NEW BUILDING REGULATIONS
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SMART HOMES, TECH, AND – FRAME EFFICIENCY CREDENTIALS BUSINESSES ‘WORK WITH KUBU’ NOW VITAL FOR HOMEOWNERS With energy efficiency ranking as a key consideration for homeowners, REHAU is advising the fenestration industry to emphasise the thermal properties of their portfolios to meet these shifting consumer priorities. The recommendation follows a recently published survey from the Home Builders Federation (HBF), in which almost three quarters of 2,000 respondents (73%) said they were concerned about the energy efficiency of their current home. In the wake of these findings, REHAU is advocating installers and fabricators review the thermal performance of their frames, especially with upcoming changes to Approved Document L of the Building Regulations. “Energy efficiency has never been too far from consumers’ minds, and this latest survey from the HBF reaffirms this,” says Russell Hand, Head of Product and Technical for REHAU Windows. “With Part L guidelines also being tightened as part of the Future Homes Standard and wider efforts to reduce green house gas emissions, windows professionals should look into the U-Value of their current solutions to stay ahead of legislation and trends. “This latest change is likely the first of many for new and existing homes, so by taking action and futureproofing now, businesses will be well-placed to stand out in an increasingly eco-conscious market. One key way of doing this is to look for systems suitable for Passivhaus standard, which is currently the most energy-efficient specification for European and UK buildings.” According to sustainable construction experts GreenSpec, windows can represent up to 10% of total heat lost in homes. Taking this stat into account alongside steep energy prices rises expected in April, Russell is highlighting the importance of emphasising the impact energy-efficient windows can have on monthly bills. “The country is bracing itself for heating costs to soar from April, which means that as vital as consumers sees the issue of energy efficiency now, it is only going to grow in prominence,” Russell concludes. “Being able to mitigate these costs in any way will be at the forefronts of homeowners’ minds, so installers and fabricators need to stress the thermal performance strengths of their frames. “By stocking systems that can help do this, including REHAU’s TOTAL70C, which can achieve U-Values better than that required by the new Part L, tradespeople can help answer the market’s pressing needs. This combination of right choice and right emphasis will undoubtedly help fenestration businesses at this highly disrupted time, and into the future.” For more information on REHAU’s TOTAL70 windows system, visit https://bit.ly/3u2hGQN.
Kubu continues to pioneer the smart window and door market through the launch of their ‘Works with Kubu®’ programme, with certification being provided to manufacturing partners, Pro Installers and other strategic partners that will continue to be announced in the run up to the FIT Show in May. Consumer recognition of ‘Works with…’ is already high and is used by the likes of Alexa, Apple and Google to provide a simple way to identify that a product is compatible with other smart devices and services. Kubu has been developed to seamlessly integrate with these smart home platforms and many more to provide consumers with added features and benefits. One such “Works with” partner is Avantis Hardware. A well-known and trusted business that focuses on the mechanical engineering side of security, so with a number of new ultra-high security multipoint locks recently being announced for windows and doors of various materials, it makes sense that they all ‘Work with Kubu®’ as standard. Additionally, Kubu are working with various other hardware developers, looking to partner up with Kubu and benefit from the ‘Works with Kubu®’ programme, and enjoy the considerable resources and experience they have when it comes to the smartsensor market for windows and doors. This development by Kubu is about clear communications for all those involved in the window and door industry, right down to the consumer. Yet, it’s also about seamlessly integrating with existing technologies and platforms across the IoT, as Ryan Bromley, cofounder of Kubu Smart Security points out. He said: “The ‘Works with Kubu®’ programme brings further clarity to our product proposition for the entire supply chain, helping to make things both smart and simple for the end user. The smart
He continued: “Some companies have gone too smart, too soon, resulting in catastrophic product failures and a lot of bad press. Kubu is smart yet simple and has been completely developed and manufactured by a company that has more expertise than most in hardware, software and sensor technology.’ For information about becoming a manufacturing partner or Kubu Pro Installer then please visit kubu-home.com, e-mail support@kubu-home.com or call 0330 555 9545 for a free information pack. Please also visit stand Q31 at the FIT Show for all things smart related and you can follow them on all leading social media platforms @KubuSmart.
ORIGINAL DOORS MEET NEW APPROVED DOCUMENT L REGULATIONS Leading composite door supplier DoorCo confirms their ORiGINAL foam-core composite door meets the new regulations of Approved Document L, which are effective from 15th June 2022, with all relevant test data available in support. Dan Sullivan, DoorCo MD comments: “The upcoming changes to building regulations in the UK are focused on reducing the carbon emissions of new homes by 30%. In short, this means the products we manufacture as an industry need to help homes become more energy efficient. When it comes to doors, the new Approved Document L, which is focused on energy efficiency, require the overall U-Value of doorsets to be 1.4W(/m2 K), or DSER Band “C” where the glazed area is greater than 60%, and Band “B” or better for “other doors”. “DoorCo has been working with our supply chain partners to ensure our entire ORiGINAL composite
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home is all about integration and that’s what we’re offering with Kubu, a fully integrated platform that everyone can understand and be a part of.
door range performs to this standard ahead of the 15th June 2022 deadline. Testing of all designs is now complete using a standard aluminium threshold and PVC profile for frames. Datasheets based on this standard composition are available from DoorCo or the data can be accessed through Build Check’s Oracle U-Value calculator, which is available to members on a subscription service, to calculate your own results based on your specific product configuration. “The regulation changes for timber doors vary slightly and will not change until 2023. The current GRiPCORE door complies with current Doc L standards and GRiPCORE version 2.1 will be available in 2022 which will future proof the product for all future Part L compliance.” For more information, please contact DoorCo’s customer services team on 01625 428955, or via email: info@door-co.com.
May 2022 | www.glassnews.co.uk
