Frustrated consultants wrestling with the SBEM software for Part L will be able to use improved software from Monday.

The first integrated software for calculating Part L of the Building Regulations compliance can be used for more complex buildings by estimating the carbon emissions for separate elements of the building and then adding them together.

This means that architects and other consultants will have more design options as well as being able to allow elements such as bulk airflow, natural and mixed mode ventilation, self shading and shading from adjacent buildings to be considered in the calculations.

The launch follows months of frustration with the software as users struggled to get consistent results. Many users turned to the tried and tested Part L 2002 programme and made it work by adding the required 28% manually.

The integrated software is called IES <VE Compliance>.