Lighting in the New Building Regulations
Paul Littlefair
Dr.,
Building Research Establishment, Garston, Watford, WD2 7JR, UK
Abstract
The new Part L (Conservation of fuel and power) of the Building Regulations for England and Wales contains, for the first time, requirements on efficient lighting. These requirements will be mandatory in all new non-domestic buildings of over 100 m_2 floor areas, and certain buildings which are undergoing a change of use. Approved Documents give examples of ways to meet the requirements, comprising:-
Lamps to be selected from a list of approved types. Alternatively, an average lamp circuit efficacy of at least 50 lumens/watt
- Flexible lighting controls, either localised switching, photoelectric control, or time switching, to enable the benefits of daylight to be obtained.
- Equivalent provisions following the CIBSE Interior Lighting Code recommendations.
This paper explains the reasoning behind the guidance. It describes why other criteria, such as installed watts per square metre, were rejected, and summarises industry reaction to the draft proposals. it deals with the issue of daylight provision, outlining ways daylight could possibly be included within a future regulatory framework. Finally, the paper gives estimates of the national energy savings expected after the new measures are introduced.
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