Bilco improvements for Part L energy efficiency

Bilco has improved its entire roof hatch range to reduce air leakage and increase thermal insulation to help meet the energy efficiency requirements of Part L of the Building Regulations.

The access doors and hatches manufacturer has made the improvements to aid building designers meet the requirements.

Bilco hatches are now all fitted with a newly designed closed cell EPDM sponge gasket to help meet Building Regulation air leakage targets by giving a better seal of the cover to the curb.

Independent tests have shown that the maximum air permeability performance at pressures up to 600 Pascals is less than 4.83m3/hour/m2 - giving the hatches a Class 1 rating under BS EN 12207:2000.

In addition to improved sealing performance, all hatches supplied by Bilco now provide greater thermal insulation as a result of being fitted with 50 mm thick faced rigid polyisocyanurate insulation board on both the cover and the curb.

Super TUFF-R has a component U value of 0.47 Wm2/K and accepts a variety of roofing adhesives.

Bilco hatches continue to be built in high-grade aluminium and are fitted with compression springs which make them easy to open.

They are also fitted with automatic hold-open arms which ensure that the hatches cannot be blown closed - a potential health and safety risk if people are then trapped on the roof with no means of returning to the building.

The design of hinges and other features ensures that the hatches are resistant to the effects of ageing and weather in exposed locations.

The air leakage performance of the hatches - as well as their acoustic and thermal performance and their resistance to load and impact - has been independently verified by tests at Taylor Woodrow's technology centre in Bedfordshire.

Bilco can provide full test results for inclusion in building documentation.

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