Future Policy Development
Submitted by admin on April 4, 2006 - 02:11.
5. FUTURE POLICY DEVELOPMENT
5.1. The lessons learned from the implementation of the policy, and the national debate that has surrounded it, are now being factored into Merton’s new Local Development Framework and other development plans. The force with which such policies are designed and implemented are significantly determined by the capital infrastructure overheads. In respect to new-build residential properties, particularly low rise, the additional costs for a solar thermal system is likely to be approx 2.5% - 3%, and therefore Merton is likely to adopt an LDF policy that will require every new home to meet at least a 10% target. This residential unit threshold should be based upon sound financial appraisal logic and not on parochial psychology which invariably sets higher targets in a misguided attempt at alleviating what is irrationally seen as a “scary” policy. Merton may also revise the non-residential threshold down to 500 m2 for the same reasons. The draft policy wording is:
“The Council will require all developments, either new build or conversion, with a floor-space of 500m2, or one or more residential units, to incorporate on-site renewable energy equipment to reduce predicted CO2 emissions by at least 10% ”
5.2. However, what we are learning is that a one size fits all policy will not be forensic enough. Therefore Merton is developing a guidance matrix that will act as an advice document for interpreting the “at least 10%” section of the policy. It will be sub-divided into percentage targets for different types of development, linked to increasing annual targets (non-compound). The twin justification for increasing percentage targets is the remorseless rise in fossil fuel energy prices and the falling cost of renewables. As these unit prices fall then more boroughs will feel secure in actively implementing such policies and percentage targets can subsequently rise. This is the symbiotic relationship between the economy and the policy - they will feed off each other.
5.3. Technology evaluation
In order to both implement the existing policies more forensically, and design new ones for the future – and to extend the collective knowledge base, we will obviously need to evaluate both the buildings and the renewable infrastructure. Merton liaises with developers to ensure that the devises, systems and buildings can be accurately monitored. If necessary it may be necessary to use planning conditions or Section 106 Agreements to do this, but to date all the developers we have dealt with are more than happy to help. Four universities are undertaking this research. University College of London’s Bartlett Institute are going to monitor the actual renewable equipment and examine the utility bills, De Montfort will be doing longitudinal studies examining occupants energy behavioural profiles, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Massachusetts Institute of Technology are designing the data-base systems for capturing and processing the information, and Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute will create the modelling systems that will help disseminate the findings in an operationally useful way for other local and regional planning authorities.
5.1. The lessons learned from the implementation of the policy, and the national debate that has surrounded it, are now being factored into Merton’s new Local Development Framework and other development plans. The force with which such policies are designed and implemented are significantly determined by the capital infrastructure overheads. In respect to new-build residential properties, particularly low rise, the additional costs for a solar thermal system is likely to be approx 2.5% - 3%, and therefore Merton is likely to adopt an LDF policy that will require every new home to meet at least a 10% target. This residential unit threshold should be based upon sound financial appraisal logic and not on parochial psychology which invariably sets higher targets in a misguided attempt at alleviating what is irrationally seen as a “scary” policy. Merton may also revise the non-residential threshold down to 500 m2 for the same reasons. The draft policy wording is:
“The Council will require all developments, either new build or conversion, with a floor-space of 500m2, or one or more residential units, to incorporate on-site renewable energy equipment to reduce predicted CO2 emissions by at least 10% ”
5.2. However, what we are learning is that a one size fits all policy will not be forensic enough. Therefore Merton is developing a guidance matrix that will act as an advice document for interpreting the “at least 10%” section of the policy. It will be sub-divided into percentage targets for different types of development, linked to increasing annual targets (non-compound). The twin justification for increasing percentage targets is the remorseless rise in fossil fuel energy prices and the falling cost of renewables. As these unit prices fall then more boroughs will feel secure in actively implementing such policies and percentage targets can subsequently rise. This is the symbiotic relationship between the economy and the policy - they will feed off each other.
5.3. Technology evaluation
In order to both implement the existing policies more forensically, and design new ones for the future – and to extend the collective knowledge base, we will obviously need to evaluate both the buildings and the renewable infrastructure. Merton liaises with developers to ensure that the devises, systems and buildings can be accurately monitored. If necessary it may be necessary to use planning conditions or Section 106 Agreements to do this, but to date all the developers we have dealt with are more than happy to help. Four universities are undertaking this research. University College of London’s Bartlett Institute are going to monitor the actual renewable equipment and examine the utility bills, De Montfort will be doing longitudinal studies examining occupants energy behavioural profiles, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Massachusetts Institute of Technology are designing the data-base systems for capturing and processing the information, and Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute will create the modelling systems that will help disseminate the findings in an operationally useful way for other local and regional planning authorities.
