How will Part L affect the way we design?

Citation

(2001), "How will Part L affect the way we design?", Facilities, Vol. 19 No. 5/6. https://doi.org/10.1108/f.2001.06919eaf.001

How will Part L affect the way we design?

How will Part L affect the way we design?Keywords: Building Regulations, Energy conservation, Standards

Tanya Ross, Associate with Buro Happold, looks at the revision of Part L of the Building Regulations.

Part L of the Building Regulations (Conservation of Heat and Power) is up for revision. Some might say "about time", as this is the only major piece of legislature control impacting energy usage in new buildings, and indeed some have already said "too little, too late", but this is the tool that the Government believes can contribute to significant carbon savings – up to 1.32MtC in 2010 – so it is scheduled to be a key factor in the struggle to meet emission reduction targets. Since the regulations affect all types of construction, it is important that changes are introduced after due consideration and consultation. By inviting comment from interested parties (everyone from the Construction Industry Council to the interested self-builder), the DETR is trying to ensure the document is one with which the industry can readily comply. The intention is not to water down the proposed tightening of the regulations, more to give a chance to comment on the detail and the timetable for introduction. The deadline for comment has now passed, and it is the unenviable task of the team to evaluate the feedback and decide upon implementation whilst still meeting the 1 April 2001 date for the publication of the new legislation.

The consultation document is comprehensive, running to over 200 pages, but the key points can be summarised as follows:

1. 1.

   For all buildings:

   • •

     The regulations are to be applied more widely to make energy efficiency requirements applicable to alteration and refurbishment work.

   • •

     Building fabric insulating standards improved by tightening minimum "U" values.

   • •

     New rules regarding airtightness of buildings.

   • •

     Specific attention given to detail design and site workmanship to avoid cold bridging.

2. 2.

   For buildings other than dwellings:

   • •

     New guidance to avoid solar over-heating.

   • •

     Performance standards for boiler efficiency, heating and hot water systems.

   • •

     Performance standards for light fittings including display lamps.

   • •

     Alternative calculations to demonstrate efficiency of air-conditioned or mechanically ventilated buildings, using a carbon performance index (CPI).

   • •

     Requirements for commissioning systems and checking that "as-built" performance matches approved design.

   • •

     Obligations to provide energy meters.

   • •

     Introduction of building log books.

3. 3.

   For dwellings:

   • •

     Introduction of performance standards for lighting and lighting controls.

   • •

     Requirements for properly setting up heating, ventilation and hot water systems.

   • •

     Suitable maintenance instructions to be provided to allow owners to operate systems efficiently.

There is debate about whether the regulations should be split into separate documents covering dwellings and non-dwellings. It is calculated that dwellings would account for 58 per cent of the carbon savings mooted if all the requirements are introduced as scheduled, making the domestic market the major target for achieving change.

There is also a debate about timing of the legislation. Current proposals are for a two-phase approach: an initial implementation six months after the new regulations are published and a further tightening of regulations 18 months after publication. Certain sectors of the industry believe that such an approach is confusing and open to misinterpretation, so it will be interesting to see if this recommendation remains when the document is finally published.

So what will the practical impact be on designers trying to achieve a sustainable architecture?

The widening of the "material alteration" definition will mean, for example, that replacement windows will be required to conform to the new "U" value standards (1.8 to 2.2W/m²K). This is intended to encourage the use of low-e rather than plain glass, although it is acknowledged that these values may not be appropriate in certain conservation instances. In addition, there are specific requirements controlling the addition of conservatories to dwellings, such that the conservatory either has to perform as well as the external fabric replaced or separation between house and conservatory is maintained (by the use of weft-detailed, double-glazed doors, for example). Any extension and refurbishment that affects the building fabric, both domestic and commercial, will need to comply with the more onerous requirements.

Improved "U" values can only be a good thing. The impact on construction is likely to be expressed in several ways. First, there is the obvious potential for thicker building envelopes as insulation thicknesses are increased to achieve 0.3W/m²K for walls, for example. Tables give required thicknesses for any given conductivity, with allowable reductions for certain building elements, although the range of constructions described is necessarily limited. Timber framing allows greater reductions, so leading to concerns within the housebuilding industry that masonry construction will prove uneconomic given the new "U" values. Manufacturers and suppliers of blocks, insulation and cladding materials are going to be asked for better performance from their products, necessitating more research and development and further marketing drives, so we can expect to see new products launched. For windows and rooflights, where a "U" value of 2.0W/m²K is expected, triple glazing will become a more feasible option on thermal as well as noise-reduction grounds with specialist low-emissivity glass-types promoted as meeting the new standards.

Improved airtightness is addressing the Achilles' heel of many a well-intentioned low-energy design. Without restricting uncontrolled losses through the fabric, all the effort that goes into energy conservation measures is so much hot air. Designers will be required to demonstrate that the building meets the Air Leakage Index target of 10m³/h/m² at an applied pressure of 50Pa. Testing for airtightness is a straightforward exercise, although designers will need to make suitable provision for blanking plates. Building Control are to be given powers under the new legislation to carry out testing to determine if compliance is achieved, and to require remedial measures if tests are not passed (with a transition period for "improvement" allowed). Reference is made to the importance of site workmanship and avoiding thermal bridging, encouraging good practice in design detailing – a Government-backed publication of "robust standard details" is imminent – and assisting in raising standards of cladding construction. Compliance with this section of the regulations may be achieved through testing, or through self-certification, whereby a "competent person" confirms that appropriate fixing techniques and design details have been used. It is difficult to see at this stage how improved site workmanship can be enforced without enormous resourcing implications to the Building Control bodies.

For non-domestic buildings, the guidance on solar over-heating is designed to discourage reliance on mechanical cooling systems, by giving sensible guidelines on how summertime over-heating can otherwise be avoided by prudent use of shading, orientation, thermal mass, night cooling and the like. It is the first time the regulations have directly addressed energy usage for cooling, and for the sustainably-minded designer, it presents a golden opportunity to promote the use of alternative passive systems to a wider range of clients.

New standards for minimum boiler efficiency will require designers to select an inherently efficient unit and fuel source or to carry out lengthy calculations to prove compliance of less energy-efficient units. For example, a coal-fired boiler will not meet the required standards set down (expressed as a maximum carbon intensity – the carbon emitted per useful kWh of heat output). The proposals allow some "trade-off" between system efficiencies and fabric performance – a more efficient boiler selection can lead to a slight relaxation of the minimum "U" values – although this proposal has not been welcomed by conscientious designers who point out that heating systems are often replaced, building fabric is not.

The performance standards for light fittings will require selection of at least some low-energy fittings – fancy tungsten halogens are not eliminated, but their use is to be limited to localised areas – with a calculation required to show lighting averages less than 40luminaire-lumens per circuit-watt. This should lead to the availability of more interesting designs for efficient light sources as manufacturers seek to promote their luminaires as truly green. Guidance on lighting controls is also introduced, advising a minimum distance of 8m from a local switch to the luminaire it controls.

The introduction of the Carbon Performance Index (CPI) method of measurement for air-conditioned or mechanically ventilated buildings, brings a whole new raft of calculations to the building services engineer's fingertips. No doubt these will shortly be launched as add-ons to software packages. The implication on design, however, is not readily predictable. Theoretically, it should give the engineer wider freedom to suggest solutions to clients, by giving alternative means of demonstrating compliance, and by enabling unusual buildings to be assessed as a whole, taking into account useful heat gains and overall performance. In practice, it will take some time for engineers to become familiar with the new methods, and longer still to develop a feel for what all the figures mean, However, linking efficiency of mechanical systems directly to carbon emissions should give a more transparent comparison of the various options.

Requirements for commissioning should reinforce existing good practice, although the demands on installers in terms of self-certification for dwellings may prove too onerous, and the need for a "competent person" to submit a report confirming effective commissioning will require training to be provided to ensure suitable levels of competency.

The new requirements for energy meters and building log-books will no doubt lead to further scrambles towards the end of construction projects as contractors struggle to collate as-built information and O&M manuals, yet their introduction is crucial if building owners and operators are to have a chance to monitor energy consumption and thus be alerted to poor performance in good time. The exact benchmark to be set for comparison is a matter of some debate, and mandatory reporting is not planned until a later stage, but the introduction of these devices now will make crucial feedback available sooner rather than later.

For dwellings, the major impacts will be seen in the improved required "U" values, although here too there is some scope for trade-off with boiler efficiencies. The introduction for the first time of guidance on energy efficient lighting leads to a table of the minimum number of fittings to be provided that only accept efficient lamps. We can expect to see improved decorative quality for compact fluorescent luminaires as a result. More specific regulations covering heating and hot water system controls are introduced, with separate timers required for different zone usage. So, for example, sleeping and living areas should have independent time controls, and boilers should operate only where there is demand for heat, so allowing a more efficient regime of energy use.

Domestic installers will be required to self-certify that heating and hot water systems meet the relevant standards. This will introduce a new raft of paperwork and may prove too onerous, as it is not yet clear how this impacts the "do-it-yourself" market. However, the insistence on provision of clear information on efficient ways to operate installed heating systems should help individuals to control their energy bills better.

The Government has calculated that the impact on cost could be up to £1,400 per dwelling, or £7/m² for non-domestic buildings. This may cause a sharp intake of breath, but when compared to annual running cost savings of 25 per cent – not including the impact of the Climate Change Levy – it is clear that the cost benefits quickly outweigh the costs. If that is not sufficient incentive, the obvious benefits to the planet should be.

Further information is available from:

Helen Elias. Tel: +44 (0) 1225 320 627; Fax: +44 (0) 1225 320 601; mobile: 07703 129 599; E-mail: helen.elias@burohappold.com; Web site: www.burohappold.com