Glossary

Approved Inspector
An Approved Inspector is someone who has been authorised by the Government to carry out Building Control functions. They have a responsibility to take suitable and sufficient steps to satisfy themselves that building work complies with the Building Regulations and other requirements throughout the entire project.

Construction Phase Plan (CPP)
A CPP is plan of how the health and safety shall be managed on a construction site, at each stage of the construction project. The plan should be reviewed on a regular basis, as the construction project progresses the health and safety needs are likely to change.

Part P certificate
Part P is only relevant to domestic electrical installations and it enables an electrician, who is registered with one of the five bodies such as Elecsa or NICEIC etc to self-certify domestic electrical installations.

Gas Safe certificate
In England and Wales, the Building Regulations require all Local Authorities search departments to be informed when a heat producing appliance (boiler, fire etc) is installed in a property.

Registered engineers can notify through Gas Safe Register. Once complete, a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate should arrive via post within 10-15 working days. As the certificate belongs to the property, you’ll need to keep it in a safe place as it’ll be useful should you decide to sell your home (to pass onto the next owner) or re-mortgage.

Boiler commissioning certificate
When installing a boiler the installer must arrange for the commissioning engineer to complete a Boiler Commissioning Certificate. This can be completed using the page in the boiler manual or alternatively complete on a separate form. The Commissioning Certificate is designed to ensure that all the necessary information relating to the installation of an appliance is correctly recorded.

OFTEC certificate
Once an installer is registered with OFTEC they are considered to be a ‘competent person’ and this allows them to self-certify any installation work they do to Oil Fired Boilers, avoiding the need for it to be checked by a building control body. Work that is self-certified by an OFTEC competent person also carries a workmanship warranty against building regulation non-compliance.

HETAS certificate
Once an installer is registered with HETAS they are considered to be a ‘competent person’ and this allows them to self-certify any installation work they do to solid fuels and wood-fired, avoiding the need for it to be checked by a building control body. Work that is self-certified by a HETAS competent person also carries a workmanship warranty against building regulation non-compliance.

SAP calculation
A SAP Calculation is an Energy Assessment on a new dwelling. There are two types of SAP Calculations- Full SAP Calculations for brand new builds and Conversion SAPs for existing converted buildings e.g. an office block being converted into Flats. It is carried out by a qualified Assessor and is required under Part L of the building regulations. An EPC is produced when the calculations are complete to certify this process.

as-Designed SAP calculation
An ‘As Designed’ Calculation is the first of two assessments required to complete a SAP Calculation. It is the initial calculation to confirm the architects drawings comply with part L regulations as they have been designed. This should be carried out either before or in the very early stages of the build.

as-Built SAP calculation
An ‘As Built’ Calculation is the second of two assessments required to complete a SAP Calculation. In theory this Calculation should be the mirror image of the ‘As Designed’ Calculation with the addition of all the final details confirmed where assumptions would have been made in the Design SAP. For example, confirmation of the boiler system installed. Once this Calculation is complete an EPC is produced.

EPC
EPC stands for ‘Energy Performance Certificate’. It is produced once SAP calculations are complete to certify the process.

Air pressure test certificate
Air permeability testing plays a key part in establishing the energy efficiency of a building – and as regulations tighten it will be increasingly necessary to make design considerations for air tightness early on in a build. On-completion of a new building the testing measures the effectiveness of your air leakage strategy by establishing routes of leakage in the finished envelope.

Sound test
This is normally required to demonstrate compliance to Part E of the Building Regulations for England and Wales. When a new construction, or the conversion of an existing building results in two adjoining dwellings being separated by a partition (Party Wall/floor), it is a Building Regulations Part E requirement for this partition to be tested in terms of its sound insulation performance. The rooms to be tested will be Living Rooms, Bedrooms, dining rooms etc. Kitchens and Bathrooms are not normally tested, but can be relevant in specific open plan situations.

FENSA
When having windows and doors replaced you should ensure you obtain either a certificate from the FENSA registered installer or a Building Regulations Final Certificate. There is no difference when it comes to proving compliance when you come to move to a new house. The principles of self-certification are based on giving installers the ability to self-certify that their work complies with Building Regulations without the need to submit a Building Regulations application.

There is no need to obtain a FENSA certificate for windows installed as part of an extension or loft conversion covered by a Building Regulations application.

Thermal Elements
Thermal Elements are walls, floors or roofs which separate heated or cooled spaces within buildings. Changes to Thermal Elements usually mean that insulation of that element will require upgrading to an acceptable standard and Building Control approval.

Electrical works/installations
Installers should be registered with NICEIC / NAPIT / ELECSA / BSI / BESCA / OFTEC / Certsure

Gas installations
Installers should be GAS SAFE Registered Gas

Wood and Oil Burning Stoves
Installers should be registered with HETAS / OFTEC / BESCA / APHC / Benchmark / Certsure / NAPIT

Heating and Hot Water Systems
Installers should be registered with APHC / BESCA / HETAS / Benchmark / Certsure / NAPIT

Replacement Window and Doors
Installers should be registered with FENSA / CERTASS / BM TRADA / BSI / NETWORK VEKA

Replacement of Roof covering / Repairing of more than 25% of roof covering

Installers should be registered with NFRC – Competent Roofer