If the building is a new construction, you need to develop an overheating strategy and provide supporting documentation of compliance with Approved Document O (2021 edition – England) with your Building Regulations application.

Building Control should be consulted to determine their requirements for the submission. We recommend a person experienced in overheating assessment undertakes this consultation to enable appropriate interpretation of the technical guidance in Approved Document O.

The following processes are potential routes to compliance with Approved Document O.

We recommend you get an environmental constraints assessment.

If there are no environmental constraints and you’re happy with limiting glazed areas and providing sufficient openings, we undertake a Simplified Method assessment, the architectural design is updated accordingly, we report on the strategy by completing the Appendix B checklist and you submit the Building Regulations application.

If there are noise or pollution issues or you want a different strategy than that provided by the Simplified Method, we complete a noise and pollution exposure assessment (or use previous assessments by others where possible) and undertake dynamic thermal modelling to develop a bespoke strategy compliant with Approved Document O and to satisfy your requirements. The architectural design is updated accordingly, we report on the strategy by providing a supporting report and completing the Appendix B checklist, then you submit the Building Regulations application.

Once the Building Regulations application is approved, we can then help draft the overheating section of the Home User Guide that you need to provide to the homeowners.

If it is a new residential building and:

• you are building dwellings that benefit from cross-ventilation;
• the ventilation provision satisfies Approved Document F (inc. purge requirements);
• there is evidence that the site is not exposed to pollution;
• the openings offer adequate protection from falling and entrapment; and
• there is documentation to demonstrate that the local planning authority did not consider external noise to be an issue

you should not need to develop an overheating strategy or submit anything with your Building Regulations application.

Otherwise, for all other new residential buildings you need to develop an overheating strategy and provide supporting documentation of compliance with Approved Document O (2022 edition – Wales) with your Building Regulations application.

Building Control should be consulted to determine their requirements for the submission. We recommend a person experienced in overheating assessment undertakes this consultation to enable appropriate interpretation of the technical guidance in Approved Document O.

The following processes are potential routes to compliance with Approved Document O.

If:

• you are building dwellings that do not benefit from cross-ventilation;
• there is evidence that the site is not exposed to pollution;
• there is documentation to demonstrate that the the local planning authority did not consider external noise to be an issue; and
• you’re happy with limiting glazed areas and/or installing low solar gain glass or shading devices and the design provides sufficient openings;

we provide a Simplified Method assessment, the architectural design is updated accordingly, we report on the strategy by completing the Appendix B checklist and you submit the Building Regulations application.

If:

• you are building dwellings that do not benefit from cross-ventilation; or
• there are noise or pollution issues; or
• you want a different strategy than that provided by the Simplified Method;

we complete a noise and pollution exposure assessment (or use previous assessments by others where possible) and undertake dynamic thermal modelling to develop a bespoke strategy compliant with Approved Document O and to satisfy your requirements. The architectural design is updated accordingly, we report on the strategy by providing a supporting report and completing the Appendix B checklist, then you submit the Building Regulations application.

Once the Building Regulations application is approved, we can then help draft the overheating section of the Home Energy Guide that you need to provide to the homeowners.

Whether you are constructing a new residential building or converting a building for residential use, you need to develop an overheating strategy and provide supporting documentation of compliance with Standard 3.28 with your Building Warrant application.

Building Control should be consulted to determine their requirements for the submission. We recommend a person experienced in overheating assessment undertakes this consultation to enable appropriate interpretation of the technical guidance in Standard 3.28.

The following processes are potential routes to compliance with Standard 3.28.

We recommend you get an environmental constraints assessment.

If there are no environmental constraints and you’re happy with limiting glazed areas and providing sufficient openings, we undertake a Simplified Method assessment, the architectural design is updated accordingly, we report on the strategy and you submit the Building Warrant application with this report as evidence.

If there are noise or pollution issues or you want a different strategy than that provided by the Simplified Method, we complete a noise and pollution exposure assessment (or use previous assessments by others where possible) and undertake dynamic thermal modelling to develop a bespoke strategy compliant with Standard 3.28 and to satisfy your requirements. The architectural design is updated accordingly, we report on the strategy by providing a supporting report, then you submit the Building Warrant application.

The approach to a strategy for a converted building will vary depending on the proposals. We provide an overheating strategy, catered around the practical constraints of the property and proposed works. The architectural design is updated where required, we report on the strategy by providing a supporting report, then you submit the Building Warrant application.

Once the Building Warrant application is approved, we can then help draft the ‘staying cool in hot weather’ section of the Quick Start Guide that you need to provide to the homeowners.

If the site is in Wales, is a new construction, and:

• the ventilation provision satisfies Approved Document F (inc. purge requirements);
• there is evidence that the site is not exposed to pollution;
• the openings offer adequate protection from falling and entrapment; and
• there is documentation to demonstrate that the the local planning authority did not consider external noise to be an issue

you should not need to develop an overheating strategy or submit anything with your Building Regulations application.

Otherwise, for all other new student accommodation buildings you need to develop an overheating strategy and provide supporting documentation of compliance with Approved Document O (2021 edition – England), Approved Document O (2022 edition – Wales) or Standard 3.28 of the Scottish Building Standards Domestic Technical Handbook (depending on the development location) with your Building Regulations or Building Warrant application.

We recommend you get an environmental constraints assessment.

If the site is in England or Scotland, there are no environmental constraints and you’re happy with limiting glazed areas and providing sufficient openings, we undertake a Simplified Method assessment, the architectural design is updated accordingly, we report on the strategy and you submit the Building Warrant / Building Regulation application with this report as evidence.

If the site is in England, Scotland or Wales, is a new construction and there are noise or pollution issues, we complete a noise and pollution exposure assessment (or use previous assessments by others where possible) and undertake dynamic thermal modelling to develop a bespoke strategy compliant with Approved Document O or Standard 3.28 and to satisfy your requirements. The architectural design is updated accordingly, we report on the strategy by providing a supporting report and completing the Appendix B checklist, then you submit the Building Regulations application.

If the site is in Scotland and is a converted building, the approach to the overheating will vary depending on the proposals. We provide an overheating strategy, catered around the practical constraints of the property and proposed works. The architectural design is updated where required, we report on the strategy by providing a supporting report, then you submit the Building Warrant application.

All care homes should follow the same approach as My residential building is in England but where dynamic thermal modelling is used, the assessment should assess compliance assuming the occupants are vulnerable as defined in CIBSE TM52.

Only the parts of the live/work unit that are for residential use or can revert to residential use (i.e. by direct access, are within the same envelope or the residential element is a substantial proportion of the total area) require an overheating strategy.

These elements should follow the approach for a residential building, which differ depending on whether it is in England, Wales or Scotland.

An overheating strategy is required for the baby sleep rooms within the nursery if the building is in England or Wales.

These elements should follow the approach for a residential building, which differ depending on whether it is in England or Wales.

Given the rooms are only used in the daytime, noise is not a material consideration in the overheating strategy for compliance with Approved Document O.

The regulations and standards are structured to demonstrate compliance at the design stage. However, there may be occasions where demonstration of compliance is requested post-construction. There is no prescribed formal approach to follow.

If you have completed overheating studies at the design stage, a combination of site observations, proven construction installations and in-situ measurements can be used..

Where studies have not been undertaken at the design stage, a retrospective evaluation can be undertaken reviewing the installation as if it were a design proposal but using installed information and supplemented by the above in-situ information / studies.

Either way, the studies can be used to inform a post-construction compliance report which may be submitted as evidence to Building Control.