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SPN OCT 2010 PartL
www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk ‘L-DAY’ HAS ARRIVED
The long awaited Part L of Building Regulations which aims to significantly reduce carbon emissions is almost with us, but will it present challenges, questions and issues for pool builders? authority together with illustrations showing how
Perhaps it should be designated “L-Day” to fit in with 1 October seeing the introduction of changes to Part L of the Building Regulations, which aims to significantly reduce carbon emissions. Part L’s new target emission rate represents a 25% improvement over the previous 2006 Building Regulations, in line with achieving Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3. For the swimming pool industry it will mean moving into line with the same insulation requirements which relate to domestic and commercial properties. It also means trends in product specification are set to change as the Government looks to take a tougher line on carbon emissions. The impact on pool builders will be significant and will affect everything from pool construction through to pool covers and heat pumps.
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The wording of the new regulations states: “Where a swimming pool is being provided in a building, the U-value of the basin (walls and floor) should not be worse than 0.25W/m2/K as calculated according to BS EN ISO 13370.” This means the law moves to requiring the swimming pool basin both walls and the swimming pool floor must be insulated so heat loss is reduced to 0.25W/m2/0C, which approximately equates to a pool at 28°C and the ground at say 10°C losing 4.5W/m2 into the surrounding ground. In comparison an un- insulated concrete pool at the same temperature will lose 100W/m2. There are of course a number of variables that could change this figure but it gives an idea of what insulating a pool shell can achieve.
It also means the specialist pool builder will need to produce paperwork to the relevant local
o ‘D-Day’ for the Government’s new energy saving building regulations is here, well almost here.
the construction method proposed to build the pool will comply with the new Part L regulation. The wider building industry has generally welcomed a number of exemptions from Part L. Currently historic buildings, places of worship and temporary buildings are exempt.
There has been almost universal support for insulating swimming pools. The amount of energy used on swimming pools is significant and it was always likely that the industry, while not being a target, would have to be included. All forms of pool building will be affected whether Gunite or Shotcrete, concrete blocks, panels or preformed one-piece fibreglass.
One issue concerning many in the trade is pool renovations. If an existing pool is renovated then insulating that pool to modern standards would become compulsory under the new regulations. If 50% of any part of the pool including the rendering is removed and replaced then this will be defined as a renovation not a repair and the pool will be subject to the new regulations. Insulating the floor by putting the insulation on the outside would not be practical and the insulation would have to be on the inside. The performance of individual products from manufacturers will have to be alerted in technical guides to help suppliers in the choice of product. It has been proven that insulation applied to the inside of a pool is more efficient than on the outside and this has to be taken into account when choosing which product to use. The thickness of the insulation depends on the type that is used and a typical type such as extruded polystyrene will be 75mm-100mm thick so the builder should allow for this in the overall dig size. Swimming pools are constructed in varying soil conditions and in some instances out of the
“The amount of energy used on swimming pools is significant and it was always likely that the industry, while not being a target, would have to be included”
ground. The heat loss through the shell of the pool is dependent upon the ground conditions that surround the pool. If a pool is constructed in dry ground with the insulation on the outside, then it will require less insulation than if it were constructed in heat absorbing wet ground. If the insulation is on the inside there is no difference and the insulation thickness is only that which will give the required heat retention in the pool. When pools are constructed with insulated panels it is irrelevant whether the ground is dry or wet as the pool wall is the insulation as well as being its structural component. In this case the only decision to be made is whether to put the floor insulation on the inside or under the floor slab. If it is on the inside then there are no thermal bridging problems. If it is put on the outside then it should be placed in a manner that prevents thermal bridging.
There are standard methods within the building regulations for building and insulating basements that are very similar to that of a swimming pool and the methods of insulating these structures can be used to insulate swimming pools.
Local authorities say they will, through building inspectors, offer support and help through what they describe as ‘significant and thorough’ changes and expect questions, delays and some confusion before the regulations become better understood. spn
i FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
F PLANNING PORTAL :
www.planningportal.gov.uk
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