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A review of the recent changes and their implications for designers, contractors and building owners.
Changes to Part L of the Building Regulations, which came into force on 6 April 2006, are intended to produce a reduction in CO² emissions by improving the energy efficiency of new buildings by 25% measured against 2002 standards. The revised Regulations require designers to assess the energy efficiency of, and carbon emissions from, whole buildings using the revised 2005 SAP for dwellings and the new National Calculation Methodology for non-domestic buildings. It is no longer possible to use the Elemental method to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of Part L, although the calculation of U-values for separate elements is still necessary for all designers.
It is further proposed that, for the purposes of demonstrating compliance with Part L, energy use calculations for dwellings and non-dwellings may be performed by accredited assessors. Such accreditation may be open to members of the RIBA and other professional bodies.
The significance of heat losses due to air leakage has finally been recognised. The 2006 revisions see airtightness testing, which was introduced in 2002 for larger non-domestic buildings, extended to all buildings, including dwellings. Whilst enhanced airtightness may be traded-off against reduced conduction losses, there is as yet no proposal to allow designers to take advantage of the enhanced thermal performance achievable by reducing radiant heat losses: such provision may well appear in future revisions to Part L. The seminar will review the content of the new legislation and illustrate means of complying with the much enhanced requirements and discuss the role of accredited assessors. It will also examine energy conservation by reducing radiant heat losses.
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