Sun, 19 Apr 2026 11:11:56 +0100 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/ Lussumo Vanilla 1.0.3 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310449#Comment_310449 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310449#Comment_310449 Fri, 10 Apr 2026 15:32:59 +0100 tony
I’m gonna make some suggestions

1) the client
2) the designer
3) a building physicist - they could be a consultant
4) an engineer
5) an energy assessor
6) a QS ?


? Crack on then ……]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310450#Comment_310450 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310450#Comment_310450 Fri, 10 Apr 2026 15:59:29 +0100 fostertom https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310451#Comment_310451 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310451#Comment_310451 Fri, 10 Apr 2026 17:44:50 +0100 djh 1) the client - me
2) the designer - an architect or two
3) a building physicist - they could be a consultant - that was probably me
4) an engineer - we had several, at least three directly employed and more at suppliers
5) an energy assessor - I'd prefer to change the law so a PH cert was sufficient instead
6) a QS ? - me again?]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310452#Comment_310452 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310452#Comment_310452 Fri, 10 Apr 2026 22:24:43 +0100 tony https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310453#Comment_310453 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310453#Comment_310453 Sat, 11 Apr 2026 08:40:20 +0100 PeterStarck
1) the client - me
2) the designer - me
3) a building physicist - they could be a consultant - me, TF company and foundation company
4) an engineer - TF company SE
5) an energy assessor - me and SAP assessor
6) a QS ? - me]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310455#Comment_310455 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310455#Comment_310455 Sat, 11 Apr 2026 13:23:25 +0100 tony https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310456#Comment_310456 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310456#Comment_310456 Sat, 11 Apr 2026 18:36:54 +0100 fostertom https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310459#Comment_310459 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310459#Comment_310459 Sun, 12 Apr 2026 13:14:46 +0100 djh https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310461#Comment_310461 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310461#Comment_310461 Sun, 12 Apr 2026 18:21:14 +0100 fostertom https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310462#Comment_310462 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310462#Comment_310462 Sun, 12 Apr 2026 20:38:51 +0100 HollyBush 8) Relevant government Planning department]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310465#Comment_310465 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310465#Comment_310465 Sun, 12 Apr 2026 22:05:10 +0100 tony
Re planning, I absolutely love it that you put them lower down the list than the technical people. I never ask for planning advice from LA as that removes the determination deadline.

I don’t like trying to design or build in eco features like insulation into plans that haven’t accounted for it/them at the planning stage.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310478#Comment_310478 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310478#Comment_310478 Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:58:43 +0100 HollyBush https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310479#Comment_310479 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310479#Comment_310479 Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:54:15 +0100 tony https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310481#Comment_310481 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310481#Comment_310481 Mon, 13 Apr 2026 17:00:39 +0100 djh https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310496#Comment_310496 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310496#Comment_310496 Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:33:37 +0100 HollyBush
This is just my take of things in England, would be happy for others to add to or change it. It might be most useful to very new members.

Someone (a named person or organisation) should be accountable for and have the knowledge at the required/desired level of expertise for:

- Client - chooses the the designer and gives them the brief
Could leave it there, but possibly needed throughout not just at start, clerk of works, owner etc -
if you are new to this, then lots of decisions will appear from nowhere, which you either leave to your designer or get involved with - the amount of designs can be overwhelming. If you are not new then you will know how much "design" you want at the start, or on the fly.

- Designer / Architect / Technician - Overall design - the role accountable for meeting the client's brief / requirements

- Legal obligations - planning, building regs, historic, listed status etc etc some must know what the law requires and get approval for it - when you get that approval depends on the experience of the designer, how much risk you want to live with and the roles you choose to fill beyond the designer.

- User / occupier (often the client for domestic, but unlikely many others) - could be many people, but if you want an award winning library, talk to librarians etc

- Building physicist - was M&E or HVAC engineer when I started, but guess this has progressed a bit more now. Will cover heating, ventilation, air conditioning, condensation etc solar gain? lighting? Radon?

- (Structural) Engineer - make sure it stands up - if simple, standard materials, this is could be a set of tables, the designer has access to? but for most buildings someone to present robust calculations to prove to others the choice of materials and intended use is safe.
May need a specialist ground works engineer.
May need to work with water levels (flood risk)
May need to prevent damage to tree roots

- Energy assessor - how much energy will be use during it's intended use over time, possibly embedded in the materials, or method to construct (concrete v limecrete, gas v solar, hydro, heat pumps, solar gain etc
does this one do air tightness testing too?

- budget/cost management - a QS also maybe an estimator at start

- Builder - critical if using new materials, methods, or want it build very quickly or cheaply (I think this role is missed too often during design)

- Fire safety - ideally part of the other roles - but history says you are better having a single accountable person/company (Grenfell)

- water safety - if providing your own water

- interior designer]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310498#Comment_310498 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310498#Comment_310498 Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:41:49 +0100 fostertom Posted By: HollyBushSomeone (a named person or organisation) should be accountable for and have the knowledge at the required/desired level of expertiseCould be a Warranty provider, like LABC or NHBC. Architect specifically excludes himself from such Certficate-writing responsibility, but instead provides the visiting Warranty inspector with all the chapter-and-verse he wants, to be willing to take on the responsibility, for stiff price paid by the client/developer, and to pay out against any failure claims on a no-blame basis. It's the default way, nowadays, for speculative developments, tho much less so for bespoke schemes for private clients.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310505#Comment_310505 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18420&Focus=310505#Comment_310505 Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:13:52 +0100 djh
And no, the airtightness tester is separate from the energy assessor.

A lot of what is assigned to the energy assessor needs to be done by the architect.]]>