Part L cliff-edge?
The government is expected to publish revisions to Part L in October, something that could represent a cliff edge for the aluminium window and door manufacturers, according to Nigel Headford, director at Deceuninck Aluminium.
The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is expected to publish proposals to deliver a radical shake up of home energy efficiency in the autumn. This includes significant changes to Part L and Part F of the Building Regulations, creating a new Future Homes Standard.
This includes proposals to introduce new and significantly higher standards for energy efficiency in newbuild windows and doors.
This means that all window, door and glass companies will have to step up their game making windows and doors more thermally efficient, while also reducing solar gain. Under its review of Part F, the government is also placing new focus on natural ventilation, to prevent homes from overheating as UK summers become warmer.
While the proposals for Part L are going to have an impact on the entire window and door supply chain, the ramifications in practical terms for anyone manufacturing or supplying aluminium products are immense, because there are so many systems out there that only just scrape in under the existing regulations, let alone the ones that are being proposed from spring 2022.
Consultation on the Future Homes Standard closed in January this year, and the MHCLG is expected to release its revision of Part L in October, which should come into effect in April 2022.
Driven by the UK’s pledge to cut carbon emissions, including improving the energy efficiency of existing and new homes, proposals set out in the consultation document suggest a significant step change will be required across a wide range of building products, including windows and doors.
We won’t know for certain where the government is going on this until the revision of Part L is published in October, but the consultation document sets the direction of travel. This proposes a very significant change in performance which could lock some aluminium systems out of the market from April next year.
The MHCLG issued its consultation of the Future Homes Standard in October 2019. This included proposals to deliver a step change in window and door performance setting a new maximum U-value for windows of 1.4W/m2K or WER B from the existing C rating and 1.6W/m2K maximum U-value.
The proposal for doors implies an even bigger change is on the horizon with an uplift from a DER of 1.8W/m2K to 1.4W/m2K, or DER band E to band B; or doors where the glazed area is greater than 60%, 1.8W/m2K to 1.4W/m2K or a DER band C rating.
There are a lot of older aluminium systems that aren’t going to deliver a 1.4W/m2K U-value, or thet will require a very high specification of IGU to do so, making them uncompetitive.
As a fabricator you need to be talking to your systems company now and asking them what they are doing, and if they are going to be ready for April next year because the clock is ticking.
Launched at the beginning of 2020, Decalu by Deceuninck Aluminium, is an ultra-energy efficient window and door offer. The system is comprehensive, encompassing: the Decalu88 bifolding French and entrance doors; the Decalu163 lift and slide; the Decalu88 range of contemporary casements, reversible, tilt and turn, and heritage options; plus, the Decalu101 Scand, which offers U-values as low as 0.89W/m2k.
Each product uses a single inner frame and mid-section, integrated insulation and pre-inserted, flush-to-the-bead, co-extruded gaskets, which deliver exceptional energy efficiency and weather performance, as well as manufacturing efficiencies and time savings of 30%-40% over other premium aluminium systems.
Given what’s happening to the Building Regulations it’s what we can deliver on doors that is going to deliver a major win for fabricators and fitters.
The Decalu88 Bi-fold and Decalu163 Lift-and-Slide were designed to offer the highest levels of thermal efficiency, including U-values as low as 0.68W/m2 on the Decalu88 Bifold and 0.8W/m2K on the Decalu163 Lift-and-Slide.
From April next year we’re going to meet, and significantly exceed, Building Regulations. And that isn’t going to be true of all aluminium systems.
As a fabricator you need to be having a conversation with your supplier and understanding where your products are going to sit come April 2022, and if you’re still going to be able to supply them.
