Building on regulation

I write this article as the last bales of reed are placed on the roof of the Globe Theatre on London’s South Bank. Whilst it is the only thatched building within sight of the City of London, that was not the case in 1212 when, following a major fire, the first City Mayor banned thatch roofs and outlawed thin party walls and badly-sited privies. But population growth in the Middle Ages led to a shortage of living space within the city walls and as storey was built upon storey and upper floors were allowed to oversail the streets, the proximity of building to building intensified. This contributed to the devastating effect of the Great Fire of London in 1666 which wiped out 80 percent of the City. One year later the first Building Act was introduced and Building Regulations were established.

So Building Regulations were born out of a major disaster and today the UK can boast the most robust set of building standards anywhere in the world. But what of the future? No system can be perfect, particularly in a fast moving world where population growth is demanding more units of accommodation, roof extensions in inner cities are mushrooming and every new development seeks to exceed the density of the last. Are we imperceptibly moving back to pre 1666? We may be in density terms, but we now have a comprehensive set of building regulations which will ensure we never again see another conflagration like that of 1666.

That said, are the current building regulations fit for purpose and will they stand us in good stead for the future? The simplistic answer is yes, but they must evolve and so must the systems of regulation setting and administration.

The government has recently consulted on the effectiveness of current regulations, the process by which changes are made and the way regulations are administered and enforced. The more significant results show that:

•    Confusion exists with other related legislation.
•    Users do not feel able to influence change.
•    The regulations are often too complex for parts of the industry.
•    Changes happen too frequently.
•    Ignorance of the requirements leads to non-compliance.
•    Simple guidance is needed for simple buildings.
•    Enforcement should be improved.

Just as the first regulations were designed to solve the problems associated with flammable materials and overcrowding, so current regulations must address 90 percent of current construction which makes up house extensions and loft conversions and, in the current financial crisis this work will only increase. Here we require a system that recognises the needs of the many small contractors and provides them with ‘How to’ guides rather than words. We need more approved guidance from industry which demonstrates how different products help to meet the demanding sound and heat insulation of the current regulations. And we need more inspectors on the ground to ensure that small contractors don’t cut corners and leave building owners with extensions that fail to measure up to the higher energy targets now being set.

For the professional side of the industry we need to slow down the rate of change and give advance warning of future improvements to the standards which will help us all consume less energy and reduce CO2 emissions.  

All of this is a long way from the regulations of 1667, but so is thatch and outdoor privies in a city environment. Again we need regulations that address today’s problems of climate change, energy costs and an army of unqualified builders seeking to do the best they can in an increasingly complex world. Enter the Mayor stage left!

Source information:
Michael Finn MBE
Partner: Vail Williams
Chairman: Building Regulations Advisory Committee