Policy & Regulations

The Welsh government has launched a consultation on accessible toilets and baby nappy changing provision. It seeks views on proposals to:   

Government proposals to extend permitted development rights – which would allow more premises to bypass normal planning procedures and be turned into homes – need greater safeguards to protect communities, says the Construction Industry Council (CIC).

New developments should be tree-lined, beautiful and of high quality, according to a new draft national design code launched for consultation by the government to support community access to nature.

Highlights the potential for condensation to undermine the structural integrity of swimming pool ceilings

Highlights unethical behaviour and a disregard for safety from a contractor over welding specifications  

To aid with the smart meter roll-out in domestic new build properties, the Smart Metering Implementation Programme (SMIP) has published new guidance.

Has party wall surveying been lost to unethical practice, with little distinction between qualified and unqualified professionals?

In January 2021, the Grenfell inquiry was suspended because of rising Covid-19 infections in London.

Joe Cilia, Technical Director at the Finishes & Interiors Sector (FIS), considers how designers and specifiers can use the Acoustic Verification Scheme to specify products with confidence.

This situation highlights the need for temporary works to enable permanent works to be installed correctly.

The latter months of 2020 saw many sensational headlines in the media around the ongoing investigation into the Grenfell disaster. It is important to focus on the facts rather than the headlines, and video coverage of the evidence can be viewed here: grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk/

This case of improvised solution on domestic projects emphasises the need for better information sharing and competence in resolving unforeseen clashes safely.

Part L and F are changing to weave energy efficiency, ventilation and overheating risk into a co-ordinated policy and, as Elaine Knutt discovers, it sees a shift in focus from CO2 to primary energy.

The Competitions and Markets Authority has announced, along with the Institute of Risk Management, the release of the updated Competition Law Risk Guide.

September’s NHBC Foundation report The Future for Home Heating - life without fossil fuels explores the implications of designing and building low-energy homes, in particular, what life without the gas boiler is going to look like.

Since the Grenfell Tower tragedy three years ago, work has been ongoing to raise standards across building safety.

CABE Technical Director Richard Harral provides an update on industry-led work to support improvements in built environment competence.

In the absence of this year’s Gala Dinner to announce the Built Environment Awards, CABE held a Round Table to discuss the important issues facing the industry and drew attention to the Award winners. Dr Gavin Dunn C.BUILD E FCABE chairs: Richard Harral C.BUILD E FCABE, Jayne Hall PCABE C.BUILD E FCABE, Rev Kevin Fear HON FCABE and Liz Male MBE.

Dave Cooper, Managing Director of independent lift consultants LECS (UK), looks at the life-cycle of a lift’s operations, documentation, legal obligations and standards

Glyn Thomas FCABE, Managing Director for Premier Guarantee Building Control, discusses proposals to transform the way new high-rise residential buildings are treated