News
Plan unveiled to make combustion
News in brief
appliances safer in air-tight homes
Regulations burden eased
n
The government is trying to In the Part J consultation technologies such as biomass, and
The UK government has changed
plug a potential gap in the document, CLG says that ‘the whether carbon monoxide alarms
how often it will make revisions
Building Regulations over the safety majority of stakeholders agree that should be provided for all solid fuel
to the Building Regulations, to
of combustion appliances. existing AD J guidance is working appliances.
help business respond to change.
Proposed revisions to Part L well’. Separately, CLG has also issued
From 1 January the Department
of the regulations in England and However, it says, the air supply a consultation document and
for Communities and Local
Wales are expected to lead to an provisions in the existing AD J need guidance letter for local authorities
Government intends to have a
increase of air-tightness in buildings to be revised. ‘The draft AD has been on the building control service in
periodic review every three years,
– which could have an impact on the amended such that adventitious England and Wales.
with no change to any one issue
gases arising from appliances. ventilation is ignored for dwellings The changes, published in a
within two cycles.
The Department for Communities with an air permeability of less pre-consultation paper in 2007, are
and Local Government (CLG), which than <5.0 cube m/hr/sq m,’ the aimed at ‘putting a stop to builders
UKGBC’s call to action
is consulting on the Part L 2010 consultation document says. being subjected to unnecessary
The UK Green Building Council
changes, has now issued proposals However, it adds, the proposals inspections by focusing on areas of
(UKGBC) has called on
to change Part J, which regulates will be amended in light of more greatest risk’, according to junior
governments to radically reduce
the installation of combustion research being conducted by the minister Lord McKenzie.
global carbon emissions from
appliances in homes. department and from responses to The changes also include more
buildings during the Copenhagen
But the CLG says that only a few the consultation, which closes in stringent enforcement powers for
climate change negotiations in
changes are needed to Part J, and November. council and more user-friendly
December. The UKGBC launched
specifically only to the Approved Other issues being considered guidance and procedures.
the call to action at the House
Document (AD) 2002, which forms in the document include a ‘more www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/
of Commons on World Green
part of the regulations. flexible approach’ to the use of new publications/consultations
Building Day last month. It was
one of a series of synchronised
More sector
events around the world.
jobs to go
TSB to invest in technology
A total of £17m is being invested
Two engineering firms have in innovative technologies by the
announced they are to make Technology Strategy Board (TSB)
hundreds redundant in the latest and participating companies to
round of job cuts. help meet climate change targets
Multi-disciplinary consultancy and secure the UK’s energy
the Halcrow Group and consulting supplies. The government-funded
engineers Arup have both revealed TSB aims to develop solutions
that up to 269 and 99 employees for fuel cell applications in the
respectively could go. stationary, transport and portable
At Halcrow, staff from 19 offices power markets.
in both the UK and Ireland have
been consulted in response to the Concern for house prices
‘continuing economic difficulties’ The Home Builders Federation
within Britain, which Halcrow (HBF) has expressed concern
believes will ‘continue to see over the government’s new energy
reduced activity, or perhaps even a efficiency regulations which could
further deterioration, through 2010 see the price of new-build homes
and beyond’. rise by an average of £7,000. At
This could mean Halcrow losing present new homes cost £157,934,
about six per cent of its 4,200 according to Nationwide. Future
employees. It has 8,000 staff higher standards of energy
internationally. efficiency could see £30,000
Arup said: ‘We continue to added to the cost of a new home,
operate in a period of significant the federation said.
uncertainty in the global economy.
Arup – as with any responsible Low-carbon zones unveiled
UK’s first Code 6 eco-village
business – needs to ensure its London Mayor Boris Johnson has
long-term business health and revealed the identity of 10 ‘low-
These are artist’s impressions of homes, is a partnership between it is essential that we match our carbon zones’, which will share
Hanham Hall in Bristol, the UK’s Barratt and the Homes and resources to our anticipated £3m of funding for pioneering
first large-scale development Communities Agency. It will be the workload.’ alternative energy and lowering
that will be built to Level 6 of the first Carbon Challenge site in the Final redundancy figures are not carbon emissions. Each of the
Code for Sustainable Homes. country. Materials from the existing yet known, but winning London boroughs will
The eco-village, being built on a buildings will be recycled for use in this latest round
‘Sustainable
be awarded at least £200,000 to
former hospital site that is set to the new development, when Barratt of job cuts could
pain’,
launch measures to deliver a 12
accommodate 195 zero-carbon starts work this autumn. take Arup’s total
Interview,
per cent carbon saving by 2012.
this year to 354.
page 30
www.cibsejournal.com October 2009 CIBSE Journal 11
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