The
Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales)
Regulations 2012 came into effect on 9th January
2013. The regulations require that Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs)
are produced for most buildings.
This
practice is accredited by Elmhurst
Energy Systems Ltd. to perform On Construction Domestic Energy
assesssments and to produce EPCs for new dwellings.
Energy
Performance Certificate (EPC)
Energy
performance certificates (EPCs) set out the energy
efficiency rating of buildings and are a mandatory
requirement when buildings are built. If a building
contains separate units, such as in a block of flats,
each unit needs an EPC. An EPC shows a building's energy
efficient rating from A to G, where A represents a very
energy efficient building and G a very inefficient
building. To produce an EPC for a new building requires
that a SAP (Standard
Assessment Procedure) calculation is performed at
the design stage of a project, before any work commences
on site. EPCs can only be produced by accredited Energy
Assessors. Assessors also provide recommendations on how
the building might be made more energy efficient.
The Standard
Assessment Procedure (SAP)
The Standard
Assessment Procedure (SAP) is the method used by the
Government to assess and compare the energy and
environmental performance of dwellings. A SAP
calculation gives an indication of the carbon emissions
and fuel costs associated with occupying a dwelling,
based on the physical characteristics of the dwelling
and on standardised occupancy and heating patterns. This
allows a comparison of designs in terms of typical cost
to run and asociated carbon emissions. The calculation
includes space heating, hot water heating, cooling,
ventilation and lighting but excludes non-regulated
energy use, such as for cooking or appliances.
The outputs
of a SAP assessment can be used by Building Control to
check for compliance against Building Regulations
requirements. SAP has been cited as a means of assessing
dwelling performance in Part L of the Building Regulations
since 1994. The 2013 Amendment to Part L is predicated
on the 2012
version of SAP which came into force for building
regulations compliance on 6 April 2014.
Building
Regulations Part L1A
Approved
Document L1A (2013) for England, L1A (2014) for Wales,
and Scottish Building Standards Section 6 (2011) provide
guidance on how to demonstrate to Building Control that
a dwelling has been constructed in compliance with the
relevant energy efficiency requirements. SAP
calculations are required in order to demonstrate
compliance for new dwellings, new buildings converted to
dwellings, and some extensions and refurbishment work.
The
calculations must be done by an accredited Energy
Assessor using software approved for SAP calculations by
BRE on behalf of the Government (paragraph 2.3 of
Approved Document L1A 2013). Compliance is demonstrated
through a Design stage energy assessment submission
before work starts (paragraph 2.12 of Approved Document
Part L 2013) and then an As-Built submission on
completion, based on the design and specification as
constructed, and taking into account air-leakage tests.
A clear connection must be evident between
specifications of the building and its materials and
construction and the data input into the SAP software.
The calculations for the As Built submission are used by
the Energy Assessor to produce the EPC for the completed
dwelling.
You can
contact Catherine Alexandra on 020 7148 3450 or 01933
788 500 or by using the contact form.
