NEWS | DIGEST Industry defines net-zero operational carbon IN BRIEF Shading must resist spread of fire Shading, blinds and awnings will need to resist the spread of fire on tall buildings, despite the High Court finding the consultation process for a 2018 amendment to Building Regulations to be inadequate. In November 2018, the government amended the Building Regulations 2010 and banned combustible materials from being used in or on the external walls of accommodation buildings more than 18m high. After a challenge to the bans consultation process, the High Court ruled that the consultation was inadequate in relation to products intended to reduce heat gain within a building, such as blinds. It quashed the part of the amendment applying to devices deflecting sunlight. After the ruling, however, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government reiterated Building Regulations requirement B4, that the external walls of the building shall adequately resist the spread of fire over the walls and from one building to another. Collaboration through LETI results in 10 targets for buildings Leading industry bodies have co-published the key targets for an operational net-zero building, via an initiative organised by the London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI). The document states that fossil fuels cannot be used for heating and hot water if government zero carbon targets are to be met. It says the average annual carbon content of the heat supplied (gCO2/kWh) should be reported. The targets were developed in collaboration with the Better Buildings Partnership, CIBSE, RIBA, Good Homes Alliance and UKGBC. The joint paper says total energy use intensity should be no more than 35kWh.m-2 per year gross internal area for homes and 55kWh.m-2 per year for offices, while fabric should be highly insulated to ensure space heating demand is less than 15kWh.m-2 per year for all POLLUTING CARS TO BE BANNED FROM TOXIC LONDON STREET Future Homes consultation extended The government has extended the deadline for responses to the consultation document on the proposed Future Homes Standard from 10 January to 7 February. Future Homes Standard: The changes to Part L and Part F of the Building Regulations for new dwellings calls for the removal of gas-fired heating in all new homes from 2025. It proposes a reduction in carbon emissions of 20-31% and says planning authorities carbonreduction targets should not go beyond Building Regulations. building types. It calls for annual energy use and renewable energy generation on site to be reported and independently verified in use, every year for the first five years. Any energy use not met by onsite renewables should be met by investment into additional renewable energy capacity off site or a 15-year power purchase agreement. Find the requirements at bit.ly/CJJan20Leti Tunnel vision: ban applies to Beech Street Climate action needed in Scotland, says CCC The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has urged Scotland to match the ambition of its net zero by 2045 target with decisive action to strengthen climate change policy in all parts of the economy. The CCC 2019 Progress Report to the Scottish Parliament showed greenhouse gas emissions down 3% in 2017, compared with a 10% fall in 2016 led by the power sector. However, other sectors showed only incremental improvement at best, putting 2020 emission goals at risk. Petrol and diesel vehicles are to be banned from a busy London street that runs under the Barbican Estate. The City of London Corporations measure to cut pollution on Beech Street will be the first 24-hour, zero-emissions road, although emergency, refuse collection and delivery vehicles will be exempt from the traffic order. The air quality and traffic will be monitored for 18 months before the order is reviewed. BPN: Regulate operational energy The Building Performance Network (BPN) has called on the government to regulate the operational performance of buildings. The network, managed by CIBSE, said that legislation should cover energy consumption and carbon emissions as a minimum and, in the near future, should be expanded to cover other aspects of performance, such as indoor air quality and thermal comfort. It said that the public sector should adopt operational building performance minimum requirements and government should require building performance disclosure, and support the appropriate methodology for assessing and reporting performance. The BPN suggested that, as the Building Act is expected to be modified as part of the implementation of the Hackitt review, it could extend the scope of Building Regulations to cover the operational stage. Operational energy performance could also be part of the proposed New Homes Ombudsman and Code of Practice for developers, according to BPN. The joint statement has been signed by the Good Homes Alliance, LETI, RIBA, and the UKGBC (bit.ly/CJJan20BPN). The network is supported by the Sustainable Development Foundation. 8 January 2020 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE Jan20 pp08 News.indd 8 20/12/2019 17:00