Updates to Building Regulations

A number of changes came into force on 15 June aimed at improving energy efficiency standards in buildings.

New changes to Building Regulations Parts F (ventilation), L (conservation of fuel and power) and new Parts O (overheating) and S (infrastructure for charging electric vehicles) came into force on 15 June this year aimed at providing an uplift in energy efficiency standards in buildings.

Within Part L this includes a requirement for an average 27% reduction in carbon compared to the current standards, to be achieved through the introduction of higher fabric standards, improving buildings services and introducing low carbon technologies.

Part F of the regulations brings in enhanced standards of ventilation, including CO2 monitoring in ‘high risk’ areas, the metric for which includes theatres, and guidance on recirculating systems including advice on filtering and air cleaning systems such as UV-C germicidal irradiation.  

The new regulations are just an interim measure, a step-change to further improvement - the Future Buildings Standard – which will be introduced in 2025. These later regulations will bring about further improvements and enhancements for delivering highly energy efficient new buildings. Ultimately the aim is for buildings to be zero-carbon ready as the electricity grid starts to decarbonise, in line with meeting the government’s ambition for net zero-carbon by 2050.

Exemptions still apply for listing buildings and buildings in conservation areas. There is also an exemption around energy efficiency of historical and traditional buildings. Further details about these exemptions are contained within each individual Building Regulations document.

Our Architecture Adviser Claire Appleby is happy to discuss these changes with any theatre owners or operators.

Image credit: Photo by Ivan Samkov via Pexels.