Scottish Section 6

Under Scottish Regulations Section 6: Energy, it is a requirement to carry out a building carbon dioxide emissions rating for both new dwellings and non-domestic buildings.  The calculated carbon dioxide emissions (measured in kilograms per square metre of floor area per annum) for the proposed buildings or dwelling should be less than or equal to the target carbon dioxide emissions for the “notional building” or “notional dwelling”. 

For non-domestic buildings an assessment of the Building Emissions Rate can be made with the SBEM calculation tool, or other approved software.  This involves inputting the size and shape of the proposed building into the calculation package along with the Scottish standard package of construction and building services performance measures, to create a “notional building”. 

Dwellings may be assessed using the Government’s Standard Assessment Procedure for Energy Rating of Dwellings (SAP 2005).  The size, shape and ‘living area fraction’ of the proposed dwelling, along with a standard set of values, are used to calculate an emissions rate for a notional dwelling.  A second calculation with the actual values from the proposed dwelling is utilised to assess the Dwelling Emissions Rate.    An alternative way of meeting the standard which avoids the requirement of a calculation methodology is to design to a standard set of values set out in the regulations.