Legal

Measured approval

The new Approved Documents for the revised Building Regulations have been published, but they don’t all take effect at once. Hywel Davies explains the timetable for change

T

he March 2010 changes to the Building Regulations are the first since the adoption of triennial reviews. Under this policy, the regulations can only be amended every

three years, and, apart from Parts F and L, no Part can be amended in consecutive reviews. So building professionals now have a bumper bundle of changes to come to terms with.

Approved Documents (ADs): main changes

Part L: The exemption from the energy efficiency provisions for extensions consisting of a conservatory or porch has been amended. There are also changes to the exemptions for new buildings and for work on existing buildings. The exemption for historic buildings has been restricted, requiring more attention to Part L in listed buildings or those located in conservation areas. There is also a requirement to

owner sufficient information about the ventilation systems so that they can be properly operated and maintained.

The Part L transitional

carry out and submit to Building Control the CO2 emission rate calculations before work starts on a new building, along with a list of the specifications used in the calculations. A commissioning plan should be presented with the calculations. Part G: The draft AD, issued in May 2009, has been further changed. The final version has the term ‘non-wholesome water’ replaced by ‘alternative sources of water’, and provides for the use of softened water. The changes are comprehensively detailed in a document available on the planning portal – see ‘web links’, right. Part J: There is a new requirement to fit carbon monoxide alarms in appropriate circumstances, where a solid fuel burning combustion appliance is installed. Part F: The key changes are: for testing the air

Transitional arrangements

Part L: The 2010 amendments to the 2006 edition of the Part L Approved Documents (ADs) were formally introduced on 6 April, but the rules don’t take effect until this October. Until then there are transitional arrangements, which mean that, where building works start before 1 October 2010, they may continue using Part L 2006. This is highly significant to services engineers, and may require some explanation to clients and others not familiar with the details of Part L and the regulations.

Parts G, J and F:

arrangements may require some explanation to clients and others not familiar with the changes

The amendments to Part G (sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency), Schedule 2A (competent-person schemes) and Schedule 2B (non-notifiable work) also came into effect on 6 April 2010. Transitional arrangements for Part G

flow rate of mechanical ventilation systems in new dwellings; commissioning of mechanical ventilation systems in all buildings where testing and adjustment of the systems is possible; and giving the building’s

24

CIBSE Journal June 2010

mean that, where work commenced prior to 6 April 2010, the previous version of Part G applied. For all work commencing after that date, the new regulations now apply. However, any work carried out under 2A and 2B that starts before 6 April 2011 may be carried out using Part L 2006. Amendments to Part F (ventilation) and J (heat-producing appliances) do not come into effect until this October. Approved Documents B Volumes 1 and 2 (2006), which cover fire safety, have also been amended. These incorporate changes to the standards issued under the Lifts Directive and the Construction Products Directive. Full details of the transitional arrangements are contained in the CLG circular referred to on the right. l

Hywel Davies is technical director of CIBSE.

WEB LINKS

Building and Approved Inspectors (Amendment) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/719): www.opsi.gov.uk/

si/si2010/uksi_20100719_ en_1#l1g11

For the amendments to the 2006 Part L Approved Documents: www.

planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/ br/ad_l_revisions-corrections_ march2010.pdf

For comprehensive details of the changes to AD G (2010) from the 2009 draft AD: www.

planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/ br/100312_app_doc_G_2010.pdf

DCLG Circular 03/2010 sets out the amendments and transitional provisions (other than for Part G) in full: www.communities.

gov.uk/publications/ planningandbuilding/ circular032010

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