Vent-Axia has welcomed the publication of Part F of the Building Regulations, as a “vital step to improve indoor air quality”.
Published late last year, Part F (Means of Ventilation) goes hand-in-hand with the new amended Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Power), which is set to help the UK deliver Net Zero with a reduction of almost a third less carbon for new homes, it said.
Part F included “significant changes” that will drive adoption of low carbon ventilation as an industry standard and improve the quality of the air.
A key addition to Part F was a new sub section ‘Installing Energy Efficiency Measures’, which stated: “When carrying out energy efficiency measures to an existing dwelling, an assessment should determine what, if any, additional ventilation provision is needed, based on the estimated impact of the work.”
Vent-Axia welcomed this addition since previously many homes have suffered from condensation, mould and poor indoor air quality following energy efficiency measures, it said.
For New Build residential homes, ventilation has also increased in Part F to support the safety of residents with an overall move to more advanced ventilation solutions, such as Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) and Continuous Mechanical Extract Ventilation instead of traditional Intermittent Extract Ventilation.
Richard Paine, product and marketing director at Vent-Axia, said: “We welcome the new Part F of the Building Regulations. Since Kyoto, the UK has been striving to reduce its carbon emissions. However, unfortunately indoor air quality has taken a back seat. However, over the last five years we have all witnessed the real consequences of sealing up homes and insulating them to make them more energy efficient. It has resulted in indoor air pollution. The new Part F has started to redress the balance of ventilation with energy efficiency since the pandemic has clearly shown the importance of good indoor air quality to health and wellbeing.”
With the pandemic highlighting the importance of good ventilation to mitigate virus transmission, Part F had also introduced improvements to ventilation in new non-residential properties to help prevent the spread of airborne viruses, the company noted.