PART 3: NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY PARA 134 criterion (b)
This section provides the detail in fulfilling the three parts of NPPF Para 134 criterion (b) in that Dial Corner;
1. is innovative
2. promotes high levels of ‘sustainability’
3. aligns with the good practice guidance of the National Design Guide
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) paragraph 134 states:- ‘Development that is not well designed should be refused, especially where it fails to reflect local design policies and government guidance on design, taking into account any local design guidance and supplementary planning documents such as design guides and codes. Conversely, significant weight should be given to:‘DIAL CORNER’ PLANNING STATEMENT 21st DECEMBER 2021 7 b) outstanding or innovative designs which promote high levels of sustainability, or help raise the standard of design more generally in an area, so long as they fit in with the overall form and layout of their surroundings.’
1. INNOVATIVE DESIGN
Dial Corner is a proposal for a fossil-fuel-free dwelling, poised for an off-grid existence, in preparation for the post- hydrocarbon era. These standards benefit from passive solar design techniques, allied with a high thermal mass superstructure and super-insulated envelope and a forensic understanding of the residual heat reservoir. The building will operate beyond zero carbon.
A. These design techniques are described below.
Dial Corner offers a new benchmark for building performance in the UK with an exceptional Design SAP Rating of 167A: mitigating -7.44tonnes CO2/year with a 308% improvement on the Target Emission Rate (TER)
B. Elmhurst Energy provides a review of the Design SAP Calculation below.
CNC Building Control have also provided a response to the calculation directly to SNDC Planning Officer.
What is meant by exceptional is that Dial Corner will;
• Achieve the highest energy efficiency standards (SAP 167A)
• Mitigate carbon at an exceptional rate (152A)
• Exceed the UK Governments Zero Carbon standard
• Be fossil-fuel-free in operation
• Off-grid ready
• Generate a surplus of energy
• Harvest its own water
• Manage its own waste
• Have a light touch on the landscape and planet
• Disseminate advanced in-use building performance data on a public platform
• Provide a new benchmark of building performance in the UK
• Advance the ‘state-of-the-art’ of high thermal mass buildings
Dial Corner advances the ‘state of the art’ of earth-sheltered buildings and the science of high thermal mass in reducing building heating loads. This is demonstrated with the Design SAP rating of 167A which has been achieved utilizing the substantive body of independent evidence-based research and the empirical data in support of the premise that ‘high thermal mass buildings reduce heating load requirements and concomitant green-house gas emissions’i .
The characteristic responsible for stabilising internal air temperatures in high thermal mass buildings is referred to as a residual heat reservoir. This is where a body of heat energy that is retained within the thermal mass of the superstructure sufficient to sustain elevated internal air temperatures without significant supplementary heating. The higher the ratio of active thermal mass to building floor area, the greater the buildings heat capacity, the larger the store of heat energy potential. Heat energy ebbs and flows in and out of a building fabric at rates predetermined by levels of insulation, orientation, occupational patterns and its nature of activity.
A. Dial Corner’s Passive Solar Design Techniques
The Dial Corner design from empirical dataii in support of the premise that high thermal mass buildings can significantly reduce heating loads together with concomitant green-house gas emissions. This paper also demonstrates that stable internal air temperatures are maintained with minor variations in spite of wide external air temperature variations. This building performance is achieved utilizing passive solar design techniques allied with a high thermal mass superstructure and a super- insulated fabric. These combined building design solutions create the characteristics that enable the primary heat source to be derived from solar gains, human occupation and supplementary heat gains from ancillary equipment. In turn that heat is retained in the buildings high thermal mass fabric all year round, providing a residual heat reservoir.
Viewing such buildings as reservoirs of heat energy with an active thermal core assists in understanding how to usefully employ heavy building materials for a better built environment.
The innovative and outstanding architectural design solution for the near autonomous dwelling has been achieved by adopting the following principles of passive solar design;
• orientation – southerly orientation optimizes solar receipts throughout the day, contributing to space heating, ventilation and elevated levels of daylight.
• fenestration - By maximising the areas of glazing on the south elevation solar gains into the home are optimized; By reducing the glazing areas on the north, east and west elevations, the rate of heat loss from those sides of the buildings most prone to higher rates of heat loss is minimised.
• high thermal mass – The internally active high-mass structural elements work to stabilise the internal ambient air temperature by acting as a heat-sink. The heavy mass superstructure will act as a large storage radiator, re-emitting stored heat into the building at times when the external air temperature is lower than that inside the building.
• super-insulation - Designing out conventional external cavity walls makes it possible to increase the
thickness of insulation to the walls, which reduces the rate of heat loss from the buildings while increasing their capacity for retaining stored heat. Superinsulation includes 300mm of extruded polystyrene under the floor slab and over the roof slab and 300mm of PIR insulation outside the solid single thick external walls.
• passive ventilation - Designing out the requirement for mechanical air extraction reduces the energy demands of the buildings. Instead, passive stack vents are installed in the kitchen, toilets, and bathrooms. The layout of the building is designed to enable the residents to encourage passive cross- ventilation by inducing the movement of air through the building. Passive stack vents to the bathrooms, kitchen and utility will ensure fresh air circulation.
• passive heating - A combination of passive solar heat gains, human occupation, and secondary heat from household appliances can provide the vast majority, if not all, of the heat that the dwelling will require to maintain a comfortable internal temperature. Heat stored in the super-insulated fabric (floors and walls) of the building will be evenly re- emitted into the rooms ensuring the maintenance of stable internal ambient air temperatures.
• back-up heating – A thermostatically controlled low-grade electric under-floor heating system is to be embedded in the concrete floor slabs. The is no need for pipework, radiators, switch- gear, boilers, flues, fuel tanks nor the associated fossil fuel emissions in this house.
• solar photovoltaics Dial Corner will have a 9kW ground mounted photovoltaic (PV) array consisting of 300W panels This array will dramatically reduce domestic hot water heating costs and the demand for electricity from the grid to almost zero.
B. Elmhurst Energy Review Elmhurst Energy Services Limited have undertaken a Design SAP Calculation Reference B133652 dated 11.03.2021 in which it is demonstrated that the proposed new dwelling, Dial Corner has an exceptional ‘energy efficiency and carbon dioxide emission’ standard.
Dial Corner achieves a SAP Rating of 167A and an Environmental rating of 152A, 52% and 66% respectively better than the UK Governments Zero Carbon threshold rating of 100.
Elmhurst Energy is authorised by the UK Government to issue Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) ratings and has a computer program approved by the Building Research Establishment (BRE). This approval is on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) the Welsh Assembly, the Scottish Executive and the Department of Finance and Personnel for Northern Ireland. Elmhurst is entitled to issue SAP ratings on certificates bearing the Government’s official SAP logo.
A review of the Design SAP Calculation by Chris Rickets (Elmhurst Business Consultancy Manager) makes a number of comparisons with minimum Building Regulation Standards and what is referred to as a Notional Building. Dial Corner’s elemental U-Values are demonstrated to outperform the minimum Building Regulation standards by up to 300%.
Generally, a SAP rating is expressed on a scale of 1 to 100. A rating of 1 represents very high running costs per square metre, while a SAP rating of 100 represents net zero energy costs.
In exceptional circumstances, a SAP rating can exceed 100, which is an expression of a dwelling operating as net exporter of energy and mitigates carbon emissions i.e. those that through renewable technologies are able to sell excess electricity back to the national grid. SAP ratings are rounded to the nearest integer.
“A number of comments can therefore be made to support your design and SAP Compliance calculations.
• We are currently working on current regulations for SAP compliance regulations with an interim uplift of standards to be enforced from June 2022, working towards a 2025 Future Homes Standard.
• The Interim standard Part L 2021 is driving a very well insulated building envelope and building components known as ‘fabric first’. By constructing a high performing external envelope with well- insulated walls, high performance doors and windows and efficient junction detailing between them, the heat needed to keep the property comfortable is much less and building services do not need to produce as much energy. As a result, air tightness (measured in cubic metres of air per square metre of building envelope per hour - m3/m2/hr) needs to be better so that heat is not lost through a ‘drafty’ building.
• Current building regulations require 10m3/m2/hr, 3m3/m2/hr would be a challenging target but Dial House achieves 1.0 m3/m2/hr @ 50Pa, a great performance.
• Part L 2021 Back stop U values and Notional U values have been improved to support the reduction in energy demand, Dial House surpasses these resulting in a space heating requirement of 30.46 kWh/m2/year
• With the addition of renewable technology of PV, resulting in a SAP rating of 167A Dial House CO2 emissions have been completely offset.”
2. DELIVERING ‘SUSTAINABILITY’ The National Planning Policy Framework (Feb 2019) states that there should be a 'presumption in favour of Sustainable Development' (paragraphs 10 and 11). Dial Corner seeks to epitomise the tenets of what is generally understood by the term sustainable development in a tangible and measurable way.
In the Foreword to the first edition of the NPPF, the then Minister for Planning, Greg Clark MP suggests that:
‘Sustainable means ensuring that better lives for ourselves don’t mean worse lives for future generations. Development’ means growth.’
Clark’s offering echo’s the widely accepted definition of the phrase, ‘sustainable development’ which gained global recognition following Gro Harlem Brundtland’s landmark publication, ‘Our Common Future’, in which she wrote;
“sustainable development should meet the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
It is this definition that was later adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution 42/187 and since has been recited and reinterpreted in many publications, including the current edition of the NPPF in which it states;
'At a very high level, the objective of sustainable development can be summarised as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'.
Adding clarity to what sustainable development looks like, the 2005 publication, ‘The UK Sustainable Development Strategy’: ‘Securing the future: delivering UK sustainable development strategy’ proposed five guiding principles of sustainable development;
1. Living within environmental limits.
2. Ensuring a strong, healthy and just society.
3. Achieving a sustainable economy.
4. Promoting good governance.
5. Using sound science responsibly.
Unfortunately, there is not yet available within the NPPF an empirical definition of sustainable development, one that uses measurable criteria to set against a development in fulfilling the definition’s objective. In the case of Dial Corner the NPPF does usefully bind planning policy to the UK Government’s Climate Change Act (paragraph 149) in which it identifies the key characteristics for management and mitigation in delivering on its agenda. Those criteria are;‘
(1) Carbon emission
(2) Energy efficiency
(3) Water capture
(4) Waste management
(5) Bio-diversity
(6) Food production.
Applying the criteria of the Climate Change Act as performance indicators, Dial Corner can be measured against planning policy requirements allied to the UK Governments policy in delivering on its agenda for sustainable development.
Dial Corner South East View
(1) & (2) Carbon Emissions And Energy Efficiency
The UK Governments recommended methodology for calculating a dwellings’ ‘energy efficiency and carbon emissions’ is the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP).
Independent SAP Assessors, Elmhurst Energy Services Ltd (co-authors of SAP) have undertaken a Design SAP calculation of Dial Corner, producing an unprecedented SAP Rating of 167A. It is possible that the resulting Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) may be one of the highest recorded in the UK.
To put this SAP Rating in perspective, SAP Ratings are generally expressed on a scale of 1 to 100 where 100 represents the Governments benchmark for Zero Carbon dwellings. A SAP Rating in excess of 100 is exceptional.
It is pertinent for comparison purposes to note that SAP calculates only the in-use carbon and then only for heating lighting and cooking. Given SAP was the only methodology used to define a 'Zero Carbon' dwelling in the HMG ‘Definition of Zero Carbon Homes and Non-Domestic Buildings' ISBN: 978-1-4098-0934-0 it helps to understand the limiting parameters of that definition.
Dial Corner exceeds the UK Governments former Zero Carbon SAP benchmark
(3) Water Capture
Dial Corner’s design solution aligns itself with the Governments water agenda in tackling the emerging challenges of climate change and population growth as published in 2008 in Defra’s ‘Future Water’. This national policy document sets out plans for the next two decades in reducing water demand through improved building design, improved appliance efficiencies and more metering.
“We are all increasingly understanding that we need to value water more, use it more wisely and play our part in taking responsibility for protecting this essential and unique resource.”v Hilary Benn (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 2008)
Dial Corner also aligns with the Government’s 2011 publication ‘Water For Life’, this White Paper introduces a proposed framework for the delivery of broad improvements in raising standards within the water industry; meeting the challenges of climate change and population growth. Much of the White Paper’s aspirations are now legislated within the Water Bill having received Royal Assent in 2014; that Bill is now an Act of Parliament (law).
The UK Governments recommended methodology for calculating a dwellings’ ‘energy efficiency and carbon emissions’ is the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP).
Independent SAP Assessors, Elmhurst Energy Services Ltd (co-authors of SAP) have undertaken a Design SAP calculation of Dial Corner, producing an unprecedented SAP Rating of 167A. It is possible that the resulting Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) may be one of the highest recorded in the UK.
To put this SAP Rating in perspective, SAP Ratings are generally expressed on a scale of 1 to 100 where 100 represents the Governments benchmark for Zero Carbon dwellings. A SAP Rating in excess of 100 is exceptional.
It is pertinent for comparison purposes to note that SAP calculates only the in-use carbon and then only for heating lighting and cooking. Given SAP was the only methodology used to define a 'Zero Carbon' dwelling in the HMG ‘Definition of Zero Carbon Homes and Non-Domestic Buildings' ISBN: 978-1-4098-0934-0 it helps to understand the limiting parameters of that definition.
Dial Corner exceeds the UK Governments former Zero Carbon SAP benchmark
(3) Water Capture
Dial Corner’s design solution aligns itself with the Governments water agenda in tackling the emerging challenges of climate change and population growth as published in 2008 in Defra’s ‘Future Water’. This national policy document sets out plans for the next two decades in reducing water demand through improved building design, improved appliance efficiencies and more metering.
“We are all increasingly understanding that we need to value water more, use it more wisely and play our part in taking responsibility for protecting this essential and unique resource.”v Hilary Benn (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 2008)
Dial Corner also aligns with the Government’s 2011 publication ‘Water For Life’, this White Paper introduces a proposed framework for the delivery of broad improvements in raising standards within the water industry; meeting the challenges of climate change and population growth. Much of the White Paper’s aspirations are now legislated within the Water Bill having received Royal Assent in 2014; that Bill is now an Act of Parliament (law).
Dial Corner Living Space South View
Dial Corner will improve on the current benchmarking for UK domestic water consumption rate of 125L/person/day set by the national housing standards review in March 2015. These national technical standards for water efficiency in new housing are detailed in the Building Regulation Approved Document; G2 Water Efficiency 2015 Edition with 2016 amendments.
Dial Corner will also improve on the optional higher requirement of 110 litres/person/day as set out in Part G2 regulation
36 2(b). Exceeding this more efficient requirement requires the use the water efficiency calculatorvii in Part G2.
As part of the Dial Corner’s post occupational monitoring, robust evidence-based research will be disseminated informing the methods used to address the balance between water supply and demand. Dial Corner will contribute to fulfilling the agenda detailed in the 2015 Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP)ix
Water efficiency will help us stop taking too much water from the environment – protecting wildlife and natural resources. It will also reduce carbon emissions and help tackle climate change. Waterwise
The Dial Corner design draws on the case study building of ‘Frankly Bee’x , http://drharrall.com/frankly-bee/ a private tenure, two bedroom family house whose average daily water consumption for each household member is 41Litres. Other similar case studies have helped inform the design solution.
Dial Corner is to showcase water conservation and water efficiencies in providing the evidence-based solutions that can play a role in mitigating future water scarcity for the built environment.
Dial Corner’s design solution seeks to deliver water conservation solutions to achieve lower than average household water consumption; the target is considerably less than 80Litres/person/day.
A 5,000Litre Rainwater Harvesting Tank is proposed to be installed in to the earth-bunding of Dial Corner collecting rainwater from the roof and for use in the Utility Room sink, washing machine and WC cisterns.
Subject to a British Geological Society (BGS) Borehole Prognosis report, Belinda and Robert Ashton will consider the viability of a site specific borehole for domestic water supply.
(4) Human Waste Treatment:
A Sewage Treatment plant is proposed, capable of fully treating household waste water and sewage to a level that renders it suitable for immediate discharge back into the local environment. An additional interceptor will be constructed from vertical reed bed (see CGI’s) plants in crated pallets to extract nitrogen and other rich nutrients before the outfall discharges into a pond creating an open wetland environment. This method will increase the sites wider bio-diversity attributes in particular Great Crested Newts habitat.‘DIAL CORNER’ PLANNING STATEMENT 21st DECEMBER 2021 13
3. NATIONAL DESIGN GUIDE (NDG): Planning Practice Guidance for beautiful, enduring and successful places 2021
Dial Corner aligns with the good practice guidance of the National Design Guide in producing “..beautiful, enduring and successful places..” in achieving well-designed places in line with the National Planning Policy Framework. Below are selected sections of the NDG with descriptions of how Dial Corner meets these good practice guidance;
C1 Understand and relate well to the site, its local and wider context 41/43
Integrated earth-bunding to the north, west and east tie the building to the site, reflecting the surrounding context of pasture grass, hedgerow and deciduous trees. The building is carefully sited running parallel to London Road following the line of the existing tree line and hedgerow. At 0.9acre (circa 0.36ha) the site can be described as a gentle landscape. Once development the site biodiversity will increase introducing a green refuge for more specimen trees, hedgerow, shrubbery with over 95% of the site remaining permeable.
N2 Improve and enhance water management
95% of the Suton paddock remains porous, a rare statistic for residential developments. A porous drive, green roof and earth-bunding all contribute to maintaining stable water management features. Waste water is collected and directed to a pond with floating read beds to filter the treated waste water. Rainwater harvesting forms an integral part of the building design, recycling the water for essential utility uses i.e. WC cistern, washing machine, irrigation and cleaning. The pond will provide a habitat for Great Crested Newts and other wildlife. Additional fruit bearing trees are being included in a landscape scheme together with hedgerows
N3 Support rich and varied biodiversity 98
Biodiversity net gains at Dial Corner are achieved by;
o Introducing a pond for Great Crested Newts
o Sedum Green Roof – fauna and flora, carbon sequestration
o Earth-bunding – carbon sequestration, flora and fauna
120 Dial Corner is fully wheel chair accessible, designed to Lifetime Homes Standards while delivering an off-grid ready building solution. All the rooms face south, providing uplifting living and working environments with elevated daylight and sunlight levels. Free movement into the garden is possible from all the principal rooms.
121 Dial Corner is designed specifically as the lifetime home of Belinda and Robert Ashton meeting their present needs anticipating their future needs. Dial Corner is a durable, adaptable and future proofs the dwelling in the transitioning to a post-hydrocarbon era. Masonry walls internally and externally, in-situ concrete (cement free) ground floors, ensure the Life Cycle of the building elements survives generations without resort to ongoing maintenance and liability issues.
Dial Corner NorthEast View
122 Dial Corner’s Entrance Hall is a ‘SkySpace’ inspired by the work of American Quaker artist James Turrell who creates meditation and contemplation places. The Entrance Hall is designed to replicate a calming serene space stillness space similar to that at Houghton Hall, Norfolk.
135 The design of Dial Corner conserves natural resources including land, water, energy and materials.‘DIAL CORNER’ PLANNING STATEMENT 21st DECEMBER 2021 14 It responds to the impacts of climate change by being exceptional energy efficient and minimising carbon emissions delivering beyond the 2050 net zero target.
R1 Follow the energy hierarchy 138/139
Dial Corner optimises passive solar design techniques, orientating the building south, single-room deep, maximising solar receipts, elevated daylight levels, natural ventilation regime, passive heating. Simplifying the building operation by designing out any requirement for mechanical means for ventilation and heating – no mechanical ventilation, no central heating, no air source heat pumps, no ground source heat pumps, no heat recovery systems, reduced reliance on electrical and mechanical devices. High thermal mass superstructure as a means of storing heat energy with a super insulated fabric to retain the heat in longer.
140/141/142 Reducing heating loads and reducing energy requirements allows renewable energy generation to produce more of the building energy demand. Adding in energy storage facilities then allows energy to be stored for future use, balancing out the energy cycle. In this way, a building can exist off-grid and become ever more affordable. Orientating the homes with a southerly elevation, works with nature and the elements. Maximising south glazing, introduces direct sunlight and raises daylight levels in the principal rooms, enhancing the residents’ sense of wellbeing.
R2 Careful selection of materials and construction techniques 143/144/145/146
Responsibly selected materials to ensure the building minimises its long term environmental impact in the following ways;
o cement free concrete – low embedded carbon
o cement free concrete blocks – low embedded carbon
o sedum roof covering – carbon sequestration, increased biodiversity, habitats
o earth-bunding - carbon sequestration, increased biodiversity, habitats, added insulation, sound attenuation
o 40% reduction in trades and materials; no foundations, no cavity walls, no plasterboard, no roof trusses, no studwork, ne central heating boiler, no radiators, no stored hot water – reduces embodied energy of the project, waste and vehicles visiting site
R3 Maximise resilience 147
Dial Corner is a robust form of construction and takes account of local environmental conditions, both prevailing and forecast. Built-in resilience and climate adaptation are key characteristics of the design addressing the potential effects of temperature extremes in summer and winter. ‘Dial Corner’ is a proposal for an exceptional form of development, a dwelling designed to an unprecedented high level of energy efficiency, carbon mitigation and self-sufficiency over energy, water and waste water management. Dial Corner is a fossil-fuel-free home, ready for a time of resource scarcity, referred to as the post-hydrocarbon era.
151/152 Longevity is a theme of Dial Corner,
With its solid concrete walls, roof and floor. Durability in every part of the specification ensures long lifecycle in use and low maintenance, servicing and replacement of parts.
L1 Well-managed and maintained 153
Low cost of ownership pervades through the design solution;
o no mechanical equipment for ventilation and heating provides resilience and functionality
o cement free concrete walls, floors and roof provide solidity and permanence
o natural landscaping recreating habitats, using local fauna and flora.
