What are the main changes to Part L that came into effect in April 2006?
A. i) The 3 methods for demonstrating compliance in the 2002 Approved Documents replaced by a single calculation method (which sets maximum carbon dioxide emissions for whole buildings); ii) The CO2 emissions standards for new buildings have been raised by between 20% and 28% compared to 2002 standards, depending on the type and size of buildings; iii) Standards for work on the existing stock of buildings will be generally higher than in 2002: – when building work is carried out on buildings with a floor area greater than 1000 m2, “consequential improvements” must also be made to the whole building where practical and cost-effective. Consequential improvements are improvements to the fabric of the rest of the building to improve its energy efficiency; – where more than 25% of the surface area of a “controlled element” (such as a wall elevation) is renovated, the energy efficiency of the whole element should be improved; – as part of a material change of use, any retained element or fit
