UK Government and BCIA Lead by Example with Building Standards Update

Recently, the UK government updated its Future Homes and Buildings Standards: 2023 consultation. Following this consultation, the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) has urged Parliament to work with the organization to prioritize the widespread adoption of Class A building controls in new and existing non-domestic buildings across the UK. 

J2 Innovations, as a member of BCIA, is excited to see the collaboration of government, organizations, and technology providers coming together to reduce the carbon footprint in the buildings industry.

The government policy objectives include:

• Reduce carbon dioxide emissions of new non-domestic buildings in line with government commitments to decarbonize by 2050.
• Transition away from the use of fossil fuels for heat and power by ensuring new buildings are “net zero ready”.
• Ensure that new buildings are high quality and affordable, protecting occupants from high bills. Ensure that interventions to improve energy performance are cost-effective, affordable, practical and safe.

In a recent article, BCIA outlined ways to legislate new standards for expanding the reach and capabilities of Class A BACS (Building & Controls System).

• Change the size of buildings that have a mandatory BACS to include small and mid-sized buildings. 
• Utilize occupancy-based control strategies for HVAC which will increase energy efficiency. 
• Implement sophisticated automatic demand control strategies to optimize the trend towards the electrification of buildings
• Leverage network controls through utilizing automated optimization routines.
  

As a technology provider, J2 Innovations is perfectly aligned with this initiative. Our vision is for the democratization of building automation systems for small to mid-sized buildings. Our innovative products such as FIN Framework and microBMS provide facility management, energy management, and control strategies at a cost effective price point.