Buildings Regs 2022: What You Need to Know

New Building Regulations came into force on the 15th June 2022, with changes to improve energy efficiency, ventilation and prevent overheating.

These updates act as a stepping stone towards the Future Home and Building Standards due to be introduced in 2025. These standards will significantly reduce carbon emissions with the ultimate goal of reaching net zero carbon by 2050.

Transitional arrangements are currently in place: the new regulations do not apply to projects where plans were lodged before the 15^th June 2022, provided that works begins on site before the 15^th June 2023.

We are delivering CPD sessions to discuss the updates to building regulations in more detail. Contact us is you would like to book a CPD.

Part L: Conservation of Fuel and Power

The Future Home Standard will complement the building regulations to ensure that new homes built from 2025 will produce 75-80% less emissions than those built to previous (2013) standards. The update to Part L is a move towards this change, driving a 31% reduction in CO2 emissions, compared to homes built to the 2013 standards.

Some of the main changes to Part L are as follows:

Volume 1 – New Build Dwellings

A new calculation methodology has been introduced, called SAP 10.2.

Emissions Rate: New carbon factors mean all electric schemes perform well under this metric. It will prove challenging to meet the new Part L requirements if schemes include gas boilers, and PVs will likely be required to offset them.

Fabric Energy Efficiency: U-Values have been reduced, driving a fabric first approach to energy efficiency. Most new values are similar to good-practice values already witnessed throughout the industry with the exception of glazing U-values, which may require a change to triple glazing.

More attention will need to be paid to thermal bridging.

Air permeability testing must now be completed for all dwellings, including each individual apartment in a block – sample testing is no longer acceptable.

Primary Energy Rate: This new metric governs how emissions rates are achieved with specific technologies. Even with an all electric scheme some renewables will still be required – typically either heat pumps or PVs.

There is a greater focus on the as built construction, which aims to reduce the gap between design performance and the as built performance. An onsite audit is required, and a BREL report of compliance with photographic evidence must be submitted to building control.

Volume 1 – Refurbished Dwellings

The approach to refurbished dwellings is fundamentally unchanged except with regards to extensions. Extensions now require the whole house to be modelled using the new SAP 10.2 methodology, instead of the extension being assessed separately, as under the previous regulations.

The proposed dwelling plus extension should be no worse than the energy and emissions ratings of the existing dwelling plus notional version of the proposed extension.

Volume 2 – New Buildings Other Than Dwellings

The uplift to energy standards aim to secure a 27% reduction in CO2 emissions from non-dwellings, compared to the 2013 standards. Some of the main changes are:

More sophisticated modelling is required to better predict how buildings are used when occupied, compared to the National Calculation Method currently used.

There are now two compliance criteria: the Building Emissions Rate (previously the only criteria) and the new Building Energy Rate, which is similar to the primary energy rate on the domestic side, and benchmarks against other similar buildings.

There is an additional requirement for operational energy predictions, with numerous options ranging in complexity and accuracy. We recommend TM54 as the most sophisticated methodology which also feeds into NABERS and UKGBC, the framework used to measure net zero carbon.

Buildings with heating / cooling systems over 180kW must have a building automation and control system installed, reduced from the previous lower limit of 290kW.

Volume 2 – Refurbished Buildings Other Than Dwellings

Limiting U-values are now the same for both new and existing buildings.

The notional building input values have been improved beyond the limiting values.

Thermal bridging needs to be calculated and properly considered.

Air permeability is reduced.

Existing buildings with extensions now require energy modelling – there are a number of methodologies for this ranging from hand calculations to full Dynamic Simulation Modelling.

View the government approved document here

Part F: Ventilation

The fundamental principles remain unchanged, but ventilation rates have been increased, in recognition of the need to increase indoor air quality. The main changes are as follows:

Volume 1 – Ventilation in Dwellings

Ventilation, acoustics and internal temperatures (avoidance of overheating – Part O) need to be considered together.

Limiting internal noise levels have been specified, however testing requirements are not present. Planning Authorities may still require testing.

Part O may require opening windows as part of the internal temperature control, and the Planning Authority may accept that this means breaching the noise criteria.

Old system 1 & 2 trickle ventilator areas have significantly increased, to compensate for reduced air permeability. This may bring acoustic issues as well as challenging Part L compliance.

Volume 2 – Ventilation in Buildings other than Dwellings

Minimum ventilation levels themselves have not increased, but other design guidance will necessarily increase ventilation.

Ventilation (either natural or mechanical) must now be specified in all communal areas e.g. corridors, lift lobbies etc. “Transient space” is no longer an acceptable reason for non-provision.

Indoor air quality monitoring (CO2) has been mandated within limits unless:

• The space is smaller than 125m3 in volume or 50m2 in floor area
• The space is larger than 800m3, or 320m2 in floor area

View the government approved document here

Part O: Overheating Mitigation

Formerly covered under Part L, Part O is now its own regulation and compliance requirements governing overheating. The main change is the re-introduction of maximum temperatures in dwellings.

The regulations mandate passive means “as far as reasonably practicable”. Mechanical cooling is expected to be used only when compliance cannot otherwise be achieved.

There are two ways of demonstrating compliance:

• The simplified method
• Dynamic Simulation Modelling (DSM) / Thermal Modelling (TM59/52)

The simplified method is easier if cross-flow natural ventilation is available and becomes significantly more difficult if single sided. There are also minimum window opening areas. It is unlikely to be feasible in large scale developments, apartments, or even many houses, so TM59 calculations are likely to be required.

Window restrictions, fall protection and security receive more consideration.

Acoustics must be taken into account, which will increase the reliance on mechanical ventilation, and possibly require air conditioning.

View the government approved document here

Part S: Infrastructure for the charging of Electric Vehicles

This new part of the building regulations aims to future proof homes and buildings in preparation for a future of all electric vehicles.

Dwellings

The minimum capacity for all chargers is 7kW. Units must be pillar or wall mounted dedicated units and “non-tethered” – capable of connecting to any type of charging cable.

The inclusion of EV chargers will impact on parking space size.

Minimum requirements are complex and caveated with regards to feasibility.

New Dwellings

The starting point is one charger per space associated with the dwelling, and cable-ways to allow for future installation to all other spaces (if any).

The regulations are designed to stop the installation of chargers being prohibitively expensive. There is a £3,600 per dwelling price cap on infrastructure costs i.e. the additional cost of bringing adequate capacity to the building to supply the chargers with electricity. If costs will exceed this, chargers need only be installed to the maximum number affordable within the price cap, and cable-ways provided to all other spaces.

Refurbished (Major Renovation) Dwellings and Change of use to Dwellings

The starting point is the same as for new dwellings, but only if the existing power supply (if retained) is capable of supplying the chargers and the costs remain equal or less than 7% of the build costs.

Non-Dwellings

Where there are more than 10 parking spaces, there must be at least one charger, and 20% of the spaces facilitated by cable-ways.

This applies to new buildings, major renovations and change of use scenarios.

Mixed use developments require the domestic and non-domestic rules to be applied to the relevant parts of the site.

Note that planning departments may ask to see more provision than this – we are seeing 10% more being required.

Where one charger serves two adjacent parking spaces, both spaces must be able to charge at the same time.

View the government approved document here

Building Safety Bill

In related news, the new building safety bill received Royal Assent in April 2022, and will begin to be implemented within a year to 18 months. It reforms the Architect’s Act of 1997 and mandates better record keeping and accountability, and introduces a route of complaint and enforcement via an ombudsman.

It also places greater responsibility on building inspectors, and introduces a three step sign off process. The changes currently only apply to dwellings with non-dwellings remaining unchanged for now.

Find Out More

We can guide you through the changes and how they will affect your project. Contact us for more information or to book a CPD.