Creda Eco-Response
1Improve the air-tightness:
It is now mandatory to test the air-tightness of a building on its completion. There are minimum levels required under the new regulations but improving on these has been shown to be one of the best ways to reduce the carbon emission rate and therefore comply with Part L. Electric heating is helpful in this regard as it results in less holes and gaps in the building fabric than gas heating systems. The regulations require a minimum air-tightness of 10 cubic metres per hour per square metre of floor area at 50 Pascals of pressure. (10m3/h/m2 @ 50Pa). Many developments can now achieve 7 or 5 and some even 3m3/h/m2 @ 50Pa.
2Install mechanical ventilation with heat recovery:
Used in conjunction with improved air-tightness, so called MVHR recovers otherwise wasted heat and is a great advantage to the ventilation strategy. There are specific provisions within SAP (Appendix Q) which show how using MVHR can reduce the carbon emissions rate and help compliance with Part L. Xpelair offers leading MVHR systems as part of the Carbonlite range,
see www.xpelair.co.uk.
3Improve the building fabric:
There are minimum U-values for all elements of the building fabric. U-values are a measure of how much heat energy can escape through a given element of a building. However, simply meeting these alone does not guarantee compliance. By exceeding the minimum requirement significant improvements can be made on the carbon emission rate. It is possible to show compliance with Part L just by improving building fabric U-values. However, a combination of improved air- tightness, MVHR and modest improvements in building fabric U-values has proved most cost effective in many building developments. Consider reducing U-values for roofs to 0.14, walls to 0.3, floors to 0.2 and glazing to 1.8 but, generally speaking, the lower the better.
4Consider glazing as a percentage of the building floor area:
The regulations assume that glazing coverage is equivalent to 25% of the floor area, which is more than most developments. Where this can be sensibly reduced it will improve the carbon emission rate of the building. If the specification of glazing is also improved the impact is increased. Consider gas filled or triple glazing.
5Go renewable:
The installation of solar thermal hot water systems, heat-pumps
or micro wind-turbines can have a number of major benefits. Often the installation of some of these products can turn an otherwise non-compliant building into a fully compliant one. However, many developers now also see this as the preferred route to meeting other planning requirements or aspirational targets for the use of micro-generation technologies. They can significantly reduce running costs and can be a great selling point. Redring offers one of the most efficient solar thermal hot water systems in the UK - see www.redring.co.uk - and Xpelair has a world-class micro wind-turbine (see www.xpelair.co.uk).
6Improve the lighting plan:
In some buildings the carbon impact of the lighting can be significant and expert advice can assist in demonstrating compliance with Part L.
Modular lighting strategies should be considered. The traditional rules of thumb based on the number of rooms should give way to a recommended number of lighting points by square metre of floor area. It is good practice to install low energy fittings as standard indoors, with consideration given to highly effective control. Externally the regulations require a maximum 150W with automatic switch-off via PIR, photocell and timers.
7Controllability reduces emissions:
It has been shown that easy to use, highly responsive heating systems actually reduce carbon emissions. When heating responds quickly it tends, in practice, to be used more effectively. Where controls are simple to use, people make better use of them. Modern electric heating is highly controllable and responsive. This is recognised within SAP. We offer leading edge electric heating with our Eco-Response technology. Integrated and sensitive thermostats within Creda electric heating products allow precise control room by room, ensuring solar gain is taken into account in maintaining a desired temperature and reducing carbon emissions.
8Background heat:
By ensuring there is a low level background heat throughout the common walkways, like stairwells and landings in apartment blocks, adjoining walls are only considered semi-exposed for calculation purposes, reducing heat losses and improving the carbon emission rate. We offer modern electric heating solutions designed for this purpose.
9Size the cylinder:
The regulations now assume a 170l water cylinder. By ensuring the cylinder is not oversized for its application, heat losses are reduced. If the cylinder size is reduced below 170l then the carbon emission rate is improved. Redring offers cylinders at 90, 125, 150 and 170 litre capacities, as well as larger sizes where necessary. See www.redring.co.uk for a full range of instant water heating products that have no standing losses at all!
Redring LWSS Stainless Steel Cylinder
