In April 2006 the Government of England and Wales implemented changes to Building Regulations Approved Document L (Conservation of fuel and power). These revisions have a significant affect on homeowners and domestic roofing contractors, and could affect the future sales value of homes
The regulations were changed to implement the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), which aims to reduce energy use in domestic buildings by 20% compared to the 2002 regulations.
What does this mean for homeowners?
The benefit of these changes will be a reduction in the energy used to heat or cool your home, which in turn will reduce the carbon footprint of your home. However to achieve this you may need to invest in the installation of a thermal insulation beneath the waterproofing membrane
Can I avoid the extra expense?
There are some exemptions, unheated parts of the building including garages and porches, some listed buildings, or where the payback period (cost of insulation versus savings made) exceeds 15 years to achieve (view all exceptions). It is down to your Local Authority Building Control (LABC) to make a judgement on what is required
Your local Sarnafil Roof Assured Registered Installer will include the cost of gaining approval from Local Authority Building Control (LABC), and we strongly advise that you ensure any other roofing contractors consulted do likewise. An unscrupulous roofing contractor may tell you that you do not need to bother, this is untrue and could carry serious and expensive consequences.
What happens if you do not comply with the new regulations?
Roofing contractors will be liable to fines from Local Authority Building Control (LABC) not the homeowner, but as a homeowner you will have other potentially expensive problems.
The introduction of Home Information Packs* will catch out unsuspecting homeowners wishing to market their properties, as these documents require all necessary documentation and certification concerning refurbishments.
Building Regulations Approved Document Part L Exceptions
Building Regulations approved Document L (ADL) Part L1B – Existing Dwellings (Residential refurbishment/Extensions) now requires minimum U-values to be achieved. The regulations state that when refurbishing a flat roof, a check on the insulation within that roof must be made to ensure that it meets the requirements of Approved Document L 2006.
These requirements are that:
A roof that already has insulation installed must achieve a U-value of 0.35
A roof with no insulation must have insulation installed to achieve a U-value of 0.25
A new build property/extension must have insulation to achieve a U-value of 0.20
A roof repair that accounts for more than 25% of the individual roof area must comply with the new requirements
There are some exemptions, unheated parts of the home including garages and porches, some listed buildings, or where the payback period (cost of insulation versus savings made) exceeds 15 years to achieve. Any exemptions should be confirmed (we would strongly recommend that this is received in writing) by the Local Authority Building Control. Please contact your Local Authority Building Control office for further details and verification of the above information.
*Required on properties with three or more bedrooms
