To arrange a SAP calculation, please contact us.
SAP is the abbreviation for The Government’s Standard Assessment Procedure for Energy Rating of Dwellings. This procedure is the standard for assessing the energy performance of dwellings.
The SAP 2006 Concept Explained (England & Wales)
Instead of the traditional Elemental and Target U-value methods of compliance for new build thermal Building Regulations via U-values, under Approved Document L (2006) each new dwelling is given a Target Emissions rate of CO² to achieve. This is the only way of showing compliance to the new Building Regulations. U-values and the other relevant factors are based around achieving the TERTarget carbon dioxide Emission Rate – this is the energy performance target that must be achieved to comply with the requirements of the Approved Document. It is expressed in terms of kg/m2/yr. The TER is calculated using the SAP software. (Target CO2 Emissions Rate).
In the case of ADL1A (dwellings), the calculation tool is SAP 2005 (2006 edition) and it is carried out in two stages:
- Stage 1: Dwelling CO2 emission rate (DERDwelling Emission Rate – this is the CO2 emission rate for the proposed dwelling. It is expressed in terms of kg/m2/yr. In practice two DER calculations may be needed - the first at the design stage, based on plans and specifications used in the submission to the Building Control. The final calculation of the DER should be based on the dwelling as constructed, including any changes made and including the results of the air permeability test.) calculated from 'notional' dwelling benchmark based on 2002 Part L standard.
- Stage 2: DERDwelling Emission Rate – this is the CO2 emission rate for the proposed dwelling. It is expressed in terms of kg/m2/yr. In practice two DER calculations may be needed - the first at the design stage, based on plans and specifications used in the submission to the Building Control. The final calculation of the DER should be based on the dwelling as constructed, including any changes made and including the results of the air permeability test. re-calculated - this time using SAP 2005 to give a 20% improvement against the 2002 standard.
- This is then known as the TERTarget carbon dioxide Emission Rate – this is the energy performance target that must be achieved to comply with the requirements of the Approved Document. It is expressed in terms of kg/m2/yr. The TER is calculated using the SAP software. (Target CO2 emission rate)
- At Stage 2, building services fuels and low or zero carbon energy sources are inserted for the proposed dwelling.
A SAP rating is produced, on a scale of 1-100 and is then presented on a SAP certificate. It is not possible to directly compare the ratings calculated by SAP 2001 with ratings produced from SAP 2005 because a different rating scale was used and the CO² output was scored differently.
SAP ratings can only be produced for domestic dwellings – not commercial buildings.
Further information is available in the Sheffield Insulations Part L Solutions Guide
For further details, or to arrange a SAP calculation, please contact us.