Part L – Eight months on
Since Part L2A and L2B of the Building Regulations for non-domestic buildings were introduced in April this year, demand for commercial HE products has increased dramatically. Here, Graham Williamson, business director of commercial heating at Ideal Boilers, discusses the impact legislation changes have had on the industry.
The focus of the Building Regulations is on the whole fabric of a building to improve its overall performance, requiring it to adhere to a minimum standard to reduce carbon emissions and help the Government reach its target of a 20% reduction in CO2 by 2010.
In order to meet these minimum standards, more energy efficient materials must be used to minimise heat loss, through better insulated walls, floors and windows, along with reduced air pressure leakage. This has, inevitably, led to a rise in demand for energy efficient products.
Whilst many manufacturers within the commercial and industrial heating sector have, for many years, been developing high efficiency (ME) heating products and introducing them to the market, the Building Regulations have further placed the onus on manufacturers to respond to market demands by introducing new product ranges and extensions that not only meet and exceed legislation, but also offer more choice and options to commercial installers.
HE condensing boilers account for approximately 51% of the commercial boiler market, a 12% rise compared to 2004. With industry experts predicting the HE boiler market is growing at 20% per annum, and this trend set to continue in the future, it is likely that demand for HE products by the end of 2006 will be as high as 65%.
Whilst this drive towards condensing technology and the impact of legislation makes it relatively straightforward for commercial boiler manufacturers in the development of new products for the marketplace, many are concerned that this rapid increase has the potential to shrink the total market by as much a 4%-6% as the market looks to repair rather than replace.
Ultimately, because the commercial heating market is relatively small and mature, with only around 20,000 new units sold every year, this might have the potential to defeat the object of reducing carbon emissions. Clients forced to consider the cost implications of replacing their standard efficiency (SE) boiler with a condensing (HE) appliance may feel that the price is excessive, and therefore put off the work until another day. At Ideal Boilers, we feel the government should consider introducing more incentives to encourage commercial property managers to look at replacing ageing systems to help reduce their fuel costs.
In order to maximise the benefits of condensing (HE) boilers, it is vitally important that specifiers and installers consider each application in its own right when they are selecting products. For instance, without integrating the system design and controls of a HE boiler to provide the ability for lower return temperatures, it is only likely to operate slightly more efficiently than a standard type boiler.
A HE boiler will only condense when the system allows it to do so, quite simply when the return temperature is maintained below 50oC. The problem is, few existing systems have been designed, or are even suitable for condensing.
So whilst it is clear that condensing (HE) technology is gathering pace, correct product selection is critical and the issues surrounding HE boilers needs to be considered if the full benefits are to be realised. However, with fuel prices continuing to rise each year, and this set to continue, it is essential there are energy efficient solutions on the market for commercial and industrial properties.
To meet these market conditions, Ideal Boilers is constantly looking at ways of improving our product and service offering. We have responded to the Building Regulations by introducing the Imax xtra series. Launched in April this year to offer greater choice for commercial and industrial heating applications, the floor standing Imax xtra is specifically manufactured to meet the needs of the UK market and exceed legislation, whilst building on the success of the Imax W and Imax Plus range of high efficiency condensing boilers.
Available in six models, with outputs from 80 to 280kW, the range will be further extended within the next six months to take the output range up to 560kW to cover all possible applications. The boiler design ensures high operating efficiencies at both full and part loads, with non condensing efficiencies of up to 97.7% nett (88% gross cv) at 80oC and up to 107.5% nett (96.9% gross cv) at 30% load in condensing mode.
Overall, condensing boilers can offer significant benefits in commercial and industrial applications, but all the implications of fitting them must be considered before an installer or specifier carries out their work. Because they are currently not a solution for all applications, condensing technology for the commercial market will continue to generate debate with those within the industry.
For further information please contact Ideal Boilers’ commercial division on 01482 498 690 or email commercial_heating@idealboilers.com