The energy performance of a building has become a critical element in today’s construction industry. Property owners must ensure that buildings attain the established regulations. Since 2013, the Energy Efficiency Directive provided the regulations for the energy performance requirements of domestic properties in the UK.
The government is proposing changes to part L of the building regulations. Consultations are in place to improve the efficiency of homes from 2020. Part L covers a range of issues, including commercial boiler installation. Therefore homeowners, installers and other professionals need to understand the proposed changes to ensure compliance.
Moving Away from the Current Legislation
Why is it necessary to have new regulations for assessing the energy efficiency of a home? The current building standards are based on the 2012 EED and 2010 EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. One downside of these regulations is that the construction industry focuses too much on airtightness, which has had a negative effect on indoor air quality. People have also become more reliant on mechanical ventilation. The existing regulations have led to an increase in the overheating of homes.
The Proposed Changes
Part L covers the conservation of fuel and power. The amendments to these provisions are laid out in the Future Home Standard plan. According to the plan, residential properties will need to adapt to low carbon heating. A fundamental change to the existing legislation is that the metric for gauging a building’s energy performance is primary energy rather than CO2. The consequence is that now the focus will be on constructing a home that factors in energy efficiency from the start. Before, property owners worried about the energy performance after construction, installing appliances designed to lower carbon footprint.
The government intends for the new regulations to facilitate a 31% carbon emissions reductions through the implementation of low carbon heating technologies and fabric improvements. Consultation for the Future Homes Standard demands that every new hone should adhere to the updated legislation. However, builders who started a project under the current regulations can continue even if the new ones take effect before the construction ends. For these reasons, appliance installers and other industry players should know the elemental standards for current properties, including fuel factors.
The proposed changes to part L aim to provide UK homeowners with more energy-efficient buildings. As consultations continue for the 2020 plans, it’s expected that the new regulations will include heating requirements to govern commercial boiler installations and other appliances. ST Heating Services is a reputable company that adheres to the latest regulations when installing, maintaining and replacing boilers in domestic properties.