British Board of Agrément
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
The British Board of Agrément (BBA) is an independent UK organisation that offers an approval service for construction products, systems and installers. They are the UK's major authority for providing reassurance to consumers, and achieve this through Agrément Certificates.
[edit] BBA certification
The BBA offer a range of different services, as outlined below:
[edit] Agrément certificates
An agrément certificate is issued for a successful product or system following a detailed assessment including both laboratory testing and inspections. In addition, the manufacturer is audited to ensure they have an adequate quality management system. Repeated testing is undertaken for the duration of the certificate’s validity period.
[edit] Test reports
A test report is issued by the BBA following the successful sampling of a product on a particular day.
[edit] Assessment reports
An assessment report is issued by the BBA following the successful assessment of specific properties of a product or system.
[edit] Product certification
To receive product certification, a product is tested against certain standards or other documentation.
[edit] Management systems certification
A management system can be assessed and certified to confirm that the product is manufactured in a controlled environment.
[edit] CE marking
A product with CE marking demonstrates that the manufacturer meets appropriate European legislation.
[edit] Production control
Production control ensures that manufacturers continue to produce products that conform to a technical specification.
[edit] Prototype assessment
A prototype assessment report confirms the likely performance of a prototype product at the validation stage.
[edit] Governing board
The BBA governing board is made up of executive and non-executive directors. The non-executive directors are from the UK construction industry.
[edit] UKAS accreditations
The BBA holds the following combination of United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accreditations:
- Product approval.
- Test bodies.
- Site inspections.
- ISO 9001 assessment.
- ISO 14001 assessment.
[edit] Product Excellence Programme
In October 2018, the BBA launched a new scheme, the Product Excellence Programme (PEP), with the aim of providing enhanced assurance to designers, specifiers and clients regarding construction products and building solutions. The scheme has been introduced in response to heightened quality concerns post-Grenfell Tower.
At present, BBA management systems auditors visit client manufacturing facilities on a six-monthly basis to ensure compliance with the agreed quality plan relating to BBA-certified products. Under the new PEP scheme, a product testing regime is introduced:
- Complexity 1 products: Those which possess fire or structural type characteristics – will be tested annually.
- Complexity 2 products: Those which do not possess fire or structural type characteristics – will be tested every three years.
The BBA will randomly select products of both complexities for testing during audits, and if the agreed specifications are not met they will be subject to immediate further investigation. Any companies that are not able to address the failure source will face having their BBA certificate withdrawn.
Existing BBA certificate-holders are to be enrolled onto PEP automatically, and certificates are to include information about PEP compliance in the future.
Brian Moore, BBA deputy CEO, said:
“PEP is an enhancement to the proven audit and inspection service that the BBA has provided for many years, bringing additional rigour and excellence to the process. Post-Grenfell, consumers are looking for a higher degree of reassurance and expect products to be tested regularly by a trustworthy and externally assessed independent body such as the BBA, which is UKAS accredited.”
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Agrément certificate.
- BBA becomes an Approved Body for UKCA Marking.
- Brexit standards, products and regulatory updates.
- British standards.
- CE marking.
- Construction products regulations.
- European Technical Approval.
- International Organisation for Standardisation.
- Kitemark.
- Manufacturer’s certificate.
- Publicly available specification.
- Third party accreditation.
- United Kingdom Accreditation Service UKAS.
- Upcycling buildings.
[edit] External references
Featured articles and news
How much does it cost to build a house?
A brief run down of key considerations from a London based practice.
The need for a National construction careers campaign
Highlighted by CIOB to cut unemployment, reduce skills gap and deliver on housing and infrastructure ambitions.
AI-Driven automation; reducing time, enhancing compliance
Sustainability; not just compliance but rethinking design, material selection, and the supply chains to support them.
Climate Resilience and Adaptation In the Built Environment
New CIOB Technical Information Sheet by Colin Booth, Professor of Smart and Sustainable Infrastructure.
Turning Enquiries into Profitable Construction Projects
Founder of Develop Coaching and author of Building Your Future; Greg Wilkes shares his insights.
IHBC Signpost: Poetry from concrete
Scotland’s fascinating historic concrete and brutalist architecture with the Engine Shed.
Demonstrating that apprenticeships work for business, people and Scotland’s economy.
Scottish parents prioritise construction and apprenticeships
CIOB data released for Scottish Apprenticeship Week shows construction as top potential career path.
From a Green to a White Paper and the proposal of a General Safety Requirement for construction products.
Creativity, conservation and craft at Barley Studio. Book review.
The challenge as PFI agreements come to an end
How construction deals with inherited assets built under long-term contracts.
Skills plan for engineering and building services
Comprehensive industry report highlights persistent skills challenges across the sector.
Choosing the right design team for a D&B Contract
An architect explains the nature and needs of working within this common procurement route.
Statement from the Interim Chief Construction Advisor
Thouria Istephan; Architect and inquiry panel member outlines ongoing work, priorities and next steps.
The 2025 draft NPPF in brief with indicative responses
Local verses National and suitable verses sustainable: Consultation open for just over one week.
Increased vigilance on VAT Domestic Reverse Charge
HMRC bearing down with increasing force on construction consultant says.
Call for greater recognition of professional standards
Chartered bodies representing more than 1.5 million individuals have written to the UK Government.