Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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788. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the fact that the technical guidance document to Part L, 2011 of the Irish Building Regulations requires designers of buildings to achieve a surface temperature factor (fRsi) of 0.75 or better, and in the case of a ground floor junction a relaxation of 0.70 is allowable, if he will confirm the surface resistance value to be used for floor, wall and ceiling planes in the two and three dimensional numerical calculation of the surface temperature under this regulation; if he will provide the surface resistance values for the three planar elements for use in these calculations, when Part L 2011 was first introduced; and the precise date, or dates, when any subsequent changes in these values became part of the building regulations. [14324/15]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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The calculations referred to are normally undertaken by qualified thermal modellers using specialist modelling software. The surface resistance values for the plane elements (floors, walls and ceilings) are given in the Building Research Establishment Report BR 443 Conventions for U-Value calculations(2006 edition)which is available at the following weblink: _(2006_Edition).pdf. Appendix D of the Technical Guidance Document accompanying Part L of the Building Regulations sets out the relevant guidance in relation to thermal bridging at junctions and around openings; the documentation concerned is available on my Department’s website at the following weblink:.

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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789. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government with regard to building regulations, the amount of mould that is acceptable under Irish building regulations; the precise date of the fRsi regulations; and when a compliant set of approved construction details will be issued. [14325/15]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Part F (Ventilation) of the Building Regulations requires the limiting of the moisture content of the air within buildings so that it does not contribute to condensation thereby preventing or eliminating mould growth. Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Energy) in its treatment of air tightness, insulation and thermal bridging works hand in hand with Part F in this regard. Both parts are accompanied by detailed technical guidance documents (TGDs) which outline how the statutory performance requirements may be achieved in practice. Current editions of these and all other Technical Guidance Documents are available on my Department’s website at the following weblink: .

The temperature factor (fRsi) referred to is the key factor used in assessing the risk of mould growth or surface condensation in the vicinity of thermal bridges. The relevant guidance in this regard is outlined at section D.2 of appendix D of the current edition of TGD L which came into effect on 1 December 2011 . T his aspect of the guidance has remained unchanged since TGD L 2002 came into effect on 1 January 2003. Additional guidance, in the form of Acceptable Construction Details for use in connection with TGD L 2011, was published by my Department on 30 January 2015. The approved construction details are available on my Department’s website at the following weblink:

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