An Energy Statement is a comprehensive, detailed report that demonstrates how a development will meet national and local energy and sustainability policy. Sheffield City Council are obligated to encourage sustainable development through the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and require an Energy Planning Statement to be submitted alongside Planning Applications for new build or conversion developments.
Core Strategy Policies CS63 – CS 65 of Sheffield City Council’s Development Framework Core Strategy (2009) form a suite of planning polices outlining the local authority’s commitment to reducing the impact of new build development on climate change.
Policy CS64: Climate Change, Resources and Sustainable Design of Developments states that all new buildings and conversions of existing buildings are required to:
a) Achieve a high standard of energy efficiency; and
b) Make the best use of solar energy, passive heating and cooling, natural light, and natural ventilation; and
c) Minimise the impact on existing renewable energy installations, and produce renewable energy to compensate for any loss in generation from existing installations as a result of the development.
Furthermore, Policy CS65 – Renewable Energy and Carbon Reduction requires developments, unless this can be shown not to be feasible and viable, to connect to the City Centre District Heating Scheme and:
a) Provide a minimum of 10% of their predicted energy needs from decentralised and renewable or low carbon energy; and
b) Generate further renewable or low carbon energy or incorporate design measures sufficient to reduce the development’s overall predicted carbon dioxide emissions by 20%. This would include the decentralised and renewable or low carbon energy required to satisfy (a).
However the following paragraph from the Sheffield Development Framework Climate Change and Design Supplementary Planning Document and Practice Guide that was adopted in March 2011 stated that requiring a 20% reduction beyond that required by the new Building Regulations Part L would not normally be viable in the current economic climate for the majority of developments. Compliance with part (b) of Policy CS65 will, therefore, not be required for the duration of this Supplementary Planning Document.
EPS Group will tailor your Energy Statement to these specific policy requirements ready for submission with your Planning Application to Sheffield City Council.
If Planning Permission is granted, our report can then be used by your Design Team to devise the development’s final build specification. This ensures that the completed development achieves the proposals submitted and that any conditions imposed can be discharged upon completion.
