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The asset rating graph on the front page has been simplified and now only refers to the SAP rating and not to the EI, which been relegated to page 4. On the RDSAP EPC there are also changes in the potential SAP rating and how recommendations are dealt with. The changes include: The ability to override RDSAP default U-values with documentary evidence and enter the exact U-value. This must come from a suitably qualified person, such as an OCDEA. More detailed input into Solar Water Heating systems; this mirrors the detail that can be entered into a full SAP assessment.
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Various other comments based upon feedback received from our members. To read our full consultation response click here. A summary of the proposed changes to Part L1A can also be found in the NHER summary: SAP 2012 in a Nutshell.
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To read our full Part L1A consultation response click here. A summary of the proposed changes to Part L1A can also be found in the NHER summary: Building Regulations L1: A Potted Guide.
If you do not have an official BFRC certificate, but have U-value, g value or Frame Factor provided by your client with associated documentary evidence other than an official BFRC certificate, use the Manufacturers Declared option. In this case, you will need the whole window U-value plus the g value of the glass and the Frame Factor. Use the SAP default value whenever you do not have documentary evidence for any data item. Question: I have lots of databases and need to locate a particular job but Im not sure which database the jobs is in can you help? Answer: This issue has been raised a number of times recently and the NHER Technical Support Team has done some research and found a free file searching utility on the internet that may help you do the job: File Locator Lite http:// www.mythicsoft.com/page.aspx? type=filelocatorlite&page=home can be downloaded and run on your system. It allows you to search a whole folder of files to find text contained within. For example, if you have a folder of databases called C:\My Documents\SAP Databases\ and you want to find the details of a property called Rosebud you can select the appropriate folder and then search for that term. File Locator will then display which database contains the term and you can use NHER Plan Assessor to connect to that database and then find the record. While we cannot fully endorse the product as it is one of many available on the internet, we have found this one to work extremely quickly. Question: I have a 2006 Building
Regulation job in NHER Plan Assessor v4.5. How do I create an EPC? Answer: This issue has been covered previously in the OCDEA Technical Bulletin, Issue 30, but it still seems to cause problems with some assessors. Initially, continue to work in NHER Plan Assessor v4.5. and continue the job to the As-built final stage to be able to issue the Building Regulations compliance work. You now have two options: 1. Export the single record xml, and import this into NHER Plan Assessor v5.4.2; or 2. Convert the database in which the record is located to the most recent NHER Plan Assessor (v5.4.2). Use this option if the whole database of that phase requires EPCs for example. The EPC can now be issued from NHER Plan Assessor v5.4.2. In this situation, whether the record passes or fails or whether there are amber traffic lights is not important. NHER Plan Assessor v5 uses an agreed method of upgrading SAP 2005 data into SAP 2009 format. This may mean that items like party walls are ignored or that FGHRS or WWHRS are not specified. However, the EPC produced is acceptable according to auditing guidelines. If the record is upgraded while in Asbuilt draft stage, then some information will still need to be entered. This may include SAP 2009 dataset
Before entering the g value, first complete the fields on the right hand side of the screen: Low e -Coating down to Gap. These do not actually affect the resulting outputs such as DER, SAP etc and in a future release of NHER Plan Assessor will be greyed out to avoid the need for them to be entered manually. However, these fields currently need to be populated before a green light can be obtained. We recommend that you note the report number of the BFRC Certificate in the Description field, as this document will be needed when any of your BFRC entries are called in for a QA check.
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Assessors often ask if NHER Plan Assessor can perform certain functions. Recent feedback from seminars also revealed that a number of useful features of NHER Plan Assessors are not well known. This article explains the most common.
Tips and Tricks: Getting the most out of NHER Plan Assessor
Batch Manager
This allows users to carry out certain operations in order to update a set (batch) of records all at once. However, it does not have to just be used for that purpose alone. Batch Manager offers the same filtering ability as the Open screen and provides a more detailed information set about your records including DER and TER. This can be used to check quickly if a job passes or fails. This feature can be used not only to organise completed records for EPC production but can also be used to organise different versions or options more easily. Think of it as a logical way to group together records. You can then run reports or generate a list of key outputs for that specific set of records. You can use it to change the status of all the records in the batch or to generate EPCs. In NHER Plan Assessor v5.4.2 you can also utilize it to make use of the new mass updating functionality (see article on page 7). A good way to get used to some of the features is to try using Batch Manager as your main screen for opening records, i.e. open and check your records using Batch Manager and see if it provides a useful new way of working with your records. More information on using features in Batch Manager can be found in our introduction video tutorials: www.nesltd.co.uk/news/nher-planassessor-v45-released. Although these videos are for version 4.5 they convey many of the key principles. Tip: If you hover over a field in Batch Manager the whole of the text for that field is displayed as a tool tip.
Multiple Compliance
NHER Plan Assessor v5.4.1 reintroduced a multiple DER/TER compliance report. This is located in Batch Manager, rather than in Reports as it was in NHER Plan Assessor v4. Enter Batch Manager and select the dwellings that are part of the multiple compliance set. Then click the Multiple Reports button and pick either the Code for Sustainable Homes or the Building Regulations report (see screenshot on the right). A PDF file will be generated containing a breakdown of the DER, TER and total floor area for each property and the floor area weighted average DER/TER.
However, note that you cannot use your NHER Plan Assessor v4 key in version 5, nor a version 5 key in version 4. Tip: if you have an electronic version of your license key (PDF) then you can copy and paste the whole key in one step. Select the entire key and paste into the first box. The key will automatically be split into the component parts.
The SAP calculation applies in use factors to the efficiency and specific fan power (SFP) of whole house mechanical ventilation systems. This is to account for the difference between performance tests carried out under test conditions and tests carried out in the real homes. A further option was introduced in SAP 2009 to acknowledge the fact that performance is also affected by how the system is installed, with the introduction of a question: Approved Installer Yes/ No. Until recently, this field has made no difference to the result because the Approved Installer Scheme had not been launched.
BBA and Robust Details Limited joined forces in 2011 under the banner of Constructive Details Ltd to deliver a thermal bridging scheme to meet the requirements of Part L1A 2010. However, the SAP 2012/Part L 2013 proposals make it clear that the notion of 'schemes' has been dropped, although there are still provisions for thermal modelling calculations by qualified individuals and a proposed penalty of 3% on the TER if developers cannot demonstrate overall quality assurance procedures. Undaunted by the loss of schemes, Constructive Details will shortly be publishing a handbook of 21 junction details. These are for masonry details using aircrete blocks for a partially filled cavity wall in new dwellings only. See the image on the right for an extract from one of their draft information sheets. These are more detailed than the ACD sheets issued by DCLG in 2006, and for example give a range of values for differing insulation characteristics. Each junction detail will also be accompanied by a guidance checklist to assist with effective site application and a series of notes for builders, focusing on achieving the stated values. In addition BBA are now including values on some of their standard BBA certificates. For examples, see: www.bbacerts.co.uk/ CertificateFiles/47/4778ps1i1.pdf To find out more about Constructive Details visit: www.constructivedetails.co.uk/
NHER Plan Assessor v5.4.2 was released at the end of March. This update has a number of new features that extend Batch Manager functionality to speed up data input for assessors. It also addresses a number of outstanding bugs and introduces further new features. This article focuses on some of these useful and time saving new features.
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Scottish templates
Scottish templates are used as part of the Section 6 simplified approach to demonstrate compliance. Using the template for the selected fuel, all the minimum standard attributes are set and you only have to include data entry that is relevant to the individual property that the assessment is being carried out on. It now features a small solar water heating array size calculator to ensure that the regulation sized solar panels are added to the property as per the regulations. (See Figure 7.)
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