Energy conservation and sustainability

Sustainability - a definition

"Sustainability means meeting our needs today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

Building Control have become members of 'The Green Register', which is an independent, self-funded organisation whose principle goal is to promote sustainable building practices across all disciplines of the construction industry.

Current Building Regulations in respect of energy conservation are based on SBEM (Standard Building Energy Model), for non-domestic schemes, and SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure), for dwellings.

Building Control are Accredited Energy Assessors and can produce SAP2005 calculations to demonstrate compliance with the Building Regulations. We can provide the relevant SAP calculations at design stage and completion stage in order to establish compliance with the regulations, and also to advise on enhanced energy conservation measures.

As from April 2008, all new homes require an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), which was introduced under the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). As from October 2008, EPC's are required for the construction, sale or rent of all buildings other than dwellings. Please refer to www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/planningenvironment/ for further information.

Approved Documents L1A & B, and L2A & B stipulate the guidance to comply with the conservation of fuel and power within the Building Regulations. The current documents have been valid since April 2006, however a revised set of documents will be issued in October 2010 where it is envisaged that a minimum improvement of 25% on the 2006 minimum requirements will be introduced.

Complementing the requirement for EPC's is the Code for Sustainable Homes which was introduced in England in April 2007. As from May 2008 those selling new homes will be required to provide a Code Certificate. The Code uses a sustainability rating system, indicated by stars (or Code Levels, rated from 1* to 6*), to communicate the overall sustainability performance of a home. There are nine categories within the code, one of which is energy/CO². In simplified terms, just to satisfy the minimum requirements of the energy/CO² will only achieve a nil rating. A 10% improvement on Part L 2006, will achieve Code Level 1, 18% improvement will achieve Code Level 2. To achieve the Code Level 3 then an improvement of 25% will be required. To achieve a Code Level 6* (or Zero Carbon Home) then a 100% improvement on Part L 2006 will be required, together with compliance with all the nine categories listed in the code. More information is available at: www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/government/buildingregs/sustainablehomes/

All new buildings other than dwellings will be covered by BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method). This is currently the voluntary method of assessing the sustainability of a building. Like the Code for Sustainable Homes, a scoring system will be implemented to rate the building. However, the system will differ by incorporating a 'pass' rating to an 'outstanding' rating.

Developers and specifiers should be aware that the Building Regulations stipulate minimum requirements only, and it is clear that these minimum requirements will be improved in 2010.  The City Council’s planning policy currently requires an improved standard over and above Building Regulations for all new dwellings and most other buildings – please refer to Interim Planning Statement 3: Reducing Carbon Emissions in New Development (see link 1) and the City Council’s validation checklist (see link 2) for further advice on the requirements and the information needed to accompany a planning application.  For further information or advice on Building Regulations please contact the relevant Building Control Surveyor at Preston City Council for your area.

Link 1 to Interim Planning Statement 3

Link 2 to Validation Checklist