[Default] On Wed, 22 Aug 2012 07:45:10 +0100, a certain chimpanzee,
"David WE Roberts" , randomly hit the keyboard
and wrote:

It is a standard 'jobs for the boy/girls' thing.
Allegedly the person producing the report has to have a SAP accreditation
specific to the type of building (commercial or residential).
If the glazing is more than 25% of the new floor area BC want a SAP report -
as you say this will be a list of improvements elswhere in the building to
justify the amount of glass, plus a thermal gain calculation to show that in
fact with that much glass the house will be a sauna on a sunny day.

Leaving aside the issue of accreditation (which sounds like a Part P kind of
thing), I just don't have time to learn how to do the detailed calculations
at the moment.
I suspect the BCO doesn't either, and relies on the report from an
accredited SAP person.
Having the architect do it would not be free, anyway, and he would just
offload it to someone with the accreditation and the software package and
pass the charge on at cost plus.

Standard charge seems to be £150+VAT.
Our BCO does them but is off on holiday for a couple of weeks and we need
them soonish.
Sounds a bit suspect, doesn't it?
BCO says "sucks teeth Lot of glazing there, mate, need a SAP report.
Luckily I can do one for you".
However the rules seem pretty specific so it is possibly not as dodgy as it
seems at first glance.

There's a few allegations of misconduct flying around there. I hope
you can substantiate them, otherwise withdraw them.

I notice that in your reply you didn't answer the question of who has
asked you to produce heat loss calculations, and in particular said
that you have to use an acccredited energy assessor. Has this
suggestion come directly from the Local Authority Building Control in
direct response to your submission of a Full Plans application?

It's not the case that if openings 25% floor area then calculations.
Most BCOs will take a reasoned judgement on the areas of openings.
Calculations need to be checked by the BCO on the principle of garbage
in = garbage out, so they need to have some knowledgable in how to
draw up emissions ratings (and how to fiddle them).

In terms of learning the calculations, if you can multiply, add and
work out percentages, then you can do the most basic first part which
is to check the heat loss against a notional building. If it fails
this first test, then, yes, you may need to take into account the
solar gain, etc.

If your BCO is asking for them as part of his plan check then offering
to do them for you at a price, report him to his boss. That is a
sackable offence.
--
Hugo Nebula
"If no-one on the internet wants a piece of this,
just how far from the pack have I strayed"?