Climate Change - adaptation, mitigation and energy

Please do not print this page unless absolutely necessary.

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

Read the background on Climate Change - adaptation, mitigation and energy

Question 1.1

Objective

To ensure that the development is designed to withstand predicted increases in the frequency of localised flooding.

Importance:

Question

What measures have been taken to reduce the contribution the development may make to flash flooding?

Targets and Justification

Best: Site is demonstrated to be able to contain rainfall from at least 1:500 year events
Good: Site is demonstrated to be able to contain rainfall from 1:250 year rain events
Minimum: Site is demonstrated to be able to contain rainfall from 1:100 year rain events

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.2

Objective

To reduce the heat island effect inherent to urban areas through passive design measures. On warm summer days, the air in urban areas can be 6-8°F hotter than surrounding areas. Scientists call these areas "urban heat islands". This is due to building materials (particularly darker materials such as tarmac, and heavier materials such as concrete) absorbing and radiating heat.

Importance:

Question

Does the development seek to reduce the likelihood of contributing to a heat island effect through:

Passive Design for Solar Shading
Design to enable air flow throughout the development
Green roofs and/or vegetated walls
Provision of appropriate shaded green space and tree cover
Open water and fountains in public spaces (NOTE: design should allow for solar power of fountains)
Shaded public spaces and footpaths

Targets and Justification

Best: A design strategy which addresses all of the points
Good: A design strategy which addresses at least points A and B
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.3

Objective

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

Importance:

Question

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

Targets and Justification

Best: 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

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.4

Objective

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

Importance:

Question

What % of households are connected to individual or communal rain water recycling systems to enable water re-use within the home or wider development?

Targets and Justification

Best: >70%
Good: 25% - 70%
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.5

Objective

To increase the overall efficiency of the development through energy efficient design and management.

Importance:

Question

What steps has the developer taken to prepare an energy strategy for the proposed development to optimise the energy consumption of the site?

Minimising energy demand for the site through orientation and passive solar design
Maximising the thermal efficiency of individual buildings through thermal mass and insulation
Minimising demand for water heating, space heating and cooling, lighting and power in individual dwellings 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 on individual dwellings)
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: EST Best Practice plus steps A to F completed
Good: EST Best Practice plus steps B to E completed
Minimum: EST Best Practice

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.6

Objective

To promote the increased use of renewable energy sources to reduce dependence on fossil fuels producing CO2 emissions.

Importance:

Question

What % 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)?

Targets and Justification

Best: 100% (Zero carbon emissions)
Good: > 20%
Minimum: >10% (Check Local Policy Requirements)

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.7

Objective

To increase the use of sustainable heating techniques.

Importance:

Question

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

Solar Water heating
Co-generation, preferably powered by renewable
Community Heating
Heat pumps
Gas condensing boilers and efficient temperature and timer controls

Targets and Justification

Best: B, A
Good: D, C
Minimum: E

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.8

Objective

To evolve an energy management scheme and provide the public with easy access to renewable energy information.

Importance:

Question

Will the site be smart metered, showing site occupiers net energy use, quantified over separate time periods?

Targets and Justification

Best: As Good Practice, plus metering data accessible for site occupants. Publicly accessible meter provided at energy source
Good: Site smart metered and information used to help evolve energy management scheme
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.9

Objective

To encourage the future use of active solar technologies where they are not initially supplied.

Importance:

Question

What percentage of the development is designed to allow future installation of active solar devices such as photovoltaic and solar hot water heating, where these are not fitted initially?

Targets and Justification

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

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Question 1.10

Objective

To provide easy access to site service and communications infrastructure, with minimal requirement disruption and need for reconstruction and allowing for future growth in services.

Importance:

Question

Will site heating / cooling / power / water / sewage and communications infrastructure running through the public realm be designed for easy access and allow for future expansion of services?

Targets and Justification

Best: Not yet established
Good: Single point access to infrastructure externally and space and additional ducting provided to allow for future expansion of services
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 masterplan considers the site wide distribution of on-site produced renewable energy.

Importance:

Question

Will the developer make site wide provision for an energy infrastructure that allows renewable energy to be sustained on site?

Targets and Justification

Best: Not yet established
Good: Private wire networks for renewable energy transmission and CHP provided across the site through a single point and access service corridor
Minimum: See relevant local planning authority standard for minimum required

Applies to Developments

This question applies to Small, Medium and Large developments.

Policy Links

Proposed updates for RSS policies are being considered and site users should be aware of anticipated changes from the Examination in Public Panel Report and Schedules which can be downloaded from the North West Regional Assembly’s website.

RSS

DP1 Regional Development Principles
EM5 Integrated Water Management
EM15 A Framework for Sustainable Energy in the North West
EM16 Energy Conservation & Efficiency
EM17 Renewable Energy
L1 Health & Education Services Provision
RDF1 Main Development Locations

Reference

Development sizes

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

Small: Up to 10 buildings
(up to 1000m²/0.5ha)
Medium: 11 - 199 buildings
(up to 20000m²/10ha)
Large: 200 - 5,999 dwellings
(over 20000m²/10ha)

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.