Bench Mark Designs attempts to create buildings that stand the test of time and are assets to their communities.  Wherever possible, we incorporate sustainable features into our projects.  Not only does this reduce our impact on the environment, but it leads to healthier places to live and work.  Recent innovations have made it easier than ever for homeowners, also developers to benefit from sustainable features and minimum maintenance solutions.  We like to discuss available options at the onset of every project so that the sustainable components are fully integrated.  From there, the features evolve, as the project is detailed and refined. Inspiration for a sustainable feature can come from the architect, homeowner, engineer, builder, or landscape professional.  Engaging clients from the start allows for comprehensive project planning and creative ideas.    A selection of environmentally friendly solutions that can be part of any comprehensive design. Solar Heating  Specialist contractors can supply, install and commission cost effective and environmentally friendly solar thermal solutions to provide heating for domestic hot water, underfloor heating and swimming pools. Solar heating is now one of the most efficient renewable technologies available with a pay-back time that makes it an effective solution both financially and environmentally. • WHAT IT CAN DO FOR YOU… • Typically provide almost all of your hot water during summer months and about 50 - 60% year round. • Significantly reduce your carbon footprint. • Integrate with most types of heating system, including heat pumps, as well as conventional gas and oil systems. • Provide a clean and hassle free system which needs little or no maintenance. PROVEN PERFORMANCE Solar water heating systems use heat from the sun to work alongside your main heating system (e.g. boiler, heat pump). The technology is well developed and is now the most popular form of solar energy in the UK by far. A typical 4m2 solar collector system in the UK will deliver between 1600 and 2800 kWh/Yr. Furthermore, depending on the fuel being displaced, CO2 emissions can be reduced by as much as 1300 kg annually. INTEGRATION WITH OTHER SYSTEMS Solar heating systems are entirely flexible and will integrate with most types of domestic hot water system. In the summer you can expect that all your hot water needs will be achieved without the need for boosting by an additional heating source, being able to achieve very high temperatures without CO2 emissions and running costs. In the winter an additional source will be required to supplement your water heating. Solar heating is also a particularly cost effective and efficient way of heating swimming pools. SITING CONDITIONS For maximum efficiency, solar panels should be mounted on a south-east to south-west facing roof at a 30° angle with the horizontal, and away from any shadows created by trees or surrounding buildings. Heat Recovery Ventilation There are several ranges of passive heat recovery ventilation systems offer an energy efficient and environmentally friendly way to provide your home with a constant supply of filtered and tempered fresh air. WHAT IT CAN DO FOR YOU • Fresh, filtered air circulated throughout the home 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. • Reduced total heating requirements for the building recovering up to 90% of the heat normally lost through trickle vents and other breakout points in the building: this in turn means lower heating bills and reduced carbon emissions. • Condensation controlled and unpleasant smells removed. • Relative humidity reduced to below 70%, inhibiting house dust mites which cause asthma, rhinitis, bronchial and other allergic problems. • No noisy extractor fans or draughty trickle ventilators required. Fresh, filtered air circulated throughout the home 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The systems will completely change all the air in the property at least once every two hours, continually replacing the stale, damp air with fresh, warmed and clean air. Rather than losing heat through opening windows and trickle vents, the system recycles the heat from the outgoing stale air, and re-uses it in the incoming clean air. NEW HOMES NEED CONTROLLED VENTILATION… Available with additional comfort cooling through the same system Our ventilation systems are particularly well suited to modern homes where improved thermal insulation allows only minimal heat losses through walls and windows. An optimum air change pattern can be achieved with windows and trickle vents staying shut, thereby preventing unnecessary heat escape and keeping heat demand as low as possible. WHAT ABOUT BUILDING REGULATIONS? Current building regulations dictate that all ‘wet’ areas (i.e. kitchen, utility room, bathrooms, toilets) have to have some form of mechanical ventilation, and ‘habitable’ rooms (i.e. bedrooms, living rooms) require trickle ventilators in all windows equal to 8000 m² free area. Installing an integrated system will negate this requirement and can save you money in not having to pay out for traditional, inefficient methods of ventilation. Most systems satisfy the requirements of recent amendments to building regulations. With the ability to recover as much as 95% of heat from a ventilated room, our systems provide a method of achieving both the air flow requirements for human comfort in Part F and the energy efficiency requirements of Part L with full controllability. Heat Pumps  There are many specialist contractors who can specify, install and commission an extensive range of ground, air and water source heat pumps including single and three phase units, with heating capacities from 5kW to 70kW. • WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR YOU… • Energy costs reduced by up to 50%. • CO2 emissions reduced by more than 50% compared to mains gas. • 400% energy efficiency. • Proven technology. Heat pumps tap into the freely available, inexhaustible solar energy stored in the earth and ambient air and convert it into energy which can then be used to provide all year round domestic heating and hot water with the same convenience and reliability as conventional heating systems. In addition, our heat pumps can also be enhanced to offer cooling. COST EFFECTIVE Heat pumps have been shown to reduce energy costs by up to 50%. The only running cost with heat pumps is the electricity needed to drive the heat pump compressor. Further significant savings can be achieved by setting the heat pump to operate during off-peak periods, making use of cheaper electricity tariffs. Heat pumps also have none of the safety and maintenance costs associated with conventional heating systems. And because the majority of the energy is extracted free from the environment, running costs are relatively unaffected by the continuing increases in gas and oil costs. ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY As heat pumps extract up to 75% of the heating energy directly from the environment, their CO2 emissions compared to a gas central heating system are reduced by approximately 50%. This is a considerable improvement. The electricity required to run the heat pump can also be sourced through renewable means using ‘green’ electricity tariffs, thus virtually doing away with any use of fossil fuels and reducing carbon emissions to zero. ENERGY EFFICIENT Heat pumps are extremely energy efficient as they consume a small amount of electrical energy to deliver three or four times as much energy as heat. Many heat pumps have a design Coefficient of Performance (COP) of around 4. This means that for every 1kW of electricity needed to run the heat pump, approximately 4kW of useful heat is provided, giving the heat pump an efficiency of around 400%. A PROVEN SOLUTION This is tried and tested technology, used extensively in several parts of Europe and in the USA. In Germany heat pumps are very popular with air source heat pumps overtaking sales of ground source heat pumps. Heat pumps are now widely regarded as one of the most energy efficient, cost effective and environmentally friendly methods of providing domestic heating, hot water and comfort cooling. Underfloor Heating  Most heating contractors will recommend modern underfloor heating systems which complement our renewable energy heating solutions to provide cost effective, comfortable and unobtrusive heating for both domestic and commercial properties. WHAT IT CAN DO FOR YOU... • Provides radiant warmth for superior comfort heating with an even temperature throughout, free from draughts and cold spots. • Provides invisible heating with no space-consuming radiators, giving you freedom to place your furniture and furnishings where you wish. • Offers energy savings of 15-40%. • Reduces energy consumption by using low water temperatures, thereby reducing environmental damage and energy costs. • Tailored design specific to your property which can be easily combined with radiators and heated towel rails. UNDERFLOOR HEATING AND HEAT PUMPS Heat pump systems are ideally matched to modern low temperature underfloor heating. Standard radiators operate with water temperatures of 60°C to 70°C. Underfloor heating can operate at temperatures as low as 30°C; heat pumps are far more efficient when operating at these lower temperatures. UNDERFLOOR HEATING VS RADIATORS Underfloor systems provide a far more comfortable and efficient heating method than conventional radiators. Whilst heat from radiators circulates around the room heating the ceiling space first, underfloor heating systems provide warmth to the room from the floor up - where you want it! Rainwater Harvesting  Rainwater Harvesting is the collection of water that would otherwise have gone down the drainage system, into the ground or been lost to the atmosphere through evaporation. Despite the fact that the UK appears to have plenty of rain, our growing population and changes in climate mean that our water resources are under greater pressure than ever before. WHAT IT CAN DO FOR YOU • Typically save around 50% of mains water requirements. • Assist with water and environmental issues during the processing of planning applications. • Rainwater does not require complex treatment before use, making maintenance of rainwater harvesting systems easier and cheaper. • Reduced volumes of rainwater are discharged and hence can contribute to reducing flood risk and the load on sewer overflows. HALVE YOUR MAINS WATER CONSUMPTION On average, each person in the UK uses around 150 litres of water every day. Of the total amount of water used, approximately 50% is for purposes that could use rainwater instead of mains supply, such as flushing toilets, washing clothes etc. In a house with four inhabitants, this would amount to a potential saving of about 300 litres per day. HOW IT WORKS There are various systems available, but the general concept is based on rain being collected from the roof, travelling down a drainpipe, through a filter removing leaves and debris and then into a storage tank which is usually situated underground. The reclaimed water is then used in non-potable applications such as WCs, outside taps for garden irrigation and vehicle washing, and in washing machines. NEW BUILDS Whilst rainwater harvesting systems are suitable in both new and existing buildings, there are distinct advantages and financial benefits to installing a system in a new build. Significant savings are made by negating the need to incorporate additional pipe-work into an existing structure. Bench Mark Designs