Building legislation and guidance update

[edit] Introduction

BSRIA has produced a summary of its top recent and forthcoming legislation and guidance affecting buildings. It also offers a comprehensive legislation service, free to BSRIA Members, on building and building services legislation and relevant guidance.

The summary is as follows:

[edit] Bill: Domestic Properties (Minimum Energy Performance) (No.2) Bill 2017-19

This private members’ bill was introduced to ensure that all domestic properties have a minimum energy performance rating of C on an Energy Performance Certificate. An ongoing bill, it had its first reading on March 28, 2019 with its second yet to be announced.

[edit] Bill: Fire Safety (Leasehold Properties) Bill 2017-19

This private members’ bill was introduced to make freeholders of leasehold properties carry out remedial work if their building has failed regulatory fire-safety tests. This ongoing bill was created on November 28, 2018 and is awaiting its second reading.

[edit] Regulation: SI 2019/465 The Construction Products (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019

This Regulation will make amendments to the Construction Products Regulation (EU) No. 305/2011 to ensure that it continues to operate effectively after the UK leaves the EU. The regulation was created March 5, 2019 and is due to come into force on the exit day.

[edit] Consultation: The National Infrastructure Commission has run a consultation on the resilience of the UK’s economic infrastructure.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the UK’s infrastructure and its capability of withstanding major disruptions such as climate change and digital technologies. The consultation ran from March 5 to April 1, 2019 and forms part of the initial scoping phase which ended in May 2019. The final report is due in Spring 2020.

[edit] Consultation: Energy efficiency scheme for small- and medium-sized businesses: call for evidence.

This call for evidence sought views on various proposals for a new Business Energy Efficiency Scheme focused on SMEs. The consultation ran from March 13 - May 8, 2019.

[edit] Consultation: Review of Building Bulletin 100: design for fire safety in schools

Building Bulletin 100 is a design guide for fire safety in schools. This consultation sought views from people with an interest in fire safety to help the Department for Education conduct a technical review of the guide. The consultation ran from March 8 – May 31, 2019.

[edit] Consultation: UKGBC consults on the definition of 'net zero carbon’

Launched by the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC), the consultation invited feedback from businesses and stakeholders on a proposed definition for net-zero carbon buildings in the UK. The consultation document outlined the initial proposals from the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Task Group. The initial consultation ran from February 4 until March 1, 2019. The final framework definition was published in May 2019.

[edit] Guidance: HSE updates to the RIDDOR forms

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has updated its suite of Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, SI 2013/1471 (RIDDOR) forms. The HSE RIDDOR forms were updated in April 2019.

[edit] Policy: Streamlined energy and carbon reporting (SECR)

The introduction of SECR coincided with the end of the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme. The new regulations require an estimated 11,900 companies incorporated in the UK to disclose their energy and carbon emissions. The new policy was implemented on 1 April 2019.

[edit] Policy: The UK Government: Resource and Waste Strategy for England

A new policy document for dealing with waste resources and recycling has been produced by the UK Government. This sets out the UK Government's strategy to preserve material resources by minimising waste, promoting resource efficiency and moving towards a circular economy in England. The initial report was published on December 18 and forms part of the UK Government’s ongoing 25-year Environment Plan.

[edit] About this article

This article was compiled by Maria Thanigasalam of BSRIA. It was first published on BSRIA’s website and can be accessed here.

BSRIA is a non-profit distributing, member-based association providing specialist services in construction and building services. More information at www.bsria.co.uk.

Other BSRIA articles on Designing Buildings Wiki.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• BREEAM.
• Code for Sustainable Homes.
• CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme.
• Clean Air Act.
• Emission rates.
• Energy Performance Certificates.
• Energy Related Products Regulations.
• Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme ESOS.
• Energy targets.
• Environmental Impact Assessment.
• Environment offences: Definitive guideline.
• Flood and Water Management Act.
• Green corridor.
• Green deal.
• Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
• Localism Act.
• National Planning Policy Framework.
• Statutory authorities.
• Statutory obligations.
• Sustainability.
• Sustainable materials.
• Zero carbon homes.
• Zero carbon non-domestic buildings.

--BSRIA