What is the new Part L Update, and how will it impact existing and new heating engineers across England?
Building Regulations Part L covers the conservation of fuel and power in the building of new homes in England. It establishes how energy-efficient new and existing homes should be.
Based on the Part L update, new homes must produce 31% fewer carbon emissions than what was previously acceptable.
- Approved Document Part L1A: Covers the requirements for new homes to be energy efficient.
- The individuals responsible for building work must ensure that the homes comply with the requirements provided within this document. This document is available for download.
- The regulation changes that will affect most of the heating industry are the changes to the requirements for upgrades to existing homes.
Impact On Existing Homes
If you’re looking to introduce new or replacement thermal elements to your home, such as new windows and doors, minimum new fabric efficiency standards will now apply. These changes are to the thermal heat loss (u values) allowed and achieved through improved materials, allowances for glazed areas and ventilation requirements.
Perhaps the most significant change is the maximum designed flow temperature allowance for central heating systems. The temperature has been reduced to 55 degrees centigrade, a considerable reduction from the previous standard of between 75 and 85 degrees.
These changes will allow the newly designed systems to be future-proof and use heat pump technology. In doing so, it will allow us to heat our homes and enable existing technologies to use less fuel.
These changes came into force on 15th June 2022 and apply to new system installations and where engineers replace an existing central heating system. However, there is a grace period until 2023 for buildings currently in the planning process.
It is, therefore, more important than ever that heating engineers upskill to design systems to run effectively at lower temperatures.
Low-Temperature Heating Design Training
Options Skills is one of only a handful of providers currently offering a low-temperature heating design course.
The course allows you to correctly size the hot water systems, heat emitters, pumps and pipework, ensuring they meet the current standards, future demands, and maximise efficiency.
It is also part of our Renewable Energy Package, which allows engineers to further future-proof their careers. For more information, speak with our course advisors on 0800 802 1306.
