Part L BRUKL & SBEM Compliance

Part L Compliance, BRUKL, SBEM Calculations, Energy and Sustainability Statements
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Part L BRUKL and SBEM Compliance

Part L BRUKL and SBEM Compliance

A Building Regulations UK Part L (BRUKL) compliance report and certificate is required for all new commercial and non-domestic dwellings, or refurbishment projects over 50m2, to prove they have been designed and comply with UK building regulations.

BRUKL assessments are first carried out during the design phase of a build project. A report is then produced detailing how the design meets the requirements.

Once the build is complete, it will need to be reassessed to evaluate whether the design still complies, and consider changes that may have been made during the construction process, it will then be signed-off with a BRUKL certificate.

Simplified Building Energy Model calculations, also known as SBEM, are made as part of the BRUKL evaluation process. SBEM is the method for calculating the energy performance of non-domestic buildings, estimating the annual carbon emissions that will be produced annually from the building.

Some planning applications and build projects also require an Energy Statement or Sustainability Statement, and sometimes both. Our team of consultants can help your projects to achieve compliance with BRUKL, undertaking the SBEM calculations, and with any supporting requirements including Energy Statements and Sustainability Statements.

How SEA Consulting Can Help with Part L Compliance

Our experienced consultants can help you achieve compliance with BRUKL, and assess and produce your SBEM calculations, Energy Statement and Sustainability Statement. As part of our services, we will:

  • Meet with you to understand your project and how we can provide support
  • Carry out Building Modelling to assess if the plans pass the design stage BRUKL by completing SBEM calculations
  • Provide advice on how to ensure successful BRUKL compliance
  • Deliver the As Designed BRUKL report ready for planning submission
  • Reassess your build project to ensure it complies with Part L regulations, and provide an As Built BRUKL certificate
  • Following successful completion of the BRUKL and SBEM calculations, provide your building with an on-construction EPC
  • Where requested or required, we will assess your build project, and provide recommendations in support of your Energy or Sustainability statement, and produce the final report

Our in house MEP Building Service Engineers can also design the HVAC system for the building and ensure they meet the Part L BRUKL requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions About Part L Compliance

Who Needs to Comply with Part L?

Any development of a commercial, non-domestic new build, or refurbishment over 50m2 needs to comply with the Building Regulations Part L (BRUKL). Typically this applicable for the architects, developers, contractors, consultants, planners, mechanical and electrical organisations, and other industry professionals dealing with the development project.

What is a Building Regulations UK Part L BRUKL report?

A BRUKL report is required to demonstrate that a building is compliant with Part L of UK building regulations. As part of a building project’s planning submission and sign off you will need to submit an As Designed BRUKL compliance certificate.

The report takes into consideration the construction materials, HVAC, services and Building Emission Rate (BER), which is calculated as part of the SBEM assessment, and cannot be above the Target Emission Rate (TER).

Where a project fails our BRUKL assessment, our experienced consultants will recommend changes to the design to ensure it will achieve compliance before submission.

What are Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM) Calculations?

SBEM calculations assess the thermal efficiency of commercial and non-domestic dwellings, the amount of energy consumed and carbon emissions by the occupied building annually based on the building’s design, construction, lighting and HVAC.

In order to comply with the BRUKL, SBEM calculates the Building Emission Rate (BER), which must not be above the Target Emission Rate (TER) set in the Building Regulations to pass.

SBEM calculations are required as part of a BRUKL evaluation, and apply to new builds and refurbishment projects over 50m2. The results of the SBEM calculations are included in the BRUKL Report.

Following its construction, the BER needs to be calculated again using SBEM, at which point an As Built BRUKL certificate is produced. An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is then produced by an Accredited Energy Assessor as part of the building control sign off. An EPC is legally required under the Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations (EPBR), to sell or rent space in a commercial building.

What are Energy Statements?

An Energy Statement is often required by Local Authority planning as part of a new build planning submission or Design and Access Statement, in conjunction with your BRUKL report. It can also be submitted even where it is not mandated to help support the planning application process.

Your Energy Statement will demonstrate how the energy efficiency of the proposed development meets relevant Local Authority requirements over and above those of BRUKL, and can include your plans for reducing carbon emissions, generating renewable energy, and the overall energy demand.

What are Sustainability Statements?

Some Local Authorities require a Sustainability Statement to be submitted as part of the planning process to determine the environmental impact of the development. It includes the impact of environmental factors such as pollution, ecology, materials, water efficiency and conservation, and site protection and enhancement considerations. 

The Sustainability Statement can be delivered alongside your BRUKL report, or separately depending on the requirements of your project.

As the UK works to achieve net zero by 2050, and local authorities look to ensure new builds comply with their own environmental ambitions, it is expected that Sustainability Statements will become a more commonplace planning requirement. If you need a Sustainability Statement as part of your build project, please get in touch for a quote.