Exploring the impact of Part L and what this means for bi-folding door systems

With the new building regulations now in force across England and Wales, it’s important that systems houses and fabricators have a clear understanding of how these changes will affect the manufacture of bi-fold door systems moving forward.

Part L sets the standard for the energy performance and carbon emissions produced by new building and existing properties across the UK which means replacement windows and doors will now need to conform to the WER, DER or U-values that have been significantly reduced.

From a glazing perspective, doors have seen a reduction from 1.8 W/m2K to 1.4 W/m2K on all extension and renovation projects. The same standard has also been set for new dwellings, where the U-values have been once again reduced to 1.4 W/m2K for doors with >60% of internal face glazed.

“Introducing Part L was definitely needed in the industry to help significantly reduce the amount of carbon emissions produced by homes across the UK,” explains Jim Lomax, Sales and Marketing Director at Debar.

“Lowering U-values is one of the most effective ways to do this but it does mean fabricators and systems houses will need to rethink existing designs so they can confidently demonstrate how their products are Part L compliant. Failure to do so could mean they run the risk of having to make further changes to their products in the future.

“If anyone is looking for some additional advice and support, we’d recommend always working closely with a skilled manufacturer who fully understands how to meet the requirements of the new building regulations.”

Manufacturing Part L compliant bi-fold systems

With years of experience in the bi-fold door market, Debar has a wealth of industry knowledge. While the company is now well known for manufacturing and supplying bi-fold hardware across the globe, when the company launched in 2008, the team were responsible for developing their own bi-fold door systems. In fact, many years ago, the team created the renowned Dewall aluminium bi-fold door system.

With a continued passion for this type of project, Debar has most recently supported Cortizo with the development of an innovative slimline bi-folding system which was designed specifically with the new approved Part L building regulations in mind – demonstrating how Debar has first-hand experience adhering to these changes and creating a compliant product.

“Working closely with Cortizo to design and develop this slimline bi-fold has been fantastic,” adds Jim.

“By having a clear understanding of what’s required to meet Part L regulations we’ve been able to successfully create a system which provides high levels of insulation, helping to minimise heat loss and reduce monthly energy bills for homeowners.

“Made from advanced insulation materials and a thermally broken frame, we’re proud to share that this new system delivers exceptional thermal performance by successfully preventing heat from being transferred from the inside to the outside – something that is incredibly important under the new building regulations.”

Getting to grips with Part L

As last month officially marked the end of the 12-month grace period for the Part L building regulations, all companies working within the home improvement and construction sectors must now guarantee they’re manufacturing, supplying and installing fully compliant building products.

Debar has a dedicated team of experts who go above and beyond to stay ahead of the latest industry news and trends. Part of their commitment to the bi-fold market is supporting systems houses and fabricators with an interest in learning more about bi-folding doors.

“Part L can seem overwhelming at first but with the right help and guidance it may not be as difficult to navigate as companies may have initially thought,” explains Jim.

“We’re always happy to help any company looking to break into the bi-fold market, and can offer our support and expertise to develop new quality bi-fold products which are fully compliant.

“Don’t bury your head in the sand about Part L, instead get in touch with our team so we can help you to smoothly navigate and adapt to the new requirements.”

For more information visit: https://www.debarhardware.com/