Inquire about best practices for ensuring compliance with Part L regulations for historic structures.
Modernizing Heritage Buildings: A Q&A with Lauma Balina, Partner at Max Fordham
Tackling energy efficiency in historical buildings can be a complex task, but Lauma Balina, Principal Engineer at Max Fordham, shares her insights on Part L compliance and the nuances involved in refurbishing these architectural gems.
Has Part L become a significant challenge in heritage building projects, and how can we achieve compliance without compromising the building's integrity?
The current Part L system offers some leeway when it comes to heritage projects, allowing efforts to be largely focused on preventing damage to existing fabric. However, this can result in a lack of ambitiousness in improving a building's energy performance. By elevating the ambitiousness of our approach, we can do justice to both the energy efficiency target and the building's historical significance.
Key considerations include careful design to avoid moisture build-up and utilizing the right consultants to ensure that fabric improvements are executed flawlessly. It's also crucial to make the most of passive design measures, reduce heat loss, and maximize natural ventilation.
What are the key strategies for approaching Part L compliance on heritage projects, and how can we balance energy efficiency with minimal disruption?
Not forcing old buildings to do the impossible is the first rule of thumb. Consider the space limitations in the building and design solutions that don't require active equipment, such as maximized passive measures for overheating prevention and heating reduction. A well-insulated airtight building might need mechanical ventilation for managing internal air quality and humidity.
Remember to understand peak loads as they'll help you minimize the equipment needed for retrofit options. While, it might be more expensive to follow the Passivhaus design approach, it does present one the best ways to mitigate the risks associated with retrofit projects as it emphasizes quality, thermal comfort, and the protection of the building's fabric.
What measures have the least impact on a building's overall aesthetic while offering a boost to thermal performance?
Thermal performance enhancing measures largely revolve around maintaining the integrity of the existing structure. Sealing pathways through which warm air escapes or cold air enters, fixing window frames, repointing brickwork, filling in gaps, and employing window films are all part of the solution without altering the building's appearance drastically.
Can Passivhaus design principles work hand-in-hand with heritage buildings in terms of refurbishment or retrofit works?
We're currently in the midst of rebuilding several higher education heritage buildings to the Passivhaus retrofit standard, EnerPHit. Designing to this stringent standard is an excellent means of managing retrofit risks due to its emphasis on quality, thermal comfort, and the protection of the building fabric. However, projects like the Entopia Building in Cambridge by Architype, Feilden Mawson, and Max Fordham, have shown that it needn't break the bank.
What role does airtightness play, and where can the greatest improvements be made?
A large portion of heat loss comes from poor airtightness in existing buildings. Making improvements in areas such as window frames, sealing gaps between floorboards, sealing the attic, and around the attic hatch can lead to significant changes.
What are the main challenges in insulating solid walls in heritage buildings, and what are the preferred methods?
You'll want to focus on insulating non-listed parts of the wall fabric since listed elements likely won't allow for insulation. External wall insulation (EWI) is preferred due to its minimization of moisture-related issues, but with heritage buildings, it's often not feasible. In such cases, internal wall insulation (IWI) can be used, but it requires careful considerations to avoid moisture build-up.
What can be done to improve the thermal performance of existing windows while preserving their original appearance?
Repairs can be made to retain original window frames and minimize drafts. However, improvements in thermal performance should be addressed alongside moisture build-up concerns. Secondary glazing can also be employed to boost thermal efficiency without altering the windows' appearance.
For further information about energy-efficient retrofit options for heritage buildings, please visit www.maxfordham.com.
Background Insights:
- Part L of the Building Regulations deals with the conservation of fuel and power, outlining minimum thermal performance standards for new homes and most modifications to existing buildings in the UK.
- Heritage buildings are considered on a case-by-case basis under Part L, as improvements that unacceptably alter their character or appearance might be exempted.
- Owners must conduct an energy assessment to confirm if improvements are feasible without unacceptable impact and tailor EPC and MEES recommendations to the unique constraints of heritage buildings. The key strategies for compliance include prioritizing non-intrusive improvements, using smart and efficient systems, employing renewable energy technologies discretely, and considering sustainability-focused retrofitting.
- In the context of energy efficiency improvements, embracing the Passivhaus design principles can be beneficial for heritage buildings as they prioritize quality, thermal comfort, and the protection of the building's fabric, without compromising their aesthetic charm.
- To strike a balance between energy efficiency and minimizing disruption in heritage projects, it's advisable to focus on solutions that don't require active equipment, such as maximizing passive design measures for overheating prevention and heating reduction, and employing repair techniques like secondary glazing to boost thermal efficiency while preserving the original appearance.
- When it comes to enhancing thermal performance in heritage buildings, measures like sealing pathways for air leakage, repairing window frames, repointing brickwork, and filling in gaps offer significant improvements without creating a noticeable change to the building's appearance. These strategies can help address energy efficiency concerns without compromising the historical significance of these architectural gems.
