The final approved documents for Part L have been published by the Department for Communities and Local Government with widely-anticipated amendments confirmed.
As previously reported in Lighting, there are two major changes in the non-domestic compliance guide. The assumed luminaire efficiency has gone up from 55 to 60 luminaire lumens per circuit watt. As well as the assumption of daylight controls, the new Part L Approved Documents now assumes there is occupancy control as well.
The Lighting Energy Numerical Indicator (LENI) has been be introduced as an alternative option for demonstrating compliance with lighting standards when the new regulations come into force in April 2014.
A fit-out of office space at 5 New Street Square in the City of London by Wila
Peter Raynham from the Society of Light and Lighting said: “These measures taken together mean that there is now about 20 per cent less energy available for lighting.”
“The backstop assessment is very much as the draft that we saw last year. There is the increase in luminaire efficiency coupled with more options for the use of lighting controls or the option of doing a LENI calculation,” he added.
Xavier Fulbright, creative director of Lumineer Studio, said: “As a lighting designer, I am glad to see the regulations are encouraging the use of lighting controls and recognising [that] the usage of light should be taken into account. This measure was long overdue”.
