Citation
Todd, S. (2010), "Internet review", Structural Survey, Vol. 28 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ss.2010.11028eag.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Internet review
Article Type: Internet review From: Structural Survey, Volume 28, Issue 5
The website information included below shows two key and other informative sites. If there are any other interesting sites or sources of information that you have found useful, please e-mail me at s.todd@salford.ac.uk
The Building Research Establishment
The main menu of the BRE website is structured as:
- •
Home.
- •
About us.
- •
What we do.
- •
Sectors.
- •
Contact us.
- •
News and Information.
- •
A to Z of services.
The site also links directly to:
- •
Approvals and Listings.
- •
Certification and Testing.
- •
Consultancy.
- •
Events.
- •
Innovation.
- •
Research.
- •
Sustainability.
- •
Training and Accreditation.
The “Spotlight” section of the website includes information on:
- 1.
Lighting – Successful lighting depends on a balance of natural daylighting, electric lighting and integrated control systems that will complement the building design and support business activities. BRE’s services include:
- 2.
- •
Natural lighting – Advice on window design, measuring daylight, solar shading, and avoiding excessive solar heating and glare. Advice is also available on designing site layouts to optimise daylighting, and with issues such as the right to light, overshadowing, and the effects of trees on daylight and sunlight.
- •
Lighting systems – Design assessment, prototype evaluation and product development services, along with advice on integrated lighting systems, low energy lighting, control systems and the performance of new technologies and innovative lighting strategies.
- •
Occupant needs – with the quality of a building’s lighting impacting on its occupants and their activities, it is important that attention is given to the design of lit spaces, lighting requirements for work and for VDUs, and the selection of appropriate lighting controls. The BRE has a post occupancy evaluation services establish whether lighting performance targets are being met, gather occupant views on comfort levels and identify any problem areas.
- •
- 3.
Solar shading – With the appeal of naturally lit spaces and the drive towards reducing energy consumption, a key objective for many building designers is to maximise the use of natural light while avoiding problems of glare and excessive solar heat gain. BRE offer advice and consultancy on solar shading to reduce overheating and control glare, while achieving attractive natural lighting and meeting the aesthetic requirements of the building. The BRE offers help in the following areas:
- 4.
- •
Design – Assessing proposed buildings at the design stage, and advising architects and designers on the best forms of solar control.
- •
Building Regulations – Providing guidance on compliance with the solar overheating provisions of the Building Regulations Part L.
- •
Performance – Measuring and calculating the performance of solar shading products such as blinds and external shades.
- •
Existing buildings – Visiting existing buildings with overheating and glare problems, and suggesting solutions for building owners and facilities manufacturers.
- •
Specialist areas – Automatic control and operation of shading, the daylighting effects of shading provision, the best forms of shading for areas with visual display screens, reducing light induced damage in museums and art galleries, and shading of rooflights and atria.
- •
- 5.
Responsible Sourcing Case Study, BRC Ltd – BRC Ltd was one of a number of stakeholders within the steel reinforcement industry who at an early stage recognised the importance and market advantage of demonstrating the responsible sourcing of their products by third-part certification. BRC Ltd was the first steel reinforcement fabricator to seek responsible sourcing certification. BRE Global worked closely with a wide range of sector stakeholders to develop a robust scheme to certify the responsible sourcing of steel products for the reinforcement of concrete. The scheme, Eco-Reinforcement, is based on BES 6001 Framework Standard for the Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products and is now owned by Eco-Reinforcement Ltd. BRE Global offers independent third party certification services for the scheme. BRE Global auditors visited a number of BRC Ltd sites across the UK to audit their performance. Significant challenges were met in relation to BRC Ltd staff’s understanding of the nature of evidence required on-site to demonstrate compliance with the scheme. BRE Global awarded BRC Ltd, Eco-Reinforcement certification with a “Good” rating. Undertaking Eco-Reinforcement certification meant that BRC Ltd had to examine a wide range of KPIs within their business. BRC Ltd can now demonstrate their supply chain is one based on responsible and ethical practices. In total, 100 per cent of their supply chain materials are traceable to known ethical and responsible sources, a wide range of environmentally sympathetic actions from carbon emissions to waste, employee training to links with local communities, their independently verified responsible sourcing credentials to prospective clients. There is access to other case studies from this page, including:
- 6.
- •
Digital Pen – English House Survey.
- •
Code Level 4, Vachell Road, Cardiff.
- •
Redeveloping Hayes Manor School.
- •
GreenPrint for Sherford, South Hams.
- •
Merton renewable energy targets.
- •
The Hertfordshire Charette.
- •
Marks and Spencer Corporate Construction Guidance.
- •
Shannon Free Zone, Ireland – Greenprint Project.
- •
Tenuta San Michele.
- •
- 7.
New lease of life for terraced homes in Wales – A project to refurbish six former Welsh miners’ houses into sustainable and desirable modern homes was launched by Jane Davidson, AM, Minister for the Environment, Sustainability and Housing. The Wales Eco Terrace Project in Penrhiwceiber, Rhondda Cynon Taf demonstrates how single-skin stone-walled Victorian houses can be transformed into spacious, energy-efficient low-carbon homes. It is estimated that their CO2 emissions and heating bills will be halved, an important achievement as terraced dwellings of this kind present a major barrier to improving the overall energy efficiency of the Welsh housing stock. The homes, which are owned by the Cynon Taf Community Housing Group, have been refurbished under the Heads of the Valleys Regeneration Programme, with Rio appointed as architects on the project and BRE Wales as sustainability advisors. BRE Wales advised the project team on energy and sustainability issues to ensure that the homes reached the “EcoHomes” Excellent standard. “The interiors of the homes have been completely gutted and redesigned to make the maximum use of space and light”, says BRE Wales Director, Nick Tune. “All aspects of design have been thoroughly reviewed including fabric, services, materials and occupant use, with the aim of minimising energy consumption”. Insulation and triple glazing will reduce heat loss and improve energy efficiency, while roof mounted solar thermal collectors linked to “A” rated condensing boilers keep energy bills low. Use of water butts, low capacity baths and water flow regulators will reduce water demand. The open and flexible living spaces are conducive to modern family life. Daylight to internal spaces has been increased to reduce the demand for artificial lighting and increase the occupants’ well-being, and full advantage has been taken of beautiful views of the local valley. When in use, the homes will be monitored for energy use, and for reductions in heat loss and air leakage.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
The main menus of the UK section of this website include:
- 1.
Join RICS.
- 2.
- •
Routes to membership.
- •
Become a Surveyor.
- •
Benefits of membership.
- •
How to join.
- •
- 3.
Members.
- 4.
- •
Practice standards.
- •
Professional Groups.
- •
Red Book.
- •
RICS Matrics.
- •
My details.
- •
Benefits Plus.
- •
- 5.
Students.
- 6.
- •
What is Surveying?
- •
Benefits of Surveying.
- •
Student Membership.
- •
- 7.
Public.
- 8.
- •
UK Regions.
- •
Governance.
- •
Useful guides.
- •
Using a Surveyor.
- •
Economic Commentary.
- •
- 9.
Categories in RICS UK.
- 10.
- •
About us.
- •
Newsroom.
- •
Events.
- •
Knowledge.
- •
Services.
- •
My RICS.
- •
The “Newsroom” Section gives access to:
- 1.
Consultations. The current consultations include:
- 2.
- •
The Office of Rail Regulation – Criteria and procedures for the approval of framework agreements for High Speed 1.
- •
The Scottish Government – Tree preservation orders consultation.
- •
The Office of Rail Regulation – Investment framework consolidated policy and guidelines.
- •
Communities and Local Government – Sustainable communities Act 2007: Local spending reports.
- •
The Tribunal Procedure Committee – New draft rules for the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber).
- •
The Scottish Government – Planning Obligation and Good Neighbour Agreement Regulations 2010.
- •
The Scottish Government – Core standards for a voluntary accreditation scheme for residential property managers and land maintenance companies.
- •
- 3.
Economic commentary.
- 4.
- •
RICS Global Real Estate Weekly – a snapshot of world market news in real estate.
- •
UK Economy & Property Market Chart Book – covers housing, construction and commercial property sectors.
- •
Property & Economic outlook – Forecasts and updates from around the world.
- •
- 5.
Policy papers.
- 6.
- •
Vision for cities – planning and delivering urban infrastructure to achieve sustainable growth.
- •
Land rights, urbanisation and poverty – RICS is driving forward the expansion of international professional standards.
- •
Empty property rates.
- •
Disaster management.
- •
Housing policy.
- •
Sustainability and low carbon – payback periods for commercial energy efficiency; RICS vision for cities; energy performance certificates; carbon reduction commitment; data capture, measurement and reporting of sustainability measures; low carbon housing.
- •
Skills and access to the profession.
- •
Planning policy – Planning system reform; community infrastructure; provision of infrastructure; coastal access; water management flooding; water management – drought.
- •
- 7.
Policy and influencing.
- 8.
- •
EU affairs
- •
RICS community.
- •
The Building Centre
The Building Centre offers a comprehensive information service. There is a dedicated online product directory which is accessed through “Specifinder.com”. This enables:
- •
access to contact details of over 9,500 manufacturers and 1,400 product categories;
- •
detailed product information for a wide variety of manufacturers;
- •
downloadable CAD drawings and Ebrochures for a wide variety of manufacturers;
- •
the latest product and industry news which is updated daily; and
- •
special features such as our Product Alert and Products of the Month highlighting new and innovative products and materials.
Wood Window Alliance (WWA)
The WWA’s campaign aims are to promote the sustainably and beauty of twenty-first century wood windows whilst dispelling myths about durability and maintenance. They engage with key stakeholders to ensure wooden windows are fairly represented in policy and research. WWA members aim to provide a consistently high quality of product and service in delivering, installing and maintaining wood windows across the UK. They are committed to driving standards higher still, to make wood once again the number one choice for windows. The Wood Window Alliance state that they make it easier to choose them with confidence, with over 40 members offering a range of high-quality products that meet independently audited performance and sustainability standards and fulfil the requirements in the Building Regulations and the Code for Sustainable Homes.
Shell
Automatic meter reading (AMR) allows businesses to have control of their gas consumption. Suppliers and customers can access accurate day-to-day usage. This data can be displayed in a rage of different units of measure, allowing the end user to view the amount of gas used in terms of kWh, cubic metres or tones of CO2 produced. The benefits of this include the ability to track and compare gas consumption across multiple sites and the ability to identify wastage or consumption anomalies. AMR has become more significant with the introduction of the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC). The CRC makes energy consumers record and report their electricity and gas consumption on an annual basis.
Schueco
Schueco offer an extensive range of aluminium and steel fenestration systems together with solar generating products for the building envelope. Schueco focus on key issues for the future: providing the most attractive energy-saving and renewable energy solutions and combining them with an emphasis on automation, security and good design. Their mission is Energy2 – Saving Energy, Generating Energy. The Schueco system and product range comprises:
- •
windows and doors;
- •
sliding and folding sliding constructions;
- •
façades and skylights;
- •
fire and smoke resistant systems, security constructions;
- •
window and façade management technology;
- •
solar shading systems;
- •
conservatories;
- •
balconies/balcony/railing;
- •
internal doors and walls
- •
roller shutter and ventilation systems; and
- •
solar engineering.
Copper in Architecture
The European “Copper in Architecture Campaign” is a joint co-operation between the International Copper Association and the copper fabricating companies in Europe. The Campaign aims to promote the benefits that copper can provide to modern society in the building and construction market. “Copper is integral to the buildings performance delivering beauty, design flexibility, colour, protection, longevity and inspiration”. Copper has been used on the ‘Barratt Green House which is on the BRE Innovation Park. The main menu is structured as:
- •
Home.
- •
Contacts.
- •
Press.
- •
Publications.
- •
References.
- •
Articles.
- •
Awards.
- •
Awards 2009.
- •
Links.
- •
Copper Forum.
- •
Index.
Stephen Todd