Tighter regulations on the way

New changes to UK Building Regulations Parts L, F and J will force new homes, shops and offices to become 25% more efficient, in plans announced by Housing & Planning Minister John Healey.

The amendments will come into force in October to help meet Britain's low-carbon commitments, as well as saving householders an average £100 per year on heating bills.

The tougher standards will also see 1 million tonnes of carbon saved per year by 2020. The measures will include practical ways to make buildings greener while ensuring that the more airtight dwellings are still sufficiently ventilated. If homeowners extend or renovate their homes, they will need to use more energy-efficient windows and boilers.

These changes follow the Building Regulation Part G updates that became law this month, making new buildings more water efficient.

Healey said: "The higher standards we're bringing in will cut emissions and play a crucial part in achieving our zero-carbon polocies. They will also make homes and businesses cheaper to heat and run. Nearly half of the UK's carbon emissions come from buildings.

"More than one-in-three of the buildings we'll be working in and living in by 2050 have not yet been built, so action now can make a real difference in the future.

"While we must act to reduce carbon emissions," he said, "we must do so in sensible stages to avoid unreasonable burdens on the house building industry."

The Part L changes will increase minimum energy efficiency levels for building fabric and services, so that CO2 targets can't be achieved just through renewables. It will also apply when people carry out work to existing buildings such as extensions, conversions, fabric renovations, replacement windows and boilers.

Part F has been revised with new requirements for the installation and commissioning of ventilation systems. This will help maintain indoor air quality and avoid the adverse health effects that could otherwise occur in more airtight buildings.

Part J has also been revised to ensure that conbustion appliances continue to function safely in more airtight homes, with the provision of carbon monoxide alarms required when installing all solid-fuel appliances.

The changes also remove technical disincentives to the wider use of biomass heating.

The industry has largely welcomed changes, but the Association of Consultant Approved Inspectors (ACAI) warned that the Approved Documents, which adivse on how to comply with the regulations, are not yet available.

"The industry needs time to train and raise awareness levels," said ACAI's Geoff Wilkinson, "which cannot begin until the Approved Documents are available to us all."

 

Source - HVP

Posted Date: 15th Apr 2010