19/11/19
We recently sat down with Alan Macklin, Group Technical Director here at Elta Group who discussed future home standards…
In reaction to the worrying levels of pollution in the UK, especially in cities and other urban areas, the Government has launched an open consultation on Part L and Part F of the Future Homes Standards. It looks at how to increase the energy efficiency of new-build homes, and will have a big impact on everyone in the HVAC industry,
With that in mind, here are the top three factors for ventilation specialists to consider:
1. Outdoor Air Quality
Air pollution is high on the agenda in the UK, and rightly so. It’s concerning that the current building regulations assume outdoor air quality is at an acceptable level, which is simply not the case.
It needs to be acknowledged that air pollution is rising on a global level, and the UK is not immune to what happens in other areas of the world. Tackling pollution in cities is a crucial step in combatting the issue, but there needs to be more awareness of how the quality of outdoor air can affect the health of occupants inside buildings.
Natural ventilation can actually have a negative effect on people’s health if all it is doing is bringing in ‘bad’ air, and this must be taken into account for any changes to building regulations.
2. Indoor Air Quality
We are spending more and more of our lives indoors, which makes it more important than ever to provide effective ventilation for our homes. We must guard against harmful pollutants entering our homes from outside, and the consultation with the Government on Part L and F gives the HVAC industry a chance to push for stronger legislation.
Regulations must delve deeper into the issue of air quality, tackling the issue as a whole rather than making sweeping statements and false promises that do not consider the broader issue of air pollution.
3. Improving technology
Introducing stronger legislation will only work if the technology is there to back it up. Fortunately, ventilation is improving all the time, and the latest features allow for a perfect balance of indoor air quality and thermal comfort.
We need to embrace innovation, and prioritise high-quality ventilation that effectively creates an air quality refuge within our homes. This consultation should be viewed as an opportunity by those within the HVAC industry to highlight what is achievable, and make sure that the health and quality of our air is a top priority in the Future Homes Standard.