Active system
The Home Quality Mark One, Technical Manual SD239, England, Scotland & Wales, published by BRE in 2018, suggests that active systems are:
Any home systems that require active operation or maintenance. This includes common home systems such as:
- Heating and hot water systems.
- Ventilation systems.
- Low and zero carbon technologies.
- Comfort cooling systems.
- Appliances.
- Showers or baths, WCs.
- Lighting.
- Safety systems (e.g. smoke detectors, fire alarms and sprinklers).
- Security systems.
- Smart devices (e.g. as smart meters).
As well as any other systems, which may be less typical, such as:
- Electric car charging points.
- Living roof systems (e.g. green roofs).
- Flood resilience measures.
- Drainage systems or strategies (e.g. SuDS).
- Temperature control measures (e.g. active external shading).
NB Heritage Building Retrofit Toolkit, published by the City of London Corporation in March 2024, defines active systems as: ‘The incorporation of mechanical systems that use or produce energy.’
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