Part L 2013 Regulations

RE: Part L 2013 Regulations

Duncan Brown — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 15:32:51 GMT

As has been stated previously, we are working diligently to provide an update to the software.

We appreciate your patience and understanding while we continue our efforts to provide software that meets industry regulations and our high quality release requirements. It should go without saying that neither of those things are trivial, so we are doing our best to make sure they are done right and do not cause any regression in other functionality that you rely on.

Rest assured - any new information about the update - particularly its availability - will be posted on this forum as soon as it is available.

As such, this thread is now locked (i.e. further replies are not allowed)

RE: Part L 2013 Regulations

Richard Topping — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 08:40:52 GMT

Less than 15 hours to go before the grace period ends and Bentley still cannot tell us when the software will be released! I have been lodging EPCs with the new version of SBEM using another software vendor's product since 21st May so it has nothing to do with the actual SBEM engine!

I do, however, have Hevacomp Part L projects waiting to be upgraded to Part L 2013 and some of my clients are getting understandably nervous about the uncertainty of what effect the changes will have on their designs. I have of course told them that there's nothing I can do until the software is released but they can't understand why Bentley have not provided a date. I have stated that it should be released by the latest Friday 6th June but now I'm not so sure.

Can anyone at Bentley confirm that the software will be available by tommorow?

RE: Part L 2013 Regulations

StuartO — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 13:27:22 GMT

Shane,

I'm sure you'll understand if I state I find your response commercially unacceptable.

As a business we pay substantial annual fee's for the use of design software, which we expect to be regularly updated to incorporate amendments made to the industry regulations.

With no update to part L 2013, the software is in effect not suitable for our use moving forward. We cannot be left in a position where compliance with the regulations cannot be achieved due to our software provider not implementing the required software update.

"We do not have a release date at this time" is not sufficient. We require a date when the update will be available. We would also require some form of redress against the fee's we are paying to enable us to produce the SBEM calculations via a 3rd party.

RE: Part L 2013 Regulations

Shane Regan — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 08:55:19 GMT

StuartO - We do not have a release date at this time. I appreciate your frustration in this regard and we at support will endeavour to communicate any information on this matter as soon as it is made available to us.

RE: Part L 2013 Regulations

StuartO — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 15:36:13 GMT

5th June 2014 is in 3 days. The sticky article for L2 has not been updated, so I assume the update will be released.

RE: Part L 2013 Regulations

Duncan Brown — Wed, 14 May 2014 15:53:33 GMT

I can still only iterate that it would be prudent to keep an eye on the stickied forum post. As soon as I have any information it will be posted there.

RE: Part L 2013 Regulations

John Phillips — Wed, 14 May 2014 14:44:10 GMT

The one month extension only appears to apply to production of EPC's, not to Part L compliance for buildings in the design stage.

RE: Part L 2013 Regulations

Duncan Brown — Wed, 07 May 2014 08:27:03 GMT

Assuming that the new extension period isn't due to BRE finding an issue with the SBEM calculation engine which might result in ourselves having to address code changes, our intention is to release the update as soon as we are able.

RE: Part L 2013 Regulations

BJP — Wed, 07 May 2014 08:02:35 GMT

Duncan,

Now the period has been extended by another month should we assume Bentley plan to delay releasing the updated Hevacomp software?

RE: Part L 2013 Regulations

Duncan Brown — Tue, 06 May 2014 16:01:28 GMT

Please note: The change over period has been increased by a further month. Information available in the stickied article, above.

RE: Part L 2013 Regulations

John Phillips — Tue, 06 May 2014 15:24:48 GMT

Stuart,

I am in exactly the same position as you and many others who use Hevacomp and expect the software to maintain pace with current regulation.

I'm not sure what the problem is at Bentley but given the lack of urgency and attention given to Hevacomp since they acquired the software i suspect that it is being phased out.

I am extremely frustrated having invested in software, training and certification with software that i am left with out of date software that can't be used for current projects, no confirmed date as to when an update will be issued and repeated brush off from the technical staff as if it's not their problem.

My firm is so fed up that we are looking to change software completely. The other major HVAC software providers all seem to have released Part L 2013 updates well before April.

RE: Part L 2013 Regulations

Duncan Brown — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:06:04 GMT

Stuart - I can only re-iterate my earlier post. As soon as I have further information it will be posted there. I have no further information at this time.

RE: Part L 2013 Regulations

StuartO — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 15:05:13 GMT

Duncan / Shane,

I have a meeting this week with a client, where I will be asked when we can run the latest SBEM to L2 2013.

Please can you advise the date when the update will be available.

RE: Part L 2013 Regulations

Duncan Brown — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 08:20:58 GMT

Stuart - All the information we have on the new release is being posted in the stickied article at the head of this forum. As soon as any new information on the release is available to us it will be posted there.

RE: Part L 2013 Regulations

StuartO — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 16:03:40 GMT

Shane,

Can you please confirm the date when the 5.2.b update will be provided.

As a business we need to carry out our own workings on the new software model to ensure we are compliant and understand the revisions to the software.

To be left in a situation where after the implementation date of the new regulations, we are still to receive the relevant software update is disappointing, especially when you are using this month overlap for the 2 regulations to finalise the update.

RE: Part L 2013 Regulations

Shane Regan — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 12:16:04 GMT

While the new 2013 Reg's will indeed be coming into effect on the 6th, there is a change-over period of 1 month in which both 2013 and 2006 calculations can be used. Please see the following from The Dept. for Communities and Local Government:

"EPCs for existing non-domestic buildings that are lodged on or after 6 April 2014 should be prepared using SBEM 5.2.b. There will however be a transitional period of one month from April 6 2014 when it will be permissible to use SBEM version 4.1.e for EPC lodgements."

Meanwhile, our developers are continuing to work on the update to incorporate SBEM 5.2.b into Hevacomp. Should you need to run any Part L calculations or submit any EPC's before its release, then please use SBEM 4.1.e.

RE: Part L 2013 Regulations

StuartO — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 11:16:04 GMT

It is now 1st April 2014, and the new 2013 Part L regs come into effect in 5 days on 6th April 2014.

When will the update for the new part L be available? No updates are currently shown in the support area.