Guide for application of the nearly Zero energy Building NZEB standard for Commercial Buildings in Ireland by i3PT Certification

2. 7.Highlyinsultedandairtightbuildingfabric
NearlyZeroEnergyBuildings(nZEB)haveaveryhighenergyperformance.The
resultinglowamountofenergyrequiredshouldbecoveredtoaverysignificant
extentfromrenewablesourcesproducedon-siteornearby.EPBD(recast)Directive

3. Developersanddesignteamshave
beingtirelesslypreparingforthe
impactofthenewregulationson
projecttimelinesandbudgets.
nZEBorNearlyZeroEnergy
Buildingscomeintoforcein
Irelandfornewcommercial
buildingsandmajorrenovations
onthe1stofJanuary2019.
1.

4. 2.
Projectscommencedbefore1stJanuary
2019,cancontinuetousetheoldPartL
2008regulationsregardlessofcompletion
dates.
Projectsthatappliedforplanningbefore
theendof2018,cancontinuetousethe
theoldPartL2008underthetransitionaltheoldPartL2008underthetransitional
arrangements.However,beawarethat
thetransitionalarrangmentscontaina
witheringclausethatrequiresthebuilding
workstoprogresstoacertainstagebefore
theendof2019

5. Whereprojectscommencein2019
withplanningappliedforbefore2019.
Inordertocontinuetousetheold
PartL2008,theworksmustreach
astageofconstructionwhere
“Substantialworkhasbeen
completedmeaningthestructurecompletedmeaningthestructure
oftheexternalwallshasbeen
erected”.TheDepartmenthave
confirmedthatthestructureofthe
externalwallsmustbecomplete.
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6. PartL2008appliestoCommercial
Buildingscommencedin2018
regardlessofwhentheyreach
substantialworkscomplete.
Buildingscommencingin2019
andavailingofthetransitional
arrangements,shouldbeawareofarrangements,shouldbeawareof
needtocompletetheexternal
frametowallplatebeforethe31st
ofDecember2019.
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7. Designersshouldbeawareofthechanges
requiredunderPartL2017-nondwellings
Theminimumlevelofenergyefficiency
requiredbythestandardisequivalent
toanenhancementofover60%
ascomparedwiththeoldPartL2008
non-dwellingstandarditreplaces.non-dwellingstandarditreplaces.
TheBuildingfabricisenhancedthrough
lowerU-valuebackstopsforelementsand
glazing,tighterairtightnessandthermal
bridges,limitingsolargainsandoverheating
alongwithefficientbuildingservices,
controlersandcommissioning.
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8. PartL2017complianceisassessed
throughtheNEAPprocedureusing
iSBEMsoftware,orthedynamic
thermalmodellingtoolsbeing
developedwithIESandTAS.
NEAPisanassetratingsoftware
comparingdesignfabricandsystemscomparingdesignfabricandsystems
withthatofanotionalbuilding
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9. WhendesigningtonZEBlevelsof
buildingperformanceaFabricFirst
approachisempoyedbydesigners.
Theminimumstandardsforwalls
are0.18W/m2K,roofs0.15W/m2K
andWindows1.4W/m2K0.4g-factor.
AirtighnesstestingmustpassanAirtighnesstestingmustpassan
airtightnesstestachievingatleast
5m3(hr.m2).Itisalsonecessaryto
calculatetheheatlossatkeydetails.
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10. 8
Thegreaterportionofenergyefficiencies
willbegainedthroughbuildingsystems
andcontrollers,assistedbyincreased
choiceofinputsintheSBEMsoftware.
VentilationefficiencySPF’sof1.8Wls,
Heatingefficienciessuchas91% eff
gasboilegasboiler.Coolingefficienciesof
SEER4.5/SSEER3.6andlightingeffof
65lm/circuitwattwillprovidegreat
amusementforourEngineerfriends.

11. AnewbuildingcomplyingwithPartL
2017non-dwellings,willrequreanRER
proportionequatingto20%ofthe
energydemand.Wheretheenergy
performanceofthebuildingisimproved
to10%betterthancode,therenewables
ratiocanberelaxedto10%provision.ratiocanberelaxedto10%provision.
SolarPV,Heatpumps,CHP,district
heating,andBiomassoramixtureof
thesesystemscanbeused.Operational
equipementefficienciescanalsobe
countedtowardstherenewablesratio.
RenewableEnergy
Ratio
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12. Complexprojectsorpublicworks
contractsrequiretheinputofan
Energyefficiencydesigncoordinator,
Thisroleisindependentofthedesign
roleandensuresthatefficiency
enhancementsareconsideredusinga
multidisciplinaryapproachandwholemultidisciplinaryapproachandwhole
buildingapproach.SEAI’sEXCEED
programmesetsouttherolesand
proceduresforbothoptimisingdesign
performanceandenergymanagement
alongwithcontrolofenergyinuse.
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13. UndertheBuildingControl(Amend)Act
ultimateresponsibilityforcompliance
restswiththeBuildingowner.The
AssignedCertifierisresponsiblefor
coordinatingcomplianceandliaising
withBuildingControl.TheAssigned
CertifiersignsoffinconjuctionwithCertifiersignsoffinconjuctionwith
theContractor,thattheworksare
compliantwithregulationsandstandards
andreliesonthecare,skillandattention
to-detail;ofdesigners,specialists,testers
andhis/herowntradesinspectorsto
verifycompliancewithconfidence.
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14. AThermalbridgemodelleratwork
ThermalBridgingy-factorsareaddedto
theSBEMcompliancemodeltocorrect
assumptionsmadeaboutheatlossvaluesat
Junctions,whilecheckingforcondensation
Risk.AtdesignstageathermalmodellercanRisk.Atdesignstageathermalmodellercan
reviewkeyjunctionsandpointconnections.
Reducingfabricheatlosscanassistdesigners
gettoalevel10%betterthantheenergy
performancerequirement(EPC),thusreducing
the20%renewableenergyrequirementto
10%renewablesprovision.Solargainand
overheatingiscalculatedbytheSBEMmodeloroverheatingiscalculatedbytheSBEMmodelor
TM52orCFDmodellingwhereneeded.

15. PartLRenovationsL4(h)“Whenabuilding
undergoesmajorrenovation,theminimum
energyperformancerequirementofthe
buildingortherenovatedpartthereofis
upgradedinordertomeetthecostoptimal
levelofenergyperformanceinsofarasthis
istechnically,functionallyandeconomicallyistechnically,functionallyandeconomically
feasible“
MajorRenovation:meanstherenovationof
abuildingwheremorethan25%ofthe
surfaceofthebuildingenvelopeundergoes
renovation.Thesurfaceareaofthebuilding
thermalenvelopemeanstheentiresurfacethermalenvelopemeanstheentiresurface
areaofabuildingthroughwhichitcanlose
heattotheexternalenvironmentorthe
ground,includingallheatlossareasofwalls,
windows,floorsandroof”
Providingthatwheremorethan25%ofthe
surfaceareaofthebuildingenvelopeundergoes
renovationtheenergyperformanceofthewholerenovationtheenergyperformanceofthewhole
buildingshouldbeimprovedtoCostOptimal
insofarasthisisfunctionallyandeconomically
feasible.

16. PartL2018-Dwellingsisdueto
comeintoeffectinApril2019,
howeverpublicationoftheregulation
hasbeendelayedbyotherlegislation,
Themostlikelydateofimplimentation
willbeinJune2019,withatransitionwillbeinJune2019,withatransition
periodexteningtoJune2020.
PartL2018Dwellingswillbringthe
NewBuildBERminimumfromapprox
60kWh/m2/anto45kWh/m2.an
inprovingfromA3toA2.
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