DOORS , WINDOWS & FITTINGS
FUTURE BUILDING STANDARDS
THE FUTURE BUILDINGS STANDARD WHICH IS LOOMING OVER THE HORIZON IN 2025 IS LIKELY TO MEAN A BIG INCREASE IN THE USE OF TRIPLE GLAZING IN ORDER TO MEET THE LOWER U-VALUES THAT WILL BE REQUIRED . HOWEVER , SPECIFIERS ARE STARTING TO CONSIDER VACUUM GLASS AS AN ALTERNATIVE BUT WHICH IS BETTER ?
By Tom Wright , MD George Barnsdale
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE BUILDINGS STANDARD SAY ABOUT U VALUES ?
The Government has outlined its plans to deliver a “ zero carbon ready ” building strategy through its Future Buildings Standard . It aims to ensure that no new buildings from 2025 will require further retrofitting , with an uplift in energy efficiency standards , improved ventilation and requirements to mitigate overheating in residential buildings . A start was made on this last year with the changes to building regs and parts F , L and O
Following public consultation , a Notional Building Specification has been developed which states that window U-values will need to be 0.8 ( W / m2 . K ) down from 1.2 ( W / m2 . K ) currently . Doors will need to be 1.0 ( W / m2 . K ) from 1.2 ( W / m2 . K ) ( where more than 60 % glazed )
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