Renewable initiatives hit by software snags

Innovative products to deliver renewable energy to new dwellings are being held back by failings in the systems used to assess compliance with building regulations.

According to the Construction Products Association, the problem is caused by the inability of SBEM, the software used to check compliance with Part L2A, and the SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) rating system to incorporate the benefits from new or improved technology. Established products and materials are tested for their contribution to these systems, but the tests for more cutting-edge technology have not yet been developed, said John Tebbit, the association’s industry affairs director.

The result is a disincentive for new technology, said Kelly Butler, director of the Electrical Heating and Ventilation Association. "If you develop a whizz-bang box that saves energy, specifiers should be allowed to use it and get the SAP benefit from it. At the moment, there’s no encouragement for innovation as there’s no benefit through SAP for choosing a better product. In fact, the use of default values for some systems provides an opportunity to use less efficient products and still obtain the same SAP results."

According to Tebbit, examples of actual delays include the installation of mini CHP boilers. "All boilers must have an SEDB-UK rating, which is factored into the SAP system, but SAP has no equivalent rating for Mini CHP systems and the industry has had to spend time and resources developing its own tests."

The unfortunate irony is the provision in the recently revised version of SAP of a mechanism for new tests through its Appendix Q. "It’s a brilliant idea, but it only works if there’s the money to develop the tests," said Butler.

Tebbit added: "We’re spending billions of pounds building sustainable communities. We should spend a few thousand pounds on the compliance software or we’re building on foundations of sand."