Hambleside within the Public Sector Estate

As part of its Climate Change Programme and accounting for about 30% of new build, the UK Government has stated that the public sector is in a key position to lead on carbon emissions reduction by setting a behavioural and strategic example to the private sector. By setting high standards of energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions, the public sector can reduce its own emissions and influence the supply chain for buildings. Future procurement in the Central Government estate will require constructions that are in the top quartile in terms of energy performance.

In 2004, the public sector was responsible for about 5% of the UK’s carbon emissions, 28% below the1990 level, but now flat-lined and expected to remain around this level up to 2010. The main reason is an increase in electricity consumption with the introduction of open plan working, increased IT equipment and air conditioning, and flexible and extended working hours.

Working in partnership with local authorities and the Carbon Trust, the Government has now set out a series of measures to limit emissions from offices, schools, hospitals and other buildings in the public sector estate

With many new build designs in the public sector estate encouraging the significant inlet of natural light with its proven advantages for workforce health and productivity, Hambleside Danelaw’s Insulator rooflights offer an ideal solution to architects, specifiers and contractors, because of the energy savings they offer on heating and air-conditioning. They also limit carbon emissions through a building’s heat loss because they can provide a significantly lower U-value than that required by the Building Regulations.

This product has been recognised for its contribution to the environment thought the granting of the Queen’s Award 2006 for Enterprise: Innovation, click here for further information. The British Museum in London and the Ambleside School in Nottingham are among those who have also recognised the benefits of Insulator.

Hambleside’s Roofing Systems division can provide high performance high quality single ply membrane systems which reflect heat away from a building and in turn reduce the need for air conditioning with accompanying savings in energy costs. This environmentally friendly, and new product to the UK market, has been developed and proven over 30 years in the climate extremes of Florida USA. This material is ideally suited to application within the health and education sectors. It is based upon a high performance membrane which provides tough resistance against intense UV rays, high winds, thermal shocks and chemical residues.

More information about guidelines and best practice for procurement for the public sector estate can be found at the websites shown in the relevant section on the Related Links page.