BESCA was established by the Heating and Ventilating Contractors’ Association to act as an independent assessment and certification body for the building services industry in response to the growing number of registration schemes required to satisfy Government initiatives such as allowing self-certification and notification work under the Building Regulations.
Part L of the Building Regulations came into force on 6 April 2006, together with more extensive regulation covering reporting to Building Control and/or self-certification.
However, Government recognised that the industry may require more time to implement the new regime and therefore any building work must comply with the revised Part L 2006.
Notifiable HVACR work in relation to Part L is anything that will affect the energy status of the building, whether it is in a dwelling or other type building. It may include work such as the:
- Installation of a new or replacement hot water system
- Installation of a new or replacement boiler, ventilation or air-conditioning plant
- Installation of a new heating, ventilation or air-conditioning system or an extension or alteration to an existing one
- Re-commissioning of an existing heating, ventilation or air-conditioning system.
Additionally, domestic customers are likely to insist on self-certification, as documentary proof of compliance is likely to be a requirement for the Home Information Pack (HIP), which was introduced in June 2007.
Competent person’s schemes were introduced by the Government to allow individuals and enterprises to self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations as an alternative to submitting a building notice or using an approved inspector.
Where the building has a floor area of over 1000 m2, the requirement to achieve “consequential improvements” comes into effect. It is important to note that such improvements must be technically, functionally and economically feasible. The contractor will need to see evidence that the issue of consequential improvements comes into effect it has been considered by the building owner, designer or contractor and has been added into the project, or discounted prior to the original work activity being self-certified and notified. It is likely that the contractor will have to advise clients on the need to deliver consequential improvements in addition to the original work activity, following the requirements set out in Regulation 17D of ADL.
Ceilite have trained its staff to attend to this requirement on your behalf as needed.
To discover more about BESCA please click here.