MontyG
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The Building Regulations (Section B1, Second Schedule) require that “a building shall be so designed and constructed that there are adequate means of escape in case of fire from the building to a place of safety outside the building, capable of being safely and effectively usedâ€.
The Technical Guidance Documents are merely guidance in how to comply with the requirements of the Regulations. The Introduction to Part B (Fire Safety) clearly states this and goes on to say “the adoption of an approach other than that outlined in the guidance is not precluded provided that the relevant requirements of the Regulations are complied withâ€
The TGD ‘B’ also states (1.5.6.b) that “The bottom of the window opening should be not more then 1100mm and not less then 800 above the floor level in the room in which it is situatedâ€.In this instance I would assume that the disabled person would be accommodated on the ground floor as it would be unreasonable to assume that she would be able to exit unaided from a first floor window. On the ground floor there is usually no requirement for guarding (which becomes a requirement when the height differential is greater then 600mm). Therefore, ground floor windows can reasonably have the sill below 800mm above floor level. Any glazing below 800mm from floor level would though need to be toughened or laminated.
On first floor windows there is an obvious requirement for guarding and TGD ‘K’ (2.4) states “Where the window is capable of being opened, special care must be taken to ensure that the guarding must remain in place and effective at all timesâ€. If this provision can be safely met there would appear to be no reason why the bottom of the window cannot extend below 800mm above floor level. In fact the equivalent guidance for England & Wales, Approved Document ‘B’ (2.11.b) states “The window should have an unobstructed openable area that is at least 0.33m ² and at least 450mm high and 450mm wide….The bottom of the openable area should not be more than 1100mm above the floor.â€
This guidance, 2000 edition, is more up to date then the 1997 Irish guidance.In other words, as some of the more astute readers may have deduced, you don’t have to follow the TGD literally. A practical application of this from a fenestration perspective is that it will allow the use of windows other then your bog-standard 500x850mm casement window as an escape window – a sliding sash window for example.
Monty
It’s not so much UPVC windows going yellow that worries the industry, so much as the ones that go pink ! Interestingly enough ‘pinking’ usually occurs on north facing elevations so its unlikely that it’s caused by to much sun. Big debate going on within plastics but no definite answers. Some manufacturers are saying that the problem is caused by the use of heavy metal stabilisers such as lead, although the British Plastics Federation has scotched this suggestion. Another suggestion is that the chemical mix is wrong and that re-cycled PVC is adding to the problem. Whatever is causing the problem the only remedy short of replacement is to spray the windows white.
The big problem for UPVC in general is disposal at the end of its life. Recycling is feasible but capacity is hugely behind what is required, the numbers are scary. Incineration as proposed by the industry is even scarier.
I’m not sure about rationel being particularly hardwearing. I see them graying all over the place and unlike fashionable oroka facades, pine is definitely not meant to go gray. I find their frames to be very heavy unless the building has been designed to suit. OK in new build but bulky for a replacement. Try Lowen or Marvin.
On the subject of windows, proposed revisions to Part L are due out by the end of the month. UK has gone for U-values of 2.0 W/SqM/K for timber and UPVC, and 2.2 W/SqM/K for metal. These are not just center-of-glass values either. What that means is LowE as standard on both new and replacement windows. We should be following suit but don’t be surprised if there are shenanigans. The Irish Window association is a CIF ‘client’.
Is mise le meas,
Monty
