Indoor Air Quality
Dan Shields is CEO of CODA
New regulations put an emphasis on indoor air quality Dan Shields discusses how the updates to the Building Regulations will affect building owners, occupiers and facilities management teams
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n 15th June 2022, several updates to England’s Building Regulations will come into effect. These changes aim to reduce the carbon emissions associated with commercial buildings by up to 30 per cent while creating safer spaces for occupants and more energy efficient as we move towards NetZero 2050. The updates to Part L relate to the conservation of fuel and power and represent an essential step towards 2025’s Future Homes and Buildings Standard. Under the new guidelines, there will be several updates to the existing Building Standards, including changes to the minimum fabric efficiency standards, new guidance around heating and cooling systems and an increase in the minimum efficacy of lighting installations. The amendments to Part F of the Building Regulations are concerned with ensuring adequate ventilation within both residential and commercial properties. These updates highlight the importance of internal air quality (IAQ) and include new minimum ventilation rates, updated guidance around recirculation of air and, in some instances, a requirement for CO2 monitoring. The improvements are designed to limit the risk of airborne infections transmitted between buildings users.
Shift in priorities
Introducing these new standards means a shift in the priorities for facilities managers and maintenance teams as the focus on energy efficiency and ventilation is renewed. To comply with the new guidelines, facilities managers must be able to monitor their buildings and sites in real-time, have access to the right level of controls and analytics and provide reports on the internal conditions. For example, to guarantee that a commercial building is appropriately ventilated, the facilities manager must be able to review the IAQ and occupancy levels, adjust the mechanical ventilation accordingly, and then provide evidence that the environment is safe and healthy.
Changes to Parts L and F of the Building Regs will put new demands on energy managers
The Building Regulation updates coincide with many other changes that impact how buildings are managed and maintained. These include the rise of flexible and hybrid working patterns, which have resulted in more significant variations in occupancy levels and working hours. This presents new challenges for facilities managers as they strive to find ways to maintain operational efficiency while building occupancy is low. Rising energy prices also mean increased pressure on facilities managers and maintenance teams to keep building running costs to a minimum. With further energy price increases on the horizon, operational
efficiency is at the top of the agenda for many property teams as they strive to find ways to mitigate the impact of inflated energy bills.
IoT technology’s crucial role
Internet of Things (IoT) technology has a central role to play in supporting facilities managers and maintenance teams in the fulfilment of these new Building Regulations. As well as continually monitoring the energy usage within a property, IoT technology and analytics can process this gathered data to advise businesses of solutions and changes that will aid their journey towards compliance and decarbonisation.
IoT platforms, such as CODA, can monitor the energy usage of the building and its individual assets to build a complete picture of the site’s consumption. This data can then be used to identify any assets that are not performing at their optimum and establish opportunities to reduce the overall energy usage, cost and associated carbon emissions. IoT can also identify activities that are likely to lead to an asset fault. The system can then alert the teams so that predictive maintenance may be undertaken to avoid more extensive repairs and costly downtime. IoT technology can also help businesses comply with part F by monitoring the IAQ, delivering insights on the ventilation performance and controlling mechanical ventilation systems following the new guidelines. For example, by continually monitoring the CO2 levels, humidity, temperature and occupancy of an internal space, CODA can ensure that the appropriate level of ventilation is being supplied at all times. This keeps the IAQ at its optimum for the wellbeing of building occupants. Still, it ensures that ventilation systems are not overused, thus striking a balance between internal air quality and energy efficiency. While these updated Building Regulations will significantly alter aspects of facilities management, some do feel that the new standards don’t go far enough to ensure buildings decarbonise at the rate required. However, IoT and predictive analytics have the potential to help property teams go beyond compliance in their building management strategies. Commercial properties that implement the latest IoT building controls will be going a considerable step further in reducing their sites’ energy consumption and advancing the journey to NetZero 2050. As regulations change, demands on our office spaces become more fluid and pressures to reduce running costs and ensure occupant safety mount, the support of technology is essential. There is more pressure on facilities management teams to manage the demands of the occupiers, keep operational costs down and comply with ever-changing building regs. IoT technologies and predictive analytics software platforms can provide essential support for facilities managers trying to navigate the complex landscape of the commercial property.
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