Buro Happold expert comments on Part L published by UK government

06/05/2010 Written by: Chris White

New ‘Approved Documents’ for Building Regs to come into force in October

David Kingstone, associate at international multidisciplinary engineering consultancy Buro Happold, said:

“We welcome the new emphasis on energy consumption, as well as carbon emissions, which has been addressed with the change in the specification of the ‘notional building’.

“However, some elements of the methodology are complex, and it may have been better to introduce an ‘energy consumption target’, as well as an emissions target, to deal with this.

“The big change in the way fan and pump emissions are calculated will mean that energy performance assessors will have to reconsider how the emissions will influence system design selection.

“Although the definition for the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) reference building has not changed, the way emissions are calculated for an actual building have. This will mean that the resulting EPC rating, assessed from October, will be different to that calculated now.

“Consequently, this may result in a change in the EPC rating band, the number of BREEAM energy credits and even the BREEAM rating. However, only by assessing this in detail, and on a range of building types, will the result be known.

“Finally, although the approved documents have been published a month later than expected, the most important document, the calculation methodology, is still in draft form and subject to change. This needs to be finalised and published, so that the software can be updated and approved and assessors are able to study the new software prior to the October launch.”

To view the Approved Documents visit the Department of Communities and Local Government’s website.