Changes to Part L of the Building Regulations which come into effect from June 2022 , will see the provision for stricter standards and compliance procedures around energy and ventilation performance , contributing towards a roadmap to a net zero carbon future and new homes designed and built in-line with stricter carbon emissions targets . Specifically , to ensure continuity of the air barrier , window and door units will have to connect to the primary air barrier and the frames will need to be taped to surrounding structural openings using air sealing tape .

This comes against the backdrop where evidence points to doors and windows as the main source of the nation ’ s chronic energy inefficient homes . Indeed , it could be said that in the light of product innovation over the years , its perhaps ‘ criminal ’ that the hundreds of thousands of new or retrofit installations completed each year go unchecked or unregulated , producing a legacy of problems for years to come and costing millions of pounds to rectify . This is a pity because with advancements in cost effective , easy-to-use technologies , there is never a justifiable reason for delaying or avoiding the specification of better energy efficient window and door sealing solutions .

Air tightness improvements

In this respect , the changes to Part L will have to be seen as a step in the right direction for the new build fenestration

there is never a justifiable reason for delaying or avoiding the specification of better energy efficient window and door sealing _solutions

sector . It will see requirements for improvements in air tightness , forcing them from 10 air changes per hour down to eight air changes per hour and also U value on windows shifting from 1.6 to 1.2wm ² k / H , which will require more energy efficient sealant solutions such as thermal foam tapes . The requirement also now states that the frame should be linked back to the wall with an air-tight tape .

Heat will always find the fastest exit as it comes up against the ‘ A ’ or ‘ A +’ rated window , and invariably this emanates from the 10mm or so expansion gap left around the window following fitment . This is normally left empty , but some amount of spray foam can be injected to fill the void before a silicone trim is applied for a smart looking finish . Unfortunately , as expedient as this might seem , none of these solutions create a measurable , long term , high performance thermal ,

acoustic or airtight barrier - the U-Value of the installed window is simply reduced , which leads to heat escape and , ultimately , financial loss .

That ’ s why the house building industry and wider construction sector deserves better insulating solutions to improve energy efficiencies , especially if as predicted , the UK market stays buoyant over the next 12 months as the economy continues to recover from the pandemic and building and construction activity remains busy , particular in the face of a chronic national housing shortage and the need to build more affordable housing .

In modular construction , which is gaining increasing traction and will see continued integration with the more traditional methods of building in 2022 , enabling developers to bring forward housing projects more expediently , designers and specifiers are looking at new ways to deliver

low carbon structures , which use sustainable technologies to deliver measurable airtight , acoustic and thermal sealing benefits . And this is where self-adhesive foam sealing tapes can add real value , enabling developers to bring forward housing projects more expediently .

They can use ‘ smart ’ foams impregnated with different substances to create a measurable U-Value as low as 0.6w / m ² k , offer superb thermal insulation and can contribute to acoustic sound reduction by 63dB . As these installation tapes are completely weather tight against driving rain up to hurricane force wind speeds , installers can quickly apply them around the frame during initial fitting . This provides the assurance that they have completed a comprehensive ‘ A ’ rated installation rather than just supplying an ‘ A ’ rated window . This is a benefit that can be sold on to deliver enhanced energy efficiency advantages for customers and property owners .

Technical innovation

Building regulation changes will have an unequivocal impact as energy ratings for buildings

and property become stricter , and these include energy and ventilation standards for residential and non-domestic buildings that are far better for the environment and fit for the future - higher air and thermal standards for house construction has to be a priority .

Technical innovation through sealing technologies is one way that those responsible for fenestration specification can do more to support greater energy efficiency and mee the requirements of Part L . Indeed , as sustainability continues to be of paramount concern in the development of low carbon and eco-friendly building projects , we will see technologies such as energy foam tapes , which can add real value during the initial and post construction phases , only grow in importance as the most effective solutions for sealing window and door frame expansion joints and gaps in houses . Today , there are effective products out there to ensure that airtightness and thermal efficiency within buildings should never be overlooked or ignored - it ’ s simply a matter of designing in these products .

www . iso-chemie . eu