The Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) has been described as “the biggest change to building safety regulation in a generation”.*
It focuses primarily on fire and building safety, particularly concerning higher-risk residential buildings (HRBs), defined as buildings over 18 metres or 7 storeys in height with at least 2 or more residential units.
The new regime is an evidence-based integrated approach, which requires more rigorous compliance, competencies, and accountability, which applies to all building projects.
At its heart is information sharing at all design and construction stages for which collaboration with product manufacturers is vital.
How the BSA changes everything
One of the biggest changes brought about by the BSA is the appointment of the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) to enforce the new regime and to oversee a new Gateways process.
This framework will ensure that safety is prioritised and reviewed at three critical stop/go decision points: -
• Gateway 1
Gateway 1 relates to the pre-planning permission stage, when potential fire risks in the proposed design are identified and corrective measures implemented.
• Gateway 2
Gateway 2 relates to the pre-construction stage when the fire safety strategy and proposed fire safety measures in Gateway 1 are reviewed and products verified. It is a hard stop, and construction works cannot begin until Building Control approval has been obtained from the BSR. If any of the details are changed between Gateway 2 and Gateway 3 these changes must be submitted to the BSR for approval.
• Gateway 3
Gateway 3 relates to the Pre-Occupation Stage in which it is verified that the completed building has been constructed according to the approved plans and the fire safety specifications. This is also a hard stop, whereby the building cannot be registered for occupation until the BSR has given its approval.
The new roles of Duty Holders (The Client, The Principal Designer, The Principal Contractor) have been introduced with the responsibility for competence, fire risk management and ensuring compliance at each stage of the Gateways.
The Duty Holders must also keep a ‘Golden Thread’ or digital record of all decisions and documentation that could affect safety throughout a building's life cycle, and which gives all parties access to critical product and safety details.
How EQUITONE can help
Although product manufacturers do not have a specific Duty Holder role, we can still play an important part in helping to deliver a clearer, more transparent and collaborative process.
• Fire safety ratings
Under the BSA, cladding and façade materials must meet the minimum fire performance requirements of the updated Approved Document B (March 2024).
Requirements may vary according to the building height, type of occupancy, and location of the cladding.
EQUITONE fibre cement facades achieve Euroclass A2-s1, d0 which is a rating suitable for HRBs and both new build and refurbishment schemes.
• Product verification
As manufacturers, we can help Principal Duty Holders maintain the ‘Golden Thread’ by providing sales, marketing, and technical information in a clear and concise format.
EQUITONE product datasheets, brochures, installation instructions, maintenance guidance, and test certificates are available either on the website or on request**.
Our product specifications can also be accessed through the National Building Specification (NBS) library, enabling a seamless transfer of the data to the Golden Thread.
• Competency
One of the core responsibilities of the Duty Holders is to maintain appropriate levels of competence throughout all the different stages of a building project, including the appointment of professionals with appropriate skills, knowledge, and experience.
At EQUITONE, our highly experienced specification and technical team can support you by offering clear and transparent guidance regarding the performance benefits and limitations of our fibre cement cladding and rainscreen facades.
• Design considerations
The BSA’s requirement for rigorous scrutiny of every aspect of design and construction need not be a major obstacle when it comes to using our fibre cement cladding to create stunning facades.
At EQUITONE, we have always been strong advocates of collaboration early in the design process. Under the BSA, we are confident that we can continue to innovate and ‘think outside of the box’ to help architects in the role of Principal Designer to deliver their unique design vision.
Collaboration is king
In the past building design and construction have been somewhat fragmented, with sometimes limited coordination between different parties.
However, the BSA heralds a new working culture underpinned by a robust and accountable system driven by information sharing, teamwork and collaboration in which EQUITONE can play a significant part.
Fire-Safe Façades Lunch & Learn
Delve further into the BSA in the context of fire-safe façades, by joining us for our Lunch and Learn.
This session is designed to help you navigate critical aspects of fire safety in building design, from understanding regulations to enhancing safety standards.
Click here to find our more and to book.
Further reading
- The Building Safety Act can be read here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2022/30/contents
- For further reading, explore the EQUITONE-sponsored roundtable in collaboration with Building.com: Navigating Specification Decisions in Higher-Risk Building Design. Industry experts from across the specification process shared their insights, with the Building Safety Act emerging as a key focus.
- Scroll below to review our one pager on the BSA.
References
*ex-Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick
**We do not publish certain documents, such as certain test certificates and certain installation instructions, on our website due to sensitive information and file volume respectively. Please contact your Local Specification Manager for further assistance.
