Part L - Sap target review

The following summary is an extract from Insulation experts at Kingspan.

The Approved Documents for Part L aren’t quite with us, but SAP 2012 Appendix R, which provides the reference values used for producing the Target Emission Rate (TER) and Target Fabric Energy Efficiency (TFEE) is now available. These aren’t the levels actually required to pass, but they do set the target emission rate for the dwelling and also the target fabric energy efficiency level (less an adjustment of 15% on relevant benchmarks). Those elements used to generate the TFEE are marked below as (FEE).

The reference dwelling is again based on the actual dwelling, but with openings based on 25% of the Total Floor Area (TFA). This means:

• For dwellings with openings greater than 25% of TFA, it will be harder to pass.
• For dwellings with openings less than 25% of TFA, it will be easier to pass.

For the fabric of the dwelling, the references are:

• Walls 0.18 W/m²K. Designing to a poorer level will make it harder to pass overall. (FEE)
• Party walls 0.00 W/m²K. It will be harder to pass if not fully filling a party wall cavity or using a solid or structurally insulated panel  (SIP) party wall. (FEE)
• Floors 0.13 W/m²K. Designing to a poorer level will make it harder to pass overall. (FEE)
• Roofs 0.13 W/m²K. Designing to a poorer level will make it harder to pass overall. (FEE)
• Opaque doors Uw = 1.00 W/m²K. This makes it generally harder to pass than people are used to. Doable but good quality thermal openings required and using a poorer achieving product will make it harder to pass. (FEE). (NB Uw is a performance level for the whole opening including the frame, not just centre-pane).
• Half glazed doors Uw = 1.20 W/m²K, makes it generally harder to pass than people are used to.  Fairly good performance products required. (FEE)
• Windows and glazed doors Uw = 1.40 W/m²K (g-value of 0.63), which means a good performance emissivity  is required (0.05 En); This may provide an unintended benefit to anyone entering in a good U-window, but incorrectly assuming a higher g-value (more solar gains). Hopefully accreditation schemes will start asking assessors for more evidence for glazing. (FEE)
• Roof windows Uw = 1.40 W/m²K (+ adjustment factor of 0.3W/m²K for the inclination of the openings). This is an area where it’s not always obvious what plane a manufacturer has measured the roof window in, so it’s unclear whether or not the U-window needs to be adjusted or not.  (FEE)
• The Thermal Mass target is in as medium level (250 kJ/m²K); This may make it easier to achieve the TFEE for low thermal mass dwellings e.g. timber frame / Internally insulated / SIP’s dwellings and harder for high thermal mass ones. (FEE)
• Thermal bridging (FEE) – The targets set are for each junction (generally to the same level as approved details from Table K1, but several to default levels and with a few that are actually a lot tighter. Overall this will I think make it harder to pass. Possibly harder than may have been considered. Those just going ‘Default’ for thermal bridging will have to do a substantial amount elsewhere to compensate.

For other elements:

• Ventilation default is naturally ventilated – as expected.
• Air tightness for the reference dwelling is set at 5m³/m²/hr @ 50 Pa. The level below which Approved Document F suggests that mechanical ventilation systems should be considered.  (FEE)
• The boiler for the reference gas dwelling is in as a 89.5% efficient, room sealed, fan assisted, modulating burner control. This may make it easier for some to pass, harder for others.
• Heating controls – time and temperature zone control is now the reference for most dwellings (with the exception of single storey, with larger living areas e.g. flats). This may make it harder, but I’m aware that the definitions of controls are also changing in the building service compliance guides, so maybe not.
• A weather compensator is now assumed  for the reference dwelling (+3% boiler efficiency adjustment); So this will make it harder for dwellings not using one.
• Where the hot water providion is not specified, a Hot water cylinder default of 150 litres with a heat loss equivalent to 1.38kWh/day is set. This requires a fairly good level of insulation, but products are already in the market to meet it.
• A lighting target of 100% of fixed outlets being low energy lighting is set. This makes it harder to pass if not going to this level, but really, with the cost being much reduced and the performance much improved, these levels should be the goal moving forward.

Overall, the reference values are largely as expected, but it will be interesting to start looking at the numbers in more depth once software is available to model a few real world example dwellings

 

New Approved Documents A and C come into force; structural Eurocodes arrive

               
New Approved Documents to Building Regulations Part A (structure) and Part C (site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture) came into use in England on 1 October 2013.
While the Building Regulations themselves remain unchanged, the revised Approved Document for Part A signals the formal adoption of Eurocodes in place of British Standards for Structural Design, with the entire list of structural design standards now updated accordingly.

               
The changes in the two Approved Documents, follows a DCLG Circular (30 July) that acknowledges that structural designs are expected to be completed using the withdrawn standards for some years, and instructs Building Control bodies to accept that as an appropriate approach. At the same time, there is a warning that safety could be compromised if designs combine Eurocodes and the withdrawn British Standards in an inappropriate manner.
The most significant changes to the Approved Document for Part C reflect updated guidance on radon protection and revised radon maps that have increased the areas at risk. References to the Contaminated Land (England) Regulations and CDM Regulations are also updated.

Below is a detailed summary of the changes:

Approved Document A

Eurocodes
The most significant change to Approved Document (AD) A 2013 is the adoption of the Eurocodes in place of the withdrawn British Standards for structural design. The change affects every part of AD A, but is most obvious in section 1, where the entire list of structural design standards has been revised.
A DCLG circular letter (30 July 2013) acknowledges that structural designs will continue to be completed using the withdrawn standards for some years and instructs Building Control Bodies to accept that as an appropriate approach. However, it warns of a safety risk if designs inappropriately mix new and withdrawn standards. The letter includes a table of correspondences between the old and new standards.
Maximum building heightThe method for calculating the maximum height of a building set out in subsection 2C16 of AD A now follows BS EN 1991-1-4:2005. The basic steps are similar but there are some changes:

1. The wind speed map at Diagram 6, Figure 1 has been revised. Wind speeds to the East of England have generally come down (e.g. Norwich is now 22.5 m/s, from 24.5 m/s) while those to the West have increased slightly (e.g. Plymouth is now over 23.5 m/s, previously under 23 m/s)
2. The topographic zone has been replaced by an orographic zone. The definitions of the zones are largely unchanged, although on cliffs and escarpments zone 3 now extends for 1.5 times the slope length, instead of 1.2 times
3. Table a (Diagram 7) now gives Factor O. The three categories of slope have been expanded to four, by the addition of a category for shallow terrain (<1 3="" 6="" alternative="" an="" determining="" diagram="" factor="" figure="" for="" li="" method="" o="" offers="" slope="">
4. Table b – Factor A – has been extended to a maximum altitude of 500 m
5. In Table c – Maximum allowable building height – distances to the coast have been revised, with break points at 2 and 20 km, rather than 10 and 50 km. The maximum heights have been revised slightly upward.

Overall, it seems likely the revisions to the map will make conditions more onerous in the western parts of England and slightly less onerous to the East.
WallsWall ties for cavity walls must now conform to BS EN 845-1 (section 2C19 and Table 5) and ties must be type 1, 2, 3 or 4 to PD 6697:2010. The tie length requirements are unchanged. The recommended spacing of ties remains 900 mm horizontally and 450 mm vertically: alternative arrangements are permitted, providing there are at least 2.5 ties/m².
The minimum depth to the underside of strip foundations when building on shrinkable clays with plasticity index equal to or greater than 10% was 0.75 m in AD A 2004. The recommended minimum depth has been revised:

• Low shrinkage clay soils – 0.75 m
• Medium shrinkage clay soils – 0.9 m
• High shrinkage clay soils – 1.0 m.

Where wall cladding acts as pedestrian guarding, additional imposed loading must be taken into account at vertical drops of more than 600 mm in dwellings or at more than the height of two risers, or 380 mm, in other buildings.
Roof coveringsMaterials used to cover roofs must be capable of withstanding the concentrated imposed loads specified in BS EN 1991-1-1:2002. There is a new exemption for transparent or translucent covering materials which need not meet the loading requirement, provided they are not accessible for normal maintenance and repair, and are non-fragile or suitably protected against collapse.
The boundary for a significant change in loading on re-covering a roof is still 15%, but it is important to consider whether the roof covering being replaced is the original as-built covering.
Disproportionate collapseThe requirements for the prevention of disproportionate collapse of buildings (section 4) have been modified at several points:

• The building classes defined in table 11 are now referred to as 'consequence classes': the overall classification is unchanged
• It is now clear that buildings in consequence classes 2a and 2b require horizontal and vertical ties in addition to the measures required for buildings in consequence class 1
• The maximum area of floor at risk of collapse as a result of the notional removal of a structural element is now the smallest of 15% of floor area or 100 m² (up from 75 m²)
• When testing key elements, the accidental design loading of 34 kN/m² is now applied simultaneously with all other design loadings (wind and imposed loadings) rather than one third of such loadings.

Seismic design
A new section 5, seismic design, recommends that for buildings in consequence class 3 the risk assessment should consider whether seismic design should be undertaken.

Approved Document C

Radon protection
The guidance on radon protection has been updated to refer to the 2007 edition of BR 211 Radon: Guidance on protective measures for new buildings and the revised radon maps produced by the Health Protection Agency and the British Geological Survey. The maps show far more areas with a risk from radon.
Basic protection measures are required where 3-10% of homes are predicted to have radon above the Radon Action Level of 200 Bq/m³ and full protective measures where more than 10% of homes are predicted to be above the action level.
Other changesA number of minor changes have been made throughout AD C:

• Annex A (Guidance on the assessment of land affected by contaminants) has been withdrawn
• References to the Contaminated Land (England) Regulations and CDM Regulations have been updated to the latest versions, dated 2006 (amended 2102) and 2007 respectively
• References to standards and other documents have been revised
• References to Planning Policy Guidance Notes have been deleted and replaced by references to the National Planning Policy Framework.

Changes to Building Regulations and Repeal of Local Acts

Latest changes to Building Regulations, an explanatory circular and repeal of local acts

Significant Highlights are:

• Section 20 & 21 of the London Building Act is repealed
• 23 Local Acts in England are repealed – these predominately related to storage buildings over 7000M3 requiring additional fire safety measures, depending upon the relevant County.
• Removal of the Warranty link rule for new and converted dwellings in England

                            

Some changes come into force on 9th January 2013 however most are implemented on 6th April 2013.

The following hyperlink will take you to the Approved Documents where 2013 versions, under the relevant ADs, can be viewed.

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulations/approveddocuments/

and the hyperlink to the individual Approved Document amendment summary

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/approved-documents-amends-list_2013.pdf

•             Appendix A sets out amendments to Approved Document B volumes 1 and volume 2.

•             Appendix B sets out amendments to Approved Documents L1A, L1B, L2A, L2B.

•             Appendix C sets out amendments to Approved Document M.

•             Approved Documents K and P have been replaced with new editions and Approved Document N has been withdrawn

Note: The outstanding issues from the consultation relating to the energy efficiency of Buildings, better targeting of Radon protection measures and the referencing of Structural Design based on Eurocodes have yet to be announced.

A technical update, to highlight the changes in full detail and other matters, will be published soon.

 

Salus Appointed by Eon for 5 year Community Energy Saving Programme

Salus are proud to have been chosen by Energy suppiers Eon to carry out the Approved Inspector Building Regulation role for the next five years. The Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) targets households across Great Britain, in areas of low income, to improve energy efficiency standards, and reduce fuel bills. There are 4,500 areas eligible for this programme. CESP is funded by an obligation on energy suppliers and electricity generators and our role will be to oversee the external insulation upgrade on up to 15,000 properties per year.


CESP promotes a “whole house” approach i.e. a package of energy efficiency measures best suited to the individual property. The programme is delivered through the development of community-based partnerships between Local Authorities (LAs), community groups and energy companies, via a house-by-house, street-by-street approach. This partnership working allows CESP to be implemented in a way that is best suited to individual areas and coordinated with other local and national initiatives. Up to 400 schemes are expected, benefiting around 90,000 homes and saving nearly 2.9m tonnes of CO₂ emissions. CESP is expected to deliver annual average fuel bill savings for those households involved of up to £300.

Changes to the Energy Performance of Buildings Framework

Policy Update 1 – the new look domestic Energy Performance Certificate

Energy Performance Certificates have been in place since 2007. They provide an assessment of a building’s energy efficiency on an A-G scale and a set of recommendations that can improve the building’s energy efficiency.

Research has shown, however, that many consumers find it difficult to understand their Energy Performance Certificate. This is because it contains too much jargon and technical language, it is too long and the information is presented in a confusing way. This results in consumers not acting on their Energy Performance Certificate’s recommendations.

DCLG have therefore completely revised the domestic Energy Performance Certificate, taking account of research conducted by Consumer Focus last year.

The new look Energy Performance Certificate is shorter, uses plain English throughout and has a significantly improved design and layout.

Its primary focus is on the potential costs and savings of different energy efficiency measures, rather than CO2 emissions.

The revised Energy Performance Certificate also signposts consumers to the Green Deal, which is due be introduced later in 2012 and identifies those improvements which can potentially be funded through the Green Deal.


By making the Energy Performance Certificate a better product which is easily understood, it is hoped consumers are more likely to implement some or all of the recommended improvements, which could considerably reduce their fuel bills.

The new look domestic Energy Performance Certificate. - http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/1790388.pdf

Proposed Changes to Building Regulations, Parts A, B, C, K, M, N, P, Access Statements, Security, Changing Places and Regulation 7

Coming into effect April 2013..The governments consultation relating to the proposed changes to the above closed on 27th April 2012, below is a summary of these changes:

Part A - To align with the Euro code documents, references to British Standards removed, Euro codes added, However, since the British Standards are unlikely to become significantly outdated, until sometime after 2015, BS designed projects could still be used to demonstrate compliance, probably considerably longer for small scale developments.

The most significant changes to the technical guidance relating to area of risk for Disproportionate collapse and to winds speed maps orographic zones.

Considerations for amending guidance on strip foundations, measuring the effects of recovering roofs against the covering the roof was originally designed for, in addition where roofs are recovered 15% lighter (or more) to account for increase possibility of uplift. The remaining changes are very minor.

Part B and changes to Local Acts -

Surface spread of Flame to decorative wall coverings presently most non domestic wall coverings are rated as Class 0, however under the European classification they would likely be rated as Class C, therefore limiting their acceptability. The table is to be amended to ensure that there is no disadvantage.

Changes to the restrictions on TPb lighting diffusers to recognise their lighting efficiency qualities whilst not compromising fire safety.

Local Acts, It is proposed to repeal all fire related local acts such as Leicestershire, Merseyside, Berkshire, Hampshire, etc. There are minor sections repealed relating to the London Building Act, but in general no changes in respect of requirements to incorporate additional measures to tall buildings, etc within inner London.

Part C - incorporation of Radon maps is the most significant change proposed.

Parts K, M and N. there are area where duplication and contradicting guidance exist within these Approved Documents, it is therefore proposed to incorporate Parts K and N into one - a new look Approved Document K- to be retitled  Protection from falling, collision & impact and Safety glazing. Approved Document N will be withdrawn. Changes to Part M will be through an amendment slip rather than a new Approved Document.

There is a clarifying statement proposed to delete all previous text relating to The DDA and introducing the effect and separation between Part M and The Equality Act 2010 and the Disability Regulations 2010.
The Guidance within Approved Document M, where followed, tends to demonstrate compliance with Part M of the Building Regulations, this is not necessarily compliance with obligations under the Equality Act. This is because service providers and employers are required by the Equality Act to consider any feature which might place a person at a substantial disadvantage. This might include designing or adjusting features which are outside the scope of Part M.

The 10 year exemption for associations and service providers from the duty to make reasonable adjustments is provided the features are in accordance with the objectives, design considerations and provisions within the edition of Approved Document M applicable at the time building work was carried out. The text goes on to stress that this is not a blanket exemption from the duties under the Equality Act and that the exemption is from making reasonable adjustments where built in strict accordance with AD M and that service providers will still need to consider the needs of disabled features which are outside the scope of AD M and that it is applicants, not building control bodies to determine how these obligations are met. It should also be noted that the exemption for employers was revoked in the 2004 Approved Document M guidance.

Access statements are being clarified that they are part of submissions to demonstrate compliance that varies from that within the Approved Document, the remaining matter cover minor amendments to the text and some diagrams.

Domestic Security - There are currently no requirements for Domestic security, the consultation considered this inclusion, however it is likely to be deferred, relying upon individuals to determine the extent of security measures, based upon individual circumstances and localised crime.

The Clg recognises the value of changing places for people with profound and multiple disabilities, and asks whether the guidance within the new approved Document should ENCOURAGE increased inclusion.

Regulation 7 is to be amended to give confirmation that it applies across all parts of the Building Regulations, clarifies the distinction between materials and products, encouraging the CE marking, but not making this mandatory.

Part P and the competent persons scheme is also being reviewed with a possibility to follow a similar route to Gas Safety or competence based upon individual competence rather than the formal Part P scheme which can deter individuals.

2012 Consultation - proposed changes to the Building Control System

The governments consultation relating to the proposed changes to the Building control System closes on 27th April 2012, the upshot is an improvement to efficiency in the system and encouraging developers and interested parties to take a greater responsibility, listed below is a summary of the proposals:

• To require local authorities to issue completion certificates (where work complies) and within a specified period, proposed at not more than 8 weeks.
• Amending the wording on completion/ final certificates to make it clearer of the effect of such certificates.
• Replacing Local Authority statutory notifications with a service plan concept agreed between the LA and person carry out the work.
• Removing the requirement for a Warranty provider where Approved Inspectors are the Building Control Body for new and converted developments for sale or rent.
• Extending the time limit for Local Authorities to prosecute from two years to three and extending the time limit from 6months to 1 year from the time that sufficient evidence to be available.
• Increasing the fine for prosecutions (currently level 5 - £5000 each)..amount yet to be decided.
• Extending the time limit to rectify contraventions from 1 year to 3.
• Introduction of Civil sanctions for contraventions, including fixed monetary penalties, Variable monetary penalties, Compliance notices, Restoration notices, stop notices and enforcement undertaking.
• Extending further the competent persons schemes framework - particularly to support the introduction of the Green Deal, in addition possibly introducing specialist third party certification, on example being considered is the Structural Engineers Register.
• And Finally there is consideration being given to introducing Appointed Persons on a voluntary basis to act as an interface between on site construction and Building Control.