Climate Change and Energy

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To ensure that new developments are appropriately adapted to the impacts of present and future climate change and to minimise their own impact on greenhouse gases, flooding, heat gain, water resources and water quality.

Read the background on Climate Change and Energy

Question 1.1

Objective

To reduce the risk of flooding on proposed development sites and adjacent areas of land.

Importance:

Question

What measures have been taken to manage surface water beyond the minimum requirements in PPS25?

Targets and Justification

Best: For annual flow rate probabilities up to and including the 1 in 100yr event including allowance for climate change. Completed development run off rate should be less than the rate prior to development. Calculation should consider both volume and peak flow
Good: For annual flow rate probabilities up to and including the 1 in 100yr event and allowance for climate change. Completed development run off rate should be no greater than that prior to development. A 15-20% reduction is sought compared to greenfield site
Minimum: Local Authority standard use of Sequential Test (Annex D PPS25).

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.2

Objective

To reduce the risk and impact of flooding on the development and reduce the longevity of any effects.

Importance:

Question

Is the development designed to reduce the impact that predicted flood levels would have on the development?

Targets and Justification

Best: Evidence that the designer has assessed management of flood risk for events up to 1 in 500yrs and priority given to the use of infiltration drainage techniques as opposed to discharging surface water to water courses.
Good: Design is developed with consideration of event exceedence. No risk of property flooding for events up to 200yr.
Minimum: LA& EA Guidance No property flooding as a result of 1 in 100yr event (including appropriate allowance for climate change).

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.3

Objective

To reduce the impacts from mechanical ventilation and cooling devices.

Importance:

Question

How are ventilation and cooling managed in the materplanning of the development?

Targets and Justification

Best: Heating and cooling powered by ground water heat exchanger or renewables passive ventilation, design measures to ensure that no mechanical ventilation or cooling required
Good: Mechanical ventilation and cooling, waste heat recovered from air exhaust and reused
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.4

Objective

Is the development designed to reduce heat gain and avoid heat island effects?

Importance:

Question

How are ventilation and cooling managed in the materplanning of the development?

Provision of appropriate shaded green space and tree cover
Green roofs and vegetated walls
Design to enable air-flow throughout the development
Open water and fountains in public spaces
Shaded public spaces and footpaths
Appropriate choice of external finishes to avoid heat absorption

Targets and Justification

Best: Demonstrate the use and compliance with "Adapting to Climate Change; a checklist for development", November 2005.
Good: A design strategy which addresses the issues above, or equivalent alternatives
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.5

Objective

To reduce the overall consumption of clean water for non-potable uses.

Importance:

Question

What percentage of household baths, showers, hand basins and washing machines are connected to grey water recycling systems to enable water re-use within the home or wider development?

Targets and Justification

Best: > 50%
Good: 25% - 50%
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required.

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.6

Objective

To ensure that roof space is used productively to enable the use of rain water

Importance:

Question

What percentage of the total roof area in the development is designed to allow the harvesting of rain water for re-use and/or is covered by green roofs?

Targets and Justification

Best: More than 75% of the roof area used for rainwater harvesting or green roofs; captured water used for irrigation and toilet flushing and/or washing machines
Good: 50% of the roof area used for rainwater harvesting or green roofs
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required.

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.7

Objective

To reduce carbon emissions emanating from energy sources used in the development

Importance:

Question

What steps has the developer taken to prepare an energy strategy for the proposed development?

Minimising energy demand for the site through orientation and passive solar design and efficient energy infrastructure
Maximising the thermal efficiency of individual buildings through thermal mass, insulation and passive cooling measures
Minimising demand for water heating, space heating and cooling, lighting and power in individual buildings through efficient equipment and controls
Calculating the residual energy demand for the site
Maximising the amount of the residual demand which can be provided through on-site generated renewable energy (either collective or integrated into individual buildings)
Meeting the remaining demand efficiently, e.g. CHP (non-biomass or waste powered), district heating and cooling, ground source heating and cooling

Targets and Justification

Best: Steps A to F completed
Good: Steps B to E completed
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required.

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.8

Objective

To promote the increased use of renewable energy sources to reduce dependence on fossil fuels producing carbon emissions

Importance:

Question

What percentage of total site energy demand is produced from an on-site renewable scheme (e.g. wind, solar, hydro photovoltaic bank, CHP operating on biomass or waste) in order to reduce dependence on carbon emitting sources

Targets and Justification

Best: 75%
Good: Exceeds RSS minimum, but does not generate whole energy demand from renewables >30%
Minimum: Minimum set by RSS or local authority >10%

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.9

Objective

To encourage the future use of active solar building renewables where they are not initially supplied to enable occupants to use low-carbon energy.

Importance:

Question

What percentage of buildings in the development where building integrated renewables (also known as micro generation technologies) are not fitted initially are designed to allow later installation of such technologies by building owners or occupiers?

Targets and Justification

Best: >80%
Good: 60-80%
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.10

Objective

To increase the use of sustainable heating / cooling techniques across the development.

Importance:

Question

To what extent does the development take into account the hierarchy for feasible heating systems

District or community co- or tri-generation heating/cooling schemes powered by renewables
District or community co- or tri-generation heating / cooling schemes
Ducting put in place to enable future connection to district or community heating / cooling systems

Targets and Justification

Best: B or A
Good: C
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.11

Objective

To ensure that the proposed development is resilient to predicted weather changes over its lifetime

Importance:

Question

Have new developments been designed to survive the expected impacts of forecast increased wind speeds and stronger rain events during the expected lifetime of the building?

Targets and Justification

Best: As good practice and development designed to minimise overall impact on air flow through the site through wind breaks, orientation and aerodynamic design
Good: Exterior fittings (i.e. roof finishes, guttering, fencing etc) designed to withstand maximum predicted wind speeds. Rainwater goods designed to cope with anticipated increased flows.
Minimum: Building control standards and local authority requirements

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Policy Links

RPG

RE1: WATER RESOURCES AND WATER QUALITY
RE 2: FLOOD RISK.
RE 5: MANAGEMENT AND TRANSPORTATION OF WASTE.

RSDF

3.1: PROMOTE EFFICIENT USE OF AFFORDABLE ENERGY WHILST REDUCING ENERGY DEMAND.
3.2: INCREASE ROLE OF RENEWABLE ENRGY AND COMBINED HEAT AND POWER (CHP) WHILST REDUCING THE ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF ALL FORMS OF ENERGY PRODUCTION.
3.3: REDUCE RISK TO SOCIETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT FROM CLIMATE CHANGE AND SEA LEVEL RISE.
4.5: MINIMISE THE RISK OF FLOODING TO PEOPLE AND PLACES.

RSS

E1
E5
RES1
SC2
SC3
SC6

Development sizes

The checklist has been split into three different versions for different sizes of development:

Small: Up to 10 dwellings
Medium: 11 - 999 dwellings
Up to 999 dwellings (mixed use)
Large: 1,000 - 5,999 dwellings
1,000 - 5,999 dwellings (mixed)

If the development is for more than 6,000 houses, we recommend a bespoke checklist should be produced by the developer and local authority.

The set of questions for smaller developments is contained within the set of questions for larger developments.