Tag Archives: No1NSP

March 29, 2010

Sustainability in buildings – pricing and demand

By Tim GARRATT

I was back at Nottingham Trent University last week – in the newly opened Business Centre in the Newton Building. I blogged about our look around earlier in the year.

Castle College - low carbon building


The subject area was whether there is any difference in the value of sustainable buildings against non-sustainable buildings!

Of course the biggest issue was the definition of a sustainable building – there are so many standards and benchmarks that a consistent measure is difficult to establish. IPD have set out a new index – IPSI, but this quite new and has really no significant data to help.

The current reality is that in the property industry no-one pays more rent for sustainable buildings. As rent and capital value are inexorably linked, whether or not a building is sustainable is not yet affecting property value. But this might change. As energy prices increase occupiers are likely to look at costs carefully. The introduction of Energy Performance Certificates might also start to impact on the market.

Sustainability is about a mix of energy efficiency, climate control, waste, water management, adaptability and pollution. It is now suggested that sustainability has three pillars – social, economic and environment. Ensuring that each of these is protected or improved equals a sustainable building.

I was interested to learn that some research had suggested that occupiers look at a menu before choosing a building, the order was:

1. Location
2. Availability
3. Build quality
4. Running costs
5. Architecture
6. Sustainability

My view is that this reflects the real commercial market. Price will also be a factor! You can debate the order, but it was interesting to see where sustainability featured.

The other issue is that we concentrate on new buildings. Breeam assessments in the UK can be obtained for new buildings – but are not compulsory. They are really a marketing tool – and a measure of a buildings position in the spectrum of sustainable construction. But the building stock in the UK comprises many old buildings and sometimes we overlook them. They can be sustainable when the alternative is demolition and new building (with the associated energy required). We have lots of under-itilised space in the UK – and as I blogged a couple of days ago – we are now starting to take these buildings apart to avoid empty rates.

We really do need to stop and consider what we are doing with our buildings. We need a clear position statement on climate change and very clear labelling of some of the technologies involved – some of the payback period information is just unhelpful and confusing. The University of East Anglia haven’t helped either – fudging the figures.

Long life – loose fit is the buzzword for buildings moving forward. Sustainable and flexible. If we get this half-right we will be doing well!

UPDATE 31.3.10

This morning there is news on the BBC that the The Commons Science and Technology Committee have decided that the data used at UEA was not flawed. If you read the report they have not exactly cleared the matter up! For once, could someone give a straight answer?

4 comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Business, Green stuff, Nottingham

March 9, 2010

Teaching Sustainability?

By Tim GARRATT

A couple of years ago I gave some advice to Castle College in Nottingham about a potential new teaching Centre.

Smartlife Centre Hamburg

The idea was to add to an existing teaching set of courses. The College had (and still have) popular courses in building – bricklaying, plastering, plumbing etc.

As the College were becoming involved in new builds at Highfields Science Park and the main Centre in Chilwell we started to think about how the College could learn from these real life projects. The College always make sure that any building contracts have an ability for their own students to see progress formally during the build.

We also started to see in increase in the use of new technology for carbon reduction. We were being encouraged to look at Photo-Voltaic cells, Ground Source Heat Pumps, high levels of insulation, double and triple glazing, rainwater harvesting, biomass boilers and the like. But what was evident was that although these new technologies were being specified by Architects, the operatives fitting them were often struggling. Or you had to employ specialist sub-contactors (some of whom travelled miles thus negating some of the green credentials?).

We went to see two Smartlife centres -one in Malmo, the other in Hamburg. These centres were way ahead of the UK – and were brilliant showcases for some of the technology.

I was delighted to see that a Centre in the UK has been opened. It has been built by Wolseley – the worlds largest heating and plumbing supplier. It is known as the Sustainable Building Centre. It is a showcase for around 170 products – with information on a total of 7,000 – all under one roof.

Like the Genesis Project in Taunton, the centre uses the technology in it’s own construction. But there is a subtle difference. I visited Taunton and we saw quite specialised construction – including rammed earth and straw bales. This hasn’t found its way in to the Wolseley centre – it isn’t scalable enough to be distributed.

So, although the centre is pushing new technology – it is with a very close eye on commerciality. And for this reason, I think it an excellent project. Sometimes, I think we fall too easily for the green technology on the basis that it sounds sexy. The reality is that some of it is not really commercially viable – payback times can sometimes go beyond the life of the building!

In a recent report to Government the easiest and cheapest way of achieving a substantial CO2 reduction was highlighted as turning down room thermostats by 1 deg C. This is estimated to reduce, in the UK, emissions by 5.5 million tonnes of CO2 annually!

Sadly, the LSC funding for College schemes like the Sustainable Building Project pretty much dried up before we were able to get a centre built in Nottingham. Maybe one day someone will realise we need this sort of centre – for future builders!

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Green stuff, Nottingham

January 2, 2010

A positive start 2010 – 10:10

By Tim GARRATT

If we assume that there is something real about global warming (and the University of East Anglia have just muddied the water?) then we should do something.

No.1 Nottingham Science Park - green technology and displays


I readily accept that my car and trips to New York are my failings, but I do use my bike (when it’s not snowing). I also try to ensure that the new buildings I am involved in try to reduce their carbon footprint. We have some technology now that was not around a few years ago. My colleague blogged about the poor performance of my local hospital here.

But there can also be a more dramatic reason (other than saving the planet) to cut down – money!

One of my clients has talked about how he can negotiate ‘cheap’ fuel – through bulk buying. But what he can’t do is change peoples behaviour. People leave lights, copiers, printers & computers on. We need to change our behaviours.

A great campaign has been launched – called 10:10. Hopefully the campaign will be successful – we get to find out in a year! What is great about it is the simplistic message:

It’s simple: We all cut our carbon by 10% this year. You, me, that bloke walking his dog outside, your work, your kids’ school, the council, the church, the chip shop. Everyone.

It is a wide ranging campaign too – aimed at business, people, organisations and education. It is really easy to join and there are some really good materials on the site.

In case you wondered what I have done – I have switched off the two photocopiers in the office and air-conditioning in my office this morning. Small things – but a start. I also put some posters up in the office (they are next to the new “Goats in Trees” 2010 Calendar.

I have blogged before about some work I am doing with a Nottingham start-up – Outerarc. They have developed a brilliant interface to interrogate energy use data and display it , in real time. But, more importantly, with messages to building users. Two of the buildings I manage are being used for the system – see them here.

So – a positive start to 201 – lets all sign up to 10:10 … and save the planet / money! Sign up here. You will be in good company…

52156 People • 1918 Businesses • 1393 Schools, Unis and Colleges • 999 other Organisations (as at 02.01.2010)

4 comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Business, Green stuff

December 8, 2009

Nottingham – good news & The Friendliest City in the World – probably.

By Tim GARRATT

I have just read the Nottingham Economic Report published by Nottingham City Council and it makes positive reading. The headlines are:

Over £1 billion of Government investment in Nottingham
GVA (Gross Value Added) of £11.6 billion for Greater Nottingham
A higher than average number of jobs are in Knowledge Intensive Industries
Higher than average skills
One of the country’s Top 20 locations for A-level results
A competitively priced business location
Over three quarters of a million people in the Travel-to-Work Area
A retail spend of £1.7 billion
A highly accessible area with excellent communications.
Nottingham has surpassed all its targets for improving public transport in the last two years.

No.1 Nottingham Science Park


I was asked a couple of months ago to speak on Radio Nottingham about ‘green shoots’ – and at the time I thought the call on the market generally was a bit premature (I still do!). But what I did say was that there are some really compelling reasons to come to Nottingham – as evidenced by the list above. But specifically that our costs of locating you business here are considerably lower than major UK competing Cities. Comparable costs (all inclusive) are Birmingham £47.50, Leeds £43.50 & Bristol £39.50. Nottingham is at £30 per square foot.

This price differential does not mean a difference in quality. In fact the report also highlights some fantastic buildings in Nottingham – No.1 Nottingham Science Park has won numerous awards and is managed by my firm. It is as good as any product in these competing cities. We have great buildings here.

But my other point goes beyond the facts and figures. I think Nottingham has nice people – I suggested this on the Radio. We are welcoming and friendly. And perhaps that is something we should promote more of. New York did it after the catastrophe of 9/11 – they suddenly realised that their visitors were not an irritant, but ‘friends’ and so adjusted their attitude. We are a friendly lot in Nottingham (where else would someone say ‘ay-up-me-duck’?)- but we could do even better. My mate John Lyle and I did think that we should start a ‘helpful’ campaign in the town – so when you are asked for help – you go out of your way to help people and talk to them. Our reputation will grow even more. It might not help the statistics in the short term, but how about us being voted The Most Friendly City in the World ?

One of the ideas seen in the USA on our tour was how volunteers helped run places (The Getty Museum in LA has 600!). We should think about this too – people who know and love the city – and can point you in the right direction or just give you information. But whilst that idea runs in the background we can all do our bit by being friendly to others – starting tomorrow!

Nottingham – The Friendliest City in the World. Probably.

1 comment   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Business, Green stuff, Nottingham

October 10, 2009

National Politics – the sport of fools?

By Tim GARRATT

I don’t usually get too involved in Politics. I am not sure why really – it’s something to do with the fickle nature of the process I think.

A property manager generally acts for landlords – and I look after many properties for landlords. At the moment quite a few are vacant. One of the recent changes to legislation relates to the change in Rates relief to vacant properties introduced on Browns watch.

Prior to April 2008 legislation allowed industrial property owners to obtain 100% rate relief for unoccupied buildings. Commercial property owners received 100% rate relief for the first three months and 50% relief thereafter. From April 2008, industrial property owners have obtained 100% rate relief for only the first six months that a building is vacant. All other empty commercial properties have three months’ rates relief before incurring the full amount.

The Treasury has estimated that the changes will generate £900 million in 2009-10.

The legislation ‘bit’ just as the market was in freefall.

Gordon Brown said in the number 10 response to an epetiton “Re-introducing the previous relief from rates for all empty property would cost £950m and would remove the incentive to re-use commercial property.”

I am not sure what incentives landlords want to re-use commercial property? Have the Government not noticed that the market is a bit, er, flat?

So, in April, the Tories step in and agree with the British Property Federation and say that the change was damaging jobs.

Just as the Tories look like getting into power, they slip out a slightly different press release this week at Conference. It seems that it is owing to the “poor fiscal position that Britain is currently in”.

I wonder what has changed in 6 months? The market hasn’t!

So, we are back where we were; an easy tax to collect. A tax which penalises owners who (generally) are not looking at keeping the property they own empty in the hope of getting more tomorrow (that can work in a rising market). And buildings being demolished which are quite serviceable. New buildings will eventually go up – but don’t hold your breath. And did anyone notice that it is not very green to build a new building when you can alter / refurbish an existing one? Even some of the recently built ‘green buildings’ are virtually empty – not through a lack of effort or desire.

I could live with a bit more honesty on their part – Gordon Brown should have just said – “we can’t afford to rescind the legislation”. Don’t imply that the market has any part to play in the decision – or that it needs tweaking to react!

Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is no river. Nikita Khrushchev (1894 – 1971)

4 comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Nottingham

October 3, 2009

Carbon Reduction – changing behaviour

By Tim GARRATT

Most people who know me would suggest that I am not the most ‘green’ person on the planet– primarily attributable to the car I drive. I make no apology about this – I like fast cars and I can’t afford a Tesla!

But the label I attract is a little unfair as I do try to do my bit. Honest

I have some issues about the statistical ‘evidence’ we are given. If you Google ‘green issues’ and try to establish where Co2 emissions come from you get very different answers.

It does seem to be fairly well established that Buildings account for half of all carbon emissions. Whereas only 2% comes from planes. So flying is ok then? And my car is much smaller than a plane…

Lies lies and statistics? But buildings and their energy consumption come high up the tree on most of the surveys.

But there is another reason to look at carbon footprint. Reducing the carbon output of a building normally has a direct correlation with costs. One of my clients pays over £1m per year on his electricity / gas. What was interesting was that he can negotiate the best rates (being a large user) but much of the use is out of his hands. People leave lights on!

What is needed is a change of behaviour.

One of my friends, Ben Randal, is running a company in Nottingham who are concentrating on just that. It is a start up company based at BioCity.

Outerarc have developed some clever software which allows measurement in real time of energy usage and then displays the information graphically. The really clever bit though is that the system then can make recommendations – and ‘nudge’ users into changing behaviour.

Outerarc display - Castle College

Outerarc display - Castle College

There is a great video on Ben’s website – click on Carbon Cup TV

No.1 NSP and The Highfields Automotive and Engineering Training Centre

No.1 NSP and The Highfields Automotive and Engineering Training Centre

Real time measurement is already in place at two buildings I manage – No1 NSP and Castle College’s Highfields Automotive and Engineering Training Centre – where the Toyota Academy is based.

It is early days but the systems are generating a lot of interest – and hopefully we can demonstrate cost savings and a carbon reduction.

Not sure I need Ben to put his system in my car just yet!

2 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Green stuff, Nottingham

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