Streamline Your Part L Compliance

Part L has introduced more stringent paperwork and evidence requirements. It also means you need to keep good photographic evidence to meet the requirements of Part L Photographic Evidence.

Adopting these standards, businesses can stay competitive, reduce rework and snagging costs, and ultimately achieve better assurance.

What is Part L?

SymTerra mobile example of someone on a construction site using the SymTerra mobile app.

Part L of the Building Regulations focuses on Conservation of Fuel and Power, commonly known as energy efficiency. This set of standards applies to both new builds and renovations, setting crucial guidelines to reduce carbon emissions in buildings across the UK. It’s divided as follows:

  • L1A: New dwellings

  • L1B: Renovations to existing dwellings

  • L2A & L2B: New and existing non-residential buildings

Why Part L Matters?

With energy prices rising —typical households have seen nearly a 100% increase in energy bills since 2017—Part L aims to help build with efficiency in mind. This focus on energy savings and carbon footprint reduction means that adopting Part L standards not only benefits the environment but can also lead to long-term cost savings.

Understanding Part L Photographic Requirements

Part L compliance means that from June 2023:

  • Part L photographic evidence is mandatory.

  • It requires developers and contractors to prove that new and refurbished properties meet building regulation standards. Failure to comply can impede the issuance of Energy Performance Certificates and Building Regulation England Part L Reports.

  • Photographs must be captured at significant stages of construction, documenting each detail before any closing works.

  • Each photo should be unique. Images must be geo-located, meaning they should be tagged with the precise location, date, and time at which they were taken. This establishes a clear connection between each photo and a specific physical object in a verified location, providing information on who took the picture and when.

  • Non-compliance could lead to deconstruction or retrofitting, incurring additional time and financial costs. Failure to meet the BREL report requirements can prevent a property from being certified as completed.

Part L Photographic Evidence Requirements

Photographic management has always been crucial in construction, but the Part L Photographic evidence requirement has increased its importance. Utilising digital tools for data collection in the field and storing it in an organised manner is now more essential than ever.

Key items to be aware of:

  • Photos must be digital.

  • Geolocation should be included to validate the date and location of each image.

  • Each construction detail in each plot requires a separate image, necessitating a large volume of photos.

  • Images must be of high quality and visibly clear.

  • Keeping the photo evidence organised is crucial.

How SymTerra can help you comply with Part L

By using a tool like SymTerra, Part L Photographic Evidence requirements can be met:

Snap Tap and Go, replacing WhatsApp

Capture photo and video updates straight from your phone.

Make short work of reporting, observations, snagging, RFIs, and more.

SymTerra ensures compliance with every photograph across your team and operations, meeting the Part L requirements. Every photo captured is in high definition and resolution. Live photos are time stamped!

Add Additional Detail to Your Photos Directly On-Site

With SymTerra, capture photos that not only meet Part L Photographic Evidence requirements but are also more useful to your team and clients.

Features include instant markup to highlight specific details enhancing your internal project and plot records.

Add Tags & Location

SymTerra location mobile feature example.

Add tags and Location to your Photographic Evidence with SymTerra’s easy to use feature.

Simply press “Add Location” in your SmartNote to capture where the photos are taken using GPS.

Capture Photos Online or Offline to Ensure Continuous Part L Compliance

Reliable photographic evidence is needed at every stage of a project. With SymTerra, take photographs whether online or offline.

These photos can then uploaded and securely stored as soon as you regain connection.

Evidence and Report Easily for All Part L Evidence

Demonstrate compliance with Building Regulation England Part L (BREL) effectively.

SymTerra allows photographic evidence to be captured on site via SymTerra App. Which will then automatically and securely store all photographic evidence on the server, ensuring nothing is missed.

Sync your Storage with SymTerra

SymTerra integrates with your other software tools, acting as a data pipeline from site.

SymTerra integrates with your other software tools, bringing everything together in one place. This helps you ensure all your photographic evidence is saved and accessible for all!

SymTerra integrates with One Drive, acting as a data pipeline from site.
SymTerra integrates with Teams, acting as a data pipeline from site.
SymTerra integrates with Outlook, acting as a data pipeline from site.
SymTerra integrates with PowerBI, acting as a data pipeline from site.
SymTerra integrates with SharePoint, acting as a data pipeline from site.
SymTerra integrates with Looker Studio to build your dashboards and help visualise your project data.
SymTerra's integration with ACC allows users to integrate their Autodesk ACC to move their files across from their updates in SymTerra to ACC's Files system.

More than just a Photo App

SymTerra is the optimal tool for capturing building and construction photos, meeting Part L Photographic Evidence requirements, and handling all your data capture needs.

Digitise more of your processes, including site diaries, quality records, and safety management processes, with SymTerra to meet higher information management standards across your operations.

Is WhatsApp Compliant with Part L?

When it comes to adhering to Part L of the UK Building Regulations, the use of WhatsApp may raise several compliance issues. While WhatsApp is a popular communication tool, it lacks specific features needed for regulatory compliance in construction projects. Here's where WhatsApp falls short and how SymTerra effectively addresses these gaps:

Data Security: WhatsApp's general data security protocols may not meet the specific needs of construction data handling. SymTerra provides robust data security, ensuring sensitive project information is protected.

  1. Audit Trails: The absence of structured audit trails in WhatsApp poses a challenge for regulatory compliance, whereas SymTerra offers comprehensive audit trails for full traceability and verification.

  2. Image Quality and Compliance: WhatsApp's image compression could compromise the quality required for compliance documents. SymTerra maintains high-quality images essential for compliance evidence.

  3. Organisation and Retrieval: WhatsApp’s limited organisational capabilities for complex data can hinder efficient project management. SymTerra allows for effective organisation and easy retrieval of project information.

  4. Integration with Compliance Tools: Lack of integration with other compliance and management tools in WhatsApp can lead to information gaps. SymTerra is designed for seamless integration, ensuring cohesive compliance strategies.

Discover how SymTerra can enhance your Part L compliance process

It’s like paperwork. Except without the paper. Or the work.

Part L in detail

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