DCLG has set out the changes to building regulations that “seem likely” to be required to meet its aspiration for new homes to be zero carbon by 2016 but it warns that further changes are likely before the actual changes are made.
Building Regulations - Energy Efficiency Requirements for New Dwellings – A Forward Look at What Standards may be in 2010 and 2013 provides a highly tentative view of what may be needed. It says further significant changes may be made and promises further papers on non-residential buildings and conversion work.
But the first amendment is due for implementation in April 2010 and time is short. DCLG says it is important that the construction industry participates in the debate to ensure an achievable programme.
The paper says that current thinking is that the Target Emissions Rate for the whole building will remain unchanged, but the values used will change. Calculations will still be based on Standard Assessment Procedures but a new version will include new technical requirements. The paper discusses the fuel factor, design flexibility, construction quality, emission factors and energy flows.
The aim is to set an improvement factor for 2010 to achieve a 25% improvement over the 2006 standard for gas heated dwellings, a proposal which dates back to the 2004 Part L consultation paper. The 2006 amendment gave no prescription or specific guidance on achieving this, but now it is intended to limit further the design flexibility allowed by the approved documents to ensure reasonable fabric performance is achieved and consideration will be given to more specific guidance on building fabric. Two types of house are explored in detail. For 2013, both gas and electricity options are considered for two other types of home, but the paper stresses the packages are illustrative and will allow flexibility.
Finally, it notes the gap between theory and achievement in energy performance, and says this has considerable implications for the regulatory regime.
http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1511884 |