Key Topics

Question 1

Building Regulation – Key changes 2022?

Answer 1

To deliver net zero CO2 emissions by 2050, the UK government has announced a number of changes to current building regs set to take effect in 2022.

Part O (Overheating): requirements to mitigate overheating in new buildings. Areas of England are split into moderate- and high-risk areas, with a simplified compliance route based on
o minimising solar gain and
o preventing excess heat production.

Part F (Ventilation): the changes proposed to Part F acknowledge the most effective means of ventilating modern properties remain continuous mechanical extraction of air, intermittent mechanical extraction, or supply and extraction in the form of a heat recovery system.
o Domestic (vol 1) - The new guidance states that background ventilators and intermittent extractor fans can only be used for less airtight homes

o For non-domestic (vol 2) – aim to ensure buildings are more suitably ventilated for their purpose,
o carbon dioxide monitors in offices and other high-risk rooms.
o All replacement windows in non-domestic buildings must also be fitted with background trickle ventilators.

Question 2

Fire Safety Act 2021

Answer 2

Amendment of the Fire Safety Order to clarify that it will apply to the structure and external walls as well as anything attached to external walls such as doors, windows and cladding

Force owners, landlords, and managing agents of multi-occupied residential buildings to take precautions to identify any dangerous cladding on those buildings and remediate any dangerous materials.

Question 3

RICS guidance following Grenfell ?

Answer 3

o RICS published guidance note ‘Cladding for surveyors’ to support surveyors working on multi-storey and multi-occupancy residential buildings

 Aluminium composite material - ACM cladding in use was thought to contain combustible materials that contributed towards the spread of fire across the external elevation of the building.

Combustible materials are not permitted on the external walls of new buildings above 18m.
Local authorities also need to undertake remediation works to replace dangerous ACM cladding on existing buildings.