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Understanding the Building Regulations

Part B, E & L

Part B, E & L of Building Regulations aim to help make buildings quieter, safer and more efficient.

Part L (Thermal)

Building Regulations containing the legal requirements governing heat loss, the conservation of fuel and power and reducing carbon emissions - think of it as your project's 'carbon footprint'. Under Part L, the whole of the building process must be considered - not just individual elements.

 

How to achieve compliance?

 

Limits have been set for individual elements as shown. However, as the U values of the external envelope are only one element of the considered part in the SAP circulation, most of the elements will need to perform considerably better than the limits given.

Part E (Acoustic)

Building Regulations containing the legal requirements governing the quality of acoustics in buildings. Part E puts the onus on the builder to demonstrate that the stated acoustic ratings have been achieved. So, if you are looking to build houses, apartments, hotels or residential rooms, then your separating walls, partitions, floors and ceilings must comply with Building Regulations.

 

 

 

Sound Measurement Glossary

Rw

Laboratory measurement of airborne sound insulation (higher figure = better performance)

Rw + Ctr

Laboratory measurement of airborne sound insulation taking into account a correction factor (Ctr) for low frequency sound.

DnT,w + Ctr

Site measurements of airborne sound with low frequency correction applied (higher figure = better performance)

L n,w

Laboratory measurement of the impact sound level (lower figure = better performance)

L nT,w

 

Site measurement of the impact sound level

 

 

 

 

The performance standards for a refurbishment project are set out
in the table below:

 

 

Airborne Sound Insulation

Impact Sound

 

RwdB

DnTw + Ctr

LnTw

Internal Walls

40 minimum

N/A

N/A

Separating Walls

N/A

43 minimum

N/A

Internal Floors

40 minimum

N/A

N/A

Separating Floors

N/A

43 minimum

64 maximum

Part B (Fire)

Building Regulations containing the legal requirements governing the standard of fire resistance across all buildings and has the safety of the occupants and building structure in mind. Under Part B the builder is required to consider the system's fire resistance standards - in terms of heat release rate and internal fire spread of the lining materials and of the structure as a whole.

 

Minimum periods of fire resistance in minutes Height (m) of top floor above ground

 

Internal Walls

30

Separating Walls

60

Internal Floors

30

Wall or Floor separating an internal garage

30

Separating Floor

60

 

 

Compartmentation to apartments

Minimum periods of fire resistance in minutes

Apartment Block

Not more than 5

Not more than 18

Not more than 30

More than 30

Not sprinklered   

30*

60**

90**

Not permitted

Sprinklered 

30*

60**

 90**

120**

*Increase to a minimum of 60 minutes for separating walls between buildings

** Decrease to 30 mins for internal walls and floors unless they contribute to the support of the building

This information is for guidance only.

Last update on 04/08/2011

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