What's New in Building Control

Part G - Sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency

Regulations that amend Part G of the Building Regulations were laid before Parliament on 13^th May and was due to come into force on 1^st October 2009 together with technical guidance in a new Approved Document G (Draft awaiting European Approval), but this has since been postponed until the 6th April 2010

Building work will have to comply with the new standards from 1^st October 2009 unless it meets certain conditions, these ‘transitional provisions’ are quite complicated but can be broadly summarised as follows.

Work can be to the ‘old’ standards if:

It has commenced before 1^st October 2009
AND it is in accordance with full plans or a building notice which were deposited
AND a commencement notice was given to Building Control,

or
Full plans were deposited
AND were passed without conditions (or Building Control advised you that all conditions had been satisfied) before 1^st October 2009
AND work commenced before 1^st October 2010,

or
The deposit of full plans is not required (i.e a Building Notice could be deposited – mainly for domestic work)
AND a contract for the work was entered into before 1^st October 2009
AND work commenced before 6^th April 2010.

The main changes in the Regulations are

A new water efficiency standard that all new homes (including those formed by a change of use) must have a maximum potential water consumption of 125 litres per person per day.
This has to be calculated in accordance with the methodology in a new document ‘The Water Efficiency Calculator for New Dwellings’ using the new September 2009 Water Calculator and within 5 days of completion of the dwelling, a notice which specifies the potential consumption must be given to Building Control. A Building Regulation completion certificate cannot be given until this notice has been received. (Regulations 17K and 20E, and Part G2)
A new requirement for the prevention of scalding through the installation of protective devices that limit the temperature of water supplied to a bath to 48°C. (G3(4))
Amendments and extended safety requirements which will apply to all hot water systems and storage vessels, not just unvented systems. Systems must resist the effects of temperature and pressure in normal use and in the event of a malfunction that can reasonably be anticipated, and must be adequately supported. Hot water storage vessels must incorporate precautions to prevent the water exceeding 100°C and ensure that discharge from safety devices is carried away safely. (G3)
Amendments and requirements on the supply of ‘wholesome’ water for the purposes of drinking, washing or food preparation and clarification of where greywater and harvested rainwater can be used eg sanitary conveniences and washing machines (subject to risk assessment) (G1)
A new requirement for the provision of a bathroom for rooms for residential purposes. (G5)
A new requirement for the provision of a sink in food preparation areas. (G6)
In relation to exempt buildings, requirements G1 (cold water supply) and G3(2) and (3) (hot water safety) will apply to any greenhouse, or any other small detached building or extension which meets the criteria for exemption in Schedule 2 classes 6 or 7, if it shares a cold or hot water supply with a dwelling or other building as defined.