Regulations roundtable

Aluk’s Part L roundtable, held at its London Design Studio on October 5, was the latest in a series of initiatives by the aluminium systems company to increase awareness of the changes to the Building Regulations.

Recorded as a podcast – which is available to download via the Aluk learning platform (www.alukgb.com/learning/fhs) or the usual podcast outlets – it covered everything from whether the changes coming to Part L have been communicated well enough, to the design and manufacturing implications, and the likely costs.

The roundtable panel comprised: Sioned Roberts and Dale Pegler from Aluk, Gareth Allen from Saint Gobain, Craig Bryant from Maco, Ryan Johnson from Emplas, Kevin Jones from the GGF, John Miles from Assent Building Control and Mark Taylor from architects Allies and Morrison. Each contributed a different perspective on the likely implications of the proposed two stage reduction in U-values between 2022 and 2025, and there was plenty of discussion and debate on who would be required to pay for that.

In terms of themes to emerge, there was general agreement that not enough had yet been done to communicate the likely changes to Part L to either the specification or manufacturing sector. Ryan Johnson felt that fabricators grappling with demand and supply chain issues have simply been too busy to pay attention to what is coming down the line and welcomed Aluk’s proactive approach.

There was also a consensus that there needs to be better collaboration right across the industry on developing holistic solutions to the challenges posed by what are quite significant reductions in U-values – moving from 1.4W/m2K to 1.2W/m2K for windows in newbuild homes next year, and then potentially to 0.8W/m2K by 2025.

Dale Pegler reported that Aluk is already undertaking elemental design changes ready for 2022, but pointed out that the 0.8W/m2K target would require much broader collaboration between systems houses, and glass and hardware suppliers.

On the question of whether it meant a wholesale shift towards triple glazing in the future, most on the panel agreed that, at this point, it seems inevitable. Gareth Allen said Saint Gobain was gearing up for that kind of change, and Craig Bryant from Maco said the hardware sector is already assessing how hardware designs would have to adapt to allow for that.

What came over loud and clear during the discussion is that all the design and development investments being made across the industry will have to be paid for at some point, with Sioned and Craig putting forward a similar view that suppliers shouldn’t be afraid to recoup their investments if they deliver real benefits to the customer, and ultimately to the sustainability agenda.

Panellists agreed that fabricators and installers will need meaningful support to communicate to homeowners why windows and doors may look a little different in the future and to be able pass on increased costs, and there was a real willingness from suppliers and from the GGF to make that happen.

Towards the end of the debate, some interesting points were made by Kevin Jones from the GGF about the potential conflict between the proposed changes to Part L on performance, Part F on ventilation, Part Q on security and what is expected from Part S on overheating.

John Miles and Mark Taylor agreed that Part L on airtightness and Part F on controlled ventilation are particularly difficult to reconcile in U-value calculations for existing housing stock and in refurbishments, with Mark arguing that there are unrealistic expectations in the UK as to what can be achieved in terms of carbon reduction in older buildings. He made the point that the Building Regulations need to be seen in the context of the government’s overall zero carbon strategy, which encompasses a move towards heat pumps and decarbonisation of the grid.

With Aluk determined that the window and door industry should have a bigger share of voice when it comes to how the Building Regulations are updated and policed in the context of government policy, it is already planning to host a follow up roundtable, and has announced that this will be the first in a series of podcasts tackling the big industry issues.

www.alukgb.com/learning/fhs