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New Build & Conversion Services
SBEM stands for Simplified Building Energy Model - a standardized calculation method that evaluates your building’s energy efficiency and carbon emissions. Unlike complex dynamic simulation models, SBEM provides an accessible yet rigorous approach to demonstrate compliance with Part L building regulations for non domestic buildings.
The SBEM calculation process involves analyzing your building fabric, heating systems, ventilation systems, lighting systems, and hot water provision using standardized occupancy patterns. This creates a fair comparison baseline that isolates your building’s inherent energy performance from variable factors like weather or specific usage behaviors.
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Design Stage Assessment
Early SBEM calculations evaluate your initial building design against energy regulations.
Our assessors analyze:
- Building geometry and orientation
- Construction materials and U-values
- Proposed heating and cooling systems
- Lighting design and controls
- Renewable energy systems integration
- Ventilation strategies
This analysis identifies optimization opportunities and confirms your design pathway toward compliance.
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Final SBEM assessments use your actual construction specifications to verify energy performance.
This includes:
- Confirmed building services installations
- Actual building fabric performance
- Installed renewable technologies like solar panels
- Final HVAC systems specifications
- Completed air pressure testing results
- Key Components Analyzed
Building Fabric Performance
- Wall, roof, and floor constructions
- Window specifications and thermal bridging
- Insulation effectiveness
- Air tightness measures
Mechanical and Electrical Systems
- Heating system efficiency ratings
- Cooling, ventilation and lighting controls
- Hot water system performance
- Integration of renewable energy sources
Operational Factors
- Standard occupancy schedules
- Equipment energy consumption
- Lighting usage patterns
- Ventilation requirements
Professional SBEM calculation services typically cost between £800-£2,500 depending on building complexity and project scope.
This investment delivers significant value through:
- Avoiding regulatory compliance delays
- Preventing expensive design modifications
- Optimizing operational costs over building lifetime
- Ensuring maximum EPC ratings for commercial value
Early engagement with SBEM assessments often reduces overall project costs by identifying energy efficiency improvements during design rather than requiring retrofits.
Public Buildings:
- Schools and educational facilities
- Healthcare and medical centers
- Government and civic buildings
- Community and recreational facilities
Specialized Properties:
- Data centers and technical facilities
- Mixed-use developments
- Major developments with multiple building types
Note: Domestic dwellings use SAP calculations instead of SBEM for energy assessment.
Commercial Buildings:
- Office complexes and business centers
- Retail spaces and shopping centers
- Hotels and hospitality venues
- Industrial and warehouse facilities
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TM59 applies to a wide range of residential buildings, from newly constructed homes to significantly renovated domestic properties, care facilities, and student residences. Each building type presents unique challenges and considerations when it comes to assessing overheating risk for vulnerable occupants. For instance, apartments often face higher risks due to their high density and the internal temperature impacts from adjacent units. Meanwhile, care homes must assume Type 1 occupancy, which significantly affects how overheating risks are assessed.
The risk of overheating is particularly escalating in modern buildings designed with significant glazing and insufficient ventilation. Factors such as single aspect flats, high insulation levels, and high airtightness can significantly increase the risk of overheating. TM59 provides guidelines to prevent overheating in apartments by addressing internal temperatures and appropriate ventilation. Moreover, TM59 recommends design and sizing guidelines for mechanical ventilation systems to mitigate these risks effectively.
Changing weather patterns and increasing heat during hotter weather in the UK make addressing overheating in homes essential to reduce overheating. Overheating can lead to serious health issues, including stress and sleep disturbances, particularly for vulnerable populations. Applying TM59 guidelines helps designers enhance occupant comfort in living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, and communal corridors, ensuring a healthier living environment for all residents. Here are some key points to consider.
Submit an enquiryInstant QuoteNatural and mechanical ventilation strategies play crucial roles in managing indoor temperatures and reducing overheating risks. Natural ventilation, which relies on passive air movement through open windows, is the primary ventilation method for most naturally ventilated homes in the UK. It can be highly effective in reducing indoor temperatures, though its effectiveness can vary based on building design, orientation, and external factors like noise and pollution.
Mechanical ventilation, increasingly common in modern buildings, provides a constant fresh air flow and improve ventilation air quality in mechanically ventilated homes. These systems can enhance energy efficiency by incorporating heat recovery units and can be designed to prevent overheating. Fans, as a low-energy solution, also play a role in managing indoor temperatures by enhancing airflow and promoting heat loss.
Both natural and mechanical ventilation strategies are essential in mitigating overheating risks, especially in the context of changing climate conditions. To provide sufficient ventilation, whether through naturally ventilated means or mechanical systems, ensures that indoor environments remain comfortable and healthy for occupants.
To get a quote for a TM59 assessment, simply give us a call on 01827 284488, or fill in our contact form and a member of our team will be in touch shortly.
We require the following details to provide an accurate survey price:
Once you've accepted our quote, we’ll just need your invoicing details. And you'll receive the report with 5 working days.
Get my free quote nowPerforming TM59 assessments during the design phase is crucial for making necessary changes before construction begins. Conducting these assessments early allows for modifications such as changing window specifications and room configurations, which can significantly reduce the risk of overheating. This proactive approach not only ensures compliance with TM59 but also prevents costly modifications later in the construction process.
Integrating early-stage assessments of overheating risks with engineering expertise can lead to more effective design solutions. Collaborating with engineers from the outset helps designers better prepare for upcoming regulations and enhance the quality of overheating evaluations. This integration of expertise and early assessment is key to creating buildings that guarantee thermal comfort and adhere to the latest standards.
Effective design strategies are vital for mitigating overheating risks in residential properties. Reducing glass areas, optimizing building orientation, and incorporating shading elements are some of the primary strategies to minimize heat gains. Shading devices like balconies and overhangs can block excessive solar heat from entering buildings, making them one of the most effective methods to prevent overheating.
Green surfaces, such as green roofs and walls, can also enhance overheating mitigation by improving the reflectance of building exteriors and aiding in heat release through evapotranspiration. Additionally, using operable skylights can create a stack effect that helps to expel heat from buildings, enhancing natural ventilation during warm months.
Movable shading technologies offer users control over the amount of solar gain, allowing for adaptation to varying weather conditions and further reducing energy consumption risk of overheating. By implementing these design strategies, architects and developers can create energy-efficient buildings that maintain comfortable internal temperature conditions, reduce energy consumption, and ensure the well-being of occupants through internal shading and external shading.
Accurate weather data is a critical component of TM59 assessments, as it directly affects simulations of internal temperatures and heat gains. Using climate-specific weather files can significantly improve the reliability of overheating risk assessments in residential properties. These files incorporate real historical weather patterns, providing a more accurate representation of potential overheating scenarios.
Local microclimates must also be accounted for, as they can lead to significant differences in indoor thermal conditions. Incorporating detailed weather data into assessments allows designers and engineers to better predict and mitigate overheating risks, ensuring that buildings remain comfortable even in changing climate conditions.
The UK’s Committee on Climate Change predicts a significant rise in mortality rates due to overheating, highlighting the urgent need for stricter regulatory measures. Current building regulations do not sufficiently address overheating, indicating a potential gap that future regulations might aim to fill. Regulatory changes may require standard methodologies for assessing overheating risks to ensure consistent evaluations across the residential sector, as failing to do so could pose an unacceptable risk, potentially leading to even early deaths.
Local planning authorities bear the responsibility for monitoring whether offsite gains are properly recorded and attributed. These intrinsic achievements must endure a minimum period of thirty years upkeep. Through securing such external contributions towards ecological improvement, constructors can reach mandated benchmarks for net gain while also aiding wider preservation initiatives.
See why clients trust Gradwell
"Outstanding service from start to finish. The team at Gradwell Building Performance were professional, knowledgeable, and incredibly responsive. They guided us through the entire TM59 overheating assessment with clarity and care. The thermal modelling report was delivered on time and tailored specifically to our building design. We felt completely supported and confident in meeting our planning and compliance requirements. Highly recommended!”
FAQ Section
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