Building Regulations in England & Parts L, F and O
With the transitional period now over, the updated 2022 Building Regulations Part L, Part F, and the new Part O, became legally enforceable for all new residential projects.
This is the biggest regulatory change the construction sector has seen in the last 40 years and a stepping stone in our transition away from fossil fuel systems toward decarbonised homes and the electrification of heat - and ultimately, the Future Homes Standard. This shift will impact the way we design buildings and specify technologies.
Have you decided which technologies to specify to achieve compliance for your next residential project?
The new English Building Regulations came into law on the 15th of June 2021. For projects with existing planning permission there is one year transitional arrangements period that applies on plot-by plot basis.
The updated Part L outlines the four compliance metrics for new developments: primary energy target, carbon emissions target, fabric energy efficiency target, and minimum standards for building fabric and building services.
The ventilation system choice under the updated Part F is linked to aritightness as we look to increase indoor air quality. New Part O offers modelling to help mitigate the risk of overheating in buildings.
We designed a simple guide to the changes to Part L and Part F, and the new Part O, and discuss what they may mean for your project.
Our range of HVAC solutions aim to provide future proof technologies to building projects over various sectors.
Request our presentation on Building Regulation changes that answer the most frequently asked questions.
Latest News
Our news section cover building regulations, what the changes to Part L, F, and the new Part of O entail, and what this means for HVAC specification.
Net-zero emissions by 2050: What does Net-zero mean?
From industry events, government press releases and various net-zero commitments from different cities and companies, everyone is standing up to agree that we need to be net-zero sooner than the turn of the century. But what does ‘net-zero’ actually mean?
How to specify the right heat pump for your residential project: Environmental and planning concerns
Heat pumps are being increasingly specified for residential projects to meet hot water and space heating demands. They provide a low carbon alternative to the use of fossil fuels as an energy source and can achieve compliance to Part L 2021, the latest building regulations update to the approved document covering the conservation of fuel and power. The government is proposing further changes to building regulations in 2025 in the form of the Future Homes Standard that will prohibit the use of fossil fuels for new residential buildings. Therefore, specifying heat pumps now will help to future proof specifications and minimise the need for retrofitting to meet further regulatory changes.
How can we achieve the 80% carbon reduction target with HVAC technology available now?
The best way to navigate any regulatory overhaul is to understand its impact on the specification of construction products and, significantly, how it will affect the people being asked to live in the low carbon dwellings of the future.