Posts

Noise, Ventilation and Overheating in Domestic Properties Guide for Home Owners

Image
Approved Document Part F of the building regulations is a well-established standard for the requirement of ventilation and how to measure its effectiveness, also improvements made in building air tightness and the standards of insulation have resulted in a more energy efficient home. Consequently, the risk of overheating in buildings with poorly designed ventilation, target air tightness and insulative properties has increased. Noise can affect what ventilation methods are used to maintain both suitable air quality and comfortable temperature, which can lead to either misuse of ventilation or dealing with greater noise levels. Homes can be passively ventilated, simply by opening a window to equalise indoor and outdoor temperatures, or, mechanically ventilated, such as with MVHR systems or decentralised extract systems. During periods of hot weather, it maybe undesirable to open a window for an occupant living in a busy city area for instance, allowing external noise into their dwelli...
Post a Comment
Read more

De-Carbonising Grid

Image
The new Building Regulations Part LA 2021 – Future Homes Standard has provided huge insight into the future of domestic new builds. One of the major changes implemented will be accounting for the electricity generated by fuel source in UK and understanding how this will look in the future. Renewable technologies are being adopted at a huge rate and Figure 1 illustrates how this will accelerate over the next decade. In 2018 the carbon intensity generated by the UK reduced by approximately 60% since 2008 so a low carbon future is looking ever more viable. This notion is being reflected into the new regulations and electricity will now be less carbon intensive than mains gas. With electricity now being better than gas can I install electric panel heaters as my main heating source? No, unfortunately you cannot install electric panel heaters/electric storage heaters as your main heating source, and this is due to SAP 10 introducing a new metric for compliance: Primary Energy Target - The T...
Post a Comment
Location: Friars Well Estate, Wartnaby, Melton Mowbray LE14 3HQ, UK
Read more

What Is the Dwelling Emissions Rate and How Is It Used?

Image
 The dwelling emission rate is the annual CO2 emissions from all new dwellings and is expressed in kilograms per square meter of floor area (kg/m²). The quantity is calculated in accordance with the applicable regulatory document and expressed in kilograms per unit floor area to two decimal places, is known as the Dwelling Emissions Rate , or DER. In another sense, the DER is equal to the annual CO2 emission per unit of floor area for, space heating, water heating, ventilation, and lighting less the emission that could be saved from renewable technology. The dwelling emissions rate is used within SAP ‘ Standards Assessment Procedure ’ and will be conducted by an SAP assessor or on construction domestic energy assessor. Just so it is clear the SAP assessor and the on construction energy assessors are the same people but they can be called two different things. The SAP will also produce a target emissions rate ‘TER’ which is also expressed kilograms per square meter of floor area (kg...
Post a Comment
Location: Friars Well Estate, Wartnaby, Melton Mowbray LE14 3HQ, UK
Read more

Overheating Risk in New Dwellings

Image
The assessment of overheating risk in new dwellings within SAP has often been criticised as not detailed enough, particularly for high risk scenarios Although the assessment of overheating risk currently sits in AD L1A, it was not part of the Future Homes Standard consultation issued last year. Overheating buildings is a particular area of concern for the Government and this consultation proposes the following changes; Introduce a new regulatory requirement for overheating mitigation, alongside new statutory guidance, with the aim of reducing overheating risk in new-build residential buildings. Remove the requirement to check overheating risk from SAP and Part L1A and create a new Approved Document which contains the requirements for developers to ensure residential buildings do not overheat. Proposes two alternative approaches to demonstrating compliance with the new requirements; A simplified method based on prescriptive measures which have different requirements based on location (...
Post a Comment
Location: Friars Well Business Estate Redlands House North Drive, Wartnaby, Melton Mowbray LE14 3HQ, UK
Read more

Domestic Ventilation Systems and Testing

Image
 In this document, a broad outline of domestic ventilation system type, installation and testing will be given for the purposes of guidance towards gaining building regulations compliance. This document will be primarily focused on decentralised System 1 and 3 extracts as the most common forms of ventilation system. Purpose of Ventilation Ventilation is supplying and removing air from a building to improve the quality of air by removing pollutants and humidity. Air may also be heated by the ventilation system to contribute to the comfort of a home. Ventilation Systems and Compliance There are four main systems for ventilation as defined in Building Regulations Approved Document Part F: Background ventilators and intermittent extract fans Passive stack ventilation Continuous mechanical extract Continuous mechanical supply and extract with heat recovery (MVHR) The systems in detail: System 1 – Extracts are installed into the utility, kitchen, toilets, and bathrooms which run when th...
Post a Comment
Location: Friars Well Business Estate Redlands House North Drive, Wartnaby, Melton Mowbray LE14 3HQ, UK
Read more

New Building Regulations 2019

Image
 Covid-19 has delayed but not stopped the UK legally binding target to bring its greenhouse gas emissions to ‘net’ zero’ by 2050. The government is committed to introducing new construction guidelines to achieve its ambition to be net-zero carbon by 2050. This is known as the Future Homes Standards. As a stepping stone towards the future homes standards, stricter building regulations part L that were , supposed to be introduced in 2020 have unfortunately been delayed. The new date is likely to be late 2021. While the government is still deliberating the final draft of the New Build EPC Part L following the closure of the consultation process, it is clear that the new standards are likely to call for a general upgrade of the building fabric. Despite the delayed they will still be the most recent change in a series of changes to the building regulations since the last major revision in 2013. Below is a list of the key changes likely to come into effect for new homes in England. A ne...
Post a Comment
Location: Friars Well Business Estate Redlands House North Drive, Wartnaby, Melton Mowbray LE14 3HQ, UK
Read more

Sound Testing Companies Help You Comply With Document E of The Building Regulations

Image
It is mandatory for new buildings to comply with document E of The Building Regulations applicable to England and Wales. Document E relates to sound insulation checks for airborne transmission of sound waves and impact sound transmission. The transmission is tested according to defined parameters and such tests are usually in the domain of  sound testing companies   offering the sound insulating testing service. Who must comply? Approved Document E of the Building Regulation applies to builders who are building a block or block of flats, hotels, hostels or houses with multiple occupancy. It applies if you are converting a building and creating more dwellings within in the process or when you build terraced or semi-detached houses. In order to pass the test it is a good idea to engage expert sound testing companies   to provide guidance starting at the design stage and going on throughout the implementation phases. The regulations stipulate that all elements ...
Post a Comment
Read more