In order to avoid unnecessary cost escalation when building to the Code for Sustainable Homes (CfSH) levels, it’s important to involve an expert CfSH assessor right from the get-go – which is why AJ Energy were brought in at the planning stage on this 12-house scheme in Nedging Tye, Suffolk.

The Blenheim Meadow development, which consists of eight open-market properties and four affordable homes available through Hastoe Housing Association – and the latter had to be built to Level 3, in order to meet the housing association’s requirements. “We wanted to engage specialist support right from the beginning, since the process of building to the Code levels differs significantly to the way in which Planning applications have run in the past, and the administration process is complicated,” explained Trevor Stiff, Regional Managing Director for developer and contractor Breheny. “Our architects, Wincer Kievenaar, recommended AJ Energy Consultants as they’d already worked with them on several projects, which gave us great confidence in AJ’s services.”

“AJ Energy Consultants took a very proactive approach to their recommendations, which enabled both us and the developer to focus on the job in hand. In an industry where time is money, this is the sort of forward-thinking support that we need to ensure that a project does not slow down and therefore cost over the odds.”

“We initially chose to work with AJ Energy Consultants because they were local to us,” said Philip Branton, Partner at Wincer Kievenaar. “But we soon realised what a great find we’d made. Thanks to their architecture and engineering training, we found them to be the perfect partners for projects large and small, whether we’re working on a residential scheme, a commercial building, or a public sector development.”

Working on the Blenheim Meadow project right from the start, AJ Energy Consultants were able to ensure an economic benefit for their client Breheny, since building efficiency measures in to the design from the start is more cost-effective. For example, the consultant was able to suggest that the client altered the party wall Robust Detail from one with 1 credit for sound insulation, to another with 4 credits for sound insulation. This fitted within the dwelling design, and was a cost effective way of gaining the additional credits required.“We found that our partnership with AJ was critical in keeping our budgets under control, while still meeting the Code requirements. Every time we considered an update to the design, they were able to re-cast the calculations, and come back to us promptly with the figures upon which we could base our decision,” continued Trevor.

“Unlike some Code Assessors, who merely carry out a tick box exercise and wait for the client to present problems which need to be solved, AJ Energy Consultants took a very proactive approach to their recommendations, which enabled both us and the developer to focus on the job in hand,” continued Philip. “In an industry where time is money, this is the sort of forward-thinking support that we need to ensure that a project does not slow down and therefore cost over the odds.”

For more information on AJ Energy’s comprehensive range of services, please contact us.

Navigating the regulatory landscape is difficult at the best of times, but with new approaches to building needed in order to meet the new requirements, developers and architects alike can benefit from the expertise of specialist partners. This specific knowledge can help avoid costly and time-consuming hold-ups in the building process, and can even cut build costs through all carbon reduction measures being incorporated from the start, rather than bolted on halfway through.

At AJ Energy we can be most effective and helpful if we’re brought in right at the start of a project, and follow it through to completion – and it’s the most cost-efficient option for our clients too. For example, if we’re engaged to conduct the planning SAP calculation, we can very quickly and easily issue the post construction stage SAP certificate and On Construction EPC. Using one consultant for planning, and another for post construction means you’re effectively paying twice – you could even end up paying three times if your SAP consultant isn’t accredited to produce EPCs. Why not engage a single consultant for the whole job instead? Using a single firm throughout also cuts down on the amount of admin work required, and the number of meetings held, and of course time is money.

Our continued support through the build can also help you know where costs can be cut. Not only is it best to incorporate efficiency measures from the outset (it’s when they’re bolted on as an afterthought they become expensive), but any alterations made to the spec could become an expensive mistake if they affect the building’s SAP rating. Our SAP modelling software works in real time, so once we’ve done the initial calculations, at any point we can make amendments (say if you found a cheaper type of insulation board, or specified a different type of central heating system) and let you know the impact of these changes right away, to help you make the right decision without delay.

To speak to us about how we can provide a more integrated support service throughout the planning and build stages, please call us on 01206 274 034 or email us.

We’re currently working on a number of case studies which demonstrate our collaborative approach and our breadth of knowledge, which allow us to perfectly meet the needs of a wide range of clients in the public and private sectors – including property developers, architects, contractors, M&E consultants and building occupiers.

Please bear with us; we’ll be publishing our first case study online just as soon as it’s completed – and do look out for further projects that will be uploaded subsequently.