Building Regulations to be reviewed in wake of Grenfell

Grant Prior 7 years ago
Share

The government is reviewing building regulations in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.

The move comes as new detailed cladding test results revealed 82 towers do not meet current standards.

The latest tests were of a wall cladding system consisting of Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) with polyethylene filler (Category 3) and foam insulation, with fire breaks and cavity barriers in place.

Six different combinations of ACM cladding and insulation will be tested on a nine metre wall at the Building Research Establishment.

It is then subjected to a replica of a severe fire inside a flat as it spreads out of a window, to see whether it meets the requirement to resist vertical fire spread.

Results of other combination tests will be released as they happen.

Owners of the 82 towers using the non-compliant cladding highlighted in the first round of system testing have been contacted with government advice.

The Grenfell Independent Expert Advisory Panel said: “Landlords of buildings with cladding using the same combination of materials as in this first full scale test must now act on the additional advice they have been given since this test, to seek professional advice about any necessary remedial work.”

The review of Building regulations will be headed by former HSE chair Dame Judith Hackitt.

An interim report on proposed changes will be produced by next Spring.

Dame Judith said: “I am keen to engage widely with industry and the public to inform the recommendations from the review.

“I want the recommendations to lead to any necessary improvements in the system being made.”

The review will examine:

  • the regulatory system around the design, construction and on-going management of buildings in relation to fire safety
  • related compliance and enforcement issues
  • international regulation and experience in this area

 

Latest news

Plan lodged for tallest skyscraper outside London

Developer Salboy submits plan for 76-storey Manchester resi tower
53 mins ago

Curo starts £170m race for new homes framework

Bath housing association plans to build up to 300 homes a year
52 mins ago

Gove approves major Cambridge North mixed-use scheme

Goverment backs controversial scheme of 424 flats and 600,000 sq ft of tech and lab space
29 mins ago

Pontins holiday park to house Sizewell C builders

Suffolkt holiday park to house 500 nuclear construction workers
16 mins ago

Adrian Bloor targets 1,000 homes-a-year

Expansion plans after major investment into challenger house building business HarperCrewe
32 mins ago

Housing firm fined £528,000 after cable strike

Maintenance workers given no information on underground services
15 mins ago

Berkeley subbies face six weeks without payments

Introduction of new finance software means payment hiatus for suppliers
24 hours ago

Pagabo reveals 56 winners of latest £1.6bn retrofit deal

Decarbonisation Solutions Framework launched: Full list of winners
24 hours ago

Go-ahead for £100m Liverpool Love Lane flats

500-flat scheme will be built across four blocks in Vauxhall area of city
24 hours ago

Unions win HS2 site access battle at Old Oak Common job

Skanska, Costain, Strabag JV now the last denying unions access to HS2 sites
23 hours ago

Contractors jack 1,100t viaduct into place in 13-hour operation

158m-long composite deck structure jacked into place 10-hours ahead of schedule
24 hours ago

Wates wins former Daily Mail printworks transformation

British Land advances major cultural venue at London’s Canada Water
2 days ago

Mace poaches Ramboll chief to be Head of Engineering

Martin Feakes will develop civil and structural engineering offer at Mace
2 days ago

Subcontractors form alliance for major civils jobs

Trio of specialists join forces to collaborate and offer Tier 1 contractors a turnkey solution
2 days ago

Fear of supply chain failures boosting collaboration

Procurement survey also reveals project bank account use is rising
2 days ago

Wates sets up business to target 160,000 mouldy social homes

Healthy Homes service will be offered to social landlords across England
2 days ago

Higgins wins £75m Peabody Passive House job

Latest phase of Deptford Landings to start construction
2 days ago

Contractors and unions agree Sizewell C working deal

New deal offers improved sick pay and parental leave over Hinkley Point deal
2 days ago

Competition chiefs win legal fight for more construction raids

High Court rules CMA officials can raid a domestic property as part of investigation
3 days ago

More Osborne companies file administration notices

Three more divisions lodge notices with court
3 days ago

McLaren wins multi-storey urban logistics contract

South London win with British Land is pioneering urban logistics hub
3 days ago

Big social housing schemes at risk over funding uncertainty

Housing associations warn uncertainty over public funding beyond 2026 is curbing new schemes
3 days ago

Kier wins Worcestershire town centre renewal

Firm secures Bromsgrove commercial and cultural hub project
3 days ago

BAM signs Kent school contract at £42m

Sevenoaks school rebuild signed off at £8m more than first estimates
3 days ago

RG Group signs £121m Newcastle rental homes job

Developer Olympian Homes advances 519 flats plan at Pottery Lane site
6 days ago

Geoffrey Osborne files administration notice

Contractor in talks to save parts of the business
6 days ago

Winners named for £260m Manchester Uni framework

B&K, Henry Bros, Graham, Robertson and Vinci among new line-up
6 days ago

Shed specialist Benniman rides out market lull

Worcestershire warehouse builder says industrial and logistics work is picking up again
6 days ago

Another contractor cleared after high profile immigration raid

Adana Construction employees were working legally on site swooped on by Home Office
6 days ago

McAleer & Rushe wants to meet new London suppliers

Contractor holding Meet the Buyer event in London: Register now
6 days ago

Contractor services