Are you ready for the changes?

Approved Documents

New building regulations come into effect from 15th June 2022.  They are set-out in new and changed ‘Approved Documents’. 

How will they affect new homes?

  • Limit the amount of glazing in new residential buildings.  Approved Document O is a new Building Regulation set up to mitigate the risk of overheating. 
  • Measure energy efficiency.  New homes will need to adopt the Fabric Energy Efficiency Standards as defined in Part L (Fuel and Power)
  • Heating systems.  There will be a maximum flow temperature requirement of 55°C for new and replacement heating systems
  • Heat pumps.  Good practice is provided for a home built with a heat pump

What about existing homes?

  • Minimum standards of fabric efficiency, plus a new efficiency metric for the whole house when adding an extension defined in Part F (Ventilation)
  • Low-carbon readiness.  New and replacement heating system designs must accept low-carbon energy sources in the future, and integrate the latest eco-design appliance benchmarks

Got an electric car?

  • Technical guidance in relation to the installation of electric car charge points for our homes. (Part S)

What do I do now?

If you have submitted a full planning application, or an initial notice, before 15th June 2022 or your development is subject to a Building Notice, then provided the work is started on site before 15th June 2023 then the building is assessed under the previous versions of the regulations.

Otherwise, the new regulations apply to you.  Ask Alison for advice.

Source:  https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/approved-documents
[23 Apr 2022]

Includes what are known as the 2021 editions of:

  • Approved Document F Volume 1.  Ventilation: Dwellings
  • Approved Document F Volume 2:  Ventilation: Buildings other than dwellings
  • Approved Document L Volume 1.  Conservation of fuel and power: Dwellings
  • Approved Document L Volume 2.  Conservation of fuel and power: Buildings other than dwellings
  • Approved Document O.  Overheating
  • Approved Document S.  Infrastructure for the charging of electric vehicles