Building Safety recap February, 2026
[edit] In brief
[edit] January
The ICSG and BSi Built Environment Competence Hub launched, Scottish building regulations - fire safety review and compliance, BSR became a standalone body in landmark step towards single construction regulator. Also rom December the Fire Engineers Advisory Panel’s Authoritative Statement was over looked. the planning of statutory regulation of both the title and core functions of fire engineers. Competence and ethics to design, oversee and maintain fire safety strategies through building life cycles, clearer responsibilities, stronger education and accreditation pathways, and a long-term, phased transition towards a regulated, accountable profession focused on public safety and trust. The review of Scotland's Building Standards led to the Compliance Plan Approach (CPA) approach for verifying high-risk buildings (HRBs), requiring a Compliance Plan Manager (CPM) and phased legislation aiming to trial and mandate this for safer buildings, with verifiers following national steps amid ongoing consultations.
[edit] February
In brief key events from February include: BSI's PAS 2000 which gives construction product manufacturers a due diligence framework for bringing safe products to market. The Construction Products Reform White Paper set out significant product reforms based on the earlier green paper responses, along with the proposed General Safety Requirement to require all manufacturers to conduct risk assessments and provide accurate product information to close current regulatory gaps. BSR's data showed a 250% rise in Gateway 2 decisions with 86 remediation cases closed. whilst remediation data showed progressed across ACM cladding, the Cladding Safety Scheme, and social housing self-remediation with around 1,200 blocks still applying. The interim Chief Construction Adviser Thouria Istephan set out her priorities around product reform and professional standards ahead of her September 2026 handover and the first Grenfell Phase 2 Annual performance report confirms 12 of 58 recommendations are complete with 70% on track by year-end.
Other items include an independent study which found sprinkler and water mist effectiveness data cannot be meaningfully compared due to differing contexts; the FIA's updated environmental guidance summarises post-Brexit legislation on climate, waste, and chemical restrictions for fire protection firms; PAS 9970-1 available to provide fire safety management guidance for larger construction sites while PAS 9970-2 sets specifications for temporary fire alarm systems; the updated BS 750 standard strengthens certification requirements for underground fire hydrant covers in response to Grenfell Inquiry recommendations; the IFE and FIA are calling for unpublished BS 8414 cladding test data to be anonymised and publicly released; BS 9990 covers best practice for non-automatic firefighting systems such as wet and dry risers; and BS ISO 3941 has been updated to introduce Class L, a new fire classification for lithium-ion battery fires.
[edit] In detail
[edit] January
[edit] Reform of the fire engineering profession
The government, responding to systemic failings highlighted by the Grenfell Tower fire, is reforming the fire engineering profession by implementing Inquiry recommendations, adopting the Fire Engineers Advisory Panel’s Authoritative Statement, and planning statutory regulation of both the title and core functions of fire engineers so only suitably qualified, competent and ethical professionals can design, oversee and maintain fire safety strategies throughout a building’s life, supported by clearer responsibilities, stronger education and accreditation pathways, and a long-term, phased transition towards a regulated, accountable profession focused on public safety and trust.
https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Reform_of_the_fire_engineering_profession
[edit] Scotland HRB verification during construction: compliance plan approach - background and implementation
Scotland's Compliance Plan Approach (CPA) for verifying high-risk buildings (HRBs) during construction introduces enhanced guidance (initially non-statutory) to ensure robust compliance with building regulations from design to completion. Developed post-Grenfell and the 2018 Review Panel on Building Standards, it requires a Compliance Plan Manager (CPM) for HRBs like buildings over 11m tall, hospitals, schools, and care homes; the plan is submitted with warrant applications, mandates site controls, inspections, and evidence, and must be discharged before completion certificates. Early Adopter schemes and phased legislation aim to trial and mandate this for safer buildings, with verifiers following national steps amid ongoing consultations.
https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Compliance_Plan_Approach
[edit] February
[edit] PAS 2000:2026 Construction products. Bringing safe products to market. Code of practice. 28 February
BSI's PAS 2000 code of practice, sponsored by the Office for Product Safety and Standards, provides a framework for construction product manufacturers to demonstrate due diligence in ensuring safe products reach the market, responding to Grenfell Inquiry and Morrell-Day review recommendations amid UK regulatory reforms
[edit] Building Safety Regulator building control approval application data Dec 2025 to Feb 2026. 27 February
The Building Safety Regulator's (BSR) data for December 2025 to February 2026 shows continued progress in Gateway 2 approvals for high-rise residential buildings in England, with 108 new build determinations (82 approvals), rising decisions (over 250% increase from Q1 2025), 86 remediation cases closed (39% approvals), and Innovation Unit handling 11 approvals at a median 18 weeks amid operational improvements like account management for viable cases.
[edit] Statement from the interim Chief Construction Adviser 26 February 2026
Thouria Istephan appointed interim Chief Construction Adviser in September 30, 2025, (as per Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations) issued a statement outlining her priorities after nearly five months: construction product regulation reform, building and professional standards, evidence-gathering from near misses, and supporting a permanent Chief Construction and Scientific Adviser role by year-end. She emphasised independent advice to drive systemic change for safer new and existing buildings with residents at the centre, drawing on Grenfell evidence of government and industry failures, while pledging broader stakeholder engagement and a term-end report before handover in September 2026
https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Statement_from_the_Interim_Chief_Construction_Advisor
[edit] Construction Products Reform White Paper. 26 February 2026
Following the 2025 Green Paper consultation and Grenfell Inquiry findings, this white paper outlines a comprehensive overhaul of the construction products regime to prioritise safety, close regulatory gaps covering only 37% of products, and align partially with EU reforms. Key proposals include a risk-based General Safety Requirement (GSR) for all non-designated-standard products (with consultation to May 2026), enhanced digital labelling/traceability via product passports, mandatory third-party certification transparency, public-sector testing capacity, stronger enforcement powers (unlimited fines/imprisonment), competence mandates across supply chains, sustainability criteria, and phased implementation starting late 2026 via Building Safety Act powers, aiming for safer buildings, economic growth, and industry accountability
https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Construction_Products_Reform_White_Paper,_February_2026
[edit] Building Safety Remediation: monthly data release - January 2026. 26 February 2026
The January 2026 Building Safety Remediation data release for England reports progress across ACM cladding, the Building Safety Fund, the Cladding Safety Scheme (CSS), the developer remediation contract, and social housing self-remediation, drawing on Homes England’s National Remediation System and other programme data. It explains that CSS statistics now exclude buildings still in pre-application or eligibility checks, noting around 1,200 social housing blocks with unsafe cladding are currently applying to the CSS, while several hundred more have yet to apply or confirm self-funded remediation, with future publications updating totals as schemes progress.
[edit] Corporate report Grenfell Tower Inquiry Government Annual Report. 25 February 2026
The UK government's first Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Annual Report, published February 25, 2026, details progress one year after accepting all 58 recommendations (plus Phase 1 PEEP items), with 12 formally completed (including 4 construction industry and 4 fire/rescue ones), 70% expected closed by end-2026, and all on track within 4 years despite needing legislation. Key 2025 advances include 124% more local regulator notices/140% more inspections, 110+ Joint Inspection Team assessments (15 enforcements), full Remediation Enforcement Unit staffing by March 2026, construction product reforms, higher professional standards, faster remediation, BSR's revised guidance via expert panel, and RBKC oversight; ongoing work covers response/recovery (14 open) and vulnerable people, with quarterly updates planned and a fitting memorial funded via new legislation.
[edit] Sprinkler data not directly comparable to water mist data, study finds. 25 February 2026
An independent study reported by the Fire Protection Association concludes that official UK fire incident data cannot validly be used to compare the effectiveness of sprinklers and water mist systems, because the systems are used in different contexts and forms, making like‑for‑like statistical comparisons methodologically unsound.
[edit] General safety requirement (GSR) for construction products. 24 February 2026
The General Safety Requirement (GSR) for construction products is a proposed UK regime to bring currently unregulated construction products into scope, operating alongside existing construction products regulations so that all products placed on the market must be demonstrably safe. It would require manufacturers to carry out risk assessments for intended and reasonably foreseeable use, provide clear and accurate product information, and implement proportionate risk controls, while importers and distributors must verify compliance, maintain records, and monitor safety issues to prevent unsafe products entering or remaining on the market.
https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/General_safety_requirement_(GSR)_for_construction_products
[edit] The Importance of Compression in Cavity Barriers. 24 February 2026
Masonry Association Technical Committee issued a Technical Note (TN-01/26) to provide clear industry guidance regarding the use of cavity barriers and, specifically, the increasing use of zero compression cavity barrier products.It indicates that whilst such products may satisfy laboratory fire test requirements, the Committee had significant concerns regarding their long-term performance under real building movement, settlement, drying shrinkage and construction tolerances. It explains why a compression fit is essential to maintaining fire integrity over the life of a building.
https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/The_Importance_of_Compression_in_Cavity_Barriers
[edit] FIA (Fire Industry Association) Environmental Guidance Legislative Overview. 18 February
Replacing Fact File 36 (2009) to summarise current UK environmental legislation affecting fire protection companies post-Brexit, including climate change controls, sustainable design, pollution permitting, waste management, and chemical restrictions such as PFAS, F-gases, and hazardous waste rules. The guidance, focused on England and Wales but signposting devolved regimes, is a high-level awareness tool rather than a full legal manual, and highlights emerging duties around sustainability, reporting, and circular economy principles so firms can prepare for future regulatory change
https://www.chsg.co.uk/fia-issue-revised-environmental-guidance-legislative-overview/
[edit] PAS 9970-1:2026 Fire safety in construction – Organisation and site fire safety – Code of practice. 18 February
This part of PAS 9970 applies to larger construction projects (over 30 days with more than 20 workers on site at once, or over 500 working days in total) and gives guidance to contractors on setting up proportionate, strategic fire safety management systems for both organisational and site-specific risks. It excludes sites with very high‑risk special hazards like large petrochemical, nuclear or explosive facilities, which need additional or different fire precautions beyond the scope of this document.
https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/2023-02419
[edit] PAS 9970-2:2026 Fire safety in construction. Design & installation of temp fire alarm systems. Spec. 18 February
This part of PAS 9970 sets requirements and performance criteria for life‑critical temporary fire detection and alarm products used on construction sites, aimed mainly at manufacturers, suppliers and specifiers, and not covering permanent systems or deciding which features are suitable for any given installation.
https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/2023-02420
[edit] BS 750:2023+A1:2026 Underground fire hydrants - Surface box frames and covers - Specification. 13 February
Two-month public consultation on an updated BS 750 standard for underground fire hydrant surface box frames and covers, responding to Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Recommendation 40 by clarifying flow coefficient measurement definitions, strengthening third-party verification and certification requirements, and enhancing technical specifications for greater consistency, transparency and accountability in hydrant design, manufacture and testing to support reliable emergency response
https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/2025-01893
[edit] Call for publication of BS 8414 test data. 11 February
The Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) and Fire Industry Association (FIA) are calling for the fire safety community to share unpublished BS 8414 test data on external wall cladding systems, often commissioned to assess real-building issues like faulty cavity barriers, so it can be anonymised and publicly released via a website to aid evidence-based fire risk assessments by engineers.
https://www.ife.org.uk/home/news/details/call-for-publication-of-bs-8414-test-data
[edit] BS 9990 Non-automatic firefighting systems in buildings - Code of practice. 5 February
This British Standard gives recommendations for non-automatic firefighting systems, such as wet and dry fire mains, in buildings. It covers good practice in matters affecting the design, installation, testing and maintenance of such systems.This British Standard does not cover hose reels, foam inlets, automatic foam systems and portable firefighting equipment.
https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/2025-00481
[edit] BS ISO 3941:2026 Classification of fires. 1 February
The BSI (British Standards Institution) have issued an update to international standard BS ISO 3941:2026 Classification of fires, introducing Class L to reflect fires involving lithium-ion (L-ion) cells and batteries with no metallic lithium. Class L-related batteries may include those used in rechargeable lithium-ion cells and battery packs, and the revised standard aims to support more accurate risk assessment, fire protection strategies, and preparing for potential firefighting measures.
BS EN 2:1992 classifies fires into six main types based on fuel source: Class A (ordinary combustibles like wood or paper), Class B (flammable liquids like petrol), Class C (flammable gases like propane), Class D (flammable metals like magnesium), Class E (electrical equipment, marked by a spark symbol rather than a letter), and Class F (cooking oils and fats)
https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/classification-of-fires-3
[edit] Corporate report Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2: Annual Report February 2026 Updated (2 March 2026)
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Quick links
[edit] Legislation and standards
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[edit] Regulators
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