Reducing Demand

1.1 Reducing Demand

Key issues to be considered in order to reduce the energy demand and contribute to a low or CO2 strategy are;-

• Internal temperature tolerances
• Limiting the use of close control to only essential areas
• Useful information: BRE Report 380: Environmental Site Layout Planning


• Passive design measures
• Further information:
• CIBSE Guide F: Energy efficiency in buildings
• CIBSE AM10: Natural Ventilation in non-domestic buildings


• Daylighting
• Useful information: BRE Report 380: Environmental Site Layout Planning


• Building orientation
• If and wherever appropriate buildings should be oriented facing south to allow best exploitation of sunlight while allowing effective control of solar gains in summer.
• Particular care is required to control solar gain for east/west facing elevations, due to the low summer angles.
• Appropriate shading is required to limit overheating in the summer.
• Roofs should also, wherever practicable, be orientated to be within 45� of south to allow for future incorporation of solar thermal or photovoltaic panels.


• Shelter and shade
• Layouts and landscaping design should be utilised to provide shelter from prevailing winds and natural shading for facades and,wherever possible, to help avoid the potential overheating mentioned in building orientation.


• Natural and mechanical ventilation
• The ventilation strategy can affect the form and layout of buildings.
• Useful information:
• CIBSE AM10: Natural ventilation in non-domestic buildings.
• CIBSE AM13: Mixed mode ventilation.
• BRE Digest 399: Natural ventilation in non-domestic buildings.