by Brianna Crandall — September 13, 2010—The U.K.’s Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has written to MP Andrew Stunell, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government, responding to a consultation on future changes to building regulations.
One of RIBA’s key recommendations is that the building regulations should be simplified and written in plain English, as the existing regulations are “impenetrable and alienating” for a lay person.
Following detailed consultation, RIBA raised the following key issues for consideration:
- Coordinating regulation: Review all related building legislation, including Planning, and integrate compliance under the jurisdiction of the government.
- Reducing complexity: Reform the Building Regulations and their practical guidance (Approved Documents) to provide clear, concise, flexible regulations, which contain all the performance standards and explanation of their objectives. They should be written in clear practical language, and coordinated with other building development legislation across the U.K.
- Simplifying guidance: Revise the Approved Documents to be self-contained practical guidance on compliant typical construction details for less complex projects and processes without reliance on third-party documentation.
- Planning implementation: Establish a planned implementation process for any new or revised Building Regulations, allowing for full consultation, training and gearing-up by the construction industry, as well as for practical compliance processes.
- Achieving compliance: Measurement and feedback of results is a necessity, but for those who ignore, flout or stray from the required performance RIBA said there must have effective enforcement and as a last resort real penalties for non-compliance.
- Improving building performance: Establish a greater relevance for the Building Regulations in improving the existing building stock by creating targeted incentives and awareness for building owners and users to improve the performance standards of existing buildings.
- Reducing complexity: Reform the Building Regulations and their practical guidance (Approved Documents) to provide clear, concise, flexible regulations, which contain all the performance standards and explanation of their objectives. They should be written in clear practical language, and coordinated with other building development legislation across the U.K.
For more information, see the RIBA Web site.
