. Richard describes this as unapologetically “dominating its landscape. Enhancing it but very much in contrast to it.”

    Conversely, one of his own Paragraph 79 houses on a Green Belt / AONB site needed to show sensitivity to the defining characteristics of the local area and significantly enhance the immediate setting. His architecture enhanced the farmstead by reinforcing the positive qualities of stable buildings on the site while removing other buildings that were “detractors”.

    Likelihood of planning consent must first be weighed up

    Richard’s team must first establish whether the site has the right ingredients to get a planning consent. He uses the analogy of a set of weighing scales, and there are several factors weighing down the ‘wrong side’:

    • You’re not allowed to build a house in the open countryside.
    • In Green Belt, there is the principle of openness. If the site has other buildings on it, you can potentially look at “consolidating building form” as a strategy. If there are no buildings there at all, it becomes very difficult.
    • AONB are protected by National Policy. It is possible, but more complex as these are highly protected pieces of land.
    • If it’s a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or on top of a hill, any development is likely to have a big visual impact.

    No one can guarantee planning consent, so Richard tries to manage that risk. To “balance the scales” he carries out a rigorous analysis of local and national policy to find benefits that could come with a scheme.

    The landscape and architecture have to work together

    Assuming there’s a robust enough case to proceed, Paragraph 79 applications are not for the faint-hearted; they represent a big investment on the client’s part and are about the land as much as the house. It takes months before Richard will even know what they’re designing.

    Time is spent with landscape architects and commissioning reports and surveys to adequately understand the ecology, biodiversity and resources of the site. This long process uncovers minute details about animals, sun, prevailing wind direction, climate and geology.

    Richard explains that involving a landscape architect right at the start helps them to lay down some rules about the site: sensitivities to avoid and opportunities to embrace. The ‘master plan’ is holistic and everything included in the plan can be justified.

    Examples of ways to enhance the landscape might include:

    • Binding the site together with areas of woodland
    • Linking habitats
    • Bolstering woodland edge
    • Introducing wildflower areas and a proper mowing regime to increase biodiversity
    • Putting management plans in place
    Flight Farm

    Designs reflect a rigorous understanding of the site and client

    The practice’s design framework originates from Richard’s self-build experience. He developed the design for Crossway using two distinct, parallel processes. Firstly, responding to the client (his wife) meant considering the “mechanics of a plan”. These are things like securing the best views, ensuring low running costs, opening up the house to the south, etc. A client lifestyle analysis is done, including everything from what time they wake up to how often they entertain.

    The other process is analysing how the landscape changes as you approach the plot from different directions, to determine what the house needs to do sculpturally to respond to each of the views. This was something Richard did intuitively with his piece of land: “For me, the context of any site has got rich things for you to respond to. You’ve just got to find them.”

    The design then emerges from these two processes. Crossway’s distinctive arch grew from a desire for the house to sit in amongst the ecology and the biodiversity of the land. And the design for one client project interpreted the qualities of the local flint to respond to the “defining characteristics of the local area”; the building is sharp and crisp outside, like the inside of flint but the white, soft-flowing curves of the courtyard evoke the outside of the stone.

    Crossway

    We need to keep pushing house design forward

    As well as acting as a good training mechanism for architects, Richard has a philosophical argument for protecting Paragraph 79. “If the policy weren’t there, I’d find that quite a sad reflection on where we are with design, where we are as a country with architecture. Look at all these houses going up with no aspirational policy there. I’d find that quite a sad place to be and quite short-sighted.”

    Find out more

    Visit the website of Hawkes Architecture

    Follow Hawkes Architecture on Twitter

    Follow Hawkes Architecture on Facebook

    Transcript

    Download a transcript of the interview with Richard Hawkes

    Please connect with me

  • HPH187 : What keeps a self-builder awake at night? – with Will Kirkman from Ecomerchant

    HPH187 : What keeps a self-builder awake at night? – with Will Kirkman from Ecomerchant

    Will Kirkman from Ecomerchant shares the key results of a survey the company ran to find out what self-builders worry about most.

    Interview with Will Kirkman

    Will didn’t actually get a PAYE job until his 40s. Assorted pursuits over the years, including farming and metalwork, eventually led him to civil engineering. He now runs Ecomerchant, a sustainable building materials supplier.

    Will says that self-building is a unique and new experience for most people who do it, so there can be a lot of uncertainty along the way.

    In an effort to find out a little bit more about the market, the company surveyed customers and identified the top five worries.

    1. How much should my project really cost?

    Total build cost is made up of many components. It can be hard to work out what proportion of the total should be on various upfront fees and professional services versus the construction itself, let alone establish actual costs. As dreams become reality, controlling costs can also prove tricky causing anxiety levels to rise.

    Will acknowledges that there is a sliding scale depending on how ‘standard’ the build is and how hands-on a self-builder plans to be, but suggests an indicative cost of between £1200 and £1800 per square metre.

    When it comes to build cost, trusting the professionals is important. Will suggests the core three team members would ideally be client, architect and builder, and recommends engaging with the building materials supplier as soon as possible.

    Will says there are ways to prevent the budget being blown by unforeseen problems. If a builder is doing something for the first time, the quote is likely to take into account this increased risk. So it is wise to choose an architect and builder that is experienced with your preferred build system.

    2. Am I getting good value and good quality?

    Will says, “I think this is about being sensible about what your expectations are and also understanding what people’s skillsets are.”

    He argues it is reasonable to want a house to perform in the long term and therefore expect it be built to a high standard. Unlike the volume housing market, self-builders are in more control of this; but success relies on the entire build team sharing a common understanding of what they’re trying to achieve.

    Will recognises that people can be tempted by short-term savings, especially if their project is going over budget. However, these savings will often cost more in the long run; some examples include:

    • A relatively inexpensive paint can peel off or fail in other ways;
    • Plastic baths will always move, leading to gaps along the silicone, and possibly leaks and damage;
    • Internal doors contribute massively to the acoustics of a building and cheap ones won’t insulate noise well.

    Aesthetics can also distract from a product’s core function. Will reminds us that “value and quality are different things to taste.” Concentrate on how something needs to perform, when weighing up options and prices.

    3. Am I paying too much?

    Being new to the build process can mean people worry they are paying too much. Whatever your budget, you will want to feel that you spent your money wisely.

    While a huge budget may make some decisions easier, Will thinks you are better off being wise than being wealthy in terms of the build; of course money is critical, but getting the job done the way you want it is important too.

    A good way to better understand the process, without adding costs, is to network within the self-build and construction environment. Asking how people have used products and materials will help and you can even learn from other people’s mistakes.

    4. How can I find a reliable supplier?

    While big builders’ merchants might compete in terms of service and special deals, they tend to offer a similar selection of products driven by industry standards. Keeping things simple makes life easy for everybody concerned, but this means self-builders typically encounter problems when it comes to getting more in depth advice, especially on less common building techniques. Will explains, “What builders’ merchants are generally not keen to do is to invest an awful lot of knowledge at the counter front or in the branch, because they don’t see a return for it easily.”

    Will argues that there is a need to promote local builders’ merchants, who are more likely to support regional build systems or non-standard construction methodology.

    5. Who do I turn to for help and advice?

    A good starting place is looking at case studies and finding out what other self-builders are doing. For general help and advice, Will says it’s best to talk to someone who has done what you want to do.

    For technical or professional help, he suggests that a sympathetic architect who understands your ambitions can help find tradesmen with the right experience. However, Will also notes that when he has supplied some building companies with new materials, such as lime plaster for the first time, they realised it wasn’t too difficult and were happy to offer this new skill to customers.

    Other avenues of research include the Internet and roadshows. Will points out that this stage of the process doesn’t have to cost much, so it’s well worth testing the water before you spend a lot of money.

    Some of the relevant information might be too technical for the ‘average punter’ and this is where you might have to abdicate responsibility to the experts. For those wanting an eco-home, it can be hard to work out what that might even mean and the right questions to ask.

    Sustainability can mean different things to different people

    An eco-home could be summarised as: benign in construction, use and potentially in disposal. As Will says, “It benefits occupants’ health and wellbeing, it doesn’t pollute the environment and demands very low levels of energy.” He adds that most buildings built using eco principles feel like really nice houses!

    Some people worry that they aren’t creating the best possible eco-home, but self-builders need to set their own realistic goals. Will compares the desire for an eco-home to healthy eating. “Doing something is better than doing nothing. One salad a week is better than no salads a week. And we’re not expecting everybody to be vegan. There is a happy medium that is entirely personal to every single person.”

     

    Find out more

    Visit the website of Ecomerchant

    Follow Ecomerchant on Twitter

     

    Transcript

    Download a transcript of the interview with Will Kirkman
     

    The Future of Housing

    During our interview with Will he mentioned our documentary The Future of Housing.

    This explored the quality of housing in the UK and how we might improve the situation.

    There’s also a chance to see some exemplar projects.

     

    Please connect with me

  • HPH184 : Balancing a self build with work and family life – with Donal O’Leary

    HPH184 : Balancing a self build with work and family life – with Donal O’Leary

    Donal O’Leary tells us about his self-build in Ireland and shares advice for a successful project.

    Interview with Donal O’Leary

    We catch up with Donal O’Leary, the first House Planning Help Hub member to complete a self-build project! The decision to self-build came about by accident, as Donal and his wife were originally looking for a run-down property to renovate or rebuild. The properties they viewed didn’t quite meet their needs or budget, and suddenly the right site came along.

    An unorthodox approach helped them secure their plot

    Donal explains, “We didn’t really need the full site as it was. It was actually too big and therefore it was outside of our price range.” After making enquiries and seeking legal advice, they came to an agreement with a neighbouring landowner to join forces and put in a high enough offer to outbid another interested party. The site would then be split into two, for their own developments.

    It took a year of planning before construction started

    After acquiring and sorting out the site, the second year was the planning phase, split into obtaining formal planning permission and working with architects and quantity surveyors.

    In Ireland, you have a pre-planning meeting with the local authority. This is an opportunity to run through plans and get approval to apply for formal planning permission (or find out what needs to be done differently). Donal explains you don’t have to have final drawings, but you do need to provide plans showing where the house will sit, access, and services like sewage and water.

    Cost dictated the final design of the house

    The site was large enough to accommodate a big house. But for Donal and family, the priority was a comfortable, clean and healthy home that would take advantage of the light and aspect, as well as modern insulation and air-tightness standards. Cost ultimately decided the final design, and the overall size was dictated by that design and how the spaces were arranged.

    The budget was based on some funds left over from the sale of their previous property, plus the mortgage amount they would be able to secure. Donal adds, “The rainy-day fund and the piggy bank were all broken at this stage. So, we worked out roughly what we could afford…and worked back from that primarily.”

    The planning phase included very detailed specifications

    Their architect and quantity surveyor filled in most of the tender document template, detailing the build specifications. Donal and his wife provided additional information (such as doorknobs, stove handles, bathroom finishes) to complete the document.

    It took five or six iterations of 20-30 page documents to figure out exactly what was needed. Donal says in hindsight it was definitely worth it, but at the time it was difficult. “You’re at the stage where you can’t even visualise what the house looks like, and you’re expected to say, ‘well, I want a Belfast sink with a tap that goes a certain way’.”

    Time-wise, their biggest challenge was appointing a builder

    Christmas time was the deadline for receiving responses to their tender. Donal says, “I’m sure the builders were delighted to be filling out a huge tender document on Christmas Eve!” They narrowed it down from four builders to two, met both and then picked one. Availability was a very important factor, as well as previous experience and price. The tender process took a couple of months and the actual build lasted just over 12 months from start to finish.

    A precise calculation helped them stick to their budget

    The quantity surveyor broke the build down to a very detailed level, so they knew exactly how much it would cost. Donal says they were reasonable estimates with a bit of wriggle room to alter the spec if needed, when it came to actually buying fixtures and fittings.

    There were only a few minor changes during the build stage. Donal attributes this to the time spent upfront with their architect and quantity surveyor on the spec. It gave them a baseline to go back to, which helped them manage their finances. And they had monthly budget reviews with the builder.

    They tried to attend site as often as possible

    The building contractor was effectively the project manager. So for Donal, the biggest challenge was not a technical one, it was just keeping on top of everything and being available. He admits it’s difficult when you have to take calls and send emails while at work, but says you just have to find a way.

    Donal advises others to take any chance they get – before or after work, or at lunchtime if you’re nearby – to go to site and give an opinion so things can move on. His wife spent any spare time during the day onsite, involved in the daily decision-making. Donal recalls a few times where just being there averted a disaster, explaining, “So, if we weren’t there, they would’ve done x, but because we were there, they did y.”

    Keeping their architect engaged in the entire build process was worthwhile

    Laws have changed in Ireland and you have to have an Assigned Certifier; an engineer or architect signs off the various certification and documentation across each phase of the build and can be held accountable by the local authority.

    Donal and his wife chose to involve their architect (who they found through word of mouth) for the whole project. So she had a vested interest not just from a design perspective, but also legally and financially. As the client, they had the reassurance of a professional overseeing the builder.

    They leaned on their architect quite a lot. As Donal explains, “It’s not just somebody who draws nice designs, prints them off and you go, ‘move a wall here, move a wall there.’ It’s far more than that. It’s a design eye, it’s finishing, it’s the construction knowledge that the average client doesn’t have.” She was a good sounding board when they had to make decisions, offering suggestions and steering them in the right direction.

    Sustainability had to be balanced with budget

    There were times where a sustainable option wasn’t the most economical or expedient, for example they considered rainwater harvesting but the cost involved would have pushed the build over budget.

    However, they tried to reduce the carbon footprint of their new build where possible:

    • Orienting the house for solar gain, with canopy-style shading to reduce overheating.
    • Avoiding the need for oil due to high-spec insulation.
    • Using an air source heat pump.
    • Leaving some of the garden as a nature area for wildlife, planting some clover there instead of grass so as to have a low maintenance meadow.

    Transcript

    Download a transcript of the interview with Donal O’Leary

    How stupid is our obsession with lawns?

    If you’re planning a vast lawn for your new house, is it actually the most sustainable thing to do?

    Donal recommends listening to a Freakonomics episode which ponders how natural lawns are and looks at alternatives.

    And if you enjoy that, check out last year’s interview with Lisa Kerslake on creating a biodiverse garden.

    Please connect with me

  • HPH182 : Extracting energy from watercourses by generating electricity and extracting heat – with Justin Broadbent from ISO Energy

    HPH182 : Extracting energy from watercourses by generating electricity and extracting heat – with Justin Broadbent from ISO Energy

    Justin Broadbent from ISO Energy explains the options available for extracting energy from water on your plot of land.

    Interview with Justin Broadbent

    It’s our second chat with Justin Broadbent who is the chairman and founder of ISO Energy, a renewable energy installer. Last time he explained what a ground source heat pump is.

    Water gives more energy than wind because of its density

    There is a long history of using watercourses to drive mechanical objects in the UK. Although grain grinding was wind-powered, the mills of the early Industrial Revolution were driven by water because of the amount of power in it.

    Extracting heat from water can be simple and efficient

    If you have a small stream running through your garden, the simplest and most worthwhile thing you can do is extract energy in the form of heat. Justin says, “If you have the right spot and you have the right watercourse, then it is fantastic.”

    Any water can be used for energy extraction

    A large pond can be used for extracting heat; the amount of energy depends on the size of the pond and the heat load required. A flowing river has a constant temperature of 7 to 12 degrees, and a pond can get much warmer.

    If there’s a flow in and out of the pond, the energy is effectively being replaced all the time. With a stream, the energy is quickly replaced so more heat can be extracted.

    Choose the correct heat extraction device

    In a pond with fairly slow running water, Justin would install a simple mechanism that extracts heat using coils of plastic pipe.

    Lake ‘Loop Collector’

    In slightly flowing water he would use ‘Energy Blades’. These banks of stainless steel ‘radiators’ extract an enormous amount of energy. Justin explains, “Almost whatever you take out, as long as you don’t actually freeze the water, two seconds later, there’s new fresh water coming down the stream.” Such systems can be scaled up to extract hundreds of thousands of kilowatt-hours a year, by putting in banks of multiple radiators.

    Installing Energy Blades
    Energy Blades in action

    You may need planning permission

    In an area of outstanding natural beauty you must obtain planning permission for works like these. Additionally, Justin says you would need permission from the Environment Agency to dam a river or stream, but not if you wanted to put an Energy Blade in the water as it’s easily removable.

    Expertise is necessary but installation is relatively straightforward

    Justin says that extracting heat from water is cheaper and more efficient than from the ground, which is not as straightforward. He says it’s worth employing professionals but essentially, if you’re fortunate enough to have a stream, you can easily install an Energy Blade for two to three thousand pounds. To do the same in the ground, he estimates a cost of five or six thousand pounds.

    Heat extraction doesn’t have to be hugely invasive

    Some of Justin’s clients make a feature of how they’re heating their house, for example diverting part of their stream, and adding a canal and viewing walkway. But you can simply put the energy blade in the stream and dig a small trench back to your heat pump.

    Hydroelectric generation ideally needs both volume and flow of water

    To generate electricity from water, you need the water to drop enough between the top and bottom of the stream. The greater this ‘flow’ or ‘head’, the more power you can generate. Justin summarises, “In an ideal world you have head and volume and then you can build a traditional turbine. If you don’t have the head, then you have to have even more volume.”

    Traditional hydro systems are built near big mountain rivers in places like the Alps, Scotland and Wales. The right features are not easily found in the south of England and where they do exist you’d be unlikely to get planning permission.

    If you can’t have a turbine, look for old water mills

    In Southern England, generating electricity from water is rare. However, Justin’s company has converted several mills where turbines can’t be used but the volume in the hill stream is sufficient to drive an ‘Archimedes Screw’, where the flow of water turns an electrical generator.

    Archimedes Screw in action

    The same feed-in tariff for photovoltaic cells applies to an Archimedes Screw

    Some of these systems generate a constant 15 to 20 kilowatts of electricity an hour. As this is far more than a single house needs, you can sell the surplus back to the electricity companies. Justin adds, “If you have photovoltaic panels on your roof, they might produce a few kilowatts. Well, an Archimedes Screw should be able to generate tens of kilowatts. Much more efficient.”

    These are low maintenance, robust systems

    Energy blades are fairly static and require very little maintenance. As they are stainless steel they don’t rust and have quite a long lifecycle. Furthermore, they are protected by guards built on the front.

    Likewise, Archimedes screw systems are heavy but fairly basic, just needing the bearings replaced when they eventually go and some maintenance of the gearbox.

    Environmental considerations can add costs

    Heat extraction in streams won’t affect wildlife, as the amount of energy taken out is so small in relation to the volumes involved. A pond cooling may affect wildlife slightly, but Justin is reassured that those species survive lower temperatures in Scotland.

    Justin explains that you can’t block a stream completely to use the power of the water. One common, though costly, method to ensure that fish, eels and animals can get by is to use a ‘fish pass’. A maze of gradual drops allows fish to swim upstream, avoiding the mechanism.

    You get less return on investment with a smaller system

    There’s not much difference in the cost of a small system producing five kilowatts and one giving 10 to 20 kilowatts of energy, because of the costs of getting permissions, civil engineering and manufacturing. Justin explains that his company rarely works on systems that are producing less than 20 kilowatts. “Suddenly you’ve found that it’s all going to cost £150,000 and you’re only going to make £5,000 a year out of it. It doesn’t pay back.”

    ItemApproximate Cost
    5 kilowatt Archimedes Screw £15,000
    20 kilowatt Archimedes Screw£60,000
    Civil engineering£20,000
    Fish pass£30,000
    Planning permission / consultant’s time£40,000

    It’s worth investigating how to use any water source on your plot

    You may be able to generate electricity or heat, or even both, from water on your land.

    With current government incentives (those for generating electricity normally last 20 years, and about seven years for heat), Justin calculates you can get your money back on a heat system within three to five years, followed by hugely reduced running costs.

    And you might even be able to get government incentives to support the construction of the system. “So, it’s definitely worth doing,” Justin says, “So long as the government grants are out there.”

     

    Find out more

    Visit the website of ISO Energy

    Follow ISO Energy on Twitter

     

    Transcript

    Download a transcript of the interview with Justin Broadbent

     

    Please connect with me

  • HPH181 : Improving acoustics, noise control and soundproofing – with Jack Harvie-Clark

    HPH181 : Improving acoustics, noise control and soundproofing – with Jack Harvie-Clark

    Jack Harvie-Clark from Apex Acoustics provides an overview of acoustics in the home. He also explains how we might go about controlling noises and soundproofing.

    Photograph by Martin Neeves Photography

    Interview with Jack Harvie-Clark

    Jack Harvie-Clark’s background is in engineering. His work in acoustics started when working for mechanical engineers in the power generation industry. A change to Building Regulations in 2003 meant a growth in acoustics in the construction sector and Jack set up Apex Acoustics in 2006. His work is concerned with the acoustics of buildings and how noise affects people’s health.

    Acoustics is about how sound travels

    Sound travels through structures as vibrations, and acoustics distinguishes between two concepts: sound insulation is how you stop the sound transmitting from one room to another; sound absorption is about how quickly the sound within a room gets absorbed.

    Jack explains that your ears know immediately when you’re in an enclosed space like a room, rather than outside, because you hear many reflections. Some reflection is very useful because it adds volume to your voice, but too much can be uncomfortable. Jack says that someone building a home should consider the room acoustics and how good they want it to be.

    There are restrictions for sound levels between attached dwellings

    Jack provides assistance for projects that need to comply with Building Regulations. People rarely call him just to make the acoustics better on their build; rather they want a competent specialist to help them meet the required standards.

    Building Regulations are mostly concerned with sound insulation between attached dwellings; so much of Jack’s work is on the airborne sounds through walls and floors and impact sounds through floors between flats.

    Reducing noise from neighbours may require sacrificing space

    If a client has a noisy neighbour, Jack will firstly find out whether there’s a problem with the wall that can be rectified. Then he has to interpret the client’s needs, to balance noise reduction with space lost and money spent. Jack explains, “You might think maybe they want it to be 10 dB quieter or 20 dB quieter. And then we’ll suggest the sorts of things they would need to build to achieve that.”

    Noise levels shouldn’t interfere with sleep or cause any annoyance

    Jack often advises homebuilders on how to keep out external environmental noise in order to comply with planning conditions. By considering the building plans and measuring the noise level outside they can recommend the required type of glass for the given window sizes and any appropriate treatment for the ventilation system.

    Whether or not there are planning conditions, noise levels outside might make you reluctant to open your windows. So Jack says good design should account for this.

    Rules on sound insulation between rooms aren’t very demanding

    Noise between internal walls is covered in a small way by Building Regulations. However, they don’t ensure any particular level of sound insulation to rooms that might be sensitive from other rooms within your house. Jack’s advice is to be sure to consider the issue of noise through floors and walls between rooms.

    There are ways to reduce noise between and within rooms

    In the design of a room the door will be the weak spot for sound transmission, including the gap at the bottom. Acoustic doors and an acoustic seal on the bottom will improve performance.

    In a house with ventilation, noise can sometimes travel from one room to another through ducts. You can improve sound insulation by including crosstalk attenuators in the vents, which let the air through but not the sound.

    Rooms designed for recording sound need to have minimal reverberation. Sound absorption can be achieved by putting carpet on the walls and similar use of soft furnishings.

    Large and high spaces need more sound absorption

    Rooms with higher ceilings or larger volumes are naturally more reverberant and can feel noisy and echoey. The noise level will increase dramatically when more people are in there, says Jack, especially if you have children! The more sound absorption you put in, the more comfortable it will be.

    The earlier the better where acoustic advice is concerned

    Jack says that acoustic consultants always get brought in too late, or only asked to look at very small bits of very big projects. He understands this, as you don’t want to build your whole house around the acoustics, but says if it were his house, he would want someone like him to look in more detail.

    Some audiophile clients might require advice about how rooms respond to sound. Jack can advise on the shape of the room, and recommends that wires for the sound system are planned as part of the electrical works, to avoid more holes in the walls later.

    Ventilation systems are designed to deliver and extract air, not to limit noise

    As most people will have some kind of ventilation system, Jack says that attention should be paid to getting the acoustics right. This could start with a specification for noise that the builder or the designer has to achieve, so that it will get taken care of in the design. In a Passivhaus, noise levels must not exceed 25 dB(A) in living spaces and 35 dB(A) in bathrooms; noise levels that are very unlikely to annoy.

    For other houses, the Building Regulations are less stringent and their legal requirement is even debatable, so they’re not being enforced. Many new houses have some form of mechanical extract, but Jack says that nobody is checking or designing the noise levels for these systems. This presents a big problem: people turn the fan down to reduce the noise, but that then means that they’re not getting enough air.

    Racecourse Passivhaus project – measuring the noise levels from the MVHR

    Mechanical ventilation systems need to be designed and maintained properly

    Absence of design, poor procurement and bad installation can be typical of ventilation systems in current mainstream housing. According to Jack, problems include:

    • houses handed over with dirty filters
    • residents not knowing they’re supposed to change the filters
    • residents not even knowing they have a ventilation system running

    Inadequate ventilation in airtight houses can lead to health problems

    Mechanical ventilation systems have become more common in new houses as a more efficient way to meet energy performance requirements. However, recent research has suggested that people prefer to control their internal environment by opening windows. Jack warns that if ventilation systems get turned off in very airtight modern houses, you can get health-related issues such as poor air quality and mould growth.

    Furthermore, opening windows to provide additional ventilation is the default method to mitigate overheating. However, there is no current assessment for resultant noise so if you’re building in a noisy place, Jack advises bearing in mind both how you provide the ventilation and how you control overheating.

    Award-winning double height open plan house – gaps between the timber laths provide the sound absorption with acoustic absorbent material behind

    Find out more

    Visit the website of Apex Acoustics

    Follow Apex Acoustics on Twitter

    Transcript

    Download a transcript of the interview with Jack Harvie-Clark

    Please connect with me

  • HPH179 : How to deal with sewage for a self build home – with Cath Hassell

    HPH179 : How to deal with sewage for a self build home – with Cath Hassell

    Cath Hassell from ech2o consultants explains why connecting to mains drainage is generally the best option for a new build home. She also runs through some alternatives if this is not possible.

    Interview with Cath Hassell

    Cath Hassell from ech2o consultants talks us through the options available when planning drainage for your self-build.

    Practical experience informs drainage design

    Drainage is not something usually learnt by architects during their studies. Large architect firms typically employ drainage engineers. On a job with a smaller budget, the builders deal with drainage as they have the know-how.

    There’s a choice of materials for drainage pipes

    Cath explains that taking sewage away from the house is essentially a simple process, covered by Building Regulations. Lay a pipe in a trench (at a one in 40 drop) up to your site boundary, and backfill. The local water authority will then make the final connection.

    Builders tend to prefer using uPVC for the pipe. However uPVC pipe has to be laid in gravel, displacing earth that may need to be removed from site. So Cath always specifies clay pipe, which can simply be backfilled with site earth, and has plastic connectors for ease of use.

    If you’re near to mains drainage, use it but don’t overload it

    According to Cath, the Environment Agency are now saying if you’re near to mains drainage, you have to use it for your new build. There are few areas where the sewage systems are overloaded; issues only happen during rain events.

    That said, it’s important to minimise what has to be taken away as it takes energy to pump along the sewer system and treat. The first step is to contact your local council or Building Control department to find out whether you’ve got separate sewers that take 1) foul and waste water, and 2) rain water, or combined sewers where they’re mixed together.

    If possible, you want to keep rainwater out of combined sewers. And even if you have separate sewers, Cath recommends dealing with rainwater onsite. One way is to harvest rainwater, as Cath has explained in a previous podcast. She also mentions SuDS (sustainable drainage systems) for managing surface water.

    Cesspools aren’t an environmentally friendly option

    Where mains sewers aren’t available, cesspools have been used to capture waste to be processed elsewhere. While they ensure it doesn’t go into the ground or water, Cath says that environmentally it’s a really bad idea and it’s very costly anyway, explaining, “You’ve got to pay somebody to come in, pump it out and then take it to a sewage treatment plant and pump it into the plant.” Her advice is to deal with it onsite.

    Use a low-flush, dual-flush loo

    Unless you’re on a site in a dry part of the UK and solely reliant on rainwater, Cath wouldn’t bother with composting toilets. They take up space and many are in fact dehydrating toilets that require electricity to dry out the poo. She points out that some people fixate on composting toilets but don’t even compost their vegetable waste!

    However, if you’re building a workshop / cabin / sleepover place in the garden, there are some simple compost toilets available and preferable to a chemical toilet. Cath likes the look of this product.

    A septic tank is not just a hole in the ground

    Septic tanks have been a popular option for 800,000 properties in the UK not on mains drainage.

    What a septic tank does is settle out the solids to be broken down by anaerobic bacteria. Some of the solids sink to the bottom, and some float to the top forming a crust. Historically, the resultant effluent left the tank to be treated via a ditch, stream, soakaway or drainage field.

    A lot of those systems failed, and an EU Groundwater Directive was passed in 2006 to prevent further contamination. On 1st January 2015, the UK finally changed their regulations and Cath explains why you can no longer use a septic tank if you want to go into a stream or surface water. “The bacteria will go ‘wayhey, poo, brilliant’, they’ll start eating it, they’ll start to multiply.” This takes the oxygen from the water, which means that there’s less for fish and plants. And because you’re putting in a whole pile of nutrients, you’ll also get nitrification and algal blooming. So now you have to use what’s called a package sewage treatment plant.

    Package sewage treatment plants guarantee good quality effluent

    Package sewage treatment plants use aerobic bacteria to more effectively break down the waste. This requires introducing air into the system, normally using a pump. Or in the case of a Biodisc – a make of package sewage treatment plant – by use of a rotating disc inside.

    Without air the aerobic bacteria will die, so these systems have to be run continuously even if you don’t live onsite full time. The electrical cost may therefore be a consideration. But unlike septic tanks, these systems provide certainty that you will not be putting nutrients into the water or your drainage field.

    Drainage fields can clog up for various reasons

    A drainage field is a series of slotted pipes in a herringbone pattern laid across the land so that the effluent from a septic tank or package sewage treatment plant will percolate down through the ground.

    Septic tanks often clog drainage fields if:

    • The tanks are poorly maintained
    • The ground is fissured rock, where drainage is too fast and there are no aerobic bacteria left to deal with the bits of organic matter going into the field
    • The ground is clay, where eventually the clay gets clogged up and rain may wash off bits of matter into neighbouring streams

    There are alternatives to drainage fields

    Soil type may mean a standard drainage field cannot be installed for a septic tank or package sewage treatment plant. If this is the case, Cath has some suggestions:

    • Effluent from a package sewage treatment plant can be discharged into a nearby stream or ditch that leads to a stream
    • Reed beds, constructed wetlands and willow trenches can deal with foul water and waste water onsite

    You can get horizontal flow or vertical flow reed beds. Sometimes they’re called constructed wetlands, although this term can mean different things as explained in Septic Tank Options and Alternatives by Feidhlim Harty (written for Ireland, but relevant to the UK).

    Reed beds are sometimes seen as environmentally better options. However, Cath urges people not to put them in just to bring biodiversity on the site, as there are much better ways including bat and bird boxes, planting and hedges.

    Horizontal flow reed bed from Building Regulations Part H

     

    Vertical flow reed bed from Building Regulations Part H

    You now have to show you’re maintaining your sewerage system

    If you have an existing septic tank you will have to prove by 2020 that your system is working and being maintained properly. Right now, however, the Environment Agency is concentrating on new builds meeting regulations.

    Maintenance of septic tanks is relatively simple, as they contain no moving parts. Contractors take off the crust at the top, and remove sludge from the bottom. With a package sewage treatment plant, they still ‘de-sludge it’ but also check the pump is working properly.

     

    Find out more

    Visit the website of ech2o consultants

    Follow Cath on Twitter

    Download information from Cath

    Download the map of UK water companies

     

    Transcript

    Download a transcript of the interview with Cath Hassell

    Watch Cath’s stand-up gig: a plumber in a world of engineers

     

     

    Join the House Planning Help team

    We’re always on the look out for talented individuals to join our growing team.

    Perhaps you work in TV, radio or for a newspaper, but would love to be making content about eco homes.

    Or maybe you’re already in the green building industry but want to turn your hand to teaching.

    Or perhaps you’re a teacher who is just drawn to this area.

    Well, if you think you’d be a good fit for House Planning Help, please get in touch.

     

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  • HPH178 : Natural clay plaster wall finishes – with Clare Whitney from Clayworks

    HPH178 : Natural clay plaster wall finishes – with Clare Whitney from Clayworks

    Clare Whitney from Clayworks explains how clay plasters are made, their applications and why we might choose them over other wall finishes.

    Interview with Clare Whitney

    Clare Whitney has been working at Clayworks since 2009. The founders of Clayworks were specialists in cob building, even writing a book about it, and used clay onsite as a sustainable building product.

    Clayworks now manufactures natural clay plaster, having spent two years creating a consistent and tested product that can be ready mixed and made available to anyone in the world at any time.

    Clay is an ancient building material

    Clay is one of the most naturally abundant minerals. Clare says that clay blocks and clay building methods are being rediscovered all around the world as a sustainable material with relatively low carbon intake. Clayworks focus on the application of clay as a plaster.

    Clay plasters finish the interior walls of buildings

    Clay plasters are a mixture of clay subsoil, aggregates and some natural form of fibre, with clay acting as the binder. Clay absorbs moisture, so water intake is critical; too much or not enough affects the consistency. Clare explains that Clayworks comprehensively researched different clay minerals to get the mixture absolutely right, so that the clay will not crack or “dust”.

    Clay plaster differs from other wall finishes in several ways

    Clare says it’s hard to describe the aesthetic, as you really have to see and feel and sense them, adding, “It’s a completely different feeling to walk into a room with clay plasters.”

    Advantages of clay plaster include:

    A different aesthetic:• The patina is earthy and very soft
    • A slight texture gives depth
    • Clay doesn’t set, so you can create patterns and textures
    More sustainable than most other wall plasters:• Clay is a naturally abundant raw material
    • It doesn’t have to be quarried
    • The processing of clay plasters is minimal
    • Apart from transport, there’s relatively little embodied carbon
    Numerous health benefits:• Clay plaster helps regulate the moisture inside a building
    • Helps mitigate allergies and asthmas
    • Helps offset the effects of formaldehydes and indoor pollutants
    The robustness of the material:• The product is scientifically tested
    • Proven finish and durability
    • Transportable and widely available

    Clay plasters work with any type of construction

    Clay plasters are now used all over the world in cities and in steel and modern buildings. However they have typically been used a lot in straw bale constructions and buildings with a lot of timber, due to their moisture-absorbing properties, and also in Passivhaus and other buildings where sustainable building products are key.

    Furthermore, clay plaster helps to absorb odours and has very clear acoustic advantages, making it ideal for use in bathrooms and kitchens.

    Materials can be beautiful as well as functional

    Although their clay plasters were originally marketed on sustainability and health credentials, Clare says designers and architects have adopted them for their aesthetic qualities.

    Clayworks’ plasters are now being supplied to customers all over the world; Clare attributes this success to their ease of use and the fact they can be trusted to stay on the walls and hold patterns, sculptures and shapes. Commercially their clay plasters have been used to fit out of well-known chain restaurants and public buildings.

    You don’t need to paint clay plasters

    Clare makes the point that although their clay plasters are a little more expensive than other wall finishes (starting at around £20 per m2), the overall cost is probably similar because:

    • You never need to paint them
    • They are through-pigmented, so you won’t notice a discolouration if they become chipped
    • They’re easily repaired

    Part of Clayworks’ research included coming up with a very comprehensive range of colours using natural mineral pigments. Clare explains, “We make colours in a fairly infinite mix. We’re always making up colours to people’s specifications…we can do a lot of turquoises, blues, greens and we’ve even done pinks and purples over the years.”

    Different types of plaster have particular uses

    Clay plasters are ideal for internal walls and ceilings throughout a house. The only areas to avoid would be wet rooms and exteriors, where Clare would recommend lime plasters, as they are more water repellent.

    Clay plasters can also be used for feature walls and fronts of other surfaces such as kitchen interior bars and similar furniture-type applications.

    If you can plaster, you can use clay plaster

    Clare says you don’t need specialist skills as clay plasters are applied like any other plaster; it just takes a little longer because the clay is a slightly different consistency.

    There is a series of different layers and depending on the substrate, you would need different binders, which Clayworks supply. A base coat and topcoat then follow.

    Any good plasterer can use their clay plasters to achieve a plain finish, and artisan plasterers would be able to create specialist textured or sculptural finishes.

    Self-builders can learn how to use clay plaster

    There are lots of resources and support available:

    1. Call the Clayworks technical team who can talk you through every aspect of how to apply the clay; the services, substrates, primers and the entire plaster build-up.
    2. Visit Clayworks’ website for techniques and tips.
    3. Clayworks offer one-day training courses for professionals and novice plasterers.
    4. Self-help resources, such as Using Natural Finishes, can help you learn about the process of applying clay and lime.
    5. There’s a network of recommended professionals who have been trained by Clayworks.

     

    Find out more

    Visit the website of Clayworks

    Follow Clayworks on Twitter

    Transcript

    Download a transcript of the interview with Clare Whitney

    Please connect with me

  • HPH176 : A self build case study of ‘The Den’ Passivhaus – with Dennis and Nicola Merrigan

    HPH176 : A self build case study of ‘The Den’ Passivhaus – with Dennis and Nicola Merrigan

    Interview with Dennis and Nicola Merrigan

    Dennis and Nicola Merrigan talk about the highs and lows of their Passivhaus self-build project, sharing lessons learned.

     

     

    A ‘challenging’ plot at auction was affordable

    Dennis Merrigan had always wanted to build his own home and he loved the county of Dorset. He says they got lucky when their plot came up at auction, as they didn’t have to exceed their agreed budget. The neighbouring pub car park and pig farm may have put others off, but Dennis and Nicola are fond of the rare breed pigs and see the benefit of being close to the pub.

     

    The project inspired Nicola to become a Passivhaus advocate

    Nicola was initially overwhelmed by the build process and didn’t know what a Passivhaus was. The eco houses she had seen were on early episodes of Grand Designs, which normally showed “a sad looking woman putting sawdust down her composting toilet”! She was happy for Dennis to take the lead on the build but was adamant that she needed a flushing loo!

    As the build progressed she worked more closely with Dennis and fell in love with the story of Passivhaus. Becoming increasingly interested, she looked on Twitter for other self-builders. “Even though it’s something I’d never heard of before, I just thought it was really interesting and I wanted to learn more.”

    Planning permission informed the final design choices

    Dennis tweaked the existing planning consent to slightly increase the size of the house, but the planners turned down their initial red brick and stone design, saying they wanted something more modern.

    Dennis felt that “passive was the way to go” anyway, and had architect Paul Mallion of Conker Conservation in mind. Keeping Nicola in the loop, they tweaked the design as they went, deciding on timber frame for the construction. The second planning application imposed a height restriction but Dennis actually thinks the house looks better for it.

    Good neighbours can help to overcome challenges

    Dennis says they are lucky to get on very well with their neighbour. Together they solved some drainage problems for all concerned by using the neighbour’s suggestion of putting a sump on his land and building a drainage channel right through the Merrigan’s property.

    Manage the build with teamwork and communication

    During the build Nicola and Dennis were mostly away working, which Nicola wouldn’t recommend, saying that being near to the site is really important. However, with many phone calls to discuss details, client, builder and architect managed a lot of the project remotely. It was the builder’s first Passivhaus but being quite technical, he could understand the premise behind it. While Dennis’ architect only visited the site once during the build, he was very helpful on the phone.

    Dennis advises getting the building team onside for the air test. He says, “We played a little game on site that if they got it first time, there’d be a little bonus. And they did get it first time.” He adds that the air test is also a great way of testing that they’ve built it properly.

    Problems can become learning experiences

    The biggest challenge on the project came when the timber frame company went into liquidation. They had paid 50% upfront to have the timber frame made to their specifications.

    The contractor tried to minimise the damage by letting them take some of the materials and recommending another timber frame company. Good relations with the builder helped too, as he juggled his schedule.

    However, there was still a £20,000 deficit. Dennis’ tip to protect yourself against similar situations is to use a personal credit card for hefty deposits as that offers insurance.

    He remains philosophical, saying, “I think once you do get around things and overcome problems, then other problems that come up are very minor and you sort of get hardened to it.”

    Recycling can help solve budget issues

    They ended up with a lovely, finished house but no money left for a kitchen. However, Nicola says, “The gods of building take away and then give back.” Dennis works as an independent surveyor with loss adjusters on fire and flood claims. A very high-end kitchen shop had had a flood in the basement, but had a kitchen upstairs which had been written off. They were able to buy it at a manageable price and, though not the kitchen they would have designed, are really pleased with it.

    Nicola’s memories of the build process

    1. July 22nd 2012, first digger came to clear site

    2. Concrete was poured for foundations

    3. Timber frame went up – it looked like a house

    4. Siberian larch cladding went on – it looked even more like a house

    5. Fermacell boarding

    6. Kitchen went in – it was finally a home

    The little details make the difference

    Dennis says that finishing a property is all about detail. They have a good ventilation system but avoided ‘toys’, keeping things simple with timber floors upstairs and polished concrete floors downstairs. Details like aluminium guttering add refinement but nothing stands out on the roof. The solar PV panels are black and were built in. The solar thermal panels also ‘melt into the roof’, as they match the Fakro roof lights. (They also get the money back on the PV so they have a warm house and no bills.) Although told they wouldn’t need a log burner they put one in for looks. However, they are glad to have it to use occasionally when they haven’t been in the house for a while.

    The budget was difficult to manage

    Initial budgeting is hard and even Dennis’ builder wouldn’t work to a price having never done Passivhaus. Dennis agreed to pay the labour on a daily basis, so it was hard to stick to the budget. For example, the Fermacell is very heavy so took a lot longer and cost a lot more than plasterboard would have.

    Dennis admits that he made mistakes but they did have enough resources to finish the project. For example, they had to wait a little time but they did manage to get the kitchen.

    Nicola advises to not only budget for the house but also the surrounding area, something they didn’t do. Their neighbour came to their rescue again, doing the landscaping with his digger.

    5 tips for people wanting to build their own home

    Dennis and Nicola share some great advice for self-builders:

    • Be prepared: finding land is really hard
    • You need a good architect that you get on with
    • Get your finances in place – they used the Ecology Building Society and couldn’t fault them; furthermore, have a contingency; money can be a big worry, so don’t start without the project fully resourced.
    • Consider the form of contract; are you going to get somebody to do the whole thing or part-manage it yourself?
    • Especially with a Passivhaus, decide all the detail before you start because you can’t change things easily; even moving the structure inside is very hard because of the ventilation system.

    Dennis notes everybody will have different challenges with the build itself. However, once you’re in the house and benefitting from it, you forget all the problems. He concludes, “It’s worth doing. I’d recommend it, but you need to know what you’re taking on.”

     

    Find out more

    Conker Conservation

    Follow Nicola on Twitter

    Transcript

    Download a transcript of the interview with Dennis and Nicola Merrigan

    Please connect with me

  • HPH175 : From briefing to planning – with Chris Parsons

    HPH175 : From briefing to planning – with Chris Parsons

    Interview with Chris Parsons

    Ben reviews the journey from briefing to planning stage for his own self-build project, with their architect Chris Parsons from Parsons & Whittley.

    Initial sketches seek to reconcile constraints and opportunities

    After their briefing session with Ben & Kay, Parsons & Whittley set about sketching some ideas to see how the whole brief could come together. Constraints (such as where the building can be situated, the orientation etc.) and opportunities (for example nice views) needed to be incorporated into the designs.

    The firm uses SketchUp for initial designs through to the planning stage; this 3-D software enables them to play with shapes to try to find a form that works.

    When you add materials, the building takes on a different identity

    Chris explains it was a deliberate decision to omit materials from the first sketches sent to Ben & Kay, as materials can have a significant impact on how a building looks and the first task was to isolate the form.

    They had some ideas about materials when producing the first sketches, but when they put them onto the model in SketchUp, Chris felt it might be a step too far at that point to try and get commitment on material choices.

    Involving planners early on can inform the end design

    After a bit of feedback from Ben & Kay about the form and floor layout, Parsons & Whittley submitted updated designs. The planners flagged a potential issue with the height of the building, which could affect the neighbour.

    As Chris puts it, “There’s no such thing really as a right to a view and there’s not much in terms of a right to light. However, the planners aren’t going to approve something that seriously impacts on the amenity and the enjoyment of the neighbour.”

    Therefore both neighbours and the surrounding area have to be kept in mind during the design phase. The following measures were taken for Ben & Kay’s house to address the issue:

    • Ridge height reduced
    • Small catslide element put across the lesser status rooms at the back
    • House repositioned slightly further away from neighbour than in the earlier consent

    Specific materials may have architectural implications

    Chris recalls that trying to find the right material balance for what they were trying to achieve required some ‘toing and froing’. Brick and barn aesthetics were discussed, along with black weatherboard, but Ben & Key felt this to be too strong. A rendered look was more appealing, but perhaps not for the whole building.

    This thinking, along with trying to avoid overlooking the neighbour, meant different materials were considered for different elements and started to introduce a degree of complexity that neither party really wanted. However it was a valuable process that resulted in a return to a simpler form but with a provision to protect the neighbour’s privacy.

    Understand the local vernacular in terms of materials

    Chris explains that once form and scale have been agreed, the following questions will help work out what finishes will be applied to the outside:

    • What are appropriate materials for the location and setting?
    • What does the client like?
    • Are there issues around maintenance and longevity of certain materials?

    It’s also time to decide how the house will be built, using timber frame or masonry, for example. Kay expressed an interest in a soft lime rendered finish and to do that properly, Chris felt it would be easiest and most cost-effective to apply that to a masonry external skin.

    It’ll be a whole lot easier if you avoid the green belt

    Parsons & Whittley eventually managed to track down a copy of the green belt area, which they then transferred onto their plans. This showed the planners they weren’t straying into the green belt, only coming up to the edge of it so that the house would be as far away from the neighbour as possible and maximise the amount of private garden for Ben & Kay.

    Anticipate what planners are going to ask you

    Chris’s advice is to think carefully about what you’ll need to demonstrate within all of the documents being submitted as part of a planning application.

    SketchUp allows them to position the house “in the real world”, so they did quite a lot of work in terms of a ‘shadow study’ for Ben & Kay’s project. By setting a date and time within the software, they can see where the shadows are likely to fall and demonstrate there’d be no overshadowing of the neighbour.

    They also developed a cross-section that showed i) the existing consent, ii) all previous consents on the site, and iii) what was now being proposed, for comparison and to dispel concerns of overshadowing.

    Lastly, they ran a straightforward PHPP model (with some assumptions at this stage) and submitted the verification sheet to the planners to support the argument that this will be a Passivhaus.

    A section 73 application to alter existing consent may be appropriate

    You don’t always need to submit a brand new planning application if consent already exists. In Ben & Kay’s case, Chris simply wanted to vary the approved drawings.

    This was a tactical decision given the proximity of the site to the green belt. As the principle of building on it has already been established, the section 73 application allows the planning officer to determine if this dwelling they’re now presented with is acceptable in planning terms.

    Changes in legislation require planning departments to list the drawings that they’ve approved, which makes it easier to pursue this route of seeking to change approved drawings rather than revisiting the whole policy of ‘can I have a house there?’.

    It’s not always a straightforward ‘yes’ or ‘no’ planning decision

    Planners are required to make a decision within eight weeks from the date of validation. Chris says that most planning authorities get about 90–95% of decisions through in that period of time. If decisions need to go to a committee, then the timeframe might be extended but only with permission. If they can’t make a decision within eight weeks, applicants have the option to appeal to the Secretary of State against non-determination. However this isn’t a process Chris would recommend as it would likely take at least six months to get through it.

    The outcome will be yes or no but might be a yes with conditions, some of which the applicant isn’t happy about. If the planners were to refuse the section 73 application submitted on behalf of Ben & Kay, they could only do so on planning grounds. Parsons & Whittley would look at what those planning grounds were and advise on the best way to proceed. This may be simply amending the design to satisfy the planner’s concerns and re-submitting, which within 12 months for the same type of application does not carry a fee.

    The appeal route would remain a last resort. However, Chris argues it shouldn’t get to that point as a good architect will stay in contact with the officer during the eight-week review period to ascertain if there are any objections that can be resolved before any decision is made.

    Find out more

    Visit the website of Parsons + Whittley

    Follow Parsons + Whittley on Twitter

    Transcript

    Download a transcript of the interview with Chris Parsons

    Please connect with me

  • HPH169 : Embracing contemporary vernacular design – with Clare Nash

    HPH169 : Embracing contemporary vernacular design – with Clare Nash

    Clare Nash from Clare Nash Architecture talks about various responses by small developers in the UK and abroad to the challenges of creating modern communities through better design.

    Interview with Clare Nash

    Clare Nash set up Clare Nash Architecture six years ago. The team operate differently to other architects, working remotely or in co-working spaces and meeting up once a week. Her book, Contemporary Vernacular Design, How British Housing can Rediscover its Soul, naturally followed on from her Masters thesis where she researched the uses of vernacular materials and technologies in modern, sustainable housing in the UK and abroad.

    In the past, houses were inherently green

    Clare says, “Vernacular [design], I think, doesn’t really exist anymore, apart from in developing countries where people are literally just self-building.” Buildings used to be sustainable and varied in their design, using local materials and low energy out of necessity. She adds, “We seem to have lost all these really good ideas in modern housing design.”

    In the UK, there are a few exceptions including Ashley Vale where a group of self-builders actually got hands-on and developed such a strong community that others really want to live there.

    Contemporary vernacular design is a hybrid of old and new

    Clare likens contemporary vernacular design to being a mixture of the best of the old and the best of the new. She cites an architectural ‘taste test’ that was carried out in Holland, where members of the public, architects and design professionals all found this ‘third way’ preferable to super modern or a pastiche of the old.

    The residents Clare interviewed in Europe abroad unanimously liked modern homes, whereas she found people in this country quite suspicious of them. She believes this is because they tend to think of the poor quality housing stock built in the post-war period.

    Incorporating good landscaping encourages people to talk to each other

    Clare talks about contemporary vernacular design as a way to have mass produced housing that retains a sense of identity through the varied design of the homes and getting the landscaping right.

    She cites an example in Holland where a group of architects took inspiration from a Mondrian painting to create different types of good-quality houses dotted around bisecting canals and green spaces. Clare compares how this development felt like home, whereas the new build houses local to her in the UK feel like a toy town, soulless, hence the subtitle of her book.

    Faro Architekten project in Biesland, Holland

    Another case study in Wales had open-ended gardens that led to a lake at the back where residents got to know each other because they often walked there. The design further encouraged interaction by incorporating a shared garage rather than individual drives.

    Great House Farm project in Wales

    Only residents really know whether housing design works

    As well as interviewing architects, designers, housing associations and property developers, Clare made sure to speak to a good selection of the residents at each housing scheme to find out what actually worked.

    While she often heard about teething problems, these resolved themselves and some of the small developers even had the foresight to anticipate and make provision for them. Resident feedback was summarised into four categories:

    1) Comfort – is it warm enough and is it light enough?

    Clare found the levels of insulation and daylighting were better than building regulations dictate. She comments that it’s really important to have bigger windows because seasonal affected disorder could be caused by being inside so much of the time.

    2) Appropriateness – how appropriate is the scheme for the area?

    Good design takes into account culture and context (i.e. the surrounding buildings and landscape, local materials and craftspeople). Therefore you need different types of housing for different types of area. Clare gives the example of a Norfolk development where they rejected the aesthetic of individual suburban plots; the site meant the front gardens were south facing and the architects chose to only separate them minimally with green wire fencing. The result was like a barn in a landscape.

    3) Sustainability – does the design consider the embodied energy as well as the cost of running the home?

    The focus in the UK is to save on energy bills but materials should matter too. Clare found examples such as Sieben Linden in Germany where they built everything out of straw bales and timber frame.

    Sieben Linden eco village in Germany

    4) Improvement – is the housing an improvement on what is currently built locally?

    Clare deliberately sought out developments that she felt did better than the status quo, and found that on the whole residents were really happy with the quality of life afforded by the housing and sense of community. “They were just very happy to live where they lived and they didn’t want to move. Which I think says it all really.”

    The current dominant building culture in the UK restricts progress

    Clare was really excited to meet some progressive and interesting developers who are trying to do things differently with their residents and the planet in mind, but notes that the existing culture prevents widespread expansion of such practices.

    She observes that in the UK six big housebuilders are dominating the landscape and what the edges of our towns and cities look like, adding that everyone she talks to seems equally frustrated with what she calls ‘the standard redbrick box plonked everywhere’. Clare compares this with Europe where individual developments respond to local demand.

    European governments regulate development differently

    In Sweden, no more than 100 houses can be built by any one developer in any one area, which creates a diversity in housing. And in Vorarlberg in Austria, anyone who owns a piece of land can build on it as long as the design (which can be modern) is considered appropriate for the region.

    There are cultural differences on the continent as well. In Germany, people often build together in ‘baugruppen’, and they think long-term so they build very good quality homes typically passed on to the next generation.

    UK decision makers are beginning to value ‘community’

    Historically, councils have gone with the highest bidder when selling land for housing development, and the big companies can outbid the smaller ones. However, councils are now starting to see that a slightly lower bidder can deliver much higher long-term benefits. For example, mixed-use schemes improve the sense of community, making people want to stay and resulting in less maintenance and increasing the scheme’s longevity.

    Gavin Barwell, Minister of State for Housing & Planning, has said that the government is going to make it easier for smaller developers to get land and to start developing. Clare finds this encouraging and hopes it will become easier for self-builders too.

    Self-builders need to register their interest

    At the moment, planning authorities have to find out if there is a need for self-build land and then if there is, they have to provide it. In some cases it’s proving difficult to actually get councils to follow through, but Clare thinks the housing white paper will help to move things forward, saying: “I think it’s quite exciting times now. I’m really hopeful for the future of housing and house building in Britain.”

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