Overview
The consultation seeks to obtain the views and opinions of stakeholders on a review of building and fire safety regulatory frameworks in order to help ensure the safety of people in and around Scotland’s buildings.
The consultation covers two main areas, as follows:
- The first part relates to the roles and responsibilities of people verifying, inspecting and certifying building work and strengthening enforcement of and compliance with building regulations.
- The second part of the consultation covers specific fire safety standards relating to external cladding and cavities, escape, the provision of sprinklers and finally, the proposal for a “central hub” for verifying complex fire engineered solutions.
The proposed changes outlined in the consultation aim to:
- improve compliance with building standards during the design and construction of all buildings, with a particular focus on complex and high value public buildings, making them safer for occupants; and
- address fire safety related issues in relation to high rise domestic buildings and certain other residential buildings.
Consultation Reasoning
Following the findings within the report of the Independent Inquiry into the Construction of Edinburgh Schools and the tragic events at Grenfell Tower, London on 14 June 2017, two expert review panels were set up to review aspects of the Scottish building standards regulatory framework.
The first panel’s remit was to review compliance and enforcement aspects of the building standards system and the second panel’s remit was to review building standards and Technical Handbook guidance primarily relating to fire safety in high rise domestic buildings, but also considering other building types where applicable. The consultation consolidates the outcomes and proposals of these two review panels.
The Scottish Government is therefore seeking the views of any organisation or individual with an interest in ensuring building standards legislation and associated Technical Handbook guidance fully address the issues raised in relation to:
- the level of detailing accompanying building warrant applications and completion certificates;
- the construction of buildings; and
- the safety of occupants in the event of a fire in dwellings, particularly those in high rise buildings.
The full consultation proposals are set out here.