Conservation of fuel and power: Approved Document L, Volume 1 — Dwellings

O N L I N E V E R S I O N Introduction What is an approved document? Approved documents are approved by the Secretary of State and give practical guidance on common building situations about how to meet the requirements of the Building Regulations 2010 for England. Different approved documents give guidance on each of the technical parts of the regulations. These are all listed in the back of the approved documents. In addition to guidance, some approved documents include provisions that must be followed exactly, as required by regulations or where methods of test or calculation are approved by the Secretary of State. Each approved document covers the requirements of the Building Regulations 2010 relating to a different aspect of building work. Building work must also comply with all other applicable requirements of the Building Regulations 2010 and all other applicable legislation. How is construction regulated in England? Most building work being carried out in England must comply with the Building Regulations 2010. The Building Regulations are made under powers in the Building Act 1984. Building Regulations protect the health and safety of people in and around buildings, they also provide for energy and water conservation and access to and use of buildings. The Manual to the Building Regulations (references to this in the introduction are taken from the first edition) gives an overview of the building regulatory system in England. You can access the most recent version of the manual at: www.gov.uk/guidance/building-regulations- and-approved-documents-index. How do you comply with the Building Regulations? Building work must meet all relevant requirements of the Building Regulations. To comply with the Building Regulations, it is necessary both to follow the correct procedures and meet technical performance requirements. The approved documents set out what, in ordinary circumstances, may be accepted as one way to comply with the Building Regulations. Note, however, that: • Complying with the guidance in the approved documents does not guarantee that building work complies with the requirements of the regulations – the approved documents cannot cover all circumstances. Those responsible for building work must consider whether following the guidance in the approved documents is likely to meet the requirements in the particular circumstances of their case. • There may be other ways to comply with the requirements than those described in an approved document. If those responsible for meeting the requirements prefer to meet a requirement in some other way than described in an approved document, they should seek to agree this with the relevant building control body at an early stage. Building Regulations 2010 Approved Document L Volume 1, 2021 edition i O N L I N E V E R S I O N