Introduction
Section 6 is a facility within the Virtual Environment’s <VE> Compliance view providing facilities for testing compliance with Section 6 of the Building Regulations (Scotland), 2022 edition. Section 6 (2022) applies to all new non-dwellings in Scotland.
Data for the Section 6 analysis is taken from the <Virtual Environment> model, supplemented where necessary by inputs specific to the requirements of Section 6.
What is section 6?
The requirements of The Building Regulations, Section 6 (Scotland), 2022 edition, are set out in The Scottish Building Standards Agency’s Non-Domestic Handbook. Section 6 addresses the energy use and associated greenhouse emissions energy performance of all non-domestic buildings and ancillary buildings. Such buildings include: factories, offices, shops, warehousing, hotels, hospitals, residential buildings and also buildings used for assembly and entertainment.
Section 6 should be read in conjunction with all the guidance to the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 but in particular Section 3: Environment has a close affiliation with energy efficiency. (Ref: Building Standards – Non-domestic Technical Handbook; Scotland 2022 Edition)
Latest changes to Section 6 (2022) from (2015)
The 2022 edition of Section 6 incorporates a number of changes whilst also introducing the use of SBEM v.6 or compliance calculations and EPC production for new non-domestic buildings. The majority of these changes relate to improvement in specified performance to deliver the intended 20% aggregate reduction in carbon dioxide emissions on the 2015 standards and to support the planned implementation of the 2024 New Build Heat Standard.
A fuller summary of changes can be found on the Technical Handbooks page of the Building Standards Division section of the Scottish Government website at https://www.gov.scot/policies/building-standards/monitoring-improving-buildingregulations/.
Below is a brief summary of the key changes that have been made to the standards and guidance from 1 December 2022 include:
- New energy target for new buildings.
- Requirements to reduce carbon dioxide emission only to new buildings using direct emissions heating systems. Note: definition of ‘direct emission heating system” introduced under regulation 2.
- New energy target and exemption from TER for non-direct emission heating systems.
- Amendment to the notional buildings used to set compliance targets. Three variations on the notional building, applied based upon use of electric heat pump, heat network connection or any other heating solution.
- Revised treatment of the export component of on-site generation of power and amended approach to compliance for dwellings connected to a heat network.
- Amended guidance on shell buildings, emphasising the need to apply a confirming requirement for confirmation of standard 6.1 on fit-out and deferring any EPC assessment until completion of fit-out.
- Area-weighted average U-values for elements of fabric improved; one set of values now apply to all building work. Variant U-values for shell buildings no longer defined (clause removed).
(Ref: Building Standards – Non-domestic Technical Handbook; Scotland 2022 Edition)