To ensure new and existing buildings are compliant with Part L regulations, they must fulfill the requirements and standards set for energy efficiency and carbon emissions. Part L 2023 emphasizes the use of low-carbon technologies and renewable energy systems, and the integration of both to conserve energy. There are also other things to take note to stay compliant with the 2023 updated Part L regulations.

Reading and understanding Part L regulations

Regularly read and understand the Part L regulations prior to designing a new building, or renovating and extending an existing one. Familiarize the updates and the key changes for every time an updated version is implemented, and incorporate these changes in your establishments whenever feasible. Perform regular checks, inspections, and maintenance work to ensure all materials and systems are in line with the requirements and standards. Implement the “fabric-first approach”.

The fabric first approach is a designing strategy that emphasizes to improve insulation and airtightness of the building’s fabric. Fabric refers to the building’s walls, roofs, and floors. This strategy aims to reduce heat losses and gains, meaning it stays warm in winter and it stays cool in summer. In areas where heat is transferred more quickly like the junctions between walls and floors, and between walls and the roof, implement the fabric-first approach to minimize thermal bridging. Another principle in the fabric first Designers, building owners, and developers should ensure these are taken into account in the designing process before anything is built.

For new buildings, design with efficiency in mind

1. Use high quality materials that meet the updated U-values and thermal efficiency standards. Some of the recommended insulation materials are mineral wool, rigid foam boards, natural insulation, and vacuum insulation panels.

2. Install materials that ensure airtightness such as vapor control layers, airtight membranes, airtight tapes, acrylic sealants, and foam insulations.

3. Maintain the indoor air quality of the building by installing a Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) system that uses a heat exchanger to recover the heat extracted from the damp air, and transfers it into the new fresh air coming from outside.

4. Integrate low-carbon heating systems such as air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, solar thermal panels, and underfloor heating.

5. Integrate renewable energy systems such as solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, solar tiles, and battery storage systems. Lessen the reliance on grid power to save money and energy. Utilize these eco-friendly alternatives to meet carbon reduction targets.

6. Future-proof your designs. Don’t just design for compliance but ensure that the designs are prepared to comply and adjust accordingly with stricter rules and regulations. Carbon reduction goals might change overtime, likely making requirements and regulations stricter overtime. Design with future-proofing in mind.

7. Test for air tightness, inspect buildings, and conduct maintenance checks regularly in your establishments. Ensure that they comply with the regulations and if not, immediately replace these items. Follow Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) calculations.

8. For existing buildings, renovate and extend with efficiency in mind. Follow the same procedure for designing new buildings. All renovations and extensions must comply with the updated Part L regulations. Future-proof these areas ahead to comply with any changes of the regulations in the coming years.

9. Install low-carbon technologies and renewable energies as replacements for the traditional fossil fuel systems such as gas boilers. These alternatives reduce the demand for energy and carbon emissions aligning with the standards set in Part L 2023. Ensure that these installations are certified by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) or any other recognized bodies.

10. Integrate low-carbon technologies and renewable energy systems to lessen energy consumptions in buildings. Optimize the integration of these systems by preparing the building’s fabric and considering the roof’s and site’s design and orientations, and many more. Plan ahead of time and design to accommodate the specifications of the technologies and systems to avoid any more unwanted additional costs in the future.

11. Install energy-efficient lighting and smart controls in your buildings to reduce energy consumption. The idea is to provide high light output with low energy usage. Lighting technologies, like LED, have a longer lifespan compared to traditional incandescent lighting. Use smart controls to automate the lighting use in buildings, and at the same time monitor energy usage.

The overall idea of staying compliant is to actively read the regulations, inspect and make sure the entire fabrics, technologies, and systems have specifications that meet the standards, consciously design a space that has less to zero impact on the environment, and evaluate whether the company has aligned goals with the government. Create a mindset that aims for energy efficiency, smart designing, diligent compliance, and sustainable living.

Developers, building managers, inspectors, and anyone involved need to record energy efficiencies, regular inspections, maintenance checks, tests, and document how your construction stages are meeting your energy efficient designs by using a Part L compliance document, air permeability test documents, heat pump equipment forms, boiler maintenance forms, solar PV forms, accredited construction documents, and many more.

In the 2023 update for Part L, builders and developers are required to take photographs of any installation for compliance. These photos confirm that the design details have been followed and these are strictly implemented in the Part L 2023 regulation. Photos are also required to be geotagged to verify the correct location of the construction site. Use a Part L Photographic Evidence document to comply with the new regulations and use that as a form of proof that the required measures have been implemented during construction or renovation.