| |
Butterfly is being developed for the benefit of consumers, construction professionals and the environment. The £1.25m project is part-funded by the UK Technology Strategy Board. The tool will be fully functional towards the end of 2012.
Butterfly will simplify and improve decision making for new build and refurbishment developments by incorporating, for the first time, in one software tool, life cycle, fabric, embodied and operational energy and carbon metrics as well as a Code for Sustainable Homes (CfSH) calculator. It will be available on-line and will include default building models and a library of optional building elements, assemblies, energy and carbon data that users can select to model specific buildings.
To ensure Butterfly delivers on its promise, BLP has brought together a project team of academic and industry expert partners. They come from the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Sustainable Development; University College London Energy Institute and Willmott Dixon Housing.
“Butterfly will represent a great leap forward for residential stakeholders and the environment by giving the full picture of whole life cost and value in a carbon context,” says Simon Main, Managing Director, BLP. “This is a significant and radical development for a market place that has for too long been preoccupied with initial capital cost. With this new product we are responding to the need to help the supply chain address the design and construction of low carbon, energy efficient buildings.
“The market place has been grappling with energy evaluations, carbon emissions and costs to determine best value and optimal design," Main continues. “Butterfly will address these issues in one tool - which will, incidentally, overcome the shortcomings of currently available operational energy modelling. Construction professionals, ranging from architects to surveyors, builders and developers to social housing organisations and local authorities will find this a highly useful development.
“Butterfly is being developed for professionals with the environment in mind and will have a leading role to play in the residential construction industry. BLP knows how to improve the quality of decision making in construction - we have strong expertise in the sector and a solid track record of developing a successful specialist software tool to help construction professionals,” Main concludes.
About the Technology Strategy Board (TSB)
TSB is a business-led executive non-departmental public body, established by the government. Its role is to promote and support research into, and development and exploitation of, technology and innovation for the benefit of UK business, in order to increase economic growth and improve the quality of life. It is sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
Further information about Butterfly
Butterfly extends and enhances BLP’s well received Life Cycle Costing Tool* launched in November 2008. Butterfly is a new product that will, in addition to fabric life cycle costing, take into consideration embodied and operational energy the Code for Sustainable Homes (CfSH) and will be used for new and existing dwellings. Energy impacts will be measured by cost, energy and carbon.
BLP and its partners won funding from the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) to develop Butterfly in November 2009 (following a successful bid in TSB’s Design and Decision Tools for Low Impact Buildings competition). The project has a budget of £1.25m, half of this was provided by TSB and half by the project partners.
The Butterfly software ‘toolkit’ will be pre-loaded with default building models and an extensive library of optional building elements, assemblies and energy data that users can select to model specific buildings.
*Originally developed with the Housing Corporation it simplifies and streamlines applications from social landlords for Homes and Communities Agency funding. It is a fast, accurate and automated software programme that replaces complex time consuming manual and spreadsheet-based processes) to determine the relationship between capital costs and costs in use.
About BLP
BLP (blpinsurance.com) is the standard setter in the UK market place for new building and refurbishment defects insurance and technical expertise for residential, commercial and mixed use schemes. In addition to providing the most compelling alternative to the traditional new home warranty, BLP has developed some of the most sophisticated component life cycle and risk management software available for the construction industry.
Building LifePlans Ltd was incorporated in 1999, known now under its trading name of BLP, and is headquartered in the City of London. BLP is a subsidiary of Thomas Miller. BLP is regulated by the FSA and is backed by Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty AG (UK Branch), with an insurer financial strength rating of AA.
BLP’s insurance covers the property not the developer. And BLP carries out a unique quality assessment on every risk – be it residential or commercial.
Unlike other providers BLP arranges cover from day one; does not require bonds or indemnities; and does not require proof of liability – just proof of damage.
Known for its quality products, professionalism and technical expertise, BLP has established strong and long-standing relationships with a wide range of customers which include: architects, designers, contractors, builders, housing associations, landlords, tenants, property developers, property consultants, property lawyers, investment bankers and pension fund managers.
Its customer list includes the following organisations: Scottish Widows Investment Partnership, Catalyst Housing Group, Newlon Housing Trust, McCabe Builders (UK) Ltd, Highgrange Homes Ltd, JLP Homes, Oakdene Homes plc and The Elegant Group Ltd.
|
mikegleeson[.]archangelcomms.com 
