Zero Energy Design

By using building modelling and simulation techniques throughout the design cycle, zed. helps clients develop efficient energy strategies to improve building performance and enables designers to meet increasingly strict environmental standards. It offers a wide range of high-quality building performance advice, simulation and evaluation, which is complemented by bespoke sustainability and net zero carbon consultancy.

zed. can assist with building physics to better understand the demands upon a building for deciding the most energy-efficient approach to servicing, using modelling tools such as SBEM or DSM and more detailed CIBSE TM54 Evaluating operational energy use at the design stage methodology, and can make informed and evidenced interpretations. This maximises the chances of a smooth road at planning and handover.

zed. has many years of experience in delivering reduced carbon buildings, applying innovative methods to meet national, regional and local performance targets, maximising BREEAM credits and achieving low EPC ratings as part of supporting its clients on their journey to net zero.

The company is also highly experienced in residential development, completing Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) calculations for housebuilders and developers for high-volume, high-rise developments or one-off mansion houses. It can help find the most effective, practical and economic solution to meet regulatory demands, while striving for a low carbon future. zed. is partnering with the University of Salford on the Future Homes project, creating digital twins of the homes of the future to test the gap between prediction and laboratory performance testing of the housing components and systems.

The team’s analysis informs the architectural design so that the resultant energy and overheating performance are balanced against a backdrop of natural light and use dynamic thermal modelling to evaluate space performance, whether in pre-construction or existing buildings, which can inform the design measures necessary to achieve and maintain satisfaction and comfort.

It can also assist with passive engineering issues, using design concepts, principles, tools and techniques to analyse various aspects such as orientation, daylighting, ventilation, thermal comfort, placement and size of windows, screening from wind and noise, shading, opening devices and specification of glazing to carefully consider solutions that are then implemented.

zed. provides life cycle assessments (LCA) to analyse and optimise both embodied and operational carbon from cradle to grave and can add further value through life cycle costing (LCC) and consultancy advice.

zed. holds CIBSE accreditations as Low Carbon Consultants and Low Carbon Non-Domestic Energy Assessors. zed. additionally holds Elmhurst Energy accreditation for producing on-construction domestic energy (SAP) assessments and the production of Display Energy Certificates.

zed. has undertaken projects for McDonalds, National Bank of Bahrain, BAM Construction, Bruntwood and Bruntwood SciTech, DfE schools and colleges and Amazon iPort.