What do the New 2023 Building Regulations Mean for Building Developers?
Making sure you stay up to date with the latest regulations on building development is important to ensure that your projects are fully compliant with government regulations. This leads to more sustainable buildings, better living conditions and all-round improvements to the buildings you design and make.
The expert team at Cook Brown Building Control are here to help guide you through the new changes to building regulations for developers. In this article we’ll discuss what the new regulations are, how they might affect you, and how best to ensure you’re upholding them.
If you’re a building owner or developer who’s worried about the new regulations or needs an approved inspector to oversee your project’s compliancy, don’t hesitate to contact us today.
What are the 2023 Building Regulations?
The 2023 Building Regulations are an update to the 2010 Building Regulations, coming in the form of several Approved Documents. They are intended to target a number of different aspects of building development including ventilation, energy performance, and more.
There are four main parts of the Building Regulations taking effect during 2023:
1. Part O
Part O of the changes to the building regulations revolves around ‘overheating’. One of the key change in this regulations places a limit on the amount of heat gain from solar energy a house should expect during summer months. It also considers passive and physical ways of improving ventilation as well as limiting the glazed areas depending upon orientation, area and location.
2. Part S
Part S refers to ‘electric vehicle charging’. While it doesn’t always require new or existing builds to include a charging point, it is instead about ensuring the building is futureproofed to allow for such a thing to be installed later down the lines.
This might include the infrastructure of the building, the cables being laid down so it can be installed in the future, or simply fitting the build out with a charging station.
3. Part F
Part F of the changes is in regards to ‘ventilation’. Window replacements and installations should include trickle vents, allowing for continued ventilation when the windows are closed. This improves the overall circulation of air at all times.
The main goals of these changes are to protect and improve the health of a building’s residents, while simultaneously reducing the risk of mould and pollutants.
4. Part L
Finally, Part L is in reference to the ‘conservation of fuel and power’. This means ensuring the heat sources and insulation are appropriate for the building.
There are several factors to consider within these regulations to limit heat gain and loss, including:
- U-Values
- Limiting standards in new and existing dwellings
- Continuity of insulation
- Thermal bridging
- Airtightness
- Limiting heat gain and loss from building services
The regulations also contain standards for minimum building services efficiencies and controls, as well as system specific guidance for the installation and inclusion of various different types of heating system.
One of the main changes made by the 2023 regulatory amendments is the “removal of primary energy factor as a performance standard for dwellings” for district heat networks and community heating.
How Will the 2023 Building Regulations Affect Building Developers?
Building owners will have to be conscious that their building is in line with the new government regulations. This can be quite hard to adapt to due to the scope of the changes, so having access to a reliable building inspector will help expedite the process.
The main aim of the 2023 Building Regulations is to focus on sustainable buildings with reduced carbon footprints. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Better insulation for pipes to reduce heat loss.
- Energy conservation through more stringent rules on efficiency requirements for doors, windows, and walls.
- Ventilation is used to reduce the risk of mould and allow improved
Using an approved building inspector such as Cook Brown is a great way to demonstrate that building owners are meeting compliance with the new UK government regulations.
Understand your obligations by getting in touch with Cook Brown today.
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