Part L2 (2021) VE-SBEM is a facility within the VE Compliance View which provides the means to test compliance with Part L2 of the Building Regulations (2021 England edition, in force from 15th June 2022, 2022 Wales edition in force from 29th March 2023) and to generate Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for non-domestic buildings within the same framework, using BRE’s Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM). An alternative route to compliance based on use of the ApacheSim dynamic simulation model (DSM) is also provided within VE Compliance, and documented in other user guides (for example PartL2(2021)ApacheSim.pdf).
Part L2 (2021) VE-SBEM applies to new buildings other than dwellings in England and Wales.
Data for the VE-SBEM analysis is taken from the Virtual Environment model, supplemented where necessary by inputs specific to the requirements of the selected Regulation. This data is used to write an input file for the BRE tool SBEM v6.1b. The Virtual Environment launches the BRE SBEM tool with the input data file and the BRE SBEM tool runs calculations to either perform a compliance assessment or generate an EPC.
Results of the VE-SBEM analysis can be found via the VE Compliance menu option >> ‘View results folder’ and are presented as follows
1. Compliance document (PDF file) plus Calculation Summary (one page of graphs as a PDF file) and Calculation Details (more detailed breakdown as a HTML file)
or
2. Energy Performance Certificate (PDF) and Recommendations Report (PDF).
A XML file is also generated for lodgement in the official database.
