CIBSE TM52, TM54, and TM59
In the UK, compliance with legislation around building performance and sustainability is critical. CIBSE TM52, TM54, and TM59 provide detailed guidance on assessing overheating risks, operational energy performance, and residential thermal comfort. These frameworks help ensure that your project meets legal requirements and performs efficiently, ultimately contributing to building safety and environmental responsibility.
Why Are These Standards Important for UK Compliance?
CIBSE TM52, TM54, and TM59 are essential for meeting UK building regulations, including the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the Building Regulations, and regional policies like the London Plan. They also play a role in meeting sustainability standards such as BREEAM and are increasingly required as part of planning applications for both residential and commercial projects.
Failing to address overheating risks (TM52 and TM59) or operational energy performance (TM54) can result in non-compliance with key policies in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), Building Regulations, or local council-specific requirements such as the London Plan. Incorporating these standards early in the design phase ensures a smoother approval process and aligns your project with legal and environmental expectations.
CIBSE TM52: The Limits of Thermal Comfort in European Buildings
CIBSE TM52 focuses on overheating in non-domestic buildings.
This assessment is required when you’re applying for planning permission for buildings in areas with a high risk of overheating due to climate change. Local councils, especially those following the London Plan or similar sustainability-focused policies, will require TM52 compliance to demonstrate that the building will maintain comfortable indoor temperatures during hot weather and heatwaves.
We conduct detailed dynamic thermal modelling to evaluate your design against TM52 requirements, ensuring compliance with regulations while maintaining comfortable indoor environments. If issues arise, we provide tailored solutions such as enhanced shading, improved ventilation, and optimized building orientation. If your building exceeds a certain floor area or is in an overheating-prone area, a TM52 assessment will likely be necessary to meet planning and building regulation requirements.
CIBSE TM54: Evaluating Operational Energy Performance
TM54 is critical for aligning design-stage energy predictions with actual operational outcomes. Under UK legislation, particularly in schemes like BREEAM and other sustainability certifications, demonstrating accurate energy performance is often mandatory. TM54 provides a robust methodology for evaluating heating, cooling, lighting, and appliance energy use under real-world conditions.
For many projects, especially large developments or those aiming for high levels of energy efficiency, a TM54 assessment is essential to ensure that the building’s real-world performance aligns with the predictions made during design. It is often required during the design stage and post-completion to demonstrate compliance with operational energy requirements.
Our TM54 assessments help bridge the performance gap, ensuring compliance with energy efficiency standards and reducing operational costs. By identifying discrepancies early, we help you meet both legal requirements and client expectations for sustainable building performance.
CIBSE TM59: Overheating Risk in Homes
Residential developments in the UK must demonstrate compliance with overheating standards, particularly in the context of Building Regulations and planning policies like the London Plan. CIBSE TM59 provides a methodology for assessing overheating risks in homes, ensuring that buildings remain habitable during increasingly frequent heatwaves.
We use advanced thermal modelling to evaluate your residential project against TM59 criteria. By identifying potential risks and proposing solutions like improved ventilation, shading devices, or high-performance glazing, we ensure your development complies with planning requirements and enhances occupant comfort.
TM59 compliance is often mandatory for residential developments located in areas governed by the London Plan, which has stricter requirements for energy efficiency and climate resilience, including the need to demonstrate that homes will remain comfortable during the hottest days. This assessment is typically required during the design stage to ensure the building will be habitable in extreme weather conditions.
