June 2010 - NHBC Home

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Standards Extra Eurocodes The Eurocodes are here and conflicting BS Codes have now been withdrawn. Eurocodes have become the national standards for structural design Structural Engineers in Europe are facing the greatest ever change in design codes and standards as the ten Eurocodes for structural design are implemented. In the UK all 58 Parts together with their National Annexes are published and many familiar British Standards have been withdrawn. Under an agreement between the European standardisation bodies conflicting national structural design standards had to be withdrawn by 31 March 2010. The Eurocodes are published by BSI as BS EN 1990 to BS EN 1999 and they are now our national standards. When is the changeover to the new standards? There is no fixed date and it will be a matter of choice for designers and their clients. However, the adoption of Eurocodes will initially be driven by EU directives on public procurement enacted in the UK as the Public Contracts Regulations 2006. These Regulations will require most UK public sector organisations, utilities and product manufacturers to adopt Eurocodes as the preferred basis for defining technical specifications and designs. BSI will no longer be maintaining or updating the old British Standards, which are expected to fade from common use over the next few years. Reference to the Eurocodes will be updated as the Building Regulations Approved Documents are revised. In the case of Approved Documents A and C, the next periodic review has started and new versions are expected in 2013. In a letter to Building Control Bodies (BCBs), which can be found at http:// www.communities.gov.uk/documents/ planningandbuilding/pdf/1454859.pdf, the Department for Communities and Local Government has stated; “When assessing compliance with the Building Regulations, BCBs should continue to consider the appropriate use of relevant standards on a case by case basis. BCBs will need to be aware of the risk of designs inappropriately mixing new design standards based on the BS ENs and withdrawn BS design standards.” To help you meet changing design requirements, NHBC Building Control can accept designs to either the old British or new European codes to support proposals to satisfy Building Control and NHBC Buildmark submissions, but not a combination of both. Whether using the old or new codes, designers should satisfy themselves, and NHBC Building Control, that the designs are still relevant to the particular design requirements of each project. For further information visit www.nhbc.co.uk/bc ACTION European codes and standards on site In recent years European product standards have replaced many familiar BS standards. The new standards are more performance based, which provides designers with greater choice and scope for innovation. Similarly, the new design standards also offer greater scope for innovation. This means that project specification drawings and details will often need to state the required performance characteristics (e.g. strength, density, fire resistance, thermal conductivity, water absorption) and on site it will become more important to check that the products used are the correct ones with the required performance characteristics. Where products bear the CE marking, the required performance values, levels or classes will be available on a label, on the packaging or in accompanying documentation. With the introduction of the Eurocodes as the new National Standards and the withdrawal of the old British Standards, designers will need to satisfy themselves and NHBC Building Control that the appropriate use of relevant standards has been adopted. This will need to be considered on a project by project basis. 4
Issue 47 June 2010 Have you heard the one about plasterboard ceilings making a cracking noise? This is no joke, but along with a number of house builders, NHBC has become aware that under certain circumstances a cracking noise appears to come from plasterboard ceilings. Ceilings can be to floors or the underside of a roof void. Although this sounds trivial, homeowners who have experienced the problem are not laughing. It is annoying to say the least and because it can happen during the night it can break sleep patterns and generate associated problems. As far as we are aware the number of such incidents is very small but we would like to know about as many as possible. This can then be fed into the work that has already been done to try to understand where and why it happens. If you have had the problem we would like to hear from you. Please contact NHBC Standards and Technical on 0844 633 1000 or by email technical@nhbc.co.uk Three new Approved Documents Three new Approved Documents have recently been published and this article explains what has changed and the implications for house builders. All three become operative from 1 October 2010, and will apply to works from this date, unless work has already started on site, or a formal application is submitted prior to this date, with the requirement that works start on site before 1 October 2011. Part L 2010 – Conservation of fuel and power Introduction The new Part L 2010 brings with it the next step towards the challenge of zero carbon homes. Structured to deliver a 25% improvement in thermal performance and energy efficiency on the outgoing 2006 document, similar to current Code Level 3 energy performance requirements for new dwellings, the changes will bring significant challenges particularly for developments including flats. The following headline issues address the principle changes and assess the implications for developments to meet the new Approved Document requirements. 5
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June 2010 - NHBC Home

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