Scottish building standards
In Scotland, ministers are responsible for making building standards (equivalent to the building regulations in England) and the associated technical guidance documents. The Building (Scotland) Act 2003 grants this power.
The 32 Scottish Local Authorities act as verifiers administering the building standards system, granting permissions (building warrants) and completion certificates. The Scottish Government Building Standards Division monitor the local authorities.
The main purpose of the standards is to ensure that buildings are safe, efficient and sustainable. They do not control the building process, but outline the essential standards that are to be met during building works or conversions.
The key functions of the building standard system is to:
- Prepare the building standards and produce guidance on how to attain the standards.
- Assist local authorities making decisions on compliance.
- Allow relaxations of the standards in exceptional circumstances.
- Maintain a register of approved certifiers.
- Regulate the certification system.
- Regulate the performance of verifiers.
- Verify crown building work.
There are two technical handbooks which provide guidance on achieving the building standards:
There are updated versions of these technical handbooks which apply to a building warrant submitted on or after 1 March 2021 and to building work which does not require a warrant commenced from that date.
Certification is an optional scheme for the implementation of building standards applicable to work that requires a building warrant. It can only be undertaken by a registered, approved certifier of design or construction holding the appropriate designations and employed by an appropriate body or business.
The Certification Handbook provides guidance on the implementation of this procedure.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki.
- Approved documents.
- Approved inspector.
- Assignation.
- Building control bodies.
- Building notice.
- Building regulations.
- Building warrant.
- CIOB Value of Construction: Scotland report.
- Drying room - Scotland.
- Electrical contractor.
- Feu charter.
- Fire fatalities in Scotland.
- Fire (Scotland) Act 2005.
- Interlinked fire alarm safety laws in Scotland.
- Licensing.
- Low carbon building standards strategy for Scotland.
- Property factor.
- Republic of Ireland updates to planning and development.
- Scottish Advice Note addresses fire risk in multi-storey residential buildings.
- Scottish building services certification schemes.
- Scottish building standards sustainability labelling.
- Scottish planning policy.
- Scottish planning and architecture documents.
- Sewers For Scotland.
- Statutory approvals.
- Statutory authorities.
- United Kingdom.
[edit] External references
Featured articles and news
Costs and insolvencies mount for SMEs, despite growth
Construction sector under insolvency and wage bill pressure in part linked to National Insurance, says report.
The place for vitrified clay pipes in modern infrastructure
Why vitrified clay pipes are reclaiming their role in built projects.
Research by construction PR consultancy LMC published.
Roles and responsibilities of domestic clients
ACA Safety in Construction guide for domestic clients.
Fire door compliance in UK commercial buildings
Architect and manufacturer gives their low down.
Plumbing and heating for sustainability in new properties
Technical Engineer runs through changes in regulations, innovations in materials, and product systems.
Awareness of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
What CBAM is and what to do about it.
The new towns and strategic environmental assessments
12 locations of the New Towns Taskforce reduced to 7 within the new towns draft programme and open consultation.
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.