Revised building Regs to tackle climate change

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Revised building Regs to tackle climate change
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tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 05 9:35 am Post subject:
The people at AECB are very dissappointed with these and other forthcoming bits of legislation re: regs.

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 05 9:38 am Post subject:
Why, don't got far enough or weighted towards the volume builders?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 05 9:41 am Post subject:
Don't go far enough and within a reasonable time frame, unfortunately they're all really busy at the mo otherwise I'd try getting one of them over here. They were moaning off about it the other day.

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 05 9:47 am Post subject:
I know that it's amazingly easy for builders to skimp on insulation, it's one of the things that we went over the top on, Our unfinished house is currently warmer inside than our rental house. Take cavity wall insulation, big builders often don't do party walls to save about �20 quid per house, but it makes a big difference on sound and heat transfer

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 05 9:49 am Post subject:
Insulation is the one thing that they all agree on; the more the better. After that opinions diverge on absolutely everything else. I've just been trying to find the thread where they talked about it to see if I can get anything useful out.

Blue Peter

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 2400
Location: Milton Keynes

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 05 10:36 am Post subject:
Were these the ones that were originally scheduled for 2005 and then dropped? I would have thought that the AECB people would be happy about the pressure testing? Peter.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 05 10:39 am Post subject:

Blue Peter wrote:

I would have thought that the AECB people would be happy about the pressure testing?

AECB Forum wrote:

I have heard from a couple of sources that the OPDM has caved in and mandatory pressure testing of sample housing will no longer be in the 2006 revision of Part L.

I can't say I'm surprised, but I am disappointed and depressed. Where can a jobbing air leakage specialist move to - and don't say Canada 'cause I'm convinced they will be "invited" to join the USA when global warming really bites.

Blue Peter

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 2400
Location: Milton Keynes

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 05 10:53 am Post subject:
Well, the link at the top of this thread says that they are mandatory. Or is the implication of the AECB quote that it is a proposal, which the builders can then negotiate over, perhaps even with the pressure testing as a sacrifical lamb? Peter.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 05 10:55 am Post subject:

Blue Peter wrote:

the implication of the AECB quote that it is a proposal, which the builders can then negotiate over, perhaps even with the pressure testing as a sacrifical lamb?

that's my understanding but I've not read the regs

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 05 11:02 am Post subject:
I don't know if this is entirely present, but I need to ensure that I have an adequate flow through of air in the house for the wood burner to work properly.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 05 11:05 am Post subject:
You need to get some kind of heating engineer to look at that don't you?

Blue Peter

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 2400
Location: Milton Keynes

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 05 11:09 am Post subject:

Jonnyboy wrote:

I don't know if this is entirely present, but I need to ensure that I have an adequate flow through of air in the house for the wood burner to work properly.

Yes, you do. You need adequate ventilation to provide oxygen for your fire and for you.

If you're asking whether this is pertinent to the pressure testing thread, a distinction is made between ventilation (designed access to fresh air which can be controlled by the occupants) and leaks (undesigned access to fresh air, generally due to poor construction practise). A house needs good ventilation, but no leaks. Pressure testing will help you find any leaks,

Peter.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 05 1:13 pm Post subject:

This is a statement from the AECB's rep on the consultation committe who advised on these regs:

Cath Hassell wrote:

The Part L changes, which will come into effect on 06 April 2006, were announced by ODPM and Defra on 13 September 2005.

The Govt announced that the new measures, taken together with the 2002 Building Regulations will improve standards in new buildings by 40%. Savings across new build and existing buildings will total one million tonnes of carbon per year.

Interim versions of Approved Documents for Part L (energy efficiency) and Part F (ventilation) and other supporting material have been published in preparation for the changes to the Building Regulations. They can be found on the following link:

https://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_buildreg/documents/sectionhomepage/odpm_buildreg_page.hcsp

I�m posting this because I think it�s important that we can now see what the changes are. Unsurprisingly I would have liked more robust standards and both I and David Olivier made the AECB�s position clear during the consultation period. However, they are a vast improvement on the 2002 amendments.

Blue Peter

Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 2400
Location: Milton Keynes

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 05 1:16 pm Post subject:
So, because pressure testing is in the 13th Sept document, then it's in? Or are there more stages to go through? Peter.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 05 1:17 pm Post subject:
It's in, the other opinion was from someone not connected with drawing up the doc, I'll keep everyone updated on developments

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