Type of Building Code

Type of Building Code

• Cooling Based
• Prescriptive Codes
• Trade Off
• Performance Codes for Refurbishments

  Partially for Dwellings and Non-dwellings.

• Performance Codes for New Builds

  The L1A and L2A are mandatory performance-based codes that require an energy frame calculation to establish that the Design Emissions Rate (DER) does not exceed the Target Emissions Rate (TER) - measured in kg CO2 for a notional building of the same shape and size.

• Energy Declaration
• Model / reference Building

  The L1A and L2A are mandatory performance-based codes that require an energy frame calculation to establish that the Design Emissions Rate (DER) does not exceed the Target Emissions Rate (TER) measured in kg CO2 for a notional building of the same shape and size.

• Mix of different models / Hybrids

Energy Covered

Basis for Energy Requirements

• Overall performance frame

  The calculated rate of CO2 emissions from the dwelling or non-dwelling must not be greater than the TER. The code includes particular requirements surrounding calculation procedures for different fuel types and systems.

• Final Energy
• Primary Energy

  Partially - Co2 emissions are calculated.

• Life Cycle Assessment considered (embedded energy)

Energy Uses and Functions Covered by the Code

• Heating

  The performance of the heating should achieve reasonable overall standards of energy efficiency.

• Cooling

  The performance of the cooling should achieve reasonable overall standards of energy efficiency.

• Dehumidification

  The performance of the dehumidification should achieve reasonable overall standards of energy efficiency.

• Ventilation

  The performance of the ventilation should achieve reasonable overall standards of energy efficiency.

• Airtightness

  Dwellings, 10 m3/(h.m2) at 50 Pa. Non-dwellings, 5.0 m3/h.m2 at 50 Pa

• Thermal bridging

  The building fabric should be constructed so that there are no reasonably avoidable thermal bridges in the insulation layers caused by gaps within the various elements, at the joints between elements, and at the edges of elements such as those around window and door openings. There are detailing and assessment requirements in order to establish linear values.

• Hot water

  The performance of the hot water systems should achieve reasonable overall standards of energy efficiency.

• Technical installations
• Lighting

  "The performance of the fixed lighting systems should achieve reasonable overall standards of energy efficiency. Internal lighting - In all cases the DER shall be calculated assuming the proportion of low-energy lamps as actually installed in the fixed lighting locations. This means that low-energy lighting provision is tradable. The minimum amount that would be reasonable provision in the actual building is given in the Domestic Building Services Compliance Guide."

• Appliances

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• Design, position & orientation of building

  Guidance applies to all buildings, irrespective of whether they are air conditioned or not. The intention is to limit solar gains during the summer period to either: a. reduce the need for air-conditioning; or b. reduce the installed capacity of any air- conditioning system that is installed.

• Heat recovery
• Passive solar
• Passive cooling
• Natural ventilation

  If ventilation is provided using a balanced mechanical system, consideration should be given to providing a summer bypass function during warm weather (or allow the dwelling to operate via natural ventilation) so that the ventilation is more effective in reducing overheating.

• Solar protection

  Solar gains are beneficial in winter as a means of offsetting heating demand, but can contribute to overheating in the summer months. Limiting the effects of solar gain in summer can be achieved by an appropriate combination of window size and orientation, solar protection through shading and other solar control measures, ventilation (day and night) and high thermal capacity.

• Daylighting requirements

  Consideration should be given to the provision of adequate daylight. As a guide, if the area of glazing is much less than 20% of the total floor area, some parts of the dwelling may experience poor levels of daylight, increasing electric lighting.

• Renewable Energy (solar, PV, others)

  Provided the dwelling satisfies the limits on design flexibility as set out in Criterion 2, the compliance procedure allows the designer full flexibility to achieve the TER utilising fabric and system measures and the integration of low and zero carbon (LZC) technologies in whatever mix is appropriate to the scheme. The approved compliance tools include appropriate algorithms that enable the designer to assess the role LZC technologies.

• Local renewable sources
• Energy Offsets/Green Certificates

Enforcement

Type of Enforcement

• Local enforcement
  Plan and specification review process. Additionally, a notice must be given to the authorities which specifies; a. the target CO2 emission rate for the building, b. the calculated CO2 emission rate for the building as designed.
• Third party inspection
• Central enforcement
• Accreditation of applicants
  Competent person self-certification schemes - It is not necessary to notify a BCB in advance of work which is to be carried out by a person registered with a relevant competent person self-certification scheme.
• Post Occupancy control
  In accordance with regulation 40 of Schedule 1, the owner of the dwelling should be provided with sufficient information about the building, the fixed building services and their maintenance requirements so that the building can be operated in such a manner as to use no more fuel and power than is reasonable in the circumstances.

On-site Inspections Occur

• On-site inspections
• During construction
• Post completion
  Not known at this stage.
• Post occupancy

Certification to Support Enforcement of Code

• Energy Performance Certificate support BC
  Dwellings EPC provides a rating of the overall energy efficiency of the building on a scale from A to G, where A is very efficient and G is the least efficient. This is an asset based rating, based on the characteristics of the building itself and its services and a standardised occupancy profile. Domestic EPCs also contain an environmental impact rating, which is a measure of a home's impact on the environment in terms of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
• Positive labeling for building beyond the minimum BC level
• Existence of EPC register database at national level
  England & Wales: collected by Landmark, 24% of dwellings have a registered EPC.
• Number of certified buildings
  7 161 844 (End of 2011)
• Inspection of boilers
  Partially -The UK has decided to pursue the option of provision of advice on boilers rather than inspection, continuing the extensive programme of information, grant schemes and regulation it has been following for a number of years.
• Inspection of HVAC systems
  The inspections of air-conditioning equipment has been phased in from January 2009 for all systems >250KW installed after January 2008, and from January 2011 for all systems >12kW. Installations must be inspected every five years.

Penalties for Non-compliance

• None
  Not known at this stage
• Fine
  Not known at this stage
• Imprisonment
  Not known at this stage
• Refusal of permission to occupy
  Not known at this stage
• Refusal of permission to construct
  Not known at this stage
• Demolition
  Not known at this stage

Measures Supporting Enforcement

• Commissioning requirements
  Fixed building services (Heating and Hot Water) to be commissioned by testing and adjustment as necessary to ensure that they use no more fuel and power than is reasonable in the circumstances. Commissioning is often carried out by the person who installs the system. In other cases it may be carried out by a subcontractor or by a specialist firm. It is important that whoever carries it out follows the relevant approved procedure in doing so.
• Airtightness testing required prior to compliance
  The assessed air permeability shall be determined as follows: 1. where the dwelling has been pressure tested, the assessed air permeability is the measured air permeability; 2. where the dwelling has not been tested, the assessed air permeability is the average test result obtained from other dwellings of the same dwelling type on the development increased by a margin of +2.0 m3/(h.m2) at 50 Pa; 3. on small developments, the assessed air permeability is the value of 15 m3/(h.m2) at 50 Pa.
• Mandatory Computer Modeling
  The TER is calculated in two stages: First calculate the CO2 emissions from a 2002 notional building of the same size and shape as the actual building and which is constructed according to the reference values set out in Appendix R of SAP 2009. The calculation tool will report the CO2 emissions (based on SAP2005 CO2 emission factors) arising from: i.The provision of space heating and hot water (which includes the energy used by pumps and fans), ii. CH The use of internal lighting, CL.Compliance Software.
• Training of Inspectors
  An energy assessor must be a member of a specialist Accreditation Scheme approved by the Government. Each Accreditation Scheme is responsible for ensuring that energy assessors are suitably qualified to conduct energy assessments and for ensuring the quality of the assessments and any certificates or reports produced (including their independence).
• Other

Values for New Buildings

Code History and Future Targets

• How far in advance are future targets set?

  2015
• Are stakeholders informed of future targets far in advance?

  Yes

Zero Energy Targets

• Definition of nZEB/ZEB/Plus Energy etc
• Are all end uses considered in the target?

  Not known at this stage.

• Is there a realistic roadmap towards ZEB
• National Target date for nZEB

  In 2006, the Government declared its ambition of “a target for all new homes to be zero carbon within a decade”. A high level “2016 Taskforce” was set up by Government, together with a “Zero Carbon Hub4” to support and report to the Taskforce.

• Special Requirements for public buildings

Supporting Measures

• Incentives/Rewards to Encourage People to go beyond Minimum Level?
• Level of Training Provided to Stakeholders Following Implementation of Code?
• Supporting Labeling Schemes
• Codes Free to Access?

Links to other databases