- NEWS
- Economy
- Energy Use in Homes 2005
- Code for Sustainable Homes Technical Guidance (Revision Published)
- Passiv Haus Tour – Call for expression of interest
- E.ON and Nottingham University build house to test technologies
- REACH
- “Marketing of Goods” Package
- RoHS Update
- EUP – Future work programme
- EU Directives and Standards Update
- CONSULATION UPDATE
- Part G Consultation
- Scottish Building Regulations
- DEFRA Issues Consultation on Phase Three of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme
- Strategy for Sustainable Construction
- Recasting of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
- FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Bank of England
- The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted on 8 May, to maintain the official Bank Rate at 5.0%, a move which was widely anticipated. The previous change in Bank Rate was from 5.25% to 5.0% on 10 April 2008.
National Statistics
- Manufacturing output during the first quarter increased by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2008 compared to the last quarter of 2007 and between February and March, manufacturing output decreased by 0.5%. Overall production output decreased by 0.2% in the first quarter of 2008 and the overall index of production decreased by 0.5% between February and March .
- ONS has released figures for new construction orders during the first quarter of 2008. Highlights:
- Overall new orders decreased by 8% against the previous three months and also on a year earlier.
- Private housing orders fell 27% against the previous three months and were 29% down on a year earlier.
- Public housing orders fell 27% against the previous three months and were 36% down on a year earlier.
- Overall infrastructure orders rose 24% during the quarter to stand 11% up on a year earlier, caused by high levels of roads orders in February 2008.
- Commercial orders fell 15% against the previous three months and were 8% down on a year earlier.
- Industrial orders fell 6% against the previous three months and were 16% down on a year earlier.
Construction
- The BERR construction material price index for all works in March, at 133.3, is provisionally estimated to have fallen 1% against February and was up 4% on a year ago.
- Brick and block deliveries were down 2% and 1% respectively in February compared to a year earlier. Overall brick deliveries during the three months ended February were down 7% on a year earlier, while block deliveries during the same period fell by 4%.
This is one of a series of three reports on the energy characteristics of the stock as observed by the 2005 English House Condition Survey.
To download a copy of the report click here: http://www.bre.co.uk/filelibrary/rpts/energy_use/Energy_Efficiency_2005.pdf
Code for Sustainable Homes Technical Guidance (Revision Published)
The Department for Communities and Local Government published its revised technical guidance in April. BEAMA has spotted anomalies in the document and after negotiatoion has secured key changes to the text which will be published shortly as a correction sheet. The corrections are:
- List of ‘creditable’ LZCs This will be amended to incorporate Air Source Heat Pumps which means they can be specified and earn credits under the rules of the Code
- Revision of definitions and rules relating to gas service areas
The correction will remove the requirement to provide a justification if specifying other fuel types for heating in areas served by gas. In addition, there will be no requirement to use a gas base case dwelling calculation for Code compliance.
Passiv Haus Tour – Call for expression of interest
BEAMA is in discussions with BRE to organise a dedicated Passiv Haus tour to Germany or Austria in the early Autumn. The tour involves a day of lectures on the principles of Passiv Haus design and specification (important in the face of new revisions to the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive) and a further day of site visits to see Passiv Haus in practice.
To set up this dedicated tour BEAMA needs to have a delegation of around 40 individuals from members companies. The cost for a group this size is around £600 each individual including the tour itself, accommodation and meals (flights are additional and organised by the delegate).
If you are interested in attending this tour then please contact Kelly Butler at kbutler@beama.org.uk. Your name will be added to the list of potential delegates. We need the expressions of interest by 31st May to have a chance of organising the visit for September 08.
E.ON and Nottingham University build house to test technologies
E.ON has teamed up with the University of Nottingham to build a replica 1930s house that will be used to test technologies aimed at improving the energy performance of Britain's ageing housing stock.
For more information click here. (http://www.eeph.org.uk/energy/index.cfm?mode=view&news_id=1085 )
Orgalime’s Guide for downstream users of Chemicals is being revised. The updated version will include some examples of articles, preparations and substances to make it easier to understand, and a model letter to facilitate communication between the downstream users and upstream suppliers. All BEAMA members will receive the link to the new version shortly.
Regulators’ attention here and in Brussels is now turning to how best to amend the various new approach directives to introduce the new provisions. BEAMA and Orgalime presently favour a horizontal instrument in due course, amending the relevant parts of all the directives in one fell swoop, as was done for CE Marking some years ago, rather than piecemeal opening up of each directive.
The consultants charged by the Commission with examining what new substances might be candidates for inclusion in RoHS (such a study is required under the terms of the original directive, it does not necessarily mean new substances will be added to RoHS) produced a list of a possible 46, which has been whittled down to 8, one of which, halogenated organic compounds, implicates PVC.
The rationale for its inclusion in the shortlist of possible candidates for banning seems to be that some third countries to whom the EU sends waste do not then handle disposal in a safe way. As a principle (it still being our view that most BEAMA products fall outside the product scope of RoHS, and that no further substances should anyway be added to RoHS now it has been superseded by REACH), we have already expressed the view that to ban its use in electrical products in the EU hardly seems the most logical answer to that problem.
Industry has not been invited by the consultants to discuss these conclusion and strong complaints have been made to the Commission about the conduct of this study thus far.
The Commission has now proposed its next three year work programme of implementing measures. These proposals will bring in further BEAMA product areas to those already the subject of an implementing measure in the first round, and arguments for and against the inclusions on this list for actioning over the next three years must now be marshaled.
If you are not already on BEAMA’s consultation list for EUP issues and would like to be, please contact ach@beama.org.uk
EU Directives and Standards Update
The second edition of the new look EU Directives and Standards Update will be published next month. Did you get your copy of the first issue? If not, contact your BEAMA sector director or ach@beama.org.uk
The Government has published a consultation on options for revising Part G of the Building Regulations addressing sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency in buildings.
This consultation follows a wide ranging review of Part G of the Building Regulations and delivers on two Government commitments:
- to introduce into the Building Regulations a whole-building water efficiency standard of 125 litres per person per day for new homes; and
- to review how Part G and the associated guidance addresses hot water safety.
The consultation can be accessed via the Communities and Local Government website at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/partgconsultation and closes on 05 August 2008.
BEAMA will be co-ordinating a response for members. General comments on water efficiency and hot water safety should be sent to Kelly Butler at kbutler@beama.org.uk or Nic Mallinson at nic.mallnson@beama.org.uk .
The Scottish Ministers are presently considering proposals for amending the regulations under the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 and the guidance provided in the Technical Handbooks. There will be 3 separate consultations:
- A review of standards and guidance on section 2: Fire of the Technical Handbooks relating specifically to escape in the event of a fire
- A review of standards and guidance on section 0, 3 and 4: General Environment and Safety of the Technical handbooks relating to various issues but which predominantly cover sustainability
- A review of standards and guidance on section 5: Noise of the Technical handbooks
The 3 consultation packages and all the associated documents can be found at www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations. The consultation is open for 12 weeks from 6th May 2008.
If you have comments on these to be incorporated into a consolidated BEAMA response then please e-mail them to Kelly Butler at kbutler@beama.org.uk by no later than 7th July 2008.
DEFRA Issues Consultation on Phase Three of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme
DEFRA have issued a consultation on the EU Commission’s proposals to amend the EU Emissions Trading System from 2013. The consultation document along with a partial impact assessment and letter explaining how to respond can be found at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/euets-2013amendments/ Responses are to be provided direct by members and must be received by 30 July 2008>
Strategy for Sustainable Construction
Analysis of responses to this public consultation can be accessed from the BERR website, along with details of BERR's strategy for Sustainable Construction.
To access the responses click here: http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file44846.pdf For other information click here: http://www.berr.gov.uk/sectors/construction/sustainability/page13691.html http://www.berr.gov.uk/sectors/construction/sustainability/page13691.html
Recasting of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
The European Commission launched a public consultation on the recasting of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2002/91/EC).
The consultation will help the Commission gain input on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive from interested parties through an online questionnaire and thus enable it to better develop the new proposal.
The deadline for responses is on the 20th June and BEAMA will be co-ordinating a response through Orgalime. Comments to feed into this response are to be sent to Colin Timmins at ctimmins@beama.org.uk by no later than 12th June 2008. For more information click here: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/demand/consultations/buildings_dir_en.htm
BEAMA Sustainability Strategy Reception
The BEAMA Sustainability Strategy consultation event will be held on 18th June 2008. The event will be at Portcullis House, Westminster 6-8pm.
BEAMA has been working with members and other stakeholders over the last 12 months developing its White Paper on sustainability. The paper is now in draft form, and is planned to be available in consultation format in Mid June. As part of the process of consultation, we have arranged an evening event on the 18th June, and have invited 100 MPs, and up to 80 other stakeholders.
As a BEAMA member you are invited to join the event and to represent your part of the industry, in discussions with the MPs and stakeholders. Following the event we will ask all consultees, including BEAMA members to provide additional information and comment, to help us draft the final document for publication in September. When the paper is issued instructions for how you can make your comments will be included.
We hope that you will be available to contribute to the development of the White paper, and be able to attend the event.
Can you please let Angela Samuel know if you intend to attend. angelas@beama.org.uk
5th June 2008
BRE Cracking the Code
BRE is running a one day conference on the Code for Sustainable Homes to clarify the national standard for sustainable design and construction of new homes. For more information click here. http://www.redbooklive.com/pddetails.jsp?id=1906
Sustainable Procurement in Construction – Meeting the Triple Bottom Line, 5 June, London
This conference will address how every member of the construction supply chain can procure business in a way that supports the triple bottom line ethos: people, planet, profits. For further information or how to attend visit http://www.cnsustainableprocurement.co.uk/homepage.asp