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Sustainability Guide

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Contents  
Introduction 
Principles 
Priorities 
Culture Change 
Local Sourcing 
Re-cycle Re-use 
Sensitivity 
Landscape Character 
Context 
Principles & Cost Return 
Checklist 
Site Selection 
Site Layout 
Site Density 
Building Orientation 
Topography and Piling 
Ecology and Biodiversity 
Protection from the Elements 
Basic Water Management 
Sustainable Drainage Systems 
Ground Contamination and Remediation 
Flood Risk 
Increase Insulation 
Prefabrication 
Rainwater Harvesting 
Materials Speciﬁcation 
Photovoltaic Cells 
Passive Solar Heating 
Solar Water Heating 
Bank Protection 
Increased Air Tightness 
Ground Source Heat Pumps 
Building Management Systems 
Heat Recovery 
Wind Turbines 
Small Scale CHP 
Reed Beds 
Biofuel 
Reed Cutting 
Lime 
Straw Bale 
Case Studies 
Waterside 
Hillside 
Marshland 
Boat Yard 
Natural Ventilation 

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Introduction

The Broads is one of England’s most recently designated National

Parks and its location between the fens and the ever-present

force of the North Sea represents one of the UK’s most ﬁnely

balanced habitats.The wetlands and waterways, together with the

managed planting and natural grasslands, bring nature closer into

the lives of the people who live and work there, while providing

the necessary resources to create sustainable development in

the future.

The objective of this guide is both practical and ethical to ensure

that buildings can contribute to biodiversity and a sustainable

future by using natural local resources and by creating suitable

interventions within the Broadland landscape.

The intention of this guide is not to be prescriptive but to

suggest ways in which the built environment can compliment the

sustainable balance of the Broads.

‘Our Strategy for sustainable development aims to enable all

people throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs and

enjoy a better quality of life without compromising the quality of

life of future generations.’

The UK Government Sustainable

Development Strategy

The UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy

http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk

http://www.breeam.org/

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Principles

The role of buildings in the Broads is fundamental to the

realisation of sustainable development. Buildings are long lived:

they stretch into the future realm, a future of unknown resources,

pollution and climate.

50% of all resources globally go into construction.

50% of energy generated is used in their construction and use.

50% of CO

2 emission comes from buildings.

This is a fact that must be considered in the selection of building

design, materials and the processing of waste, but sustainability

is not just about saving the Earth’s resources. It is also about

economic vitality and lowering the ﬁnancial burden of energy and

transport costs.

Finally, the regeneration of exciting buildings, structures and

infrastructures is vital to the retention of character and critical

mass in existing settlements, and thus plays an essential role in

ensuring healthy and sustainable social interaction.

http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk

http://www.countryside.gov.uk/publications/articles/publication_tcm2-20983.asp

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Priorities

The checklist provides a simple way of raising the level of

sustainability of development in the Broads. But in the real world

of tight budgets and timescales, best intentions can often get

lost in the execution. Effecting a cultural change in the whole

building design process is what is required. Establishing local

sourcing and connections can encourage this, which in return

can boost economic regeneration. Maximising opportunities for

redevelopment of existing buildings can encourage traditional

construction, and minimising green ﬁeld development promotes

a design ethos, which is contextual and sensitive to locality.

Consider biodiversity right from the begining of a project, and

ensure that biodiversity considerations are incorporated into all

stages: planning, design, construction, and follow-up.

before after

http://www.bre.co.uk

http://www.bre.co.uk/service.jsp?id=397

http://www.bre.co.uk/service.jsp?id=51

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Culture Change

A long-term shift towards sustainable development will

only come about through a combination of planning,

building regulation legislation and guidance, as well as a local

determination to promote and uphold the recommendations in

this Guide.

Education, informally through the media, and formally through

traditional building workshops etc. will raise the awareness of the

local community, building procurers, contractors and designers.

Integration with local schools and their curricula means that

sustainability will be seen as a priority by the next generation.

Statutory Authorities provide speciﬁc agendas for the following:

- Biodiversity, water management, renewable energy sources (Environment Agency).

- Increased insulation, good practice detailing and construction (Building Control).

- Waste generation and management, recycling strategies (Local County Council).

This Guide provides principles approved by the above Agencies.

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/

http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/ruraldelivery/natural-england.htm

http://www.toolkit-east.org.uk

http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/ruraldelivery/natural-england.htm

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Local Sourcing

A key to sustainability in the Broads will be local sourcing and

networks. Finding a local builder and specifying materials that

are produced locally will reduce transport costs and vehicle

emissions, as well as contributing to the local aesthetic. Materials

that are available locally are probably materials that have been

used locally for centuries in the making of buildings.

The Broadland characteristic is deﬁned by local sourcing.

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Re-cycle Re-use

Opportunities should be taken to re-use existing buildings, which

with some modiﬁcations might meet their requirements perfectly.

This is sometimes considered a costly alternative to making a

new building, but when you consider the recycling potential

released in the re-use of lime mortared bricks, timber, clay tiles

and hardcore, cost savings and sensitivity to context are the

ultimate beneﬁts.

An ‘existing building register’ could be considered so potential

developers are made aware of opportunities.

Planning guidelines already favour re-use and brown ﬁeld sites.

Especially relevant in the Broads.

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Sensitivity

In a protected environment like the Broads, a design ethos, which

is contextual and sensitive to locality, is a priority.To ‘touch the

ground lightly’ by means, for example, of screwed spiral anchor

pile foundations allows bio diversity to thrive below the building.

Semi-permanent, adaptable and re-usable structures are well

suited to waterside locations, but are not as suitable for areas of

higher land, where a hillside context hints at permanence against

the landscape backdrop.The marshland suggests structures that

sit low for protection from the elements with occasional height

and verticality to act as markers in the landscape.

Some of the technologies in this guide such as wind turbines,

solar water heaters and wind catchers etc. will require planning

permission and the Broads Authority should be consulted in the

ﬁrst instance.

The effectiveness of some technologies referred to may be

seasonal and in some instances it will be appropriate to combine

systems to achieve the best results.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/

http://www.ukbap.org.uk

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Landscape Character

Landscape character is deﬁned as a distinct, recognisable and

consistent pattern of elements in the landscape that makes one

landscape different from another. Essentially, landscape character

is that which makes an area unique.

It is essential to consider this sense of place when making

decisions about how to change, manage or restore landscapes.

Only by paying proper regard to the existing character of a place

can informed and responsible decisions be made, and sustainable

future landscapes planned for.Through understanding how places

differ we can also ensure that future development is well situated,

sensitive to its location, and contributes to environmental, social

and economic objectives.

The Broads Authority has undertaken a landscape character

assessment which divides The Broads into a series of local

character areas and types, each of which provide advice about

the qualities that make the area unique and what aspects should

be considered by potential planning applicants.

http://www.ukbap.org.uk/lbap.aspx?id=376

http://www.norfolkbiodiversity.org

http://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/

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Context

The Broads…

An unrivalled naturally functioning wetland ecosystem of

international natural and cultural importance, with a landscape

that: comprises a mosaic of interconnecting rivers and shallow

lakes, fens, marshes, wet wood-lands, mud-ﬂats and coastal dunes;

supports a wealth of plants and animals; and reﬂects historic

patterns of human activity over many hundreds of years.

A place where people live or work in harmony with it’s natural

and cultural qualities and where the local economy is sustained

through small and medium-sized enterprises: building and hiring

boats; providing services and accommodation, and producing

food and other products locally to meet the needs of visitors;

harvesting the fens; and farming livestock on the marshes.

(Adapted from the 2004 Broads Plan)

Broads Authority Local Development Framework:

http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/planning/planning-policy/local-development-framework.html

http://www.countryside.gov.uk/lar/landscape/cc/index.asp

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The following pages describe sustainable principles for building in

The Broads.

These are accompanied by icons which refer to the Checklist,

and icons which represent the initial cost of the technology

involved.The icons for cost are shown below from cheapest to

most expensive.

Principles

Some of the principles listed may appear expensive, however

with an increase in demand it is inevitable that technologies will

become more cost effective.

Ultimately some of the technologies will pay for themselves over

time.The icons on the right represent the time it will take to

expect a return on the money invested. Immediate return, 2 – 5

year return, and 10+ year return.

Cost Return

http://www.renewables-east.org.uk

http://www.greenregister.org/

http://www.thenbs.com/

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Checklist

The following is intended as a quick checklist to use when commissioning or designing buildings to be sustainable.

Follow the icons throughout the guide to ﬁnd out more about the speciﬁc topics.

Sustainable materials and construction

Understand the impacts, which materials speciﬁed

may have on the environment, resource depletion

and energy consumption.

Micro-climate and pollution

Create shelter from excessive exposure to sun and

wind, and improve air quality by reducing pollution.

Renewable energy

Develop sites to maximise opportunities for

generating and using renewable energy (small scale

windmills, Photovoltaics etc).

Waste management

Reduce, re-use and recycle.

Water resource management

Understand the importance of conserving limited

natural resources, minimise consumption, reduce

ﬂood risk and relieve demands on infrastructure.

Energy efﬁciency

Design buildings to be as energy efﬁcient as

possible, reducing effects of depletion of natural

resources and pollution produced by conventional

energy generation.

Climate

Design buildings to be as ﬂexible as possible for

future adaptation to climate and temperature

change, and changes in water level.

Biodiversity and quality environments

Consider existing plant and wildlife, acoustic

insulation, thermal comfort, natural daylight and

ventilation.

Energy Saving Trust http://www.est.org.uk

Centre for Alternative Energy http://www.cat.org.uk

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Site Selection

The Broads Local Plan and its successor, the Broads Local

Development Framework outline planning policies for the Broads

and should be consulted in the ﬁrst instance. Secondly, in order

to select a site which will contribute sustainably to the area:

Consider adjacency to existing infrastructure and services.

Consider re-use of existing buildings rather than demolition

(consult Broads Authority for information on redundant

buildings).

Consider the orientation of the site – covered later under

‘Building Orientation’.

The selection of a site is a fundamental and low cost decision.

Natural habitats and micro-climates should not be disturbed.

Any demolition should be supported by a statement of intent to

re-use materials from the existing building.

Buildings reaching the end of their predicted life - if demolished

carefully - can provide a useful resource in the re-use of their

materials.

http://www.greenspec.co.uk

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Site Layout

Site layout for waterside development will be dictated by

orientation and access to the waterside. Access across the site,

from water to road, should be maintained in strategic locations;

strengthening the transportation network, providing access for

the delivery of materials for construction and up-keep. These

access routes will help maintain public views and help prevent

the isolation of the road network from the river frontage.

Mooring access will depend on suitability of the bank side habitat.

Piling method should be appropriate to risk from ﬂooding/

erosion. See Bank Protection.

The building’s orientation is discussed later in this guide.

Access should be provided to possible bio-fuel stores and

sewage treatment systems.

Planting might be considered to the roadside to provide privacy

and deaden sound.

The possibility of using micro-renewable energy technologies

such as wind turbines and solar panels should be a

consideration in site layout.

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Site Density

Restrictions on height as dictated by the local context and impact

on landscape. New development will be considered successful if

it continues the pattern of historic development.

New development should support local shops, schools, and

employment whilst utilising existing infrastructure. A network

of short journeys should encourage walking and riding bikes,

whilst longer journeys should be achievable via public transport,

through bus and rail networks. In theory this creates a series of

sustainable communities throughout the Broads, which create

their own economic viability.

The correct site density can create healthy social environments.

The sustainable community could create enough economic

viability to bring redundant buildings back into use.

The aim is to generate social interaction via a density, which

neither isolates, nor over-crowds.

Broads Authority Local Development Framework:

http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/planning/planning-policy/local-development-framework.html

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Building Orientation

Exploiting visible connections with the landscape is a priority in

an area like the Broads. Waterside buildings will evidently be

orientated to maximise views of the water.Where this results

in larger areas of glazing facing south, solar gain is increased and

heating costs can be reduced.The down side to this is glare from

the sun, which can controlled via the use of projecting eaves

(i.e. sun only penetrates deep into the building in the winter) or

applied solar shading (external louvres, etc.)

Natural day lighting will improve a building’s interior and

reduce the requirement for artiﬁcial lighting.

If the principal views are to the north, smaller windows, setting

up framed views may be preferable in what should be a heavily

insulated wall. Solid ‘rammed earth’ or gabion walls can provide

levels of protection from the elements required of a north facing

façade.

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Topography / Construction

The topography of the selected site will affect the method of

construction implemented.

A priority for the Broads is the re-use of materials from buildings

reaching the end of their expected life. Demolition materials can

be used as a piling mat to avoid the need for importing virgin

materials into site.

The following are some examples of sustainable piling techniques.

In preference to in-situ concrete retaining walls, driven steel sheet

piling should be avoided, except in areas susceptible to ﬂooding

See Bank Protection.

http://www.greenspec.co.uk

Screwed spiral anchor pile foundations are lightweight, avoid

large amounts of concrete, excavation and disposal of subsoil.The

principle of ‘touching the ground lightly’ with a technique like this

also allows biodiversity to thrive below the building.

Dynamic compaction and vibration techniques with or without

the addition of local stone or recycled concrete into the piling

hole can provide piled construction without using imported

material, i.e. no new concrete.

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Ecology and Biodiversity

Whether the site is waterside, hillside or marshland, the objective

must be to ensure that a development has minimal impact on its

natural habitat. Positive enhancement of the environment must

be a key aim.

Ecological surveys may need be undertaken to accompany

planning applications. Advice should be sought from Natural

England or the local Wildlife Trust.

If the site has a number of environmental implications, it

would be worth considering the services of an Environmental

Consultant.

Protection of existing trees and the addition of green sedum

moss roofs (where appropriate) should be considered in an

environment like the Broads where Ecology and Biodiversity is a

priority.

Consider - Reed-bed ﬁltration systems

Gabion walls in reed-beds provide high surface area for

beneﬁcial bacteria growth

http://www.norfolkbiodiversity.org/SAPsHAPs/Guidelines.pdf

http://www.norfolkbiodiversity.org

http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/

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Protection from the Elements

The majority of sites in the Broads suffer from exposure to the

elements: be it harsh wind and rain in the winter or exposure

to the sun in the summer. Planting can be used to moderate the

environment.Tree planting can provide useful solar shade in the

summer, but when the leaves drop in the autumn the same trees

offer little obstruction to the penetration of winter daylight and

desirable solar gains. Evergreen planting to the north can provide

protection from wind and driving rain in the winter.

Artiﬁcial methods of protection like louvred panels on south

facing glass or brise soleil canopies can be integrated into

a building’s design. Studies can be carried out by architects/

designers to ensure that the shading device will work as

intended.

The north side of a building should be heavily insulated to

protect from harsh conditions. Solid ‘rammed earth’ or gabion

walls provide increased thermal mass, meaning they provide

insulation in the winter and absorb the heat from the sun in the

summer.

- Employ methods to keep sun off glass (Sun shading by louvres)

- Deciduous tree planting adjacent to building

- Heavily insulated north facing walls.

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Basic Water Management

Hosepipe bans and ﬂood warnings suggest instability in our

climate.The way water impacts directly on health and food

production means that careful use of freshwater has become a

key concern and water conservation has become as important

as energy conservation.

There are generally two categories of water conservation:

The ﬁrst being the use of water by the end user (drawn from

the mains) which can be controlled by use of metering, high

efﬁciency ﬁttings, spray taps, showers rather than baths, and by

the collection of rainwater for general recycling. See Rainwater

Harvesting.The second is action taken to avoid depletion of the

water table such as the design of hard surfaces. Car Park surface

ﬁnishes should be porous to allow the large quantities of water

they collect to drain into the ground. Gravel ﬁlter strips, swales

(water collecting ponds), inﬁltration devices and ﬁlter drains help

maintain the water table.

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Sustainable Drainage Systems

Sustainable drainage systems remove the need for conventional

pipe work and excavation by managing the drainage and ﬁltration

of surface water above ground.The system reduces construction

costs as well as reducing the overall ﬂow of water through a

series of storage ponds, which minimise distress on downstream

drainage and receiving waters.The drainage system creates

natural features in the landscape creating attractive surroundings

in which biodiversity thrives. Sustainable drainage systems are

simple and cost effective, and avoid the need for expensive

specialist contractors.

Beneﬁts:

- Eliminates underground pipe work and manholes.

- Reduces ﬂows by over 50%.

- Reduces construction/transportation costs

- Keeps plants watered

- Traps pollution in topsoil and vegetation, where it bio-degrades

- Trapped grit and silt in vegetation, keeps the drainage system

clean

http://www.ciria.org/suds/

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Ground Contamination and Remediation

Because the Broads Authority endorses the re-use of existing

building plots (brown ﬁeld sites) it is often likely that ground

contamination will be discovered.This is especially so adjacent to

boat yards where diesel, petrol solvents and other carbon based

substances are in evidence.

Instead of removing contaminated earth, which is time

consuming, costly and involves transportation, the contamination

can be treated with biological methods.The most benign method

of remediation is based on toxin-neutralising plants (alder, willow,

poplar, reed), which either naturally break down pollution or

absorb it.

Heavy materials are most problematic in that they are more

difﬁcult to treat. However, liming or stabilisation using cement or

PFA materials, or even waste from sugar production, can reduce

the mobility of metals in the ground. Capping using reclaimed

soils, or spoil, may also provide a satisfactory solution.

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http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/

http://www.defra.gov.uk

The degree of risk of ﬂooding is likely to increase in the light of

climate change, sea-level rise and the gradual sinking of Eastern

England. All these phenomena are subject to study and continual

re-assessment. The current estimate of sea-level rise for inclusion

in the design of tidal defences, as recommended by the Depart

ment for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), is 6 mm

per year.

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Flood Risk

The causes of ﬂooding in the Broads are complex and there is

signiﬁcant uncertainty in assessing the future risk of ﬂooding at

particular locations and its likely extent, duration and severity.

Developers should be aware at the outset that it is not feasible

to eliminate all risk of ﬂooding. A range of measures can,

however, be applied to reduce the risk of ﬂooding including

avoiding development in areas at risk.Where development is

appropriate in principle the following are relevant:

Minimum Floor Levels

This is a well established approach in the Broads, setting the

building ﬂoor level above an appropriate ﬂood level.

However it can affect access into the building, including access for

disabled people.

Raising Plot Levels

Developers may also seek to reduce the risk of ﬂooding by

raising the level of the land, either in isolation or in combination

with a minimum ﬂoor level. However raising land levels can serve

to divert ﬂoodwater onto neighbouring plots. It can also be

damaging to trees and other vegetation on the site.

Bunds or Flood Walls

In some cases it will be appropriate to consider the use of

are likely to be damaging to the character of the landscape or

built environment.

Other

A further approach is to take measures to protect individual

properties, for example through the use of raised thresholds,

ﬂoorboards, waterprooﬁng or the protection of airbricks,

electrical installation and foul drainage.

earth bunds or ﬂood walls to reduce the risk of ﬂooding of new

development or to protect existing development. However, these

http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/broads/live/authority/publications/planning-publishing/Dev__Flood_Risk_SPG-

_Nov_2000_Updated_Oct_2003.doc

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/

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Increase Insulation

Solar gain and renewable energy sources are priorities for

sustainable development but without increased insulation any

beneﬁcial heat gained could easily escape through the fabric of

the building. Insulation for sustainable development, however,

needs to be carefully sourced as many products contain glass

ﬁbres and plastics that do not decompose.

There are now many products on the market, which utilise

natural and renewable materials such as Hemp or sheep’s wool

and these should be used in preference to non-renewable

petrochemical materials. Sheep’s wool is treated with an inert,

naturally occurring mineral, to provide pest, fungal and enhanced

ﬁre resistance. It can be used for solid or cavity ‘breathing wall’

construction, ﬁre barriers and for reducing airborne and impact

noise.

Increased insulation should be used in preference to increased

heating installation. Optimum thicknesses of 300-600mm will in

most cases exceed building regulations and should help to ‘future

proof ’ designs.

http://www.greenspec.co.uk

http://www.natural-building.co.uk

Building Regs: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1130478

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Natural ventilation

Windcatcher systems have proved to be an effective method

of providing natural ventilation in buildings, by encapsulating the

prevailing wind from any direction. Clean, fresh air, relatively free

from contamination, is caught at roof level and is carried down to

the rooms below through a controlled damper arrangement.

This natural solution guarantees a comfortable living environment

without appealing to energy wasting technologies. Moreover it

contributes to a substantial reduction of a building’s energy costs

and a reduction of its CO

2 emission.

The system can be reversed to provide night time cooling in

which large air currents cool off the building and the inside air

overnight. Because of this the thermal comfort in summer can be

guaranteed with a minimum of energy consumption. Next to the

need for enough thermal mass, which stores the cold air, there

also has to be enough wind generated airﬂow (a resource which

is abundant in the Broads).

Source: http://www.renson.be

Source: http://www.windcatcher.com

Building Regs: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1130478

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Prefabrication

Prefabricated buildings might conjure up images of post war

housing, temporary classrooms, or site huts. However the

technology has become more and more sophisticated to the

point where developers can beneﬁt from mass production, quick

installation and quality workmanship.The technology is well

suited to the Broads where a principle of light intervention in the

landscape is appropriate.

Off-site prefabrication eases the current construction industry

skills shortage, using more factory-based production. Factory

conditions allow for a more amiable working environment, in

which a better quality of work and less wastage is achievable.

However this should be balanced with transportation costs, and

a panelised system is preferable to a volumetric solution, which in

essence involve the transportation of large volumes of air.

Composite panels should be avoided as these are often difﬁcult

to recycle.

http://www.greenspec.co.uk

Building Regs: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1130478

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Rainwater Harvesting

Roofs represent large surface areas of buildings and are therefore

valuable in their ability to collect rainwater. With conventional

drainage systems the water is carried away in storm drains or

soak-aways, but Rainwater Harvesting utilises the potential in the

volume of collectable water.

Non potable rain water stored in tanks can be a source of

water for WC cisterns and urinal ﬂushing, plant irrigation and car

washing. Energy can be extracted from stored water heated by

high thermal mass (pebbles) roof coverings.

Because the cost of treating the non-potable water on-site is

high, harvesting systems usually work alongside conventional

piped potable water systems, which effectively doubles the

cost of water installation. However with the increasing cost

of metered water, rainwater harvesting becomes a valuable

resource.

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Materials Speciﬁcation

A priority for the Broads is the re-use of materials from buildings

which have come to the end of their useful life. Therefore

buildings should be constructed to allow materials to be re

used easily in the future. Reversible construction methods (i.e.

mechanical ﬁxings rather than welded joints) help in this process.

When there is no option but to specify new materials, re-cycled

materials can be sourced from web-sites like Wrap which gives

an independent assessment of the recycled content of most

materials.

Generally timber should be sourced from local soft /hard woods.

Paints should be water or linseed oil based. Floors should be clay

tile instead of carpet, as tiles have a longer lifespan and need less

energy to manufacture, and carpets prevent the ﬂoor slab from

storing heat. Alternative ﬂoor ﬁnishes are wood, linoleum or

rubber. Gutters can be speciﬁed as un-coated aluminium which

is recyclable. Windows should be timber or metal framed. Avoid

PVC products.

Sourcing re-cycled materials

Wrap website gives an independent assessment of the recycled content of most materials with lists of actual products (those with

most recycled content) and their contact/ technical info.

WRAP: Recycled Products Selector site.

http://www.wrap.org.uk/procurement/products

http://www.greenspec.co.uk

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Photovoltaic Cells

With their ultra-modern aesthetic, photovoltaic panels are

often at odds with the traditional building style common in the

Broads. However roof tiles are being developed with integral

photovoltaic cells to suit the domestic market.

The technology has become common in a variety of applications.

Sunlight knocks electrons free in the photovoltaic material, which

ﬂow out of the device as electric current.The more intense the

sunlight, the stronger the electric current.

http://www.greenspec.co.uk

When specifying photovoltaics for the domestic market the

key issue is how much it will contribute to the energy load and

therefore how cost effective the technology will be over the

lifetime of the building.

The disadvantages of the system occur in the intermittent nature

of sunlight and the difﬁculty in storing the electricity generated.

Unlike conventional energy systems costs are high at installation

and low in use, although maintenance and control systems can

add to the cost.

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Passive Solar Heating

Passive solar energy is common to many buildings but its full

potential is rarely exploited. South facing glazing provides useful

space heating, creating about 20 per cent of the energy needs of

a typical house.

With enlarged windows to the south, the addition of

conservatories or atria, and some ducting of the warmed air to

the colder parts of the building, passive solar gain can provide

nearly 40 per cent of the primary energy heating needs of a

typical house in the Broads.

For this to be most efﬁciently achieved, the solar energy needs

to be stored in a building fabric of high thermal capacity, and

the building should be well insulated and relatively airtight.

Simple measures such as southerly aspect, differential window

area between north and south, and high levels of insulation can

achieve a great deal of beneﬁt at little extra cost.

For example, public rooms are placed on the south side

and utility areas (kitchens, bathrooms, small bedrooms) to

the north. When specifying large areas of glass be awear of

possible light polution.

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Solar Water Heating

Active solar systems consist of ﬂat plate water heaters and

evacuated tube collectors. Solar water heaters are normally

placed on south-facing inclined roofs with the heated water

taken directly into the hot water storage tank, which is usually

positioned in the roof space. A few square metres of solar water

heater can provide two-thirds of the hot water requirements of

a typical household in the UK.These systems are called “active,”

as opposed to “passive” because they use electric pumps to

move the water from the collectors to the storage tank. In

passive systems water moves naturally because of a temperature

difference.

Outside the UK, community-based solar district heating systems

are to be found. In these instances solar collectors heat the water

stored in large thermal (often underground) tanks during the

summer, which, because of their size, retain much of the heat

during the winter.This pre-heated hot water is then piped to

adjoining buildings, where it can be heated further before use

either in radiators or as domestic hot water.

http://www.norfolksolar.co.uk

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Bank Protection

The careful design of new or replacement bank edging is

crucial to protect the special landscape character of the Broads.

The following designs indicate some alternative methods of

sustainable bank protection suitable for the Broads.

Alder Pole Piling

This method uses locally-sourced green Alder poles. Creates

a ‘softer’ effect than traditional timber piling. Suitable only for

emergency mooring. Suitable for low to medium tidal ranges.

Faggots

A low cost method using live willow bundles to create living bank

protection with high conservation beneﬁts. Low tidal ranges.

Willow Spiling

A low-cost method of protection using locally-sourced natural

material. Not suitable for mooring. Low to medium tidal ranges.

Broads Design and Management Information

http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk

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Increased Air Tightness

Like increased insulation, air tightness is fundamental in ensuring

that sustainably sourced heat does not dissipate through the

buildings fabric. However this needs to be carefully balanced with

natural ventilation systems, which are intended to supply the

building with fresh air.

The air-tightness tests required to comply with Building

Regulation Part F (Ventilation) are conducted with natural

ventilation systems masked off and so the issue becomes one of

robust detailing in the construction, with the aim to reduce a loss

of comfort as a result of un-controlled air movement.

Leaky buildings require an over designed heating and

ventilation system resulting in higher energy bills.

Building Regs:http://www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1130478

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Ground source heat pumps

Oil ﬁred boilers or electric heaters have been the usual recourse

for rural areas, but now ground source heat pumps are a viable

alternative.These extract energy absorbed when the sun shines

on the earth using a bore hole or shallow trenches. Heat is

extracted using water circulated in a ground loop, which is

pumped to a useable level by an electrically powered heat pump.

Ground source heat pumps can be very efﬁcient at extracting

heat or cooling from in-situ resources, e.g. river, pond,

underground water.

Always insulate well ﬁrst or the efﬁciency is squandered.

- Existing underground services must be located accurately

- Efﬁciency depends upon heat transfer rates. Solid ground is

more effective than porous, and damp conditions better than

dry.

- Horizontal pipe systems are cheaper than vertical

- GSHP should be sized to meet 60-70% of total energy

requirements.

- Water tightness is essential for piping to avoid antifreeze loss.

http://www.greenspec.co.uk

Ground Source Heat Pump Club: http://www.nef.org.uk/gshp/

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Building Management Systems

The integration of combined sustainable techniques in a

building can create a complex management scenario. Building

management systems are designed for the control, monitoring

and optimisation of various functions and services provided in

a building, including heating and cooling, ventilation, lighting and

often the management of electric appliances.

The use of these technologies allows the optimisation of various

services often with large energy savings.There are numerous

methods by which services within buildings can be controlled.

Most systems seek to control either by time, temperature, or

http://europa.eu.int/comm/energy_transport/atlas/htmlu/manint.html

illuminance and these parameters can be programmed to vary

with time.

The technology ranges from time switches to complete

‘intelligent’ systems.

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Heat recovery

This is a principle suited more to commercial buildings where

air conditioning units create wasted heat. Heat recovery avoids

throwing away heat with stale or moist air by use of heat

exchangers which pre-warm incoming cool fresh air.

The heat exchanger is a device composed of a series of

independent tubes divided by a middle partition, thus ensuring

the separation of supply and exhaust air ﬂows.The tubes contain

refrigerant that vaporizes on the warmer airﬂow channel and

condenses on the colder air channel, thus accomplishing the heat

transfer.

While recovering the otherwise waste energy from the exhaust

air and transferring it back to the supply air, the efﬁciency of the

cooling and heating devices in the air-handling units is greatly

improved.

AVOID:

Throwing away heat with stale or moist air in ventilation/

extraction systems

CONSIDER:

All ventilation systems should have heat recovery from stale

warm exhaust air to pre-warm incoming cool fresh air using

recovered heat

http://www.innergytech.com

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Wind Turbines

As an alternative to large-scale production there has been a

growth in micro-wind generators suitable for building-related

application.The turbine is ﬁxed to the roof in the manner of a TV

aerial and feeds power into the building at 240 volts. Unlike large

wind-powered systems the surplus energy cannot be fed into

the national grid, but installers are eligible to receive government

subsidies in the form of Renewable Obligation Certiﬁcates.

The appropriateness of wind turbines needs to be considered in

relation to the buildings context (see Sensitivity page 10).

Micro wind generators can, on average, cut annual electricity bills

by a third.

Generators should be ﬁxed to robust masonry and sited in the

prevailing wind.

The British Wind Energy Association provides data on wind

strength and recommends companies from which micro wind

generators can be sourced.

http://www.bwea.com

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Small Scale CHP

Combined heat and power systems make use of the wasted heat

created in the electricity making process, converting it into useful

heat for hot water and space heating. Emissions are 10% that of

conventional electricity manufacture.

Small scale CHP systems are emerging as a new product for

central heating markets.The aim is to replace a central heating

boiler with a device of similar physical size that provides some

electricity as well as heat – and the potential to reduce carbon

emissions.

CHP can provide a secure and highly efﬁcient method of

generating electricity and heat at the point of use. Owing to the

utilisation of heat from electricity generation and the avoidance

of transmission losses because electricity is generated on site,

CHP typically achieves a 35 per cent reduction in primary energy

usage.

This can allow the host organisation to make economic savings

where there is a suitable balance between the heat and power

loads.

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Reed Beds

Reed beds work by cleaning the soiled water biologically.The

roots of reeds (and other plants) supply oxygen to the naturally

occurring bacteria in the water, which then digest any pathogens

present. Faecal coliforms are broken down with the residual

matter, supplying nutrient-rich water to a lake, which can then

provide a habitat for wildlife or food for ﬁsh.

The reeds are relatively low maintenance because they control

their own growth and don’t require cutting. Operational costs

are lower than conventional systems and the reed bed won’t

smell if the system is designed correctly to treat the loadings

http://www.johnstonsmith.co.uk

from the site. Reed beds require a large area of land to work, so

they are not suitable in all locations, but the fact that reed occurs

regularly in The Broads means it is a contextual sustainable

solution.

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Biofuel

Biofuel technology ranges from wood-burning stoves, which can

combine hot water systems, to crops which are

grown speciﬁcally to be harvested and burnt in power stations or

heating systems.

When burned as a fuel, biomass releases into the atmosphere

the carbon dioxide it absorbed during the growth stage, mean

ing it is carbon neutral. Biofuels also encourage a stable rural

economy through their growth and management.

Wood pellets have advantages over solid wood fuel because

they ﬂow like a liquid and can be used in automatic self feed

stoves and boilers.They also take up less volume, have less ash

and emissions, and are easier to ignite. However they involve a

manufacturing process and transportation cost where as timber

can be sourced and seasoned on-site.

Biofuels (such as coppiced willows or Miscanthus) are commonly

employed in district combined heat and power (CHP) plants,

while fuel from rapeseed and recycled cooking oils provides an

alternative for the transport industry.

http://www.greenspec.co.uk

http://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/pdfs/ecs/miscanthus-guide.pdf

http://www.biodiesel.co.uk

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Reed Cutting

The Broads Authority sought to discover why reedcutting was

dying out locally while reeds for thatching were being imported

from Eastern Europe. Although this led to the illusion of retaining

the character of traditional Broads buildings it was at the expense

of the environment and local skills.

The results showed the lack of living wage was at the core of the

decline and consultants recommended that the reed and sedge

cutters form a group to access grants for basic equipment and

acquire further skills to provide earnings during the closed cutting

season.

The Broads Authority has persuaded landowners and managers

to reduce or drop royalty payments for cutting reed and plans

to work with the East Anglia Master Thatchers Association to

ensure a ready market.

The project has resulted in reed-beds being restored and reed

being cut commercially on some sites for the ﬁrst time in many

years.

The restoration of arable land as reed beds reduces the risk of

ﬂooding by absorbing rather than repelling ﬂood water.

http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/news/press-releases/2005/bright-future-for-broads-reed-cutting-industry.html

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Lime

Lime has been the principal binder in mortars, renders, plasters

and washes for thousands of years. Cement, by contrast, has only

been around since 1811, although it has managed almost com

pletely to take over from lime. It is a hard, brittle and unyielding

material.

Lime has been essential to the repair and maintenance of our

historic building fabric, but is also appreciated for it’s sustainable

crudentials. Bricks laid in a lime mortar can be used over and

over again, where as bricks bonded with cement mortar can only

be used once, after which they have to be broken up.

Environmentalists approve of lime as a binder because the ﬁring

temperature of 900°C is far less harmful to the environment

than the temperatures in excess of 1300°C required when pro

ducing cement. Furthermore, a proportion of the carbon dioxide

emitted when burning lime is absorbed back into the lime as it

cures.

http://www.thelimecentre.co.uk/

http://www.spab.org.uk/

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Straw Bale

Sustainability – Straw is an annually renewable product, fuelled by

the sun. About 4 million tonnes are produced surplus to require

ments in the UK each year.

Highly Insulating – straw is super-insulating at a low cost.With a

U-value of 0.13W/m2K, this means it is two or three times better

insulating than contemporary materials.

Sound Insulating – strawbale is acoustically super-insulative.This

means that not only are the sounds of the inside kept in, but ex

ternal noise which may otherwise be obtrusive is kept out. Straw

is also used in earth building techniques traditional to the area.

Methods

Load bearing because the bales work like big bricks, they are

stacked on top of each other and directly support the weight of

the structure, including the roof.

Inﬁll is based around a frame (normally wood) which carries the

weight of the roof.The strawbale acts as an inﬁll material that is

simply placed in between the supporting structure for insulation.

http://www.strawbalefutures.org.uk

http://www.eartha.org.uk/

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Case Studies

These case studies show how the strategies of the guide can

be implemented in 4 speciﬁc Broads topography’s:Waterside,

Hillside, Marshland, and Boat Yard.

The techniques used in each case, respond to their context in

an attempt to harmonise with the environment and maintain

landscape character.

The objective is to show how combinations of sustainable

technology can be used sensitively in different locations.

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Waterside

The waterside building layout and orientation should work

with the pattern of linear development typical in The Broads. A

building like this will typically replace a building that has reached

the end of its life expectancy, and it would be expected that any

salvageable materials be re-used in the new construction.

Screwed spiral anchor pile foundations allow the building to have

minimal impact on the ecology and bio-diversity by raising it

above ground level, which will also reduce the risk of ﬂooding.

Consider sustainable bank protection such as alder pole piling

(suitable for mooring) adjacent to the dwelling.Whereas away

from the dwelling Willow Spilling will reduce bank erosion and

restricts mooring in protected areas.

Maintaining access across the site strengthens the possibilities of

the transportation network. Planting to the North side provides

protection from the elements privacy from the roadside and

deadens sound. A small-scale wind turbine could provide 30% of

the buildings electricity and a wood-burning stove would reduce

heating costs.

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Orientation works with pattern of linear development

Replaces a building at the end of its useful life

Materials salvaged in construction

Screwed spiral anchor foundations

Rasied above ground surface

Bank protection

Access maintained across site

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Hillside

On an exposed hillside site robust detailing and materials will

be required to maintain an airtight envelope and reduce heating

costs.The building can beneﬁt from its context by being partially

buried in the hillside, which will provide protection from the

elements and provide good insulation.

The exposed location would provide the ideal location for small-

scale wind generation, which could cut annual electricity bills by

a third.

Porous hard surfaces would allow surface water to naturally drain

to the water table and could be combined with a sustainable

drainage system in a hillside location.

Rainwater harvested from the roof could provide water for WC

cisterns, plant irrigation and car washing, while Reed bed ﬁltration

beneﬁts from the natural incline of a hillside site to provide the

falls for the gravity fed system.

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Robust detailing in exposed location

Partially buried for protection from the elements

Ideal location for small scale wind generator

Sustainable drainage system

Rainwater harvesting

Natural incline for reed bed ﬁltration

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Marshland

The marshland building sits low for protection from the elements

with occasional height in the form of wind catchers, which

provide natural ventilation.The building is orientated to maximise

views to the south and takes advantage of passive solar heating

with its large glass area on this elevation.The earth extracted to

form the foundations could be amassed on the north side to

provide protection from the elements and allows bio diversity to

thrive over this area of the building.

In a ﬂat land location, horizontal ground source heat pumps

utilise the energy absorbed by the surrounding land.The utility

areas, kitchen, bathroom, small bedrooms, are buried below

ground to the north where they are insulated by the earth.

Materials should be selected to respond to context and

photovoltaics integrated into the building construction could

provide a percentage of the buildings electricity whilst also

providing solar shading.

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Sits low for protection from the elements with occasional height

Windcatchers provide natural ventilation

Horizontal ground source heat pumps

Excavated earth creates protection to the north

Photovoltaics take advantage of increased light levels

Materials selected to respond to context

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Boat Yard

The Boat Yard context provides the biggest opportunities in

terms of sustainability in the Broads. It is a building type that

provides landscape character and local employment.

The services that the Yards offer are very important in terms of

sustaining navigation and they can be diversiﬁed if permission is

given to re-use buildings at the end of their useful life. Holiday

accomodation may allow existing facilities and environmentally

friendly use to remain on site by providing a year round income

for the yard.

Principles that should be taken into consideration include:

sustainable types of bank protection, the treatment of land

that might be contaminated by diesel or petrol solvents with

biological methods, hard surfaces should be porous to avoid

depletion of the water table. Bio fuel stacks for wood burning

stoves are well suited to the industrial aesthetic.

The preservation of the Boat Yards is key to creating sustainable

communities in The Broads.

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Re-uses building at the end of its useful life

Treatment of contaminated land

Bank protection

Maintains historic development/character

Holiday accomodation adds to local economy

Porous hard surfaces

Bio fuel stack for wood burning stove

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Conclusion

This ‘production’ has been prepared by LSI Architects funded by

the Broads Authority Sustainable Development Fund.

We hope the ideas have inspired you and that there are some

which you can incorporate in your next building project.

You should not feel restricted by the suggestions made in this

guide. It is not a formula for creating buildings which all look the

same, but a framework of opportunities whose objective is a

unique sustainable future for the Broads.

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