Frequently Asked Questions
What is Part L?
Part L of the Building Regulations is a requirement concerning the energy efficiency of all new and existing buildings, including their fixed building services. This requirement has been revised and the amended Part L came into force on 6 April 2006 introducing tough new standards.
What are the changes to Part L?
The changes that came into force on 6 April 2006, include the following:
- The new Part L Requirement now refers to ‘providing and commissioning energy efficient fixed building services with effective controls’;
- The new Part L refers to providing the owner with sufficient information about the ‘fixed building services’ and their controls;
- There are four new Approved Documents (ADs) providing technical guidance on compliance (for the purposes of the Electrical Energy Efficiency Scheme, only AD L2A and AD L2B are relevant);
- The guidance in the ADs is supported by what are know as ‘second tier reference documents’ – these will be subject to updating during the lifetime of the Approved Documents.
What are the legal responsibilities under Part L?
Statutory Instrument 652 came into force on the 6th April 2006. There are transitional arrangements which allow the use of the old 2002 requirements for one year, but any work starting after 1st April 2007 must comply with this law.
What do the Approved Documents (L1A, L1B, L2A and L2B) mean for contractors?
The four Approved Documents – L1A, L1B, L2A and L2B – came into force on the
6th April 2006 in support of the Statutory Instrument 652.
Strictly speaking, these Approved Documents are not laws, but they provide the only guidance on how to comply with the requirements of Statutory Instrument 652.
With no other defined way of demonstrating compliance, effectively this makes the Approved Documents and their extension documents – the 2nd tier documents – MANDATORY.
How can a contractor operate legally?
The Statutory Instrument (the Law) requires notification of work to be made to the relevant Local Authority Building Control department.
To ensure this is easy for our scheme members, this facility is built into both the Part P Scheme, which deals with the Part L requirements for dwellings, and the Electrical Energy Efficiency Scheme for Part L requirements for buildings other than dwellings.
There are now only two legal ways for a contractor to operate:
- Contact the Local Authority Building Control department each time work is carried out and let them confirm compliance with the Building Regulations, or
- Join a Competent Persons Scheme and self-certify that your work complies.
I only do installations to the design of others - isn't Part L only about design?
No! The Approved Documents put requirements on design, installation, commissioning and the provision of information as the job is completed.
Is there more to Part L than the CO2 calculation?
Yes! For a new commercial build, described in L2A, for example, there are five criteria to be met: criterion 2 requires that a building services design must be within design limits which are laid down in the Approved Document and the 2nd tier documents.
So, for example, it may be possible to pass the CO2 calculation with tungsten lights in a new office block, but this does not comply with Part L because the Approved Document requirement for 45 lumens/circuit watt effectively excludes tungsten lighting.
Work in existing buildings does not require a CO2 calculation, but the work must comply with the written requirements, as set out in L2B and its 2nd tier documents.
What is included in 'fixed building services'?
- fixed internal or external lighting systems, but does not include emergency escape lighting or specialist process lighting; or
- fixed systems for heating, hot water service, air conditioning or mechanical ventilation.”
Does Part L apply to dwellings as well as other buildings?
Yes. The Part L Requirement applies to all buildings but the guidance on how to comply is different for dwellings and for this you should refer to Approved Documents L1A and L1B.
Does the Electrical Energy Efficiency Scheme apply to work in dwellings?
No. A number of competent person schemes that apply to electrical work in dwellings already exist - the Part P Competent Person Schemes, for example the one operated by BREC (www.partp.co.uk). It has been decided to adapt these schemes so that in future they will encompass the amended Part L requirements as they apply to electrical work in dwellings.
Do I have to join a Part L Competent Person Scheme if I want to carry out electrical work in buildings other than dwellings?
No. Membership of any competent person scheme is voluntary. However, membership does confer the status and advantage of being able to self-certify compliance with the Building Regulations and thus avoid the time, trouble and costs associated with the inspection of work by a building control body.
If I am not registered with a Part L Scheme, can a firm that is certify that my work complies with the Building Regulations on my behalf?
No. Registration with a competent person scheme only permits your firm to self-certify the compliance of the work it carries out.
Does the work of a Competent Person need to be reported to anyone?
Yes. A local authority is required to maintain records on all work in its area that is subject to the Building Regulations. Thus, a competent person must report certain descriptive details to its scheme operator - in this case the Electrical Energy Efficiency Scheme - on each job it carries out. We have established a simple and speedy way of doing this online that will be explained to you once you are successfully registered with the scheme.
What are the benefits of registering with the ECA'S Electrical Energy Efficiency Scheme?
- Approved Competent Persons are able to self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations, enabling reduced administrative burdens, delays and costs;
- Approved Competent Persons have been independently assessed as able to carry out work in compliance with the Building Regulations and their work is monitored to ensure that it does in fact comply;
- Registration with the Electrical Energy Efficiency Scheme will enable you to promote your firm’s expertise in respect of an increasingly important performance requirement for fixed building services.
If I replace a row of light fittings in an office block, does the new Part L impinge on this?
The answer is given in Paragraph 56 of L2B 'Conservation of fuel and power in existing buildings other than dwellings', where it says,
When the area covered by the new lighting system is less than 100m2, the work should still comply with the standards, but need not be notified to Building Control bodies ( see Schedule 2B).
How do the requirements apply where there is an overlap between residential and commercial buildings e.g. university halls of residence?
Paragraph 82 of L1A defines rooms in a Hall of Residence as 'Rooms for residential purposes'.
and
Paragraph 80 of L1A makes the clear statement, 'Rooms for residential purposes are not dwellings so approved Document L2A is applicable to their construction'
Queries & Complaints
Should you wish to make a comment or suggestion regarding the operation of the Part L scheme or the service that you have received please contact ECA Inspection and Assessment Services using the contact details below.
ECA, Mansfield Business Centre, Ashfield Avenue, Mansfield NG18 2AE
Phone: 01623 404515
Fax: 01623 404501
Email: partl@eca.co.uk