The Green Register Events

Sustainable Building & Services - the introductory course

The two-day introductory course run several times a year by The Green Register in various locations across the UK - this course leads to Green Register membership. Click on the 'View General Event Information' link at the top of this page for more details.

Sustainable Building & Services - the introductory course

BREEAM and The Code for Sustainable Homes - SBS Day 3

A one-day course designed to build on the two-day Sustainable Building and Services course. As a result of demand from our members to provide more in-depth technical information on many of the topics that are already covered as an overview during our two day course, The Green Register is offering a series of five one-day Advanced Sustainable Building and Services courses. In the final course of this series, Elliot Carter will be looking at the most important sustainable construction assessment methods.

Morning session: BREEAM
The BRE's Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) covers a wide range of environmental issues, relevant to the whole project team. This half-day interactive workshop will involve a detailed BREEAM review of a commercial office case study which achieved an EXCELLENT rating. Attendees will gain a better understanding of individual credit requirements and the overall assessment process, allowing them to carry out an early design stage BREEAM review of their own projects with confidence. It will allow the design team to understand in detail where the most cost-effective solutions lie to achieve higher rating bands.

Afternoon session: Code for Sustainable Homes Workshop
From mid-2008, all new build homes will require a Code for Sustainable Homes certificate and all affordable housing must be Code Level 3 rated. This half day workshop, will review a Code Level 4 Case Study, identifying the crucial issues to address at early design stage and potential opportunities to further improve the rating. Attendees will gain knowledge of the intricacies of the Code assessment process and a better understanding of suitable design solutions.

Waste Minimisation - SBS Day 3

Waste Minimisation from Design to Site Waste Management Plans

A one-day course designed to build on the two-day Sustainable Building and Services course. As a result of demand from our members to provide more in-depth technical information on many of the topics that are already covered as an overview during our two day course, The Green Register is offering a series of five one-day Advanced Sustainable Building and Services courses. For the fourth course in this series, Brian Murphy will be covering waste management strategies.

Requirements for waste efficiency under The Code for Sustainable Homes will necessitate waste management at levels 1 to 6. The morning session is an overview of all aspects of a sustainable Site Waste Management Strategy, including the role of legislation, behaviour, waste efficiency and sustainable design practices.

The afternoon session is a series of exercises where participants work in groups using real life case studies to brainstorm, then formalise the brainstorming with SWMP checklist and data sheets.

Delegates are encouraged to bring along actual projects, whether large or small, new build or retro-fit, one-off buildings or site wide developments. Although we cannot guarantee that all projects will be discussed in full, basic waste management decisions will be made by the end of the workshop for case study at each table. Delegates must be prepared to exchange information about projects with the rest of the group.

Rainwater Harvesting - SBS Day 3

Rainwater Harvesting – its place in a sustainable water strategy

A one-day course designed to build on the two-day Sustainable Building and Services course. As a result of demand from our members to provide more in-depth technical information on many of the topics that are already covered as an overview during our two day course, The Green Register is offering a series of five one-day Advanced Sustainable Building and Services courses. In the third event of this series, Cath Hassell will be covering the topic of water efficiency.

Requirements for water efficiency under The Code for Sustainable Homes will necessitate rainwater harvesting or greywater recycling at levels 5 and 6. Furthermore, developers will increasingly fit one of these technologies at levels 3 and 4 to enable the continued installation of power showers in spec build houses and flats. As using rainwater results in a higher quality of water with more potential uses than greywater, it is likely to be the preferred choice. Also, installing rainwater harvesting at a site wide level is a source control mechanism for Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS) and as such requires less downstream SUDS capacity.

The morning session is an overview of all aspects of a sustainable water strategy, including the role of legislation, behaviour, water efficiency, and Sustainable Drainage Systems as well as looking at different rainwater harvesting system design and components and the differing uses for rainwater, including back in the building for non potable purposes, for landscape and garden watering and for fire fighting.

The afternoon sessions is a series of exercises where participants work in groups using real life case studies to size, design and cost a rainwater harvesting system in a variety of different situations. Delegates are encouraged to bring actual projects whether, large or small, new build or retro-fit, one-off buildings or site wide developments. Although we cannot guarantee that all projects will be discussed in full, basic design decisions will be met by the end of the workshop for all case studies. Delegates must be prepared to exchange information about projects with the rest of the group.

'Build Tight, Ventilate Right' - SBS Day 3

A one-day course designed to build on the two-day Sustainable Building and Services course. As a result of demand from our members to provide more in-depth technical information on many of the topics that are already covered as an overview during our two day course, The Green Register is offering a series of five one-day Advanced Sustainable Building and Services courses. The second in the series will be run by Lucy Pedler of The Green Register and Andrew Pears of Kotuku.

Most of the techniques for achieving a low energy building are well documented but in practice the standards aimed for are often not achieved through lack of understanding about what makes a highly insulated, airtight, energy efficient building. This short course will explain the straightforward building techniques that can achieve this and what can be done on site to improve build quality.

The morning will cover the theory of breathing construction, airtightness, robust detailing and natural ventilation. A typical breathing wall will be examined layer by layer to explain their functions and the low environmental impact materials currently available. The content will be a combination of the subjects covered in the two day course together with new, more in depth material. The afternoon will include an on site demonstration of an airtightness test, examination of best practice detailing (with full size models) and an opportunity for the delegates to discuss detailing the external envelope to achieve the ‘build tight, ventilate right’ aim. Delegates will be able to bring to the course specific details they would like to discuss with the group and to share any questions they have about robust detailing or build quality.

A Developers Guide to Sustainability - answers to some tricky questions

Sustainable construction legislation is being introduced thick and fast in the UK and many developers are struggling to understand what the implications are for them. It is now a requirement to assess all new dwellings against The Code for Sustainable Homes. Planning policies such as the Climate Change addendum to PPS1 and revisions to the Building Regulations are challenging developers to construct substantially more robust, airtight, low energy buildings and there is even discussion of when to introduce a Code for non-domestic buildings.

The speakers will cover both domestic and commercial aspects of the new legislation relating to retrofit as well as newbuild construction.

Several case studies will be illustrated by developers who have been able to successfully address some of the key issues such as integration of renewable energy technologies on site, lower water consumption and Site Waste Management Plans.

The seminar is suitable for developers and architects alike as well as local authorities and will provide plenty of opportunities todiscuss these pressing issues.

Sustainable Building & Services - the introductory course

Low Carbon Technologies - SBS Day 3

A one-day course designed to build on the two-day Sustainable Building and Services course. As a result of demand from our members to provide more in-depth technical information on many of the topics that are already covered as an overview during our two day course, The Green Register is offering a series of five one-day Advanced Sustainable Building and Services courses. The first of these will be run by Robert Borruso.

The morning session will be based loosely on the three energy units offered on the two-day Sustainable Building and Services course (two on the first day and one on the second), explaining the operation, application and limitations of all low carbon technologies (LCT) including important non-renewable technologies such as energy efficiency and CHP. Additionally there will be a ‘future gazing’ section where we will look at technologies that are likely to be at the forefront of sustainable energy provision as it moves into the mainstream. As such the morning would be a valuable revision/refresher session for those who have already completed the two-day course and ‘essential viewing’ for those who have not.

The afternoon session will focus on what roles LCT’s will be playing in future building development. A wholly practical approach will be used through a combination of the spreadsheet models, case studies and role play. The attendees will be shown a number of insights into how low carbon buildings will be delivered to the mainstream and the tools and understanding they will need to develop in order to be at the forefront of this exciting and challenging field.