Lovely to have a mention in the CIBSE Journal for the paper with Dr Stavroula Koutroumpi. On the surface, it looked like a literature review examining possible modelling techniques for including Green Infrastructure in compliance simulations, but it was more of an opinion piece.
Reflecting on the Technical Symposium, it’s the connections that really make the event. It was a wonderful opportunity to hear what’s been on the minds of others in the industry – Tom Greenhill’s engaging presentation on the reduction of overheating made by yoghurt on windows stood out – but I particularly valued the informal discussions in the spaces around the talks. I was recommended a book I’ve been glued to, received lots of encouragement and food for thought for the paper’s main idea (#GetVegInTheRegs?), made some new connections with discussions of collaborations underway and enjoyed an overdue catch up with Susie from Inkling and colleagues from the Bartlett.
Our paper was really about connections; those between neighbouring buildings that may shade or otherwise affect their microclimate and each other; the connections between buildings and the (currently ignored by compliance simulation) natural features around them; and the connection we have with nature. The majority of responses to the last consultation process on Part L and Part O of the Building Regs opted not to include trees because they could be cut down. How can we turn that into we are including the trees so that they aren’t cut down?
+/-40% difference in heating and cooling loads was found by Gobakis et al between models which couple the microclimate (including plants, but not just plants, also changes to view of the sky, wind speeds etc) to the building energy model.
The Australian National Home Energy Rating System (NatHERS) contains a simple methodology involving a small number of criteria (e.g. canopy dimensions, distance from building, optional shading schedule) for protected trees to be included in its models. It’s just trees and only those with a preservation order, but it’s a start: an acknowledgement of the difference trees and vegetation can make to the energy performance of buildings and to us.