S.R. 50 Series: Standards for Modern Plumbing and Heating

Up to now, Ireland has never had an Irish Code of Practice for heating and plumbing in domestic dwellings. In other European countries, organisations  take the existing European Standards (EN) and draft their own industry specific Codes of Practice. With the absence of such recognised organisations in Ireland, NSAI undertook to draft Codes of Practice for the Irish plumbing industry which have now been published in the form of the S.R. 50 series of Irish Standard Recommendations.

The S.R. 50 Standards Recommendations include the requirements of existing European Standards that have been adopted as Irish Standards. 

S.R. 50-1:2021, “Water based heating systems in dwellings” provides practical information and guidance on water-based central heating systems in permanent domestic dwellings The Standard Recommendation was written to encourage designers and installers to ensure that central heating systems are not only designed and installed correctly, but are also energy efficient and meet manufacturer’s criteria. S.R. 50-1:2021 is complimentary to the European Standards I.S. EN 12828, I.S. EN 12831 and I.S. EN 14336, which have been adopted as Irish Standards.

S.R. 50-2:2012, “Thermal solar systems” provides recommendations for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of solar water heating systems for domestic buildings.

S.R. 50-3:2021, “Water supply for domestic use within dwellings and their curtilages” sets out the requirements for the design, installation and commissioning of domestic cold-water and domestic hot-water supply systems in domestic dwellings. It is complementary to the I.S. EN 806 series of European Standards which have been adopted as Irish Standards. It includes the relevant details from BS 8558:2015. 

S.R. 50-4:2021, “Heat pump systems in dwellings” concentrates on the types of heat pump that are the most common to be installed in dwellings to provide space heating and/or domestic hot water. It gives guidelines for the design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of heat pump systems with an effective rated output up to 70 kW in new and existing dwellings.

The S.R. 50-1:2021 and S.R. 50-3:2021 Standard Recommendations have been drafted in such a way that the reader should not have to reference or purchase additional Standards. They include the full process for installing plumbing and heating systems that can be used by a plumber or heating contractor for individual jobs or by M&E (Mechanical and Electrical) Consultants for larger projects. The S.R. 50 Standards Recommendations are intended to be used by engineers, architects, surveyors, contractors, installers and inspection authorities involved in the supply, installation, operation and maintenance of plumbing and heating systems in buildings.

The Standard Recommendations can be referenced in tender documents and contracts as being the standard to which works are carried out. They can also be used to confirm to a client the components and quality of materials that are required for a job. The use of the S.R. 50 Standards Recommendations is voluntary.

The S.R. 50 Standards Recommendations have been drafted by NSAI Technical Committees with representatives from Government Departments and Agencies, training providers, equipment manufacturers and suppliers, M&E consultants and most importantly, time served plumbers.

 

To buy the S.R. 50 Collection, containing S.R. 50-1:2021, S.R. 50-3:2021 and S.R. 50-4:2021 click here.

 

Standards Referenced:

• S.R. 50-1, Building services - Code of practice – Part 1: Water based heating systems in dwellings
• S.R. 50-2, Building services - Code of practice - Part 2: Thermal solar systems
• S.R. 50-3, Code of practice - Plumbing - Part 3: Water supply for domestic use within dwellings and their curtilages
• S.R. 50-4, Building services - Code of Practice - Part 4: Heat pump systems in dwellings
• I.S. EN 806-1, Specifications for installations inside buildings conveying water for human consumption - Part 1: General
• I.S. EN 806-2, Specification for installations inside buildings conveying water for human consumption – Part 2: Design
• I.S. EN 806-3, Specifications for installations inside buildings conveying water for human consumption - Part 3: Pipe sizing - Simplified method
• I.S. EN 806-4, Specifications for installations inside buildings conveying water for human consumption - Part 4: Installation
• I.S. EN 806-5, Specifications for installations inside buildings conveying water for human consumption - Part 5: Operation and maintenance
• I.S. EN 12828, Heating systems in buildings - Design for water-based heating systems
• I.S. EN 12831-1, Energy performance of buildings - Method for calculation of the design heat load - Part 1: Space heating load, Module M3-3
• I.S. EN 12831-3, Energy performance of buildings - Method for calculation of the design heat load - Part 3: Domestic hot water systems heat load and characterisation of needs, Module M8-2, M8-3
• I.S. EN 14336, Heating systems in buildings - Installation and commissioning of water based heating systems
• BS 8558, Guide to the design, installation, testing and maintenance of services supplying water for domestic use within buildings and their curtilages. Complementary guidance to I.S. EN 806.