TRADA to Detail Changes in Scottish Building Standards
April 16, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS
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The Scottish Buildings Standards Agency (SBSA) published 2007 versions of its regulations, which will come into effect in May.
Three sections (Section 1 - Structure, Section 4 - Safety and Section 6 - Energy) each underwent a major technical revision. TRADA announced plans to publish a separate briefing on each new section.
Section 1 - Structure
Updated guidance is given on disproportionate collapse, covering all building types. In the case of timber frame, the SBSA requirements refer readers to the U.K.
Timber Frame Association Technical Bulletin No. 3, Design Guidance for Disproportionate Collapse. The SBSA withdrew an earlier document, Small Buildings Structural Guidance, with the revised contents being incorporated into Section 1 - Structure - Domestic.
Section 4 - Safety (which includes access)
Section 4 represents the first time in seven years that a technical review was carried out.
The section incorporates relevant updates in BS 8300 - Design of Buildings and their Approaches to Meet the Needs of Disabled People - Code of Practice.
For domestic buildings, there is a fundamental shift from "visitability" to "liveability," which means homes are designed for people with reduced mobility to live in, rather than just from the viewpoint of them being visitors in the home.
The new requirements will affect the design of town houses, which have proliferated as the density of dwellings per hectare has increased to meet planning requirements.
For non-domestic buildings, all entrances, not just the main entrance, must be accessible. There are increased requirements for access between floors and all buildings are required to have sanitary facilities accessible to all persons.
Section 6 - Energy
Many of the principles behind the changes are mirrored in the England & Wales Regulations, but the implementation is different, according to TRADA. There is no intention to use the Code for Sustainable Homes in Scotland. Any principles contained in the code deemed worthy enough were incorporated into the Scottish Standards; others have been left for the market to decide.
For the time being a Scottish version of the U.K. SAP2005 - Standard Assessment Procedure for Energy Rating of Dwellings, is being finalized. The Scottish version will contain, for example, weather data relevant to Scotland.
Section 6.1.2 of the domestic requirements provides a table of some pre-calculated performance levels for walls, floors, windows, heating and hot water systems, etc., which as a package meet the requirements when checked using SAP2005. Designers can use these pre-calculated targets to avoiding having to use SAP2005, or if they want to have full design flexibility, they can use the software.
In addition, air tightness testing is an option, contributing to a better SAP2005 calculation if a good result is achieved, TRADA said. The pre-calculated route encourages house builders to use more thermally efficient building materials, yet achieve lower levels of air tightness compared to England and Wales.
The new requirements are available for downloaded in PDF at http://www.sbsa.gov.uk/tech_handbooks/tbooks2007.htm#1.
TRADA plans to release a detailed briefing covering Section 6 - Energy in May.
Source: TRADA.