DB3 Net Zero

Net Zero Consultancy Progress Through Design

DB3 Net Zero Offering With the construction industry currently contributing to over 40% of the UK’s carbon footprint, we at DB3 strive to take a hold of our responsibility as architects and engineers in achieving the UK’s Net Zero targets through the work we do.

As such, DB3 Group have combined our existing expertise and services under the new umbrella known as DB3 Net Zero.

Net zero carbon buildings should have much lower annual energy demands than typical existing buildings or even standard (PART L compliant) new buildings. In order to achieve this we promote reducing a building’s energy demand and reliance on fossil fuels through implementation of a fabric first approach, passive design measures and incorporation of renewable and sustainable energy sources.

The aim of our Net Zero service is simple – helping you to deliver low and zero carbon projects that make a real impact on our planet.

DB3 Net Zero

Embodied carbon that is associated with the building materials and installed building services including the production, transportation, installation on site, replacement, demolition and disposal stages must also be considered.

Road to Net Zero We focus on passive design measures and a “fabric first” approach, leading to overall energy efficiency and quality in construction. The energy that is not required for a building’s operation and maintenance in the first place, whether new build or retrofit, is the greenest energy of all!

With existing buildings, a detailed survey will highlight whether retrofitting instead of demolishing and re-building is the best option.

For new projects, the first stages in achieving net zero carbon buildings involve reducing the building’s operational and embodied carbon. Followed by incorporating renewable and sustainable energy supplies and offsetting the remaining carbon, which complete your net zero journey.

DB3 Net Zero services can ensure your project achieves its journey to zero or its lowest potential carbon emissions. Our experts are here to guide and advise you on the best design practices, bespoke to the aspirational goals of your development.

DB3 Net Zero

Our team The DB3 Net Zero team includes Engineers, Architects, Low Carbon Energy Assessors, Passivhaus Designers, Passivhaus Trainers and Sustainability Champions who have many years of experience in their fields.

Our DB3 Building Services Engineering team is led by Associate Director, Matt Ganley, who has over 20 years of experience as a Mechanical Engineer and is also a qualified CIBSE Low Carbon Energy Assessor. Matt has worked on many new build and refurbishment projects that meet the client’s aspirations to reduce energy demand and consumption, improve energy efficiency and drive towards lowering overall carbon emissions.

We also have Formation 3D Co-Founder, Ross Hamilton, on our team, who uses drones to deliver thermal imaging assessment services.

These are used to identify possible thermal fabric deficiencies where insulation has not been installed as expected and also to review building services energy losses whereby insulation can be reviewed and advice given on improvements.

DB3 Net Zero

DB3’s Sustainability Team is headed by Director, Matthew Savory, the chairperson of DB3’s Sustainability Working Group. Through his deep involvement in multiple Passivhaus and Retrofit projects, Matthew’s leadership and expertise drive our team of Sustainability experts and Passivhaus designers to consistently push the boundaries of design.

1

Carbon Whether your project’s target is to achieve low or zero carbon, our experts are here to guide you on your journey of reducing carbon.

This entails a detailed analysis and advice on the best decarbonisation strategy for your project, such as moving away from fossil fuels by utilising sources of renewable energy that lower carbon emissions.

DB3 CARBON SERVICES

Whole Life Carbon

Operational Carbon

Embodied Carbon

New Build vs Refurbishment Analysis

Decarbonisation

DB3 Net Zero

2

Efficiency

With existing buildings, we can provide a ‘health check’ report highlighting the performance of the building services and fabric against published benchmarks and identify the most suitable solutions that will reduce carbon emissions.

DB3 EFFICIENCY SERVICES

Energy Modelling ▫

Static

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Dynamic Simulation

Building Fabric Analysis ▫

U Value Calculations

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Thermal Bridge Calculations

Step-by-step Retrofit

Smart Building Design

DB3 Net Zero

At DB3 we apply the Fabric First approach by designing buildings with a healthy indoor environment that require less energy usage in the first place. Factors such as high insulation, thermal bridge free design, airtightness and optimum mix of mechanical and natural ventilation are incorporated to ensure the buildings are as energy efficient as possible.

3

Passivhaus Passivhaus is a tried and tested solution that enables us to deliver net-zero-ready new and existing buildings, optimised for a decarbonised grid and augmented for occupant health and wellbeing. Passivhaus buildings provide a high level of occupant comfort using very little energy for heating and cooling and also can guarantee to eliminate the performance gap between design and operation.

If you are looking at developing a Passivhaus project then our Certified Passivhaus designers are at hand. We also have an inhouse qualified Passivhaus Trainer who delivers CPDs on the Passivhaus standard and methodology.

DB3 PASSIVHAUS SERVICES

Passivhaus Design

Passivhaus Pre-assessment

Enerphit

Enerphit Step-by-step

Passivhaus Training / CPDs

Passivhaus Peer Review

DB3 Net Zero

4

Wellbeing

Our consultants will identify and advise on factors that have a significant impact on users’ health such as indoor air quality. We deliver projects that achieve the chosen standards and ensure that the right balance between wellbeing and the associated costs is met.

DB3 WELLBEING SERVICES

WELL Standard Design

BREEAM Standard Design

LEED Standard Design

NABERS Standard Design

Biophilic Design

Social Value Analysis

DB3 Net Zero

Considerations of the end users’ experience of a building and its impact on their wellbeing is at the heart of our design work at DB3. With wellbeing we take into account not just health and wellbeing, but also community and social impact.

5

Performance Has your project delivered the low carbon targets it set out to achieve? Our qualified assessors will evaluate and ensure that completed constructions are actually delivering.

This assessment service is not just for RIBA Stage 7 of your project but can also be utilised for older properties.

The assessment will identify the most appropriate decarbonisation actions to be taken along with ensuring buildings are operating within their design parameters to avoid excessive energy demand and consumption.

DB3 PERFORMANCE SERVICES

Thermal Imaging ▫

Building Envelope

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Building Services

Building Operation ▫

Building User Guide

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Operating Manual

Occupancy ▫

Post-occupancy Evaluation

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End-user Behaviour Assessment

U-value Measurement

EPC for Private Residential

DB3 Net Zero

6

Compliance

Compliance is not only essential for your reputation but on the outcome of your project.

Our team will assess and ensure that your project meets all required criteria and complies with the relevant building regulations.

DB3 COMPLIANCE SERVICES

PART L Compliance

PART O Compliance

Day Light Assessment

Over-heating Assessment

Thermal Comfort Assessment

DB3 Net Zero

Our DB3 Net Zero team are fully accredited to provide energy and carbon emission calculations, Energy Performance Certificates and are ‘Low Carbon Consultants & Low Carbon Energy Assessors’ with CIBSE Certification Register

About DB3 Founded in 1883, DB3 Group is an award-winning, dynamic practice consisting of DB3 Architecture & Design, DB3 Building Services Engineering, DB3 Net Zero, DB3 Professional Services, Formation 3D and Home & Maker.

DB3 Group has seven studios across the UK including in Leeds, London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff and Aberystwyth, so we are never too far away from your project.

Renowned for our quality design and technical delivery, we have long standing relationships with some of the biggest global brands across private and public market sectors.

From architectural vision to the completed build, we provide multi-disciplinary expertise aimed at meeting the diverse needs of our client base. We embrace the latest technology, including Building Information Modelling (BIM), to assist in our process and operations for design, visualisation, design team co-ordination and more.

We maintain a focus on not only delivering the project on time, with exceptional quality and within cost, but also in ensuring long term value is designed into facilities to ensure that they are easy and safe to operate, sustainable, minimise energy use and are cost effective to maintain.

Our dedicated team of experienced Architects, Project Managers, Building Services Engineers, Interior Designers and Surveyors provide a quality service regardless of project value, size or complexity, to deliver the best for our clients.

Working collaboratively, we aspire to make this an enjoyable process and build relationships which result in us returning to work for the same clients on future projects.

Glasgow

EXPERTISE Architecture Building Services Interiors Principal Designer Sustainability Technology Urban Design Visualisation

Leeds Manchester

Aberystwyth

Cardiff

Birmingham

London

DB3 Net Zero

SECTORS Commercial Conservation & Heritage Education Healthcare Hospitality Industrial & Manufacturing Retail Residential Science & Labs Sports & Leisure

Architecture and much more As a multi-disciplinary consultancy, our expertise extends beyond architecture, meaning our clients can pick and choose key areas or combine a number of our service skill sets and project management skills when selecting our single point service offer. DB3 Group offers the following six individual business units.

DB3 Building Services Engineering Offering CIBSE Chartered Mechanical and Electrical Engineering to all sectors. The team have particular experience in the leisure sector, having delivered numerous wet and dry leisure facilities across the UK. The team are CIBSE Low Carbon Energy Assessors and offer Thermal Modelling (DSM).

Formation 3D (F3D) Drone operated aerial surveys, photography and videography by DB3’s in-house CAA qualified drone operators. A low risk, time efficient alternative for building inspections and land surveys. F3D also offers highly accurate 3D data capture & mapping of existing structures using point cloud, RTK and PPK technology, turning into 3D digital models for construction, design & facilities management projects.

DB3 Net Zero Drawing on the experience of our in-house mechanical & electrical engineers, architects, energy assessors, Passivhaus designers and sustainability experts. Our suite of Net Zero consultancy services is broken down into six categories which cover topics around whole life cycle. These categories include; Carbon, Efficiency, Passivhaus, Wellbeing, Performance & Compliance.

DB3 Professional Services The team deliver building surveying, retail project management, principal designer, contract administration and NEC supervisor roles, across the UK. Working alongside DB3’s architectural and M&E teams, these roles can be incorporated into a multi-disciplinary offering or procured as an independent service.

Home & Maker A sister company to DB3 Architecture & Design, Home and Maker provides RIBA chartered online architectural services to domestic residential customers. Drawing on DB3’s many years of home design and construction experience, Home & Maker focuses on designing great homes at an affordable price.

DB3 Net Zero

DB3 Architecture & Design Providing RIBA Chartered sustainable architecture, urban design and masterplanning, with supporting services including BIM, visualisation and interior design. DB3’s architectural team comprises 35+ architects, supported by a strong team of 50+ technologists and architectural assistants with the capacity to resource projects across all sectors.

London

Cardiff

Leeds

Glasgow

Birmingham

Aberystwyth

Manchester

0121 374 2020 www.db3netzero.com netzero@db3group.com