In December 2021, The Department for Levelling Up, Homes and Communities (DLUHC) announced a raft of changes to Building Regulations, which came in to effect from 15th June 2022. This guide is aimed at helping you to understand the new regulations and to ensure that your projects are fully compliant.
While uplifts around ventilation come from Public Health England data on indoor air pollution, the bulk of the building regulation changes in 2022 are part of the roadmap to the 2025 Future Homes Standard. A key part of this Standard is that all new builds are zero carbon ready in support of the UK’s bid to deliver net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
According to figures from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, heating and powering buildings currently accounts for 40% of the UK’s total energy usage. So, by implementing new building regs that help reduce the need for heat and power in buildings, the UK can make great strides towards its carbon zero ambitions.
The new regulations also affect the refurbishment and replacement window and door market.
The two Building Regulation changes that directly affect our industry are Document F (ventilation) and Document L (heating and energy). These will have an impact on both new builds and existing homes.
New minimum efficiency standards – In new and existing domestic builds, there will be a lower set of U-value for walls which affects windows, doors and rooflights.
Ventilation and indoor air pollutants – Background trickle ventilators will be required in new and existing domestic builds.
The performance of replacement windows must be no worse than the windows being replaced, but with a minimum performance as per below:
WINDOWS
Uw 1.4 W/(m2K) or Window Energy Rating Band B
DOORS >60% of internal face glazed
Uw 1.4 W/(m2K) or Doorset Energy Rating Band C
Minimum Performance Targets
WINDOWS
Uw 1.2 W/(m2K) - Frame Factor = 0.7
DOORS >60% of internal face glazed
Uw 1.2 W/(m2K) - Frame Factor = 0.7
The above values are Uw values - Whole window U values
Contact the technical department for further support
Replacement windows should be fitted with trickle vents regardless of whether the windows being replaced had vents in them or not, if no background ventilation alternative is being installed.
Habitable rooms and kitchens: 8000mm 2EA.
Bathrooms (with or without a toilet): 4000mm 2EA.
Addition of a wet room to an existing building: 5000mm 2EA.
Addition of a habitable room to an existing dwelling (if existing room has less than 5000mm 2EA): 10,000mm 2EA.
If the existing dwelling has continuous mechanical extract ventilation fitted then 4000mm 2EA is required in habitable rooms.
Using Natural ventilation with background ventilators and intermittent extract fans guidance (suitable only for less air tight dwellings)
For dwelling with multiple floors:
Habitable rooms and kitchens: 8000mm 2EA
Bathrooms: 4000mm 2EA
Sanitary Accommodation/Utility Room: No minimum
For single storey dwellings (e.g flats):
Habitable rooms and kitchens: 10000mm 2EA
Bathrooms: 4000mm 2EA
Sanitary Accommodation/Utility Room: No minimum