Policy analysis Part L

> be seen as an essential element of any proper services design and installation. It is also important that systems are well maintained

and operated, and audited regularly to ensure continuing effective operation. Better use of building management systems could also be encouraged through the new Carbon Reduction Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC) and by proposed wider roll-out of display energy certificates. Electricity generated from renewable sources should

also be included as an allowable solution, where practicable. Moreover, while the CLG consultation was about new buildings, allowable solutions should also encompass measurable improvement of the existing building stock, or the export of heat or electricity to existing buildings around the site of the new development. More generally, details of what are finally deemed

to be allowable solutions must take into account the time needed by the industry supply chain to develop and offer these solutions. The greatest achievement of display energy

What they think

Professionals’ views captured at the CIBSE workshops

‘Reducing energy demands should be addressed as well as energy consumption – But based on different building-usage.’

‘If the pursuit of zero carbon is too expensive you will undermine everything you are trying to achieve.’

‘We need a directive for responsible behaviour towards efficient operation by occupants of the building.’

‘Enshrine in law that a fee be paid for a decent building-user manual and post-occupancy attendance.’

‘“Allowable solutions” need clarification – are they just a stop-gap until a genuine zero carbon solution is available?’

‘A minimum energy efficiency standard needs to be clearly and quickly defined.’

certificates has been to highlight the gap between predicted building performance and reality. Buildings do not use the energy calculated for Part L compliance: they use a lot more. But this is often because of the gap between what was designed and specified, and what actually got built and installed. We need to ensure that buildings are built, signed

off and operated as they are designed to be, and that commissioning records and the building logbook remain with the building throughout its life, and are updated to reflect reality. This information requirement was introduced into Part L in 2002, but it is even more important now that it is delivered and that it reflects the as-built reality, not the designers dream. It needs to become a recognised first port of call for facilities managers wanting operational information about a building. Although CLG’s consultation was about new

buildings, clients and property developers would do well to balance the costs of building from scratch with those of refurbishment. The carbon savings from reducing CO2 emissions from a poorly performing G-rated building by 20 per cent are equivalent to making a

New training on Part L

CIBSE is running a new course giving a comprehensive overview of the changes to the existing Building Regulations Part L, Approved Documents and technical tools, and introducing the changes in detail. The course will review the requirements, the practical procedures and assessment techniques to demonstrate compliance for new and existing buildings and their engineering services. For further details, dates and locations visit:

www.cibsetraining.co.uk

similar-sized B-rated building completely carbon neutral. But the cost of the carbon neutral building will be several times the cost of improving the G rated one. In addition, delivering energy improvements and carbon reductions to existing buildings should be very much on the agenda as an allowable solution, integrating new and existing buildings. As comments from our two workshops highlight,

achieving zero carbon new buildings of any sort is about more than what goes into them. Post-occupancy

Achieving and maintaining zero carbon new buildings will require attention to the structure’s fabric, and ongoing performance assessment

evaluations of these building will be crucial to ensuring optimum energy efficiency and providing useful intelligence. And the public sector can have a key role here. The CLG consultation proposed that the public

sector take a lead in trialling allowable solutions. CIBSE supports this, provided that the information gained is captured, maintained and shared. Extensive performance data on pilot buildings must be released and externally audited to ensure that the achievements claimed are verified and can be replicated. There must be more research on how buildings really perform when occupied, where the energy costs are, and how they are performing in terms of kWh/sq.m/year. This could be pioneered by public sector trials. As the news story on page 9 shows, last month’s

interim report from the chief construction adviser’s cross-industry Innovation & Growth Team calls for a programme of post-occupancy evaluation to be restarted as a matter of urgency. Achieving and then sustaining zero carbon new buildings will require attention, not only to the fabric of the structure – as the pyramid shows – but also to ongoing assessment of performance. CIBSE agrees that a successor to the former PROBE studies would provide one mechanism for this programme of evaluation. l

Professionals attend a workshop on the non-doms policy held at London’s Canal Museum

24

CIBSE Journal April 2010

Hywel Davies is technical director of CIBSE.

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