Changes confirmed to Part L

Statement from Nick Cooper, technical director, AluK

On 15 December, the government confirmed interim changes to Part L of the Building Regs for England, ready for the implementation of the Future Homes and Buildings Standard in 2025. The statement is now live on the government website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-homes-to-produce-nearly-a-third-less-carbon

As AluK had been communicating during the course of 2021, the new Part L means a reduction in notional U-Values for windows and doors with more than 60% glazing in new dwellings to 1.2, with limiting U-Values of 1.4 for all new windows (WER Band B minimum) and >60% glazed doors (DER Band C minimum) installed in existing dwellings

The aim is to deliver a 30% reduction in carbon emissions from new homes and a 27% reduction from other types of building.

There are also changes to Approved Document F which apply to trickle vents, and an entirely new Approved Document O which applies to glazing and overheating.

The new Regs come into force on 15 June 2022, but there’s a six-month transition period for planning applications submitted before that date, providing the build work actually starts before 15 June 2023.

AluK’s dedicated Future Homes Standard web pages at https://www.alukgb.com/learning/fhs will be kept updated with all the detail on the changes and information that customers need.