WarmCore ‘comfortably’ meets new Part L regs

June will see the latest changes to building regulations come into force and updates to Document L means the countdown is on for installers to find windows and doors that are compliant with tighter thermal efficiency standards.

Approved Document L: Conservation of Fuel and Power requires windows and doors for refurbished properties to have a U-value rating of 1.4 W/m²K. For new build, the U-values are even lower. Windows and doors with a glazed area of more than 60% must have a U-value rating of 1.2 W/m²K, whilst opaque or semi-glazed doors require an overall U-value of 1.0 W/m²K.

For new builds where additional measures have been taken to lower the overall energy efficiency of the building, the limiting U-value for windows and doors is 1.6 W/m²K.

WarmCore already achieves the new criteria comfortably with U-values as low as 1.0 W/m²K.

Abcell, which is said to be the UK’s largest trade manufacturer of WarmCore, has been fabricating the system since June 2017, manufacturing Graf welded bi-folds, patio doors and windows.

“The changes to Doc L are going to create the need for many installers to think carefully about the products that they offer customers,” says Neville Gleed, operations director at Abcell. “But there’s no need to panic. It’s all in the name – WarmCore was designed to offer better energy efficiency than other aluminium glazing products. It already offers impressive thermal efficiency with U-values as low as 1.0 W/m²K on bi-folds and 0.8 W/m²K on windows.

“All our WarmCore products are manufactured with our two Graf Synergy SL4FF seamless corner welders, enabling us to guarantee consistency and high-quality, providing an incredibly strong end-product that is robust in installation, making it easier to fit.”