BSI competence requirements for principal contractors and designers
Contents |
[edit] BSI publishes competence requirements for principal contractors and designers.
UK national standards body, the BSI, has published three new standards setting out competence requirements for building safety management.
The requirements cover the roles of principal designer and principal contractor. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is sponsoring the new standards. Separate steering groups have overseen the development of all three standards, including CIAT on PAS 8671.
The standards support industry reform, in line with the new Building Safety Act, and are intended to minimise safety risks and improve protection to consumers and occupants, including residents, in and about buildings.
The following three new standards have been published based on the core competence criteria set out in BSI Flex 8670 v3.0:
[edit] PAS 8671:2022
Built environment – Framework for competence of individual principal designers
Specifies competence thresholds that individuals are expected to meet when delivering or managing the dutyholder functions of the principal designer, and additional competencies for working on higher-risk buildings (HRBs).
Areas of competence include appropriate behaviour; legislative and regulatory framework for compliance; management of design work compliance; and technical framework for compliance.
[edit] PAS 8672:2022
Built environment – Framework for competence of individual principal contractors
Specifies competence requirements for the dutyholder role of principal contractor. It also describes specific competences common to all principal contractors and those which are additional for those undertaking the role on HRBs.
It covers roles and responsibilities; skills, knowledge and experience; behaviours and ethics; additional competences for higher-risk buildings; and limits of competence.
[edit] PAS 8673:2022
Built environment – Competence requirements for the management of safety in residential buildings
Specifies competence requirements for managing safety in residential buildings and other developments incorporating residential accommodation. Italso gives guidance on detailed competences and the assessment of competence.
It covers competence and commitment in regard to building structures and building systems, including building services; interaction of systems and components; operational practices necessary to maintain buildings safe for occupants; risk management; managing the golden thread of information, including other digital information; managing change, including the consequences of human behaviour; leadership, communication and planning skills; and personal commitment to ethical behaviour and professional standards.
The PASs are published as part of the government-funded Built Environment Competence programme. They have been developed by three steering groups made up of built environment professionals.
Scott Steedman, director-general of standards at BSI, said: “We are delighted to announce the launch of three new standards, published as part of BSI’s Built Environment Competence Standards (BECS) programme, to provide an agreed, common approach for industry to embed building safety competence for design, construction and building management at a senior level.
“This is a major step forward which has the potential to support real change in the industry understanding of building safety in the years and decades ahead.”
This article first appeared pn the CIAT website on July 28 entitled "BSI publishes competence requirements for principal contractors and designers."
--CIAT
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Best practice.
- British Standards Institution BSI
- BSI Identify
- Competence framework BSI
- CDM 2015 principal designer duties
- Competence
- Construction contractor
- Competence.
- Competence management.
- Grenfell Tower.
- Hackitt review of the building regulations and fire safety, final report.
- Professional conduct.
- Professional practice.
- Professional.
- Recruiting and retaining talent in the construction industry.
- Skills gap.
Featured articles and news
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.
The changed R&D tax landscape for Architects
Specialist gives a recap on tax changes for Research and Development, via the ACA newsletter.
Structured product data as a competitive advantage
NBS explain why accessible product data that works across digital systems is key.
Welsh retrofit workforce assessment
Welsh Government report confirms Wales faces major electrical skills shortage, warns ECA.
A now architectural practice looks back at its concept project for a sustainable oceanic settlement 25 years on.
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Government report and back track on copyright opt out for AI training but no clear preferred alternative as yet.
Embedding AI tools into architectural education
Beyond the render: LMU share how student led research is shaping the future of visualisation workflows.
Why document control still fails UK construction projects
A Chartered Quantity Surveyor explains what needs to change and how.
Inspiration for a new 2026 wave of Irish construction professionals.
New planning reforms and Warm Homes Bill
Take centre stage at UK Construction Week London.






















