Overheating Assessments
Overheating Assessments are now a critical requirement in the UK planning and building control process, ensuring new homes remain comfortable and safe during increasingly warm summers. Depending on your project and local authority requirements, this may involve either the CIBSE TM59 dynamic thermal modelling or the Part O simplified method, both of which demonstrate to planners that your design meets the necessary thermal comfort criteria.
Ensuring Compliance with Approved Document O
At Stanley Sustainability, we provide Overheating Risk Assessments to help your development comply with Approved Document O of the Building Regulations. This regulation, introduced to reduce the risk of overheating in new residential buildings, is now a critical part of the planning and design process.
Our assessments (CIBSE TM59 or Simplified Overheating Risk Assessments) evaluate how your building performs under realistic summer conditions, ensuring that internal temperatures remain within safe and comfortable limits — without relying on mechanical cooling.
What We Deliver
🌡️ Dynamic Thermal Modelling – Using industry-standard software to simulate overheating risk
🏙️ Contextual Analysis – Accounting for location, orientation, glazing, shading, and ventilation strategy
📄 Document O Compliance Report – Clear, actionable evidence for Building Control and planning authorities
🧊 Passive Design Recommendations – Strategies to reduce overheating risk without costly cooling systems
Why It Matters
Overheating is a growing concern in UK buildings due to climate change and increased urban density. Non-compliance can lead to:
⚠️ Planning delays or refusals
💸 Costly redesigns or retrofits
🏚️ Poor occupant comfort and performance issue
Why Stanley Sustainability?
We help you meet compliance efficiently and cost-effectively. By identifying overheating risks early, we enable:
✅ Smarter design decisions that avoid mechanical cooling
✅ Reduced build and operational costs
✅ Faster approvals with robust technical evidence