"Hugo Nebula" wrote in message
...
[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.


You seem to be reading an awful lot into a few comments.
Nothing stated is untrue to my knowledge, nor have I sugested that there is
any misconduct.

BCO has stated that SAP calculations are required.
The online SAP sites suggest the 25% glazing guideline.

http://www.epsgroup.co.uk/our-servic...extension-sap/

"SAP Calculations are an extremely useful method of demonstrating compliance
with Part L1B of Building Regulations via the Design Flexibility criterion.

This method is often used for extensions with high levels of glazing which
is deemed as being excessive by Building Control (more than 25% of the
extended floor area) or in cases where homeowners wish to have a
conservatory or sun room open to their existing property."

http://www.sapeasy.co.uk/#extensions

"
Extensions

If you build an extension where the glazing is over 25% of the floor area,
then we can undertake a SAP assessment to demonstrate Part L compliance"

So given that the extension goes out 3 metres and the bifolds go up abot 2.4
metres and are across most of the rear (plus of course the three roof lights
in the vaulted roof) it seems likely that SAP calculations would be
required.
With me so far, or is this totally wrong?
The SAP calculations were requested by the BCO at the time the plans were
submitted for Building Regs approval.
Our architect had previously stated that SAP calculations would probably be
required.

People we have spoken to, including our architect, suggest that to offer a
commercial service providing SAP calculations one has to be certified - we
know of one person who can't offer the service because here certification
hasa recently lapsed.

Our architect mentioned that the person who was coincidentally our BCO was
also certified to provide SAP calculations, and he approached him to see if
he could do this for us.
So happens that he is on holiday.

As I commented humourously (do you have a sense of humour?) at first sight
this could seem a bit dodgy but I see no conflict of interest and neither
has anyone else involved.

Why should I do the calculations if I can employ someone else?
It is my judgement how best to spend my time and money - when to do
something myself and when to employ someone else.

If of course you feel that any of my statements are legally actionable by
all means take this further.

If not, can you just try to be helpful?
Please?

Dave R
--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

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