Blog: Now, Prove It! Certification of your building’s performance

You may already be aware of Olaide Sadiq’s Grenfell: Uncovered – a powerful retrospective of the 2017 disaster, and the enquiry which sparked major changes in the UK construction industry. If you haven’t had the chance yet, we can wholeheartedly recommend the documentary, which makes for uncomfortable, but essential viewing.

The Grenfell disaster, and the enquiries that followed, highlighted fundamental issues throughout the industry, from suppliers, to regulators, to clients and designers. While there was plenty of criticism to go around, much of the inquiry’s reproval was aimed at regulators, both industry bodies, and central and local government.

The behaviour of material suppliers Arconic, Celotex, and Kingspan has also, justifiably, received serious censure from the enquiry – and legal action – but we are, perhaps, more desensitised to limited companies pushing the boundaries of what regulations will allow. Any failings on the part of those who make and enforce those regulations is often a greater cause for concern.

The primary response to failings identified in the inquiry was to draft and implement the Building Safety Act 2022. This came into effect before the findings of Phase 2 of the enquiry were published, but the current government have stated that they will adopt the findings of the report.

Many of the changes brought about by Building Safety Act are intended, understandably, to make the design and construction of taller buildings – known under the Act as Higher Risk Builings, safer and more robust, but there are overarching changes that affect all construction projects, from the tallest skyscraper, to a more modest extension.

The biggest change likely to affect customers of PLACE Architects is the creation of Principal Designer and Principal Contractor roles for Building Regulations. PD and PC have long been roles under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations, and readers may have encountered them during previous construction projects. However, while there is some overlap, the roles are quite different. 

Under the CDM Regulations, Principal Designer duties are often undertaken by third party firms, whose specialist Health & Safety knowledge can often make them well suited to handling the role. However, the Building Regulations Principal Designer is required to plan, manage and monitor all design work during the design phase of a project and ensure that they comply with the current Building Regulations.

Typically this would be RIBA Stages 0/1-4, after which the Principal Contractor would take responsibility for ensuring that the works are constructed in compliance with the Building Regulations. However, as anyone who has ever undertaken a building project can attest, plans can change on site, especially with extension and renovation projects, when opening up works can reveal previously hidden issues. Contractors tend to be practical, capable, can-do people by nature, but some changes will undoubtedly require input from someone with design experience.

Like all new Regulations, there have been issues following the implementation of the Act. The new Building Safety Regulator have approved around 14% of applications for Higher Risk Buildings. The reasons for the backlog include a combination of a lack of resources, as Inspectors are trained in the implementation of the Act, and, unfortunately, a lack of information being supplied by applicants.

Even on low-rise structures, a design should be backed up with robust evidence, particularly with regards to fire-safety. However, as Designers we find that the information isn’t always readily available. 

For example, Part B of the Building Regulations, which governs fire safety, sets out requirements for the tested fire resistance of elements of a building’s structure, such as walls, floors, or loadbearing frame, in the appendices. However, an Independent Review highlighted concerns about the capacity of UK testing labs to produce such certification, as we transition from an older British Standard, to the more robust BS EN 13501. Even with a transitional period, we often find that products are tested to other standards, or that test certification only applies to complete systems by a single manufacturer.

Whilst formalising this additional level of coordination, and ensuring that a golden thread of information is handed down throughout the project should lead to better outcomes, and safer buildings, the legislative landscape remains fractured, and not straightforward for designers, contractors, clients, or even authority bodies to navigate. The promised reform of the Construction Product system and establishment of a Construction Library will surely help but, again, there will undoubtedly be a period of adjustments and reaction to any teething problems. And, as anyone who was been involved in any manner of long-term project can attest, uncertainty almost always increases cost!

In the meantime, the Act calls upon all parties, including the client, to work together to ensure the safe design, construction, and ongoing maintenance of construction projects. As Architects, we often form the hub of projects we are appointed to. We here at PLACE are therefore ideally suited to help guide you through these and future legislative changes, and help you ensure that your project complies, without compromising your aesthetic vision.

If you have a project in mind, we are at hand to help, get in touch with us today.