Welsh timber frame manufacturer Benfield ATT says proposed revisions to Part L (energy efficiency) of the building regulations will help to highlight the “massive” potential of the building method.
Managing director Dr Michael Benfield said: “My team consider this tightening-up of Part L, which seems aimed towards aligning the ‘wet’ housebuilders with the higher standards available from the dry timber framers, as good news.
“Because this is too costly for the wet builders to do, it provides yet another step towards a timber frame future.”
Dr Benfield said his company had seen a growing number of contractors going over to off-site timber frame methods, but there could still sometimes be a confidence problem.
He added: “Some still need convincing that fast-track timber frame methods and products do work and, from our point of view, these Part L revisions will give us the chance to win them over.”
The Part L recommendations, designed to improve energy efficiency of new homes by 25%, include tighter U-values and pre-completion testing or inclusion of Robust Standard Details.
