Welcome to the Buildpass Sustainable Construction Blog

Opting for solar panels on your property – particularly your roof – is one of the best things you can do for the climate, your energy bills and your energy efficiency rating. But which types of roof are suitable for solar panels?

We’re excited to launch the first article of our ‘Guest Post Series’ where we spoke to George from Energy Spirit. Here tells us about the roofs that are (and aren’t) suitable for solar panels.Read the full article…

When it comes to energy efficiency, the “buzz words” and technical jargon are endless. And when it isn’t your area of expertise, it can sometimes feel easier to turn a blind eye to them entirely.

We’re debunking the confusion that lies around sustainability and building compliance. We want to show you how simple it is to improve your energy use, save money and, ultimately, do your part for the planet.

Starting with U Value – your thermal performance rating. Head over to our blog to find out more about what this is and why it matters.Read the full article…

With the decade drawing to a close, it seems fitting to take a moment and look back at 2019 and everything Buildpass has achieved.

We have transformed in ways we could never have imagined. What started as a passion project has now become a fully fledged, evolving business.

And so in-keeping with the festive spirit, we wanted to pay homage to a few of our favourite achievements from the past 12 months and raise a glass to a year well spent. Take a look at our blog and join us in our celebration!
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When it comes to sourcing your home energy in the most efficient, cost effective and natural way, the options can feel never ending. Deciding on the system that best suits you holds many layers; but we’re here to unpick some of them.

One of these options is passive stack ventilation (PSV): a totally natural ventilation system. Visit our blog to read our easy guide to PSV and find out whether it’s the energy solution for you!
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There are so many reasons to improve the energy efficiency of a building. Aside from the drop in fuel consumption and costs and increase in comfort, it takes us a step closer to a more sustainable environment. Historic buildings shouldn’t be exempt from that. It’s a well known fact that historic buildings are far fromRead the full article…

Octopus are one of the few suppliers in the UK of 100% renewable energy. And now they’ve teamed up with Tesla to start a renewable home revolution: the Tesla Energy Plan.

The idea is that energy usage will become automated, lowering your bills and minimising your carbon footprint. It balances supply and demand, optimising your energy usage costs and transitioning homes to sustainable power.

We’re looking forward to seeing the response from other energy suppliers in the coming months; could this be the start of a new mindset in energy efficiency?
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We pride ourselves on our highly personalised service, finding individual solutions for every single one of our clients. This means we are always passionate about helping those who may have been steered in the wrong direction.

Take a look at the recent way we supported a client who had been fed contradictory advice on the design of their roof.Read the full article…

A Waste Water Heat Recovery System can save you money year round while giving you the seal of approval. But how do they actually work and are they worth the money? When it comes to making your home or development as environmentally-conscious as possible, the options really are limitless. We’ve come a long way inRead the full article…

If you’re designing a dwelling which is grouped together and shares party walls or party floors – such as flats and terrace houses – you can pass building compliance as an overall block.

Block compliance allows you to use average TER
and DER values for apartments and terraced houses so that the higher performing units – such as those at the end of the terrace or ground and top floor flats) can make up for the dwellings with a lower performance.

Basically?
Everyone’s a winner.Read the full article…

The primary purpose of an energy assessment is to demonstrate that climate change mitigation measures have been fully integrated into a scheme’s design and evolution, and that they are appropriately designed based on the context of the development.

Essentially, you need to be able to prove that you are adhering to the London Plan energy policies and that your development is conscious of its environmental impact and is designed in a way to minimise this as much as possible.

Find out more about Policy 5.2 and energy assessments over on our blog.
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There’s no doubt that business giants have the upper hand when it comes to implementing sustainable excellence. Cutting edge technology costs money and, let’s face it, they’ve got a lot of it.

But you don’t need to be a billionaire to achieve green excellence. You just need knowledge and drive, with a passion to minimise your carbon footprint and boost the longevity of your building.Read the full article…

Our client designs and builds beautiful, modern conservatories for a huge range of homes. Their conservatories are fantastic; some of the best. But they need a helping hand to ensure every single development is energy efficient to the highest degree.

We come in and help the client throughout the entire installation: specification of floors, walls, roof and glazing, as well as varied levels of insulation, providing all calculations ready for building compliance.

We do it all, so they can get back to doing what they do best; building the conservatory of their client’s dreams.
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Global climate strikes, the Extinction Rebellion and big, bold Government promises on sustainability. You’d be hard pressed to avoid the topic of our environmental impact. It’s becoming paramount for us to sit up and take notice. Changing our own behaviours when it comes to our ecological footprint is no longer a fleeting thought; it’s aRead the full article…

This week, the Government unveiled a new green standard for all new build homes with the ultimate aim of tackling climate change head on and cutting down utility bills. It says that by 2025, all fossil fuel heating systems – such as gas boilers – will be banned from new homes.

As a Sustainability Consultant, this is (unsurprisingly!) music to my ears. We’re getting closer and closer to crisis point, and now’s the time to get all hands on deck and face the climate emergency together: one build at a time.
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A carbon neutral city is one that runs entirely on renewable energy. Although this is a major task (and one that will be no easy feat), to date the UK has already reduced carbon emissions by 43% from levels recorded in 1990.

We’re on the way. We’re trying. But there’s still a long way to go.
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Last month we launched The Case Study Series; a behind the scenes look into the world of Buildpass and the brilliant clients we are able to support. Because we’re so much more than just a one trick pony. Our business is built on finding solutions and giving people the tools and confidence to create theirRead the full article…

Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) are pipes buried beneath your garden designed to capture heat from the ground to channel straight into your home. And while they require a high initial investment, they have the highest ROI and lowest running costs of ANY renewable energy. So whether you’re building your own dream home or a new property to put on the market, a GSHP system could improve both the quality and efficiency of your build as well as its value.Read the full article…

Here at Buildpass, we understand that building compliance can feel like a complex and never ending battlefield. Especially when you’ve got the added pressure of finishing your property to the standard and design of your dreams to contend with. Luckily, it’s something we’re passionate about. Getting new builds to tick all the boxes in asRead the full article…

With Kevin McCloud back on our screens with “Kevin’s Grandest Designs”, I can’t help but ponder over the intricacies of these ingenious rural builds, and the steps that have been taken to make them a reality. We’ve all got our dream spot in mind for that perfect home. The fantasy.

For many people, that spot will always remain exactly that; a fantasy. Due in no small part to the difficulty of getting planning permission granted on paragraph 79 homes.Read the full article…

Introducing… The Case Study Series. We’re going to share with you behind the scenes stories from our jobs, events and development. We hope this will give you a flavour of Buildpass and the many ways we can support you and your build.Read the full article…

When the time, effort and finances have already been pumped into a finished build, making (sometimes large) changes is far from easy. In fact, it can throw everything into disarray.

Save yourself the added pressure by tackling your energy efficiency earlier in your building journey.
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By law, all domestic and non-domestic private rented properties are now required to adhere to a minimum level of energy efficiency: an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E or above.

Here at Buildpass, this is something we have the skills and experience to support you with. We’re available to join you at your property at short notice or elsewhere for a consultation to share the steps you need to take to keep your EPC rating as low as possible.
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There’s no escaping it. If you’re working on any new residential developments, conversions and even some extensions, Building Regulations insist you have a SAP Assessment on your property. But what is a SAP calculation and what does it mean? We’re glad you asked. A SAP calculation stands for a Standard Assessment Procedure calculation. Or, inRead the full article…

“Your air leakage test is an essential part of your finished build. It measures the extent to which air is lost through uncontrolled leaks in the building fabric and, ultimately, defines the energy performance of the building.

As your one-stop energy and sustainability consultant, we have the flexibility and skills to attend your property at short notice and steer you back in the right direction if you do miss the mark.

Because we’ll never walk away from a problem. In fact, we’ll work alongside your site team to achieve a pass during our visit, rather than just marking a red cross on your door.”
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We recently had a client asking what the difference between and Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and Display Energy Certificate and do you need one if you have the other. So we looked into it further. What is an Energy Performance Certificate? The Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations came into effect on the 1st August 2007Read the full article…