When it comes to the health homeowners, employees or any building occupants, the quality of your building and proper ventilation is key.
When it comes to the health homeowners, employees or any building occupants, the quality of your building and proper ventilation is key. Poor ventilation results in bad air quality that can lead to dampness, rot and mould, as well as contributing to health conditions such as asthma and eczema.
To ensure all buildings are sufficiently ventilated, the UK Government are introducing an update to the Part F Building Regulations for dwellings and buildings other than dwellings due to take effect from 15th June 2022. We are here to give you everything you need to know about the upcoming regulations and what they mean for you.
What are the new regulations?
Positioned as the next step towards the upcoming Future Buildings Standard due in 2025, the Part F regulation changes are part of broader building regulations changes, including changes to Part L (conservation of fuel and power) and the introduction of the new Part O (tackling overheating).
The new guidance of the updated Part F regulations includes standards on minimising external pollutants and correct installation of ventilation systems. It brings some new requirements, including the installation of CO2 monitors in offices and rooms of high risk of airborne infection, as well as several recommendations to keep buildings well ventilated.
Some of the most important recommendations include:
- Replacement windows should be fitted with background trickle ventilators (unless there is evidence that replacement windows would not reduce useful ventilation or that a mechanical ventilation system is present).
- Minimum equivalent area ventilation for habitable and non-habitable rooms whether replacement or new build
- Minimum air supply rate of 0.51/s.m2 for mechanically ventilated common spaces in offices.
- Recirculating systems should be able to operate in a mode that prevents the recirculation of air within spaces or between different spaces (unless suitable filtering or cleaning systems are in place).
What does this mean for you?
If you are installing new or replacement windows, doors and ventilation systems, the onus falls on you to ensure they meet these new standards from June 15th 2022. This applies to new builds and extensions, as well as when you are replacing more than 30% of glazing (when replacing less than 30%, replacement windows must provide at least the equivalent EQA as the old window and if no ventilation was previously in place, the new EQA standard for new builds must be adhered to).
It is necessary for installers to be fully aware of Part F to ensure they are correctly installing and fitting compliant products and have the expertise to offer valuable and relevant advice to users.
As these changes are a precursor to the Future Buildings Standard scheduled for 2025, getting ahead will be crucial for many fabricators and installers. Ensuring their production processes are able to cope with fitting new products that meet the new requirements whilst maintaining U values will be paramount.
How can we help?
With additional ventilation being required in most living spaces to help circulate air, you have a range of options for new builds and replacements such as mechanical ventilation, extractor fans and trickle vents. Trickle vents are far and away the most cost-effective and practical solution to meet these new regulations.
At Carl F Groupco, we stock a wide range of ventilation systems from some of the top brands including Glazpart, Greenwood, RW Simon, and Yale. If you would like to learn more about our range of ventilation systems, please contact us today or check out our latest guidance!