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

O N L I N E V E R S I O N R44, R44ZA, L1(b), L2(b) Section 8: Commissioning 8.1 Fixed building services must be commissioned to ensure that they use no more fuel and power than is reasonable in the circumstances. On-site electricity generation systems must be commissioned to ensure that they produce as much electricity as is reasonable in the circumstances. The commissioning process should involve testing and adjusting the fixed building services and on-site electricity generation as necessary and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. 8.2 A commissioning plan should be produced, identifying both of the following. a. Systems that need to be tested. b. How these systems will be tested. For new dwellings, the commissioning plan should be given to the building control body with the design stage dwelling primary energy rate, dwelling emission rate and dwelling fabric energy efficiency rate calculations. 8.3 A fixed building service or on-site electricity generation that, by design, cannot be adjusted, or for which commissioning would not affect energy use, does not need to be commissioned. The commissioning plan should identify the fixed building services and on-site electricity generation that do not need to be commissioned, and why they do not need to be commissioned. Notice of completion 8.4 A commissioning notice must be given to the relevant building control body confirming that commissioning has been carried out for the installed fixed building services and on-site electricity generation according to the procedures in this section. The notice should confirm all of the following. a. That the commissioning plan has been followed. b. That all systems have been inspected in an appropriate sequence and to a reasonable standard. c. That test results confirm that performance is reasonably in accordance with the design requirements. 8.5 The notice of completion of commissioning should be given as follows. a. If a building notice or full plans have been given to a local authority building control body, the notice should be given within five days of the commissioning work being completed. b. If the building control body is an approved inspector, the notice should generally be given to the approved inspector within five days of the work being completed. c. In other cases – for example, if the work is carried out by a person registered with a competent person scheme – the notice must be given to the building control body within 30 days of the work being completed. 8.6 Where fixed building services and on-site electricity generation that require commissioning are installed by a person registered with a competent person scheme, that person may give the notice of completion of commissioning. 8.7 Until the building control body receives the notice of completion of commissioning, it may decide not to give a completion/final certificate. Building Regulations 2010 Approved Document L Volume 1, 2021 edition 55 O N L I N E V E R S I O N