Updated Building Regulations FLOS: Future Homes Standard

The Building Regulations step forward with changes coming into force on 15 June 2022. This provides intermediate uplift to existing energy efficiency standards and is a stepping stone towards the government’s new Future Homes Standard (due to be introduced in 2025) which aims to future proof new buildings with low-carbon heating systems and high fabric efficiency standards.

Three black lightbulbs and one green grass textured lightbulb

The updated Building Regulations for England include amendments to Approved Documents FLOS – Part F (ventilation), and Part L (Conservation of fuel and power), as well as the release of a new approved document Part O (Overheating) and approved document Part S (Infrastructure for the charging of electric vehicles). Collectively known as FLOS. 

This briefing note will take you through the major changes taking place in 2022 in respect of energy conservation in buildings and ventilation.

Government Targets

New and existing homes produce around 20% of all carbon emissions in the UK. As part of the efforts to meet the UK’s ambitious target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to ‘net-zero’ by 2050, the government has committed to introducing what they are calling the ‘Future Homes Standard’ in 2025. This anticipates that an average home will have 75-80% fewer carbon emissions than a home constructed to the current national standards for energy efficiency. Their plan is to realise this by introducing very high fabric efficiency standards combined with low carbon heating systems. Beyond 2025 further uplift is expected to form another stepping stone towards meeting the ambition for net-zero carbon in 2050.

What is Net Zero?

‘Net Zero’ is when the number of carbon emissions produced are cancelled out by the number of emissions removed. If the UK achieves this, it will become a net-zero emitter. 

The Consultation

As a transitional stepping-stone towards that target, the Government launched a Future Homes Standard consultation at the end of 2019. This considered options for uplifting standards in Approved Document L1 covering energy efficiency in dwellings. Being aware of the sensitive interaction between energy efficiency, airtightness, and healthy ventilation standards, this was accompanied by proposals to revise Part F (Ventilation) and its associated Approved Document. The consultation covered buildings in England and ran until February 2020. Proposals for changes to Part L2 covering non-domestic buildings were also considered along with new measures to prevent overheating in homes built to the new standards

New Approved Documents FLOS

At the end of 2021 the government published new Approved Document F covering ventilation and L covering energy efficiency. Both were in 2 volumes with 1. dealing with dwellings and 2. covering buildings other than dwellings. They were accompanied by an all-new Approved Document O covering overheating in dwellings. New homes meeting the new standards should produce 31% less CO2 compared to those built to current standards.​ 

Transitional Provisions

The updated building regulations FLOS new standards will come into force on 15th June 2022. There will be a 12 month transition period ie any applications received before this date must start work by June 2023. Meaning after this date any new building regulations applications will be assessed under the new standards.

Rules on the transition for F, L and O were tightened to fast-track implementation, and prevent builders from lodging applications for large developments early to lock in the earlier standards for energy efficiency. Starting work to meet the June 2023 deadline applies to individual houses or blocks of flats and not to whole developments covered by an application.

For part S (No. 2 Regulations) transitional provisions will apply to notices or submissions in the same way as seen previously.

FLOS flowchart

Summary of Changes to the FLOS Building Regulations

Changes to Approved Document Part F

  • simplifying the approach for determining the ventilation rate and system design requirements for a dwelling
  • changing the way that ventilation systems are presented in the Approved Document to reflect common design practices and on the basis of latest evidence relating to air quality in homes.
  • introducing guidance to reduce the ingress of external air pollutants into the main body of the Approved Document.
  • simplifying the structure and content of the guidance.

Changes to Approved Document Part L 

Approved Document L 2021 has been rationalised into two documents:
– Volume 1 for dwellings
– Volume 2 for buildings other than dwellings

This introduces changes to the building’s minimum energy performance target by introducing primary energy as a performance metric. This is in addition to the target fabric efficiency rate, target CO2 emissions and minimum standards for building fabric and system efficiencies. The new approved document also:-

  • Upgrades the specification for a ‘notional dwelling’ that forms the basis for minimum performance using the SAP. That includes an expectation for incorporating a solar PV array and wastewater heat recovery.
  • Improves the minimum insulation standards relating to extensions and alterations to buildings with new minimum fabric efficiency standards for both new and replacement thermal elements, windows and doors
  • Improves the minimum efficiencies of fixed building services
  • Future-proofs new dwellings to be ready for low-carbon heating systems, including a mandated 30% carbon reduction for all new homes and a 27% reduction for other buildings plus stringent CO2 emissions targets
  • A maximum permitted primary energy rate is a new metric for all buildings
  • Introduces a new Part L compliance (BREL) report including photographic evidence to demonstrate compliance with energy-efficiency requirements in Part L and as-built performance
  • Introduces alternative test methods and targets for airtightness
  • Max flow temperature of 55°C for wet space heating systems
  • On-site audit of building details and thermal elements is required during construction and at completion
  • Helps to educate building occupiers on how to operate low-carbon homes by introducing mandatory home user guides for new dwellings 

See LABC Part L approved documents and guidance 

Watch our webinar on the updated Building Regulations Parts L&F

New Approved Document O – Overheating

The higher standards of energy efficiency are accompanied by a new approved document aimed at designing out the need for energy hungry air conditioning systems in dwellings that would otherwise be prone to overheating. The main elements are:-

  • Provisions for limiting unwanted solar gain. Setting maximum glazed areas depending on the orientation of the façade and whether or not the building can be cross-ventilated.
  • Requiring means to remove excess heat from indoors setting minimum opening areas
  • 2 optional methods to demonstrate compliance. Either a fixed set of design rules or by using dynamic thermal modelling as covered in the CIBSE guidance document TM59​.
  • Under the latter method we can expect greater use of measures such as shutters, blinds, overhangs, awnings and reflective glass on South facing elevations.
  • The document underlines the importance of using passive measures for cooling and ventilation in preference to mechanical to the extent that it is practicable.
  • Consideration to external noise and pollution cross referencing to AD F​
  • Consideration of security of GF windows if they need to be open as part of the overheating mitigation strategy cross referencing Part Q standards​
  • Sets down separate (‘high risk location’) standards for Greater London that are more onerous.
  • As with ventilation, there are rules on making owners and occupiers aware of how to use the building effectively with mandatory home user guides.

Watch our latest CPD webinar on Part O

New Approved Document S – Infrastructure for the charging of Electric Vehicles

Approved Document S has been released in support of the new electric vehicle charging requirements S1-S6 and Regulations 44D-44J. See the associated circular and letter for more detail.

Approved document part S applies to

  • New Residential Buildings​
  • Dwellings from MCOU/Residential undergoing major renovation​
  • New build (not resi/mixed use).​
  • Buildings undergoing major renovation (not resi/mixed use).​
  • New mixed use/mixed use major renovation.​
  • Standard for EVCP​

IT considers associated parking spaces within the boundaries of the property and the provision of a car charger or the ducting to be provided to it depending on the “cost cap”.

Parking Part S Illustration

Links to training

Button for viewing webinars

Watch our recorded training on the updated building regulations FLOS, and the Future Homes Standard.
Here for changes to parts Part L and F, and here for Part O

Webinars which have been recorded before the new standards came into force on 15 June 2022 are intended to be used as a guide since there may have been new information introduced since the date of recording.

If you’d like an invite to our next CPD event then please subscribe to our communications.

Useful Links

View the Future Homes Consultation

New Approved Document F
New Approved Document L
New Approved Document O
New Approved Document S

 

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