Sweco Building Control’s Route To Compliance
Sweco Building Control is proud to be leading the way on regulatory advice for specialist Mass Timber/CLT/Hybrid construction, which is increasingly being adopted for sustainable office development in the UK. As part of our commitment to providing clarity on the complex, we have produced a useful ‘Route to Compliance’ infographic that can be used as a quick reference guide to meeting the legislative and best practice obligations across sustainable projects which involve Modern Methods of Construction.
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Our Route to Compliance acts as a summary for the detailed guidance you will need to seek when scoping and delivering a sustainable building project. The key points our experts are able to support you on are:
- Understanding the Regulatory Framework: A thorough understanding of the applicable building regulations and standards is essential along with how evidence will be provided.
- Design Reviews: Conducting a qualitative design review (QDR) process to ensure that all aspects of fire safety and structural integrity are considered from the outset.
- Providing evidence of compliance: Providing the necessary evidence to support compliance, such as fire resistance or burn out calculations or test evidence for mass timber elements.
- Competency: Engaging individuals with the requisite competence and experience in fire safety and MMC to design and review the project.
- Peer Review: Involving third-party peer reviewers to evaluate designs and ensure they meet the required functional Building Regulations Standards in the absence of any published government guidance.
Key things to consider
Compliance in the use of sustainable materials and methods can be complex and difficult to co-ordintae. With in-house specialists under one roof, Sweco can assist with any or all of the areas that need to be considered such as:
- Balancing material Costs and Sustainability: Sustainable materials and technologies can be more expensive upfront, which may impact budget considerations. Long-term savings and environmental benefits need to be effectively communicated to stakeholders.
- Regulatory Compliance: Adhering to evolving building regulations and sustainability standards can be complex and requires staying informed about current and future legislation.
- Ensuring that the evidence needed to design and reach an approval for any mass timber or CLT hybrid solutions are accounted for in the programme.
- Material Sourcing: Finding sustainable materials that meet performance standards and are sourced responsibly can be challenging.
- Energy Efficiency: Designing and implementing energy-efficient systems that reduce the carbon footprint while meeting the needs of the building occupants.
- Waste Reduction: Managing construction waste and implementing recycling or reuse strategies during refurbishment projects.
- Skilled Labour: There is a need for skilled labour that is trained in sustainable building practices and technologies.
- Fire Safety: As MMC often involves new materials and construction methods, ensuring compliance with fire safety regulations, such as those outlined for mass timber construction, is critical.
- Structural Integrity: Ensuring that MMC buildings meet the required structural performance in the event of a fire or other incidents.
We are currently regulating many of the most challenging sustainable office developments in the UK. We have specialist experts able to support compliance solutions when it comes to Modern Methods of Construction such as Modular Systems, CLT or Mass timber, and light weight steel.
With a diverse cross-section of building safety expertise, we can provide insight into the risks and how the best buildings are being designed to exceed Building Regulations Standards while delivering against sustainability and net zero goals.
How Sweco can help
We understand that our clients and partners need guidance alongside the route to compliance across a number of areas. Our teams can provide clear, actionable advisory services to help you navigate:
- Statutory Guidance Documents: Such as Approved Document B for fire safety, which provides recommendations for fire resistance ratings and other safety measures.
- Technical Standards: Like BS EN 1995-1-2 for structural fire design or BS 7974 for application of fire safety engineering principles.
- Best Practice Manuals: Guidance on specific construction methods, such as the Structural Timber Association’s (STA) guidance volumes on mass timber structures.
- Case Studies: Examples of successful MMC projects that have achieved compliance can provide valuable insights.
- Training Resources: To ensure that the workforce is skilled in sustainable building practices and understands the route to compliance.
Why clear guidance is so important in the green transition
- Complexity of Regulations: Building regulations can be complex and multifaceted, making it difficult for practitioners to ensure full compliance without clear guidance.
- Consistency: Clear guidance ensures a consistent approach to compliance, reducing the risk of errors and non-compliance.
- Innovation in Construction: As new materials and methods are introduced, such as mass timber construction, there is a need for updated guidance to address these changes.
- Risk Management: Clear guidance helps manage risks associated with non-compliance, such as legal liabilities, financial penalties, and safety hazards.