Page 1678 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 8 May 2013
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In a departure from the draft estate development code publicly released in 2010 as part of DV301, the provisions relating to entity endorsement are now in a separate part of the code, namely, part D. Parts A, B and C now contain only estate planning provisions. “Entities” in this context are government agencies such as TAMS or service providers such as ActewAGL. This was done to simplify the structure of the code applying to new estates.
For each component of an estate development plan that requires entity endorsement there is a specific rule. It simply states that endorsement by the relevant entity is a mandatory requirement and there is no associated criterion. A note associated with the rule contains details of the actual endorsement. This gives a measure of certainty to the applicant by indicating that endorsement will be given if certain published standards are met. It also allows for departures to be considered through negotiation between the proponent and the relevant entity.
Under this approach it is possible for an entity to endorse a particular component under part D, but for ACTPLA to refuse the EDP on the grounds that the component does not meet planning requirements under the relevant rule and criteria in parts A, B or C. The reverse is also possible.
The ACT government is committed to improving the energy efficiency of homes and, by doing so, minimise energy consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Houses that integrate sound environmental design such as proper insulation, northerly orientation and shading of windows and walls in summer are more likely to achieve this target.
Canberra, of course, has hot summers and cool winters. Houses designed with environmental design principles in mind provide comfortable living conditions throughout the year and reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Energy efficient options cost little to implement at the design and construction stage, yet offer significant long-term benefits both to the home owner and to the environment. It is a very sound principle that residential blocks be orientated and proportioned so that the house can have daytime living areas facing north and have sunlight into private open space, while limiting the overshadowing, of course, of adjoining residential blocks.
Certain combinations of block size, slope and orientation are more likely to achieve solar efficient house design. Accordingly the new code contains block compliance tables that are based on the principle that solar efficiency decreases as blocks narrow, tend towards an orientation 45 degrees to the north-south axis, and slope towards the south.
Other factors also influenced the formulation of these tables, in addition to size, shape and orientation. Consideration was given to the likely upper-level floor space yield taking account of building envelopes and boundary setbacks. A bias against blocks orientated at 45 degrees to the north-south axis is evident because of the difficulty of properly orientating the house towards the sun, particularly on small blocks. Block compliance tables and associated code provisions have had interim effect since June 2011.
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