Part L - consulting for greater efficiency

 

Consultations around the latest Part L are steering lighting to a more intuitive approach that more accurately represents the use of the space and the needs of its occupants. John Gorse, Technical Marketing Manager with Philips Lighting, explains:

 

Over the last 18 months or so, there has been considerable consultation around the requirements for lighting to be included in Part L of the Building Regulations 2014, which came into effect in April 2014. One of the most significant results of this consultation is a move away from the former prescriptive approach, based on lumens per watt, to a more intuitive approach that will support good lighting design. In particular, it allows for inclusion of the Lighting Energy Numeric Indicator (LENI).

 

To understand these regulations, it’s useful to review the background briefly. In 2003 the EU published the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), which was then implemented in member countries using national regulations.

 

In the case of England (and Wales until recently), the method of implementation is Part L. Since 2011 the Welsh Assembly is responsible for implementation of the Directive in Wales. Scottish Building Regulations are covered by the Technical Handbooks 0 – 7 and for lighting specifically Handbook 6. Northern Ireland also has a separate office for Building Regulations. It is important to note therefore that, in the main, this article refers to Part L for England.

 

 

Clearly a major contributor to improved energy efficiency in lighting has been the evolution of LED light sources, which has revolutionised the expectations of performance and energy savings that can be achieved from artificial lighting. 

 

LED has gone from being only suitable for coloured effects in architectural highlighting, to being capable of providing lighting solutions that replace 400W HID light sources - with even higher outputs now being trialed. 

 

In other words, LED technology already presents a platform for lighting that represents one of the singularly most energy efficient and sustainable technologies available today. For example, a number of lamps on the market are now falling below the 5W threshold (taking them out of scope for Part L), yet still delivering sufficient lumen packages to be used in fixed downlighter applications.

 

Consequently, LED is rapidly becoming the light source of choice. However, in the case of non-domestic lighting there is another factor to consider, and that is how we can change our working relationship with lighting through the application of controls.

 

 

The Energy Bill refers to zero-carbon non-domestic buildings by 2019, but the stated overall target efficiency has dropped from the originally stated 20% for 2013 to just 9% for Part L 2014. Therefore, building efficiency needs all the help it can get. To that end the lighting industry has been working hard to develop a more intuitive framework for the future of Part L of the Building Regulations where lighting controls are concerned.

 

As a result, the Part L consultation served as an opportunity for industry to propose a methodology that will pave the way to a far more effective and flexible approach to building regulations in future. This is via the use of LENI, as mentioned earlier, which promotes the intuitive use of controls, and promotes best practice in the use of lighting to minimise energy consumption. It is a methodology that reflects much more accurately how a space will be used and lit accordingly based on kWh/m2/year.

 

This is essential if we, as an industry, are to develop optimised energy efficiencies via lighting, whilst maintaining lit environments that promote health and wellbeing.

 

However, some potential for confusion exists, as either a table of luminaire efficiencies or the LENI can be used; but this is a great start and generally it is hoped that LENI will be adopted as the only metric in the subsequent update of Building Regulations in 2016. 

 

 

Overall, the intention is that, thanks to the results of the consultation process, Part L can now start to ensure that future solutions and designs consider value for money, improved cost of ownership, effective reduction in carbon emissions and savings in energy. It must also ensure these values are delivered by lighting schemes that consider the health, wellbeing and productivity of the users of these schemes.

 

LED technology, and very soon organic LED (OLED) as complementary technology, will continue to deliver improvements in performance and energy efficiency over years to come. Lighting controls and better practices will also contribute to optimised efficiency in the future.

 

 

Voltimum UK and its manufacturing and other partners that are involved in lighting, have formed a 'Lighting Expert Panel'. The members of this panel meet together regularly, with the aim of bringing lighting issues and opportunities to both manufacturers and to Voltimum UK users. This panel will be issuing technical white papers on lighting, will be providing webinars and seminars, and is prepared also to answer frequently asked and specific questions.

 

To see the full length version of article, please go to: https://www.voltimum.co.uk/articles/part-l-2013-consultation-retrospective-philips-lighting

 

The author of this article, John Gorse, Technical Marketing Manager with Philips Lighting, is the Chairman of this Expert Panel. 

 

For more information, please go to: https://www.voltimum.co.uk/articles/meet-voltimum-expert-panel-lighting