Policy & Regulations

In addition to the updated Building Regulations technical guidance, to improve the energy and emissions performance standards for new buildings that came into effect on 30 June 2022, Northern Ireland has introduced a new register for Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Building Control (Amendment) Bill 2022.

Amendments to the Building Regulations (amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2022 (WGC 003/2022) and Approved Documents L1, F1 and O for Wales have been released.

Polymer supplier REHAU’s new Designing Healthy Healthcare guide explores the challenges and opportunities for contractors and specifiers involved in building healthcare environments, including hospitals, doctors’ surgeries and care homes.

Improvements to fire safety guidance in England were announced in June, and form part of a wider update to tighten building regulations and provide clearer fire safety rules for the design or construction of residential developments.

The Welsh Government has released the new version of the Building Regulations and Approved Documents following a lengthy consultation period.

Robust reforms to fire safety have been announced by Priti Patel to strengthen fire and rescue services, putting the majority of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations into law.

The Construction Industry Council has opened a consultation to review its Code of Conduct for Approved Inspectors.

Government draft regulations could see mandatory electrical safety checks for England’s social housing.

The New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) has published a code of practice for the housebuilding industry and is working to oversee the creation of the New Homes Ombudsman Service to provide “robust independent redress” for new build buyers who have “issues with their new home or developer”.

Northern Ireland Finance Minister Conor Murphy (pictured, right) has announced changes to building regulations, which make Changing Places toilets a requirement in buildings commonly used by the public. The statutory guidance will apply to certain types of new buildings or existing ones where there is a material change of use. It will come into effect on 30 June 2022

Chris Miles, Regional Business Director for UL’s Built Environment group in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), looks at the post-Brexit overhaul of product marking and certification now under way

The UK Government has taken note of concerns raised by leaseholders about the structure of the future safety regime outlined in the Building Safety Bill and is removing the duty to appoint a Build-ing Safety Manager (BSM).

The term competence recurs in building safety reports and new regulations, but what does it really mean in practice, and how will building industry professionals fair under the renewed scrutiny?

After months of debate and amendments, the Building Safety Bill became law today (29 April), with the intention to ‘create lasting generational change’ to the way high-risk and residential buildings are constructed and maintained, although many of the new provisions in the 262-page Act are not expected to come into force until 2023.

Legislation is set to change in Wales for rented properties. Aico welcomes the improved fire and carbon monoxide safety measures

Ministers are poised to scrap the requirement for a Building Safety Manager under the forthcoming Building Safety Bill, Building Engineer has learned.

The UK government is consulting on workforce reporting on disability for large employers.

If we want to attract greater gender diversity to the field then we have to understand what the fundamental barriers are, says James Cash

Understanding neurodiversity and recognising the value that neurodiverse minds bring to the skill mix is vital for establishing inclusive teams, says James Cash

Collaborative reporting for safer structures. Report 1004: Structural corrosion in a swimming pool building causes concern