Higher Risk Buildings Building Safety Act 2022
The Building Safety Act 2022, marks the greatest change to building regulations in a generation and heralds a new era in building design, construction, and management.
How can we help with your Higher Risk Buildings?
Complete the form and we will contact you directly
The Act prescribes new requirements and enforcement powers on the people that procure, design, plan, manage and undertake building work. If you are planning a new higher-risk building (HRB), creating one through a change of use or alteration, or undertaking work on an existing HRB, you will need to follow the new building regime.
Higher Risk Buildings
Check if your plan or building is a Higher Risk Building
(i) a care home
(ii) a hospital
(iii) a secure residential institution
(iv) a hotel
(v) military barracks
(i) His Majesty’s forces
(ii) any visiting force or an international headquarters or defence organisation designated for the purposes of the International Headquarters and Defence Organisations Act 1964.
The new legislation also sees the introduction of a Building Safety Regulator (Health and Safety Executive) who are a statutory consultee as part of the Planning Approval Process and the Building Control Authority for higher risk building work, thereby replacing Local Authorities and Approved Inspectors.
Gateway 1
1
Outline Design
Strategy & Project Brief
Building Service Design
Feasibility Studies
2
Building Control Advice
Mechanical & Electrical Design & Strategy Check
Gateway 2
3
Design Stage SAP Calculations
Design Stage SBEM Calculations
BREEAM Pre-assessment reports(New Construction, RFO, AP)
Energy Statements
Thermal Modelling
Overheating: Approved Document O Calculations (Simplified & Dynamic)
Noise Impact Assessments
Daylighting Calculations
Development of Sketch Design, Initial Technical Design & Design Programme
4
PSI Value Calculations (Thermal Bridging)
Water Efficiency Caculations
Building Control Plan Checking
Mechanical, Electrical and Public Health Building Services Design
Low Carbon & Renewable Technologies Building Services Design
BIM, CAD & Revit
Detailed Fire Strategy Report
CFD Analysis & third party review
5
Building Control Site Inspections
Warranty Inspections
Building Services Construction, Design and Installation Project Management
Construction & Commissioning Completed
Competence Declaration
Fire & Emergency File
Construction Control Plan
Mandatory Occurence Reporting
Partial Completions Strategy
Gateway 3
6
As Built SAP EPCs
As Built SBEM EPCs
Air Tightness Testing
Sound Testing
Ventilation Testing
Final Certificate & Warranty Issued
Commissioning
Regulation 38 file
7
BREEAM In Use
SKA Rating
Gateway 1
1
Outline Design
Strategy & Project Brief
Building Service Design
Feasibility Studies
2
Building Control Advice
Mechanical & Electrical Design & Strategy Check
Gateway 2
3
Design Stage SAP Calculations
Design Stage SBEM Calculations
BREEAM Pre-assessment reports(New Construction, RFO, AP)
Energy Statements
Thermal Modelling
Overheating: Approved Document O Calculations (Simplified & Dynamic)
Noise Impact Assessments
Daylighting Calculations
Development of Sketch Design, Initial Technical Design & Design Programme
4
PSI Value Calculations (Thermal Bridging)
Water Efficiency Caculations
Building Control Plan Checking
Mechanical, Electrical and Public Health Building Services Design
Low Carbon & Renewable Technologies Building Services Design
BIM, CAD & Revit
Detailed Fire Strategy Report
CFD Analysis & third party review
5
Building Control Site Inspections
Warranty Inspections
Building Services Construction, Design and Installation Project Management
Construction & Commissioning Completed
Competence Declaration
Fire & Emergency File
Construction Control Plan
Mandatory Occurence Reporting
Partial Completions Strategy
Gateway 3
6
As Built SAP EPCs
As Built SBEM EPCs
Air Tightness Testing
Sound Testing
Ventilation Testing
Final Certificate & Warranty Issued
Commissioning
Regulation 38 file
7
BREEAM In Use
SKA Rating
Gateway 1 - Planning
Addressing minimum requirements for fire safety during the planning stage as local planning authorities review planning applications. You are required to submit a fire statement detailing how key aspects of fire safety have been considered including water supply for fire fighting, access and the layout of the site.
Gateway 2 - Before work starts
Before building work starts, you will need to submit a Building Control Approval application to the Building Safety Regulator (Health and Safety Executive).
Your application must detail how the completed building will satisfy all applicable functional requirements and demonstrate how you will manage the building work – including how you will record evidence of the information required for the building completion certificate.
Once you have building control approval, the Principle Contractor duties including planning, managing, and monitoring the building work, collaborating with the Principle Designer to ensure the work conforms to the approved design, including any approved changes.
They are also required to capture evidence required for the Golden Thread of Information.
Building control approval applications for HRB work or stage of HRB work
(i) details of its current use, including the current use of each storey
(ii) its height as determined in accordance with regulations 5 of the Higher-Risk Buildings (Descriptions and Supplementary Provisions) Regulations 2023 (11)
(iii) the number of storeys it has as determined in accordance with regulation 6 of the Higher-Risk Buildings (Descriptions and Supplementary Provisions) Regulations 2023
(i) details of the intended use of the higher-risk building, including the intended use of each storey
(ii) the height of the higher-risk building as determined in accordance with regulation 5 of the Higher-Risk Buildings (Descriptions and Supplementary Provisions) Regulations 2023
(iii) the number of storeys in the higher-risk building as determined in accordance with regulation 6 of the Higher-Risk Buildings (Descriptions and Supplementary Provisions) Regulations 2023
(iv) the number of flats, the number of residential rooms and the number of commercial units it is proposed the higher-risk building will contain
(v) the provision to be made for the drainage of the higher-risk building
(vi) where paragraph H4 of schedule 1 to the 2010 Regulations imposes a requirement, the precautions to be taken in the building over a drain, sewer or disposal main to comply with the requirements of that paragraph
(vii) the steps to be taken to comply with any local enactment that applies
(viii) a statement as to when it is proposed the work is to be regarded as commenced in accordance with regulation 46A (lapse of building control approval: commencement of work) of the 2010 Regulations (12)
(i) the size and position of the building and its relationship to adjoining boundaries
(ii) the boundaries of the curtilage of the building, and the size, position and use of every other building or proposed building within the curtilage
(iii) the width and position of any street on or within the boundaries of the curtilage of the building
(ii) a competence declaration
(iii) a construction control plan
(iv) a change control plan
(v) a mandatory occurrence reporting plan
(vi) a Building Regulations compliance statement
(vii) a fire and emergency file
(viii) where the applicant proposes occupational of part of the building before completion of the HRB work, a partial completion strategy
Gateway 3 - Build is complete
On completion of the construction phase you will be required to submit an application for the Completion Certificate. Your application should show how the building conforms to the approved design and satisfies the applicable functional requirements. The golden thread of information (below) is required to support a completion certificate showing the capture of relevant information during the design and construction phase.
Once the regulator is satisfied all the requirements have been met, they will issue the Completion Certificate granting permission for the building to be occupied.
Golden Thread of Information
The Building Safety Act sets out the key requirements including a digital golden thread of safety information through three gateways that span planning, design, and construction.
The digital golden thread of information is used to store and transfer information across all three gateways during a project to help the right people access information when they need it. For example, during the construction phase, tracking and recording of the products used and methods of installation helps the occupier understand the materials and systems used in the building so they maintain them accordingly.
What golden thread information do I need to include?
(a) is kept in an electronic format
(b) is capable of being transferred electronically to other persons without data, information or document in it being lost or corrupted
(c) is accurate and up to date
(d) is available in a readable format which is intelligible to the intended readers of the data, and any key needed to understand the data is provided with the data
(e) is made available as soon as reasonably practicable following a request from a principle designer (or sole or lead designer) or principle contractor (or sole contractor) to enable them to comply with their requirements under the building regulations
(f) is secure from unauthorised access
(g) is only changed in accordance with procedures which record the person who made the change and the date of that change
(h) as far as is reasonably practicable uses language, terminology and definitions which are consistent
Duty Holders Responsibilities
The Building Safety Act introduces accountability and statutory responsibility for Duty Holders’ competence in discharging their duties. Duty Holders include Clients, Principle Designers, Principle Contractors and those responsible for the maintenance and management of the building during the occupation phase.
- As a Client, you’re responsible for the overall planning, managing and monitoring a project, and ensuring clear communication, sharing of information and cooperation between everyone involved in the project.
- Designers’ responsibilities lie within the planning, managing and monitoring of the design work, making sure the design complies with the Building Regulations.
- Contractors share similar responsibilities but for the planning, management and monitoring the building work and providing all workers under their control with the appropriate supervision, instruction and information to ensure the building work complies with the Building Regulations.
