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Negotiating the legislation minefield
 It is estimated that 45 per cent of the UK’s energy is used in buildings, for heating, lighting and the provision of general power. High levels of carbon dioxide are emitted as a result of this energy use and, as most people know, this is the greenhouse gas widely recognised as being the main contributor to climate change and global warming.
Homeowners and commercial and public sector organisations are being encouraged to consider the way they use energy and to take action to reduce their carbon footprint. Inevitably as the government is pushing hard to reduce carbon emissions, there is also legislation to ensure this takes place. So, here’s a summary of the legislation that affects our industry…
Part L Building Regulations
Three years ago new rules were introduced under Part L1 of the Building Regulations to raise energy efficiency standards in the heating industry. From April 1 2005 new or replacement natural gas and LPG domestic boilers have needed a SEDBUK rating of either A or B (A rated boilers are over 90 per cent efficient, B rated operate at 86-90 per cent efficiency). There are exceptions and exemptions to the legislation where it is too costly or impractical to fit a condensing boiler.
In April 2006 Part L2 of the Building Regulations, covering the energy efficiency of heating systems in new and existing non-domestic buildings, was implemented. This was initiated to bring about a 28 per cent improvement compared to 2002 building programmes. It is hoped that by 2010 the changes will have delivered a saving of 1.4m tonnes of carbon per annum.
Code for Sustainable Homes
It could be said the UK is approaching complete legislation overload, with a long list of regulation including Part L, the Energy White Paper, SAP ratings, U Values, the Merton Rule, the Climate Change Bill, EcoHomes and NHER. However, the Code for Sustainable Homes has been designed to supersede much of the previous legislation. Compliance with level three of the code has been mandatory for new build developments in the social housing sector since April 2008, and by 2010 it is likely to apply to all new housing projects.
The Code for Sustainable Homes has six levels, with each calling for a specific percentage reduction on Part L1A targets. Level one is 10 per cent, level two is 18 per cent, level three is 25 per cent, level four is 44 per cent and level five is 100 per cent. Level six is a ‘zero carbon’ home, where any carbon emitted must be cancelled out.
The government has suggested that from 2010 all new homes will have to comply with level three of the code. Level four becomes mandatory in 2013 and level five in 2016. We anticipate that the deadline for level six will not be far behind. In addition, the recent budget included an ambition for all new public sector buildings to be zero carbon from 2018, with the same applying to nondomestic buildings from 2019 (with consultation on timelines and feasibility).
EuP Directive
Another piece of legislation to understand is the EuP Directive, or to give the full title, the European Commission’s Eco-Design of Energy Using Products Directive. This was originally introduced in August 2005 and is designed to reduce the environmental impact of products throughout their life cycle. It will eventually apply to any product group which uses energy, including heating equipment such as boilers and water heaters. We believe the EuP will make heating systems more efficient, and we’ll see a real impact from 2009.
Energy Performance Certificates
In accordance with the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, from 2009 Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) will be required for all buildings constructed, sold or rented. EPCs provide both an environmental rating, to measure the impact a property has on the environment in terms of its CO2 emissions, and an energy efficiency rating, to measure overall efficiency. Each rating is based on the performance of the building itself and its services, rather than the appliances within it – known as asset rating.
With LPG being the lowest carbon emitting fuel available for rural areas (emitting 19 per cent less CO2 than heating oil)1, we believe that we are in a good position – especially because LPG compatible renewable and low carbon technologies are available. LPG can provide a very efficient heating solution for rural properties. And, according to recent reports by the Energy Saving Trust, it can help in the construction of buildings that achieve the most challenging levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes.
So whether you’re specifying and installing equipment for domestic or commercial projects, the team at Calor will be pleased to assist you in negotiating the green ‘legislation minefield’ and can also help to select the right equipment and solution to meet the customer’s needs.
Sources
1. www.carbontrust.co.uk
General Communities and General Local Government, The Cambridge MT Institute and Inside Energy
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