UBBL Clause 38A

PAM Northern Chapter

Seminar

OTTV, Roof U-Value

&
Proposed Implementation Procedures

Ar Von Kok Leong

11 Feb 2017
 UBBL Clause 38A

Proposed Implementation Procedures

 UBBL Clause 38A
Amendment 2012
Energy efficiency in buildings

(1) New or renovated non-residential buildings with

air-conditioned space exceeding 4,000 square
metres shall be

a)designed to meet the requirements of MS 1525

with regards to the Overall Thermal Transfer Value
(OTTV) and the Roof Thermal Transfer Value (RTTV);
and
b) provided with an Energy Management System.
 UBBL Clause 38A
Amendment 2012
Energy efficiency in buildings

non-residential includes industrial, institutional,

commercial, retail
air-conditioned means buildings with centralised
aircond system
exceeding 4,000 sm excludes shophouses or small
non-residential buildings even though centralised
aircond is employed.
 UBBL Clause 38A
Amendment 2012
Energy efficiency in buildings

(2) The roof for all buildings (residential and non

residential) shall not have a thermal transmittance (U-
value) greater than

a)0.4 W/m2K for Light (under 50 kg/m2) weight roof;

b)0.6 W/m2K for Heavy (above 50 kg/m2) weight roof,

unless provided with other shading or cooling means.

 UBBL Clause 38A
Implementation Procedures
At Building Plan submission stage

(1) For non-residential building where the air-cond

space exceeds 4,000 m2;

- the PSP shall endorse and submit OTTV & RTTV

calculations conforming to the latest version of MS
1525 (the 2007 and 2014 revisions stated the OTTV and
RTTV shall not exceed 50 W/m2 and 25 W/m2
respectively).
The submitted calculations shall incorporate the
following documents :-
 UBBL Clause 38A
Implementation Procedures
a) Plans and elevations, marking out walls &
apertures used for the calculation in blue colour;
and walls & apertures not used for calculation in
red. Recommended scale is 1:200;
b) OTTV calculations for each facing wall/faade;
c) Description of wall & aperture materials specified;
d) Calculation of U-values for walls;
e) Glazing specifications on Shading Coefficient and U-
values;
f) Confirm provision of Energy Management System.
 UBBL Clause 38A
Implementation Procedures

(2) For all residential and non-residential buildings;

the PSP shall endorse and submit the Roof U-value
calculations incorporating the following documents;
a) Plans and elevations of the roof used for the
calculation marked in blue
b) Description of roof materials specified
c) Calculation of Roof U-value for all roof types
d) Description and calculations of alternative means
of compliance.
 UBBL Clause 38A
Implementation Procedures
The submitted plans and calculations endorsed by the
PSP shall be deposited with the Local Authority (LA) for
record. Self regulatory
This arrangement is similar to the submission of
building structural engineering calculations by the
Submitting Person which is kept by the LA for record.
Such deposited plans and calculations will only be
retrieved for checking in the event of complaints
received. Not part of approved endorsed BP drwgs
The LA may carry out random check of these
documents and calculations.
UBBL Clause 38A

Roof U-Value
 UBBL Clause 38A
Roof U-Value
MS1525 Clause 5.5
The calculation of OTTV does not include the roof
plane, but the thermal transmittance (Roof U-
value) of the roof construction is important.

U-values are worked out from the Thermal

Resistance of the respective materials making up
the Roof, similar to that for Walls.
ie, U = 1 / Rtotal
The higher the R, the lower the U, the better.
 UBBL Clause 38A
Roof U-Value
MS1525 Clause 5.5.1

Roof Weight
Maximum U-Value (W/mK)
Group

Light
(Under 50 kg/m) 0.4
Heavy
(Above 50 kg/m) 0.6
 UBBL Clause 38A
Roof U-Value
R.C. Roof without insulation
 UBBL Clause 38A
Roof U-Value
R.C. Roof with insulation
 UBBL Clause 38A
Roof U-Value
Metal Deck Roof without insulation
 UBBL Clause 38A
Roof U-Value
Metal Deck Roof with insulation
 UBBL Clause 38A
Roof U-Value
Multiple Roof Types : Worst case applies

B
D
Roof type A
Pool
C

Plan View
 UBBL Clause 38A
Roof U-Value
Secondary Roof

Secondary
Roof Over
B
D
Roof type A
Pool
C

Plan View
 UBBL Clause 38A
Roof U-Value
Secondary Roofs

Habitable or non-habitable space

Primary Roof Roof U-value applies here

Habitable space, Res, Non-Res, AC, Non-AC

Section
 UBBL Clause 38A
Roof U-Value
Secondary Roofs
Coverage of Secondary Roof? SRI (UHI)
Secondary Roof

Ventilation ?
Habitable or non-habitable space
y?
Primary Roof Roof U-value applies here

Habitable space, Res, Non-Res, AC, Non-AC

Section
 UBBL Clause 38A
Roof U-Value
Secondary Roofs
Q1 : Ventilation ?
Can be natural or forced.
Rate of ventilation (ACH) is important

Q2 : Height of secondary roof ?

Affects ACH

Q3 : Coverage of secondary roof ?

Uncovered Primary Roof requires insulation

Q4 : SRI ?
 UBBL Clause 38A
7
Secondary Roofs

5 Uninsulated
Secondary Roof
Air 4 type :
space, Concrete
(m) 3 Metal Deck

0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Air Changes per Hour (ACH)
UBBL Clause 38A
Roof U-Value
Secondary Roofs

Horizontal pergolas
or vertical screens
UBBL Clause 38A
Roof U-Value
Secondary Roofs
 UBBL Clause 38A
Difference in concept between Roof U-value and UHI
Roof U-value measures heat
conducted through the composite Primary Roof construction
AND
Applies where habitable or living spaces are found directly below it.
Habitable spaces below Primary Roof need not be fully enclosed or
aircond, and includes outdoor dining etc

UHI is about reflecting away solar radiation

to achieve a cooler micro-climate.

Once heat comes in, it takes a lot of energy to get it out,

regardless whether the spaces below are occupied or not.
 UBBL Clause 38A

Difference in concept between Roof U-value and UHI

Can secondary roofs eg horizontal pergolas or screens be used to

calculate as part of the Primary Roofs composite Roof U-value?

No, because they are not part of the composite roof

construction.

But they can be used to be a part of the calculation

to reduce UHI
 UBBL Clause 38A

Can PV be used in calculating Roof U-value?

Similar to pergolas.
It will count only if it is BIPV, ie it forms part of the roof
construction.

What is the SRI of PV surfaces?

SRI is about 40%

New technologies create PV with less SRI.

 UBBL Clause 38A
Can insulation below rc slab be a part of Roof U-value?
No, because the heat is already in contact with the
structure, and it will conduct to other parts of the building.
Hence, insulation is better to be placed above the structure.
But in renovation works, where the original roof is not
replaced, insulation below rc slab in ceiling space can be
considered.

Can mechanical plant, equipment or water tanks be

calculated as a part of Roof U-value?
For plantrooms exposed to the sky, Roof U-values are
calculated on the Primary Roof construction, and therefore
objects such as mechanical plant, etc do not count.
 UBBL Clause 38A
Roof U-Value
Insulation to lightweight roof
0.8

0.7

0.6
ROOF U-VALUE (W/m2K)

0.5
MS 1525
lightweight roof < 0.4 W/m2K
0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

INSULATION THICKNESS (mm)

 UBBL Clause 38A
Roof U-Value
Insulation to heavyweight roof
0.8

0.7
MS 1525
heavyweight roof < 0.6 W/m2K
ROOF U-VALUE (W/m2K)

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

INSULATION THICKNESS (mm)

 UBBL Clause 38A
RTTV
MS1525:2007 Clause 5.6

Clause 5.6.1
The concept of RTTV applies if the roof is provided
with skylight, and the entire enclosure below is fully
air-conditioned.

Clause 5.6.2
The maximum recommended RTTV is 25 W/m2.
 UBBL Clause 38A

Clause 5.2
OTTV applies to building envelope, where
OTTV < 50 W/m2

Clause 5.5
Roof U-value refers to the thermal transmittance
of the roof, where
Roof U-value < 0.4 - 0.6 W/m2K

Clause 5.6
RTTV applies to roof with skylights, where
RTTV < 25 W/m2
UBBL Clause 38A

Thank you