Leading the Pack in Lowering Carbon Emissions

In the latest changes to Part L, a mandatory Fabric Energy Efficiency Standard (FEES) has been introduced in addition to the original Target Emission Rate, which measures CO₂.

The FEES target puts focus on the thermal performance of a building’s fabric and the materials and components that make these elements up. Lintels are in most cases a significant thermal bridge, meaning they can have a significant impact on the overall thermal performance of a building.

Part L is seeking to reduce carbon emissions by around 31% and in Northern Ireland, with the passing of the new Climate Bill in March 2022, the process has begun to catch up with other regions in these islands. The framework document, Energy Strategy – Path to Net Zero Energy, published in December 2021, set out the plans for the next decade and what changes should be anticipated across all sectors. These include:

• 40% reduction in carbon emissions for all new domestic building and for new non-domestic buildings a 15% reduction over current standards
• Tightened minimum fabric standards for both new domestic and commercial buildings
• Maintain the SAP 2009 and SBEM version 4 standards
• Removal of the default air permeability test score of 15 m³/m²/h @ 50 Pa
• New standards to be implemented three months from publication

These changes and reduction targets should see specifiers looking for new, more energy efficient alternatives in order to meet the expectations of the Building Regulations. This is where Keystone’s Hi-therm+ Lintels can help.

Hi-therm+ provides builders with the credible solution to achieve the latest targets by reducing thermal bridging at the junctions of windows and doors. Easy and cost effective, Hi-therm+ offers the simplicity of a one piece, structurally superior top-hat design, creating stability during the building process, unlike a two-part lintel solution. Available in a wide range and longer lengths, Hi-therm+ provides greater choice and buildability.

What’s more, Hi-therm+ offers a cost-effective solution to lowering carbon emissions within SAP, offering significant savings compared to other popular alternatives. For example, in a comparative case study for a house type, using Hi-therm+ would incur less than 20% of the cost of increasing the cavity width by 50mm for the same saving in CO₂. These CO₂ savings are important within SAP because they give flexibility for compliance in situations where other build details are not meeting the standards in Appendix R.