FENSA
What is FENSA and what does it mean to you the home owner?
Stands for the Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme, this was set up by the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF), with Government approval, in response to the new Building Regulations for England and Wales which came into force on the 1st April 2002.
All replacement glazing in dwellings are within the scope of the Building Regulations. Anyone who installs replacement windows or doors has to comply with improved thermal performance standards. When having their windows and doors replaced, homeowners must ensure that they get a certificate from the Local Authority Building Controller or have the work completed by a FENSA Registered Company.
One of the main reasons for this change to the Building Regulations was the need to reduce energy loss.
Registered approved member companies of FENSA are allowed to self certify their installations and will be subject to random checks. All installations will be recorded on the FENSA database which will be made available to local authorities and the Law Society. FENSA will issue certificates to householders as proof of compliance. When a householder wishes to sell the property, solicitors will check with the Law Society to ensure compliance with buildings regulations, failure will result in the cost of obtaining retrospective approval.
To become a member, companies must:
1. Comply with all building regulations
2. Be vetted to ensure general competence
3. Offer the customer an insurance backed guarantee
Those companies that do not comply and/or are not members of FENSA must obtain building regulations approval. If not, they are breaking the law which could result in considerable fines, unprecedented bad publicity and the householder unable to sell their property.
Below we have listed in greater detail some of the legislation we have to comply with when coming to your property to discuss your installation; we hope this is helpful to you.
Your guide to new low-e glass
What I need to know...
- Homeowners having their windows and doors replaced must ensure that the work complies with new legislation to meet improved energy efficiency targets.
- The Government's new Document L (Conservation of Fuel and Power) building regulations covers replacement windows and doors, requiring that all new installations must meet the improved thermal efficiency regulations.
- Failure to meet the new regulations could mean a property will fail a survey should it be up for sale.
Why does my home need to be energy efficient?
- Windows and doors are traditionally two of the main areas through which homes lose heat.
- Following the Kyoto Agreement in 1997, the Government was committed to reducing carbon dioxide emissions. An energy efficient home results in less fossil fuel being burnt in order to heat it; this results in reduced carbon dioxide emissions.
How do the new products work?
- To improve efficiency even further the Sealed Glass units are combined with low-e glass (low emissivity glass) which has a special coating. This low-e coating acts by reflecting heat, which would normally be lost through ordinary glass, back into the home.
- The new regulations require a 'U' value of 2.0 W/m²K.
- Heat loss through walls, roofs, floors, windows and doors is measured as a 'U' value. The more a wall or window resists the flow of heat, the lower its 'U' value. The heat flow is measured in watts (W) through a square metre. (m²) for every degree of temperature difference.
How do I make sure I comply with the new regulations?
- Use a FENSA registered company.
- The Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) in conjunction with the Government Have created a self-assessment scheme called FENSA, the Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme.
- Companies which are registered members of FENSA are allowed to self certify that their installations meet the new regulations, and agree that these installations are subject to random verification checks.
- Of approximately 10,000 replacement window companies in the UK, only 5,861 have become members of FENSA.
