YOUR QUICK GUIDE TO

PART L 2013All you need to know about the current

and future energy regulations

The Team that de-risks the Regs

W ill the new Regulations be worth it, how much

change will they bring, and what difference will they make to you? The good news is that as you’re reading this Guide you’re about to have your questions answered!

A core Team at Energist has been working night and day to nibble their way through the Regs and condense them down to the key ingredients.

Personally, having been around construction most of my life, I know how important it is to have the very best advice at your fingertips, when you need it and how you need it. To be able to have valuable guidance, in a nutshell, which saves you money

and cuts out the hassle. This Guide has been produced with all these elements in mind, and remember we’re on the end of the phone today if you need anything else.

We really do want to help to make your current projects better, today.

Welcome Messagefrom Sarah Fenwick, Managing Director of Energist UK

The Target Emission Rate has been lowered. Typically this is by 6% for domestic and 9% in the non-domestic sector.

A new second, mandatory target is being introduced called the TFEE – this focuses on the fabric of the building only.

New model designs have been introduced to replace the current method for working out the Target Emission Rate.

Initial plans to introduce Consequential Improvements for domestic extensions have been mothballed.

Plans to bring in a new quality assurance process (called PAS) have also been shelved.

Limiting U-Values are to remain at their current levels.

So do you think this is enough to keep us on the path to zero carbon, or are these changes too extreme for our recovering industry?

We’d like to hear from you on Twitter @EnergistUK...

Cooking up a Target RecipeJon Ponting, Senior Energy Advisor

I t’s clear that this latest revision of Part L has

been designed to keep a fine balance…

On one side, the Government has committed to zero carbon homes in 2016, so improvements to the regulations emission targets are clearly needed so we can meet this goal.

At the same time, the changes to Part L couldn’t be too radical, as the financial stability of house-builders across the country needs to be protected.

So the balance of reducing CO2 from our developments without bringing the industry to its knees was the plan… has Part L 2013 met its brief? Here are the key changes:

16

We know there are hundreds of great ways of building the perfect house. This recipe is a sure-fire way of passing the Part L taste test every time!

FEEDS: For the whole family

INGREDIENTS: For the casing:0.13 U Values of floor0.13 U Values of roof0.18 U Values of walls*1.40 U-Value for windows and rooflights, 1.20 for semi-glazed doors and 1.0 for solid doors**Thermal Bridging - Y Value of 0.05*Aim for no heat loss through party walls**Glazing = 25% of total floor area

For the filling:89.5% mains gas boiler with zone control (where feasible) and weather compensator.Hot water cylinder (if being fitted) to have heat loss no worse than 1.39 kWh daily.100% low-energy lighting5.0 predicted air testExtraction fans where appropriate

ENGLAND

YOUR RECIPE FOR COMPLIANCEOCTOBER 2013:The complete ‘elemental recipe’ for England was released as an update to the SAP2012 methodology

NOVEMBER 2013:The official Approved Documents for Part L 2013 and updated Building Services Compliance Guides were made publicly available for the first time.

NOV/DEC 2013:Beta SAP software will be released to assessment companies such as Energist. We will then be able to run models based on your specification to check compliance with the imminent regulations.

4TH APRIL 2014:This is the last day which you can register a site with Building Control under Part L 2010.

6TH APRIL 2014:The new Part L documents go live across England – all newly registered sites should be designed and built to the new regulations.

5TH APRIL 2015:If you successfully registered your site under Part L 2010, work needs to have been started on site before the end of today. If the site hasn’t been touched, you’ll need to switch to the 2013 details.

DIARY DATES

S U M M A RY

CHEF’S TIP:You can vary the recipe to taste,

but you need to keep the ingredients balanced. For example, increase wall

insulation by installing mechanical ventilation, or make your boiler

efficiency worse and install triple glazing.

CHEF’S TIP: If you’re not on the gas grid, the target will be adjusted depending on

the fuel of your main heating.

Part L1A 2013 Summary

t: 08458 386 387e: info@energistuk.co.uk

YOUR RECIPE FOR COMPLIANCE

@EnergistUK

Maximum U-Values are unchanged for new dwellings, renovations

or extensions

These are:

NEW BUILD: Floor 0.25Wall 0.30Roof 0.20

Openings 2.00Party Walls 0.20

REFURB: Floor 0.25Wall 0.30Roof 0.16

Sloping roof insulation 0.18 Openings 1.60

EXTENSION: as ‘Refurb’ except

Floor 0.22Wall 0.28

Commercial U-Values haven’t changed either:

Floor 0.25Wall 0.35 Roof 0.25

Openings 2.20

DFEE / TFEE:If you build the fabric of

your building in line with the Elemental Recipe, you will comply with the TFEE

by 15%. This means you have some scope for using a lesser spec in exchange for better services, but don’t think you

can use limiting U-Values only, that certainly will not work!

Remember, the TFEE applies to new domestic buildings only.

U-VA LUES

Start with the casing… Construct the shell using your floor, wall and roof materials. A floor of 0.13 could be achieved with 120mm PU under a screed. A roof of 0.13 could include 350mm mineral wool quilt. A 0.18 wall could be achieved using brick and block with 140mm cavity with 90mm PU Foam Board, or by using SIPs or a timber frame construction. Don’t forget to use approved thermal bridging details and pipe insulation to prevent unnecessary heat loss.

Include your openings… the sunnier the better! High spec double glazing can achieve 1.40, but expect to use triple glazing if you go much lower.

Install your desired ventilation, heating and lighting systems. Remember to stick to or improve on the recipe details for all building services.

Arrange for your air test to be completed – remember to aim for 5 or lower.

Store your SAP and EPCs in a safe place for future reference.

Your house is ready to serve immediately.

CHEF’S TIP:Keep your eyes peeledfor our Complete Guidereleased in January 2014.This will list the changes

to Part L 2013 in full measure,including the recipes for

commercial projects!

Part L1A 2013 Summary

What do these changes mean for you?Stuart Clark, Technical Manager

the degree of flexibility that can be applied. Can you achieve compliance with a higher wall and floor U value, to save costs? And what will need to be enhanced to offset these changes? We’ll also be running several seminars over the coming months, running through these changes in detail and giving you a demonstration of the SAP software. We’ll be able to run through different scenarios and show you what compliance could look like, moving away from the Elemental Recipe. So set the Part L changes, against the context of the Housing Standards Review, the move towards Zero Carbon and the current political climate and you get a feel for the conflict between regulation and the desire to stimulate the construction industry building. The balance is not an easy one to achieve in many instances, so whether you’re looking for the most cost-effective solution or the approach with the least hassle, we can guide you through the different ways of keeping the Elemental Recipe balanced in a way which suits you.

I t’s all very well reading up on how Part L is changing,

but until you’ve done some number crunching withyour own designs and specifications, it’s impossible to know how well your new developments are going to weigh up against the Elemental Recipe and the new Targets.

With a bit of luck from December, Energist UK will be able to do this number crunching and give you more of a feel of what compliance looks like, using Beta software. I’m very much aware that the Model Designs won’t be the preferred solution in many instances and it will be important to understand

Services…How we’ll help you to comply

SAPsWe will continue to offer our usual top class SAP service. From April 2014 this will include guidance on showing full compliance with the Target Fabric Energy Efficiency as well as the Target Emission Rate.

SBEMsFrom April 2014 we will be able to offer guidance on showing full compliance with the new commercial Target Emission Rate. Remember, TFEE doesn’t apply to the non-domestic sector!

ENERGY STATEMENTSIs your local planning authority asking you to go above and beyond the Regulations? Are they insisting on a 10% reduction through low / zero carbon technologies? Our in-house Energy Statement calculator will be able to produce answers based on the 2013 regulations from April.

AIR TESTINGAir tightness is fast becoming an integral cog in the energy efficiency process, and can often determine compliance with both the TER and the TFEE. We offer a residential guaranteed service to ensure you get the result you need.

CODE FOR SUSTAINABLE HOMESEven if the Housing Standards Review is proposing to wind down the role of the CSH, any existing legal or planning commitment regarding the CSH will still need to be met. The Code still has a role to play in developing sustainability standards in England and Wales, so our team of experienced assessors can guide you through the ups and downs of meeting the CSH.

BREEAMIt’s vitally essential that you engage with a BREEAM assessment early on in the design process, otherwise compliance can often prove challenging, if not impossible. Get in touch with us, as soon as you are aware of a BREEAM commitment, to make sure this doesn’t happen to you.

ACOUSTIC TESTINGWe can offer extensive Acoustic services, though our partner, to ensure that you meet whatever acoustic requirements are placed upon you, whether from Building Regulations, Planning or the CSH or BREEAM.

PART GA relatively small piece of the puzzle but one that shouldn’t be ignored. All new homes need to comply with a water efficiency calculation and it’s best to address this early on in the process, to ensure that the targets can be met and performance of the dwelling isn’t compromised.

Call us now for a quote on 08458 386 387 or email us on info@energistuk.co.uk

What people say about us96.3% of our customers say we meet or exceed their project objectives

99% rate their Energist Experience as Very Good or Good.

The biggest measure of customer satisfaction is the Net Promoter Score, which evaluates how likely a customer would be to recommend us to another. We have a great 79% of clients who are actively promoting us, which is an outstanding amount.

And here’s what some of them have to say:

@EnergistUK/EnergistUK

What can I say, other than your company is one of the best I have had to deal with. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for a great service and look forward to working

with you in the not too distant future.

Thomas Vale

Consistently provide a good service and have a friendly professional

customer approach.

Taylor Wimpey

Excellent, proactive approach.

Edenstone Homes

The HA Employers Agent said it was the smoothest site in terms of CSH they had come across

so thanks for your help.

Persimmon Homes

The excellent understanding of the client’s needs is a refreshing and highly valued aspect of your

customer care.

Halsall Construction Ltd

We have always found Energist to be professional and efficient in delivering the services they provide with the package backed up by good customer service.

Fowler Architecture and Planning Ltd

A very fast and efficient service with comprehensive advice and explanations.

ISG London