The main objective of Part L regulations is to cut the UK’s carbon emissions in order to positively contribute to make all new homes zero-carbon by 2016. In fact, reduce carbon emissions from the built environment is essential for the UK in order to mitigate the Climate Change. Design performance of buildings is a key point, reducing the energy/heat demand, future retrofit costs and set energy efficiency standards both for new and recovered developments.
The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has announced changes to Part L and has published the following:
- Approved Document L1A 2013 Edition: Conservation of fuel and power (New dwellings)
- Approved Document L2A 2013 Edition: Conservation of fuel and power (New buildings other than dwellings)
- Domestic Building Services Compliance Guide: 2013 Edition
- Non-Domestic Building Services Compliance Guide: 2013 Edition
- 2013 Amendments to Approved Documents L1B and L2B 2010 Editions
These changes come into effect from 6 April 2014. It is anticipated that a consolidated version of Approved Documents L1B and L2B 2010 Edition including all amendments will be published prior to 6 April 2014.
In accordance with the new building regulation new build homes will have to be 6% more efficient than under current regulations in order to reduce the carbon emissions. Furthermore, the changes set an uplift in efficiency standards of 9% for non-domestic buildings. A better fabric energy efficiency target in addition to the carbon dioxide target has to be achieved. A summary of the Part L 2013 notional buildings is published in the Approved Document with the full detail in the National calculation methodology modelling guide.
Syntegra Consulting is a leading energy consulting company in the UK- for further information about New Part L 2013 Changes, please telephone +44(0)8450091625 or e-mail: mail@syntegra-epc.co.uk
