Environment experts accuse the ODPM of passing up the opportunity to make a difference by dropping crucial revisions to Parts L and F of the Building Regs.

Voices of dissent can be heard from across the building services industry following the publication of the revisions to the energy conservation requirements of the Building Regulations, Part L, and ventilation, Part F.

In a key change to the document that was issued for consultation in 2004, the requirement for mandatory energy efficiency improvements for homes where significant extensions are being built has been removed. Amendments to the acceptable insulation values of specific construction elements, such as the U-values of roof-mounted smoke ventilation units, have been added to give designers more flexibility.

David Strong, managing director of BRE Environment and chair of the EU Energy Efficiency of Buildings Directive advisory group, said: “The revisions are unlikely to deliver the step change in energy efficiency that was called for in the 2003 Energy White Paper.”

Andrew Warren, director of the Association of the Conservation of Energy, said: “The requirements of Part L have been substantially and deliberately weakened since they were officially consulted in 2004.”

The revision to Part L retains the initiative to set maximum carbon dioxide emissions for whole buildings and also makes air pressure leakage testing of buildings mandatory. The government claims the new measures, alongside changes to the requirement for condensing boilers, will make buildings more efficient and save one million tonnes of carbon by 2010. The amendments are due to take effect in April 2006.

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor