Written by Dr Geoff Edgell, Director and Principal Construction Consultant at Lucideon, the guide discusses the shortfall of current incentives for sustainable and energy efficient housing, and the potential of a ‘whole-house’ comfort rating to aid in measuring the efficiency of homes.

Sustainability and energy efficiency are rapidly growing focuses for the construction industry.  The guide highlights factors which need to be considered, including different approaches required for new builds, refurbishments and new, innovative dwellings that steer away from traditional construction materials.

Dr Geoff Edgell said: “New regulations and requirements put added pressure on the construction sector to ensure homes are efficient in terms of energy usage and CO₂ emissions. 

“Schemes that have been put in place to help us meet these requirements have had issues with take-up, proper implementation and scope.  The guide examines regulations that measure the functionality of a house as a whole.  Targets such as maintaining a comfortable temperature are both practical and quantifiable, making it easier to create, implement and maintain regulations and standards.”

Lucideon offers consultancy and testing solutions to the construction industry and has experts on a number of panels and regulatory committees which help drive standards and regulations for the sector.

The testing and analysis services offered by Lucideon provide customers with access to a team of experts with cross-industry knowledge, and state-of-the-art facilities.  With dedicated construction laboratories capable of large-scale structural testing, environmental testing and wind load testing, amongst other capabilities, Lucideon is a key testing and technology partner to many of the largest names in the construction industry.

The guidance document can be downloaded via the panel on the right of this page.