UK Building Regulations

EPBD Implementation and Energy Performance Certificates

Simon Vaughan

Corus RD&T Construction Strategic Programme

2

UK Building Regulations and EPBD for dwellings.

• History of UK building control mechanisms

• Energy use

• Development of part L

• UK “sustainable” construction

• Building a Greener Future and Code for

Sustainable Homes

3

History

• 1667 - London Building Act as a result of Great Fire of London 1666

• 1936 single model - construction and condition of buildings (optional)

• 1966 - mandatory building regs• 1976 - thermal performance included.• 1984 – The Building Act consolidated building legislation

– Covered majority of structures – Approved documents along with plans for regular amendments without need for further legislation introduced. Those guilty ofcontravention are liable for criminal prosecution.

• Subsequent updates + additions (roughly every 5 years for Part L)

• 2007 - EPBD implementation (latest date)

4

Approved Documents (England)

Regulations are made up of a set of “approved documents”• A - Structure • B - Fire Safety • C - Site Preparation And Resistance To Moisture• D - Toxic Substances• E - Sound Insulation• F - Ventilation • G - Hygiene• H - Drainage and Waste Disposal• J - Combustion Appliances and Fuel Storage• K - Protection From Falling, Collision and Impact • L - Conservation of Fuel and Power (4 parts)• M - Disabled Access To And Use Of Buildings• N - Glazing• P - Electrical Safety

5

Energy in UK

• 1940s – Coal

• 1950s – Coal + Nuclear “electricity too cheap to meter”

• 1960s – Coal + Nuclear + Oil

• 1970s – Club of Rome, Petrol rationing, Renewable energy?, North Sea Gas/Oil hole in Ozone layer

• 1980s – Nuclear, Gas, Coal, Global warming, “sustainable” development

• 1990s– Gas, Coal, Nuclear?, Renewable Energy? Security of supply, Kyoto

• 2000s– Coal?, Gas?, Nuclear?, Renewable Energy? Cost of supply, Cost of CO2

6

Part L - conservation of fuel and power.

• 1985 U values:

• 2002 U values:

7

Energy in UK (now)

Current UK domestic carbon emissions by end use:

Space + Water heating remain opportunities for energy / CO2 savingsAverage UK household generates 1.54 tonnes Carbon/yearDomestic consumption generates 27% of UK carbon emissions

8

Part L - conservation of fuel and power.

• 1985 U values:

• 2002 U values:

• 2005 U values:– Target Energy Rating 25% better than 2002 U values

9

Part L - conservation of fuel and power.

The 2002 Part L(1) allowed three methods to show

satisfactory building fabric energy performance:1. Elemental: compliance with maximum acceptable elemental U

(W/m2) values - (provided that area of windows did not exceed

25% of floor area)

2. Target U value: compliance with standard methodology for

calculation of acceptable heat loss, incorporating allowances for

boiler efficiency (SEDBUK rating) and solar gains, compared

with aggregated losses through the whole building envelope

3. Carbon Index: score indicating kgCO2/m2/yr generated using

“Standard Assessment Procedure” SAP:-

10

Part L - conservation of fuel and power.

• SAP: Standard assessment procedure.– methodology for evaluation of normalised energy cost, initiallydeveloped in 1993, modified (2001) to calculate CO2/m

2/yr and Carbon Index CI number.

– SAP used as means to show compliance with Part L

– Allows for fuel mix, boiler type, solar gain, based on standard pattern of use.

• 2006:– SBEM: Simplified Building Energy model

– Development of SAP that complies with Energy Performance in Buildings Directive Methodology

– SBEM implemented in 2006 Part L

– EPBD is thus integrated with Building Regs Part L

– Building Regulations approval implies EPBD energy performance evaluation is done for new dwellings.

11

UK Sustainable Construction

• Building regulations do NOT assess holistic performance

• Building Research Establishment Energy Assessment Methodology

BREEAM and BRE Ecohomes tools have become accepted tools for

assessment of sustainable performance of new buildings.

– Trained assessors evaluate wide range of characteristics to generate

weighted scores indicating sustainable performance

• UK Climate Change Bill (2007) has set clear targets for reducing

CO2 emissions - including the UK's targets for a

– 26 to 32% reduction by 2020 and a

– 60% reduction by 2050 legally binding.

• In anticipation in 2006 UK Government launched : “Building a

greener future” consultation, leading to the Code for

Sustainable Homes

12

Code for sustainable homes

• Six tier star system– Level 1 – above regulatory standards and a similar standard to BRE’s EcoHomes PASS level and the EST’s Good Practice Standard for energy efficiency

– Level 2 – a similar standard to BRE’s EcoHomes GOOD level– Level 3 –similar standard to BRE’s EcoHomes VERY GOOD level and the Energy Saving Trust Best Practice Standard for energy efficiency

– Level 4 – current exemplary performance– Level 5 – exemplary performance with high standards of energy and water efficiency

– Level 6 – aspirational standard - zero carbon emissions for the dwelling and high performance across all environmental categories

13

Code For Sustainable Homes

• Sets “voluntary” standards

• 6 Levels

• Lowest Level = 10% better than Building regulations

• Will form the basis for the next building regulations to ensure that industry can have certainty in the longer term regarding the minimum levels they will be expected to build to.

• The Code is expected to apply to all new buildings, with the initial focus on new housing.

• Replaces Ecohomes

14

Code For Sustainable Homes

9 Categories

15

Code For Sustainable Homes

16

Code For Sustainable Homes

17

Code for sustainable homes

• Phased with holistic sustainability criteria

• UK government has stated intention to move to:

• Level 3 *** by 2008– 25% better than 2006

• Level 6 ****** by 2016– All new dwellings to be Carbon neutral!

18

Summary.

• UK is used to Building control!

• Security of supply concerns are helping drive

CO2 reductions

• Part L to become part of holistic methodology in

line with EPDB

• UK Climate Change legislation will drive

commitment to Code for Sustainable Homes +

rollout to all other buildings.

• UK aspires to carbon neutral buildings by 2016

UK Building Regulations

EPBD Implementation and Energy Performance Certificates

Simon Vaughan

Corus RD&T Construction Strategic Programme