a) BS 8214:2016, Timber based fire door assemblies – code of practice.
The revision of this important code of practice has been delayed due to the pressures generated by Brexit and the Grenfell tragedy. However, the project is being re-established within BSI with four key considerations.
a) The guidance currently covers only fire door assemblies based on timber components. The core of the guidance will be retained where it is relevant to fire door assemblies of all materials and there will be new annexes introduced that will contain the guidance relevant to the key materials of Timber, Metal (steel and aluminium) and composite.
b) The guidance relating to the sealing of fire doors assemblies to the supporting structure is to be amended and clarified.
c) The guidance relating to under-door (threshold) gaps, particularly relating to smoke control, will be revised.
d) Any part of the guidance that has been affected by Brexit or by changes to regulations due to revisions of Approved Document B, the Building Safety Bill, or any secondary legislation, will be updated.
If you would like to make any comment regarding BS 8214:2016 or propose any changes please forward these to me (kevin.underwood@bwf.org.uk)
b) BS EN 942:2007, timber in joinery – general requirements
CEN/TC 175 WG 32 will be reviewing EN 942. The core of this European Standard specifies the general grading requirements to be used to determine the characteristics and classify, by appearance, the quality of timber in joinery, i.e. “J” classes. The standard also provides recommendations for the moisture content of timber.
The BS version of this standard contains a National Annex (NA) that provides information relating to some species of timber and their suitability for use in joinery. The CEN revision will only stretch as far as the EN part of the standard and not the National Annex.
If you would like to make any comment regarding BS EN 942:2007 or propose any changes please forward these to me (kevin.underwood@bwf.org.uk)
As part of a suite of draft, secondary regulations which will be introduced following the Building Safety Bill, DLUHC have published the Construction Products Regulations 2022.
SI/SR Template (publishing.service.gov.uk)
These regulations cover two key provisions, the general safety requirements and a new category of safety-critical construction products.
The general safety requirement states that an economic operator (a manufacturer, an authorised representative, an importer, a distributor or a fulfilment service provider) must not make a construction product available on the market unless it is a safe product.
a “safe product” is a construction product which, under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use, –
(a) does not present any risk to the health or safety of persons; or
(b) if it does, the risk is as low as it can be compatibly with using the product.
There are then obligations placed on the economic operator such as carrying out a risk assessment and publishing technical documentation that describes the construction product, it’s composition and performance, and presents the risk assessment and other relevant information, such as safety information about installation and disposal of the product, and instructions for use.
Where the Secretary of State considers a Construction Product to be a Safety-critical product they will request that BSI draws up a safety-critical standard for that product. This new standard will set out the intended use of the product, which properties are considered to be safety-critical, the required performance in relation to each safety-critical property and the system of Assessment and Verification of constancy of performance (AVCP) required. The AVCP system will determine the scope of factory production control, the initial assessment of the product and on-going inspection of the manufacturing processes and testing of the product.
There will also be obligations on economic operators to provide supporting technical documentation, a declaration of performance (SC), to mark the safety critical product, and to provide instructions, safety information and any information required under REACH regulations (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals).
The BWF has taken part in webinars with DLUHC and BSI and has raised concerns regarding current form of the legislation and its effect on the industry. We will keep members informed as the draft legislation develops.
The Fenestration Relevant Authority was set up to work on the creation of fenestration related PDTs during the early stages of the CPA’s LEXiCON project. This project was to create a construction product data dictionary and approvals process for the creation of PDTs.
The PDT for doorsets can be accessed here: PDT for Doorsets
The LEXiCON consultation report can be found here: LEXiCON_Public_Consultation_Report
A PDT contains fields that are to be completed by the manufacturer of the construction product which cover characteristics that are determined by standards, regulations and industry recommendations. The PDT for doorsets looked at the British and European Standards, the building regulations, environmental considerations and certification. The type of doorset will be determined by its characteristics and so the PDT covers both internal and external doorsets, enhanced security, fire resistance, acoustic attenuation, opening widths etc. and is not limited by the doorsets use or location in the building.
The PDT can be the medium by which product information is exchanged as part of the Golden Thread of building information. The most recent advice from DLUHC concerning the golden thread is contained in the golden thread fact sheet: Golden thread: factsheet – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
This fact sheet states that the golden thread will have to be kept in a digital format to make the information more accessible and easily updated and it should contain the information needed to demonstrate compliance with specified building regulations. When a building is completed the information will be handed over to the Principal Accountable Person. The golden thread will contain the information and documents produced for registration and certification, safety case, mandatory occurrence reporting and resident engagement. The golden thread will equally apply to higher-risk buildings undergoing refurbishment.
The Building Regulations Advisory Committee (BRAC) has produced a Golden Thread report which can be accessed here: Building Regulations Advisory Committee: golden thread report – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The government Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has issued a call for evidence on policies to grow the market for low emissions industrial products.
Low emissions products are defined as, “products manufactured producing fewer, or even zero, emissions.” Although this definition forms part of the call for evidence.
As set out in the Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy, (Industrial decarbonisation strategy – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)) government can support low emissions manufacturers through policies that increase overall demand for their products (‘demand-side’ policies). These policies can help buyers contribute to net zero by providing ways to recognise low emissions products and to make green choices. By encouraging the market to grow, these policies can also drive decarbonisation and mitigate the risk of carbon leakage.
Potential policy options that the government is considering include;
Voluntary product standards/labelling: Accredits businesses manufacturing products with lower associated emissions than a level set by government.
Mandatory product standards/regulations: Sets an upper limit on the associated emissions for industrial products that can be placed on the market.
Mandatory product labelling: Mandates that the packaging/documentation for industrial products displays information about their climate impact, including associated emissions.
Public procurement: Favours low emissions products in contracts for public projects, using labelling and/or standards to inform decisions. Public procurement policy differs across Devolved Administrations.
Private procurement: Government supporting the private sector to buy low emissions products, for example through facilitating the formation of voluntary buyers’ alliances.
The BWF will be engaging in this call for evidence directly and through the Construction Products Association’s Sustainability Policy Group.
The full call for evidence can be found here: Towards a market for low emissions industrial products: call for evidence – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Members can access the call far evidence via the open consultations page on the BWF website.
The call for evidence closes on 28 February 2022.
The new Approved Documents (ADs) for ventilation and for the conservation of fuel and power were published on the 15th December 2021.
Approved Document L, Conservation of fuel and power, Volume 1: Dwellings
Approved Document L, Conservation of fuel and power, Volume 1: Dwellings (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Approved Document L, Conservation of fuel and power, Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings
Approved Document F: Volume 1 applies to dwellings
Approved Document F: Volume 1 applies to dwellings (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Approved Document F: Volume 2 applies to buildings other than dwellings
Approved Document F: Volume 2 applies to buildings other than dwellings (publishing.service.gov.uk)
The headlines for dwellings are;
AD L 2021 edition – for use in England, Conservation of fuel and power new dwellings
Notional dwelling U-values
Limiting U-values for new fabric elements
AD L 2021 edition – for use in England, Conservation of fuel and power existing dwellings
Limiting U-values for doors and windows
Notes:
1. If other performance (e.g. wind load, safety, security or acoustic attenuation) requires thicker glass to be used, an equivalent window unit with standard thickness (6mm) glazing should be shown to meet the required standard.
2. For timber windows, a maximum U-value of 1.6W/(m2·K) is permissible.
3. The methods for calculating Window Energy Rating and Doorset Energy Rating are set out in the Glass and Glazing Federation’s Glazing Manual Data Sheet 2.3, Guide to the Calculation of Energy Ratings for Windows, Roof Windows and Doors.
4. For external fire doorsets, as defined in Appendix A of Approved Document B, Volume 1, a maximum U-value of 1.8W/(m2·K) is permissible.
AD F volume 1, 2021 edition – for use in England, ventilation in new dwellings
Minimum equivalent area of background ventilators for natural ventilation
There are some caveats for specific arrangements of rooms, for example, open-plan accommodation and bathrooms without a window.
AD F volume 1, 2021 edition – for use in England, replacing windows
Replacing existing windows that are fitted with background ventilators
If the existing windows have background ventilators, the replacement windows should include background ventilators. The new background ventilators should comply with both of the following conditions.
a. Not be smaller than the background ventilators in the original window.
b. Be controllable either automatically or by the occupant.
If the size of the background ventilators in the existing window is not known, the ventilator sizes described below, where the existing windows are not fitted with background ventilators, may be applied.
Replacing existing windows that are not fitted background ventilators
Replacing the windows is likely to increase the airtightness of the dwelling. If ventilation is not provided via a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system, then increasing the airtightness of the building may reduce beneficial ventilation in the building. In these circumstances, it is necessary to ensure that the ventilation provision in the dwelling is no worse than it was before the work was carried out. This may be demonstrated in any of the following ways.
a. Incorporating background ventilators in the replacement windows equivalent to the following.
i. Habitable rooms – minimum 8000mm2 equivalent area.
ii. Kitchen – minimum 8000mm2 equivalent area.
iii. Bathroom (with or without a toilet) – minimum 4000mm2 equivalent area.
b. If the dwelling will have continuous mechanical extract ventilation, installing background ventilators in any replacement windows which are not in wet rooms, with a minimum equivalent area of 4000mm2 in each habitable room.
c. Other ventilation provisions, if it can be demonstrated to a building control body that they either,
i. meet the standards in the relevant approved document, or
ii. not be less satisfactory than before the work was carried out.
NOTE: If it is not technically feasible to adopt the minimum equivalent areas set out above, the background ventilators should have equivalent areas as close to the minimum value as is feasible.
