One of the things I enjoy most when traveling is observing how residential architecture adapts to its environment—often in ways that differ significantly from what we see in the UK.
On our recent trip to North Carolina, I was particularly struck by the homes along the Outer Banks. These coastal properties are typically raised well above ground level, a design response to the region’s vulnerability to hurricanes, storm surges, and flooding. By elevating the living spaces, architects and builders not only mitigate flood risk but also improve air circulation beneath the home, which helps with cooling in the hot summer months.
It’s a fascinating reminder of how architecture is shaped by local climate, geography, and culture. Where in the UK we often design around rain and insulation, here the emphasis is on resilience, elevation, and airflow.
For me, it highlights a broader lesson: whether in architecture, design, or business, the best solutions are rarely “one-size-fits-all.” Instead, the most successful approaches respond thoughtfully to the specific environment and challenges they face.
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is now a requirement for major development projects and also become mandatory for minor sites on 2nd April 2024.
But what does BNG mean?
Plant and animal life in the site and surroundings of the project must be at least 10% greater at the end of the project than they were before it started.
So, what do we have to do?
Step 1. Baseline: Assess the existing diversity of the site. BNG relates to grassland, hedgerows, lakes, woodland, watercourses (such as streams and rivers). Your assessment should consider size, type, condition and strategic significance. There’s an official metric for calculating the biodiversity value.
Step 2. Proposal: Devise a development that minimises harm to existing biodiversity. This determines how much enhancement is needed.
Step 3. Enhancement: Incorporate features like wildlife-friendly landscaping, habitat restoration – maybe a ‘green’ roof. Your plan should consider conditions that might impact on your BNG plans: climate; geology and topography; agricultural land status; soils and substrates; contaminated land; hydrology and drainage; flood risk zones; landscape character and designations; biosecurity; invasive plant species.
Step 4. Monitor and maintain: Make sure the outcomes are achieved and maintained over time (30 years).
If you find that you can exceed 10% BNG then you can sell the surplus to developers who are struggling to meet their target.
If there aren’t sufficient feasible biodiversity gains on site, the developer may seek gains that are off site, and, as a last resort, buy BNG credits.
There are some exemptions from BNG, including:
A householder application for a small project such as a home extension, conservatory or loft conversion
A development below the threshold (i.e. it does not impact on ‘priority habitat’ and it impacts on less than 25m2 of on-site habitat and less than 5m of linear habitat such as a hedgerow)
A development consisting of no more than 9 dwellings on a site that has an area no larger than 0.5 hectares and consists exclusively of dwellings that are self-build or custom house-building.
Your project might not immediately be affected by BNG, however, implementing biodiversity net gain in your residential project can contribute positively to local ecosystems and biodiversity while potentially enhancing the quality of life for residents by creating more natural and green spaces.
Alison of ICE Arch Limited will be happy to discuss this with you: email alison@ice-arch.co.uk
New building regulations come into effect from 15th June 2022. They are set-out in new and changed ‘Approved Documents’.
How will they affect new homes?
Limit the amount of glazing in new residential buildings. Approved Document O is a new Building Regulation set up to mitigate the risk of overheating.
Measure energy efficiency. New homes will need to adopt the Fabric Energy Efficiency Standards as defined in Part L (Fuel and Power)
Heating systems. There will be a maximum flow temperature requirement of 55°C for new and replacement heating systems
Heat pumps. Good practice is provided for a home built with a heat pump
What about existing homes?
Minimum standards of fabric efficiency, plus a new efficiency metric for the whole house when adding an extension defined in Part F (Ventilation)
Low-carbon readiness. New and replacement heating system designs must accept low-carbon energy sources in the future, and integrate the latest eco-design appliance benchmarks
Got an electric car?
Technical guidance in relation to the installation of electric car charge points for our homes. (Part S)
What do I do now?
If you have submitted a full planning application, or an initial notice, before 15th June 2022 or your development is subject to a Building Notice, then provided the work is started on site before 15th June 2023 then the building is assessed under the previous versions of the regulations.
Otherwise, the new regulations apply to you. Ask Alison for advice.
The client wants a more contemporary look, and, while ground floor space is great, there is a need for additional bedroms and a master suite.
The time is right to do the remodelling and extension because the property needs remedial work – new roof, windows, etc.
It is an ideal opportunity to improve the ‘green credentials’. All new walls, and the roof and windows will be highly insulated. The ‘airtightness’ of the property will be improved. Heating will be by air-source heat pumps. There will be rainwater harvesting.
A ‘scorecard’ enabling planners to assess the sustainability of proposed developments has been launched by the Sustainable Development Commission and Iceni Projects.
The Sustainable Development Scorecard is a free online resource that judges a proposal by how well it meets the National Planning Policy Framework’s (NPPF) definition of sustainable development.
Its aim is to guide planners and developers towards creating schemes that both score highly in terms of the three pillars of sustainability – social, environmental and economic – and balance these pillars against each other.
The easy-to-use tool has been devised by a panel of industry professionals chaired by former planning minister Nick Raynsford. It is aimed at anyone with a vested interest in development, including community groups and neighbourhood planners.
The commission is made up of a cross-section of industry professionals including:
Edward Dixon, sustainability special projects manager at Landsec
Sue Smith, former chief executive at Cherwell District Council
Ian MacLeod, assistant director, planning and regeneration at Birmingham City Council
Roy Foster, former planning inspector
Janet Askew, RTPI past-president
Stephen Ashworth, partner at Dentons
“Although the NPPF has a presumption in favour of sustainable development at its heart, assessing the degree to which a project complies with this is highly subjective,” Dan Jestico, director for Sustainable Development at Iceni Projects, said. “Thanks to the Sustainable Development Scorecard, everyone from architects to developers to local residents will be able to easily assess how sustainable a proposal really is.”
He added: “The Sustainable Development Scorecard means that for the first time, it will be possible to see to what extent a scheme really has a ‘golden thread of sustainability running through it’.”
