With the draft Part L of the Building Regulations finally here, and consultation just about over, it seems that some major issues we've been discussing for an age are now looming large – sooner than most in the industry had been expecting.

As well as changes to Part L, we will now be embracing the European directive which will lead to energy labelling of buildings and regular assessment for boilers and air conditioning systems (among other things).

Anyone kidding themselves that these are simply distant notions of the Eurocrats is in for an unpleasant surprise within the next few years. We are talking about the biggest advances in construction methods since our ancestors managed to lift the boulders at Stonehenge. And they weren’t hampered by a lack of manpower or held back by reactionary attitudes.

If we could write out a 'To do' list for the industry, it would look pretty daunting. Decide exactly how labelling will work – what's an A grade? How do we encourage the market to place a commercial value on it? Another big task is getting enough people on the ground with accreditation for checking heating and cooling systems. Who should they be? Where are they all going to come from?

There is also the issue of how to deal with increased airtightness in buildings and the impact this will have on ventilation and occupant comfort.

Designers are going to have to think this through carefully or we'll simply end up with new buildings all over the UK with the air conditioning on full blast to ensure people inside aren't expiring from the heat.

There is a lot to achieve in a short space of time. The fast-moving approach has been driven by the government, which has clearly grasped the message about the state of the planet.

But we can encourage ourselves with the thought that, at last, the topic of sustainable construction is now top of everyone's agenda, and perhaps this is the biggest achievement to date.

Karen Fletcher, Editor

Source

Building Sustainable Design