Low Carbon Design

A fundamental requirement for making a new developments low carbon is to design out any avoidable energy requirements. Demand reduction takes priority over covering energy requirements through low carbon or renewable sources. Design considerations need to encompass fabric energy efficiency, low carbon building services as well as site layout and infrastructure. Therefore in an ideal scenario, the approach to low carbon design for a new developments should start before the site is chosen or the brief prepared in order to ensure that every aspect of low carbon design is addressed.

An understanding of the energy demands and servicing requirements of a new building is key. Successful low-carbon buildings are therefore usually the result of close and early collaboration with services engineers and energy simulation experts.

The overriding principle is to design buildings in such a way that the need for building services such as heating and lighting is much reduced by implementing energy efficiency and choosing orientation and layout wisely. Indeed there are many examples of so-called passive buildings, which do not require any conventional heating system at all. With the predicted increase in temperatures due to climate change, cooling will become an increasing challenge. Many construction professionals would air conditioning as a matter of course. However, cooling needs can also be designed out of a building to a large degree. 

Any remaining servicing requirements need to be covered by choosing  those building service options with the lowest possible carbon impact. Often the choice of services, such as for example low-carbon options for cooling and ventilation,  will have an impact on building design and layout and therfore needs to be given consideration early on in the design process.

This section covers the different aspects that need to be addressed in designing low carbon developments as well as signposting design tools.

1. Heating
2. Ventilation and cooling
3. Lighting
4. Electricity - general
5. Infrastructure
6. Design standards and calculation tools
7. Case studies

For an overview over low carbon design refer to the following Regen SW documents:

Further good sources for low carbon design are Energy Saving Trust (EST) who have compiled a range of publications on low-carbon housing and Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), who have compiled a guide on low carbon design.  To view click here.