Welcome to the Buildpass Blog

October 16, 2020

One of the most common questions we are asked here at Buildpass is how a home can tick and pass Paragraph 79 criterion. It doesn’t come as a surprise; having the chance to build a beautiful, idyllic and innovative home in the middle of nowhere is a HUGE dream for many (including us). Read our latest blog for a special Q&A article all about this NPPF policy.Read the full article…

October 8, 2020

Clean Air Day is the UK’s largest air pollution campaign. But what can you do every single day to improve both air quality and your own health? We’ve outlined our top tips in our latest blog.Read the full article…

October 1, 2020

The new Green Homes Grant has officially launched! As of Wednesday 30 September, homeowners and landlords can apply for up to £5,000 of vouchers to improve the energy efficiency of their home. In our latest article we’re talking about what this exciting new scheme covers, who is (and isn’t) applicable and how it will contribute to the UK’s net zero target.Read the full article…

September 25, 2020

Today is FSC Friday – The Forest Stewardship Council’s annual event to raise awareness of responsible forest management. This theme for 2020 is ‘Forests for All Together’. Find out more about this year’s campaign and what you can do to support it and join the fight against deforestation. Read the full article…

September 19, 2020

World Green Building Week runs from 21 – 25 September 2020. This annual campaign encourages people around the world to create greener buildings; one of the most impactful ways we can, together, achieve the global sustainability goals. This year the campaign is asking us to #ActOnClimate. Read our latest article to find out more about this important, worldwide campaign.Read the full article…

September 10, 2020

Degree days are a specialist type of weather data that combines both the time and temperature components. They are a valuable way to predict and report on the annual heating energy requirements. Read our latest article where we dig a little deeper into what they are and how we can use them.Read the full article…

September 4, 2020

Zero Waste Week will run from 7 – 11 September. In celebration of this fantastic campaign, we’re digging into the BREEAM credit system and why BREEAM waste credits are so important.Read the full article…

August 26, 2020

2020 has been a major year for climate change movements; not least with the commitment to Net Zero carbon in new buildings by 2030. While this may feel a long way off, the time to start making positive changes is now. We’re discussing the key requirements for achieving Net Zero (with reference to the LETI summary plan) over on our blog.Read the full article…

August 19, 2020

Part G Water Calculations are a legal requirement to prove that a new build, extension or conversion is water efficient. These calculations ensure that a home uses as little water as possible: they play a huge role in our fight to create a more sustainable and eco-conscious society. We’re digging into the calculations and what they mean on our blog.Read the full article…

August 14, 2020

Got a dwelling build on the cards? First things first; you need to pass your SAP assessment. Here we’re laying out our top tips to pass your SAP calculation first time.Read the full article…

August 6, 2020

Solar hot water systems are a sustainable way to harness the free energy from the sun to heat your home, all year round.  It won’t come as a surprise that, here at Buildpass, we love digging deeper into the many different sustainable energy sources. And we love sharing our discoveries with you. Our hope isRead the full article…

July 31, 2020

Permitted Developments Rights
are the rules under which someone can make changes to a building without the need to apply for planning permission. They’re set according to Parliamentary general planning permission, rather than from local planning authorities; aka, they’re firmly set in stone.

Last week, the Government published updates expanding these rights: these updates are a pretty exciting move for homeowners. We’re chatting more about it in our latest blogRead the full article…

July 17, 2020

Here at Buildpass, we have been enjoying getting to know the different policies, local plans and proposals in Hampshire. This week, we have been digging deeper into The Joint East Hampshire District Council and South Downs National Park Authority Core Policy. We’re unpicking its many layers over on our blog.
Read the full article…

July 9, 2020

Amongst the chaos of lockdown, we have tried to use this quieter time to create something new for Buildpass.
Because our mission is simple: we want to help builders, designers and homeowners reach their green goals.
However, the path to get there is far from simple!
Which is why we are excited to expand our range of services so that we can help more and more people create better spaces to live; ones that leave a positive mark on our planet. We’re sharing these brilliant changes for Buildpass over on our blog.
Read the full article…

July 3, 2020

Building Regulations Part E1 is your minimum standard of sound insulation between adjoining buildings. It’s aim is to reduce unwanted noise and sound transmission between dwellings… and it’s extremely important to adhere to.
However, it can be tricky to navigate. That’s why we’re created a guide that unpicks Part E requirements and shows you how to improve your chances of passing it – first time!
Read the full article…

June 25, 2020

Whether you’re a sun worshipper or more of an English rose, a hot and stuffy house can be a bit of a nightmare. And as we officially move into the summer (coupled with some seriously hot days) the need to keep your house cool is becoming a bigger priority. We’re exploring the many ways to design a home that stays cool in the summer (without the need for air conditioning). Read the full article…

June 19, 2020

We are thrilled to launch a new Buildpass series: Buildpass Investigates…
We will be tapping into the huge variety of planning requirements across the region, and how these differ from location to location. Because the scope is vast, with some areas having incredibly ambitious targets to other local authorities have no sustainable targets at all.

First up? We’re unravelling the Winchester Local Plan.
Read the full article…

June 11, 2020

A Passive House is designed to consume up to 90% less heating and cooling energy than conventional buildings, keeping its habitants comfortably warm all winter and cool throughout the summer: it’s the mecca of all energy and sustainability consultants. The benefits are major, but there are a fair few boxes to tick.Read the full article…

June 5, 2020

World Green Roof Day is on Saturday 6 June, and the campaign showcases the abundance of benefits of green roofs – or living roofs – for our planet.

Using the hashtag #WGRD2020, participants are asked to take photos of their favourite green roofs and share them with the community. Whether it’s the roof of a garden shed or a huge industrial unit, the more photos, the better!

We’re talking about living roofs over on the blog, and why they are a major ally to the green agenda!
Read the full article…

May 28, 2020

The Energy Performance of Buildings Register has announced that they are moving all services in-house. This is part of a huge drive to create and run exceptional public services, as well as maximise the digital capabilities and purpose of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

It’s a big, exciting change – and we’re talking more about it over on the blog.Read the full article…

May 22, 2020

If you’re working on a new residential development or conversion, Building Regulations require you to have a SAP calculation on your property. It’s an accepted, expected part of construction and design and is your way of proving the energy and environmental performance of a build.

But, when you’re building an extension, things get a little more complicated. We’ve created a simple guide on the WHAT and WHEN of SAP calculations for extensions.Read the full article…

May 14, 2020

Like many of you, here at Buildpass we are spending more time than ever within the four walls of our home. This could easily lead to a spike in our energy use and, as a result, a big increase in bills.

We are by no means alone in this. With the majority of households still experiencing a degree of lockdown, the potential for a surge in home-based energy usage is huge.

Now is the time to mitigate any further damage and save energy, water and cash. Read out top ten hacks to find out how.
Read the full article…

May 7, 2020

More efficient homes mean a reduction in energy emissions and a big old cut in bills. A double win, really.

But, you can take it a step further. As a home-owner, a builder, a project manager or a designer, you can choose to utilise an eco-friendly insulation solution.

One of those solutions is wood fibre insulation boards.

Find out more in our latest blog.
Read the full article…

May 1, 2020

They say “if you don’t like it, fix it.” And that’s exactly what I decided to do with Buildpass.

today we’re celebrating a fantastic two years of business for our sustainability and energy efficiency consultancy.

And since Buildpass is the brainchild of our self-confessed eco-geek Director, Andrew, we thought we’d give him the floor to tell you all about his journey so far and his ultimate vision for Buildpass. Have a read of our latest blog to see the full story.
Read the full article…

April 23, 2020

There’s an absolute wealth of industry specific literature out there – much of it with really unique, interesting messages and viewpoints – and we want to shine a light on it.

Because with many of us currently staying in our homes due to lockdown, this could be a valuable opportunity to find out more about how the space we live and work in impacts our mental health and wellbeing.

That’s why, this week, we’re making the most of the “quiet time” by reviewing three books all about sustainable design and wellbeing. You can read the full review through the link in our bio.Read the full article…