Do you know what Part L is?
If you are in the construction industry especially involved in new builds, a surveyor, designer or an architect, you will be aware of the changes which came into place in June 2022 and to avoid the need to conform to Part L regulations you will have had to have started your building works before 15th June 2022 or have building control application submitted before this date.
Part L provides a significant uplift to building regulations bringing into force the new energy efficiency requirements to reduce carbon emissions from the home by 31% and this is the prerequisite to the Future Homes Standard. These regulations are due to be reviewed again in 2025 with more stringent regulations coming. 25% of carbon emissions in the UK can be attributed to the built environment and these have to be reduced to net zero by 2050.
Although Elivate Limited isn’t currently involved in new build projects, we are very focused on how renewables can impact our client’s energy bills and as part of the in-depth initial meeting we have with our clients we ask about all forms of renewable energy options to explore if the customer wants to benefit from making certain additional changes to their property as they go through the process of refurbishment, whether that’s a loft conversion and the possibility of a solar PV or solar thermal, or they are open to the idea of insulation on their exterior walls.
Elivate Ltd, has expertise in Wall Insulation having previously set up a business specifically to work with Government Grants available for Wall Insulation, sadly this was ahead of the curve and the grants were taking well over a year to be paid to contractors, and so the business was shelved, but the experience and the understanding of how insulating your walls can save energy was not lost and has been used on many home renovation projects since. (A recent project’s photos are included in this blog.)
FACT The National Association of Insulators – Why do we need to insulate UK homes? In 2020 67.7 megatons of carbon emissions were from the UK residential sector.
If you are renovating your home, having the walls insulated are a good way to improve the energy efficiency of your home.
But our recommendation is to start with the easy wins
Number 1: Draft proof your home first! Before you tackle any energy efficiency project, you could save up to 40% of heat lost through your windows and doors.
Then once you have done that, concentrate on insulating your loft and cavity walls or if you have a solid brick wall, you can apply insulation externally or internally (depending on your preference and how nice your brickwork is) there are a few unintentional consequences with both internal and external insulation, so make sure you understand any and all issues before you start.
If you are considering a home renovation, extension or loft conversion and want to discuss renewables as part of the project, get in touch for a free consultation. We will provide a personalised service, even if you are just exploring your options. Get in touch and our director Mark Fowles will visit your home, create a 3D virtual sketch of your building project and cost you up a budget so you can decide if you have the finances needed.