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RIBA writes to government over Hackitt Review fears
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has written to Sajid Javid to raise fears that Dame Judith Hackitt’s building regulations review will stop short of recommending key fire safety changes.
In the letter the expert advisory group on fire safety set up by RIBA after the Grenfell Tower fire urges the review to consider banning combustible cladding on high rise buildings and stepping up requirements for sprinklers in new and existing buildings.
Housing secretary Mr Javid commissioned an ’independent review of building regulations’ last year after the Grenfell blaze.
In its evidence to the review, RIBA called for external walls on buildings over 18m tall to be made of non-combustible, or European class A1, materials only.
It also said retrofitting of sprinklers should be mandatory in existing high rises undergoing refurbishment works, as well as in all new homes.
And it said new blocks of flats taller than 11m should have more than one means of escape.
The influential architects’ body was not given a place on the Hackitt Review’s working group despite requesting input.
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Along with other industry organisations, it has previously expressed concern over the direction of the review.
Jane Duncan, immediate past president of the RIBA and chair of its expert advisory group on fire safety, said: “The RIBA has engaged closely with Dame Judith and her review and we welcome many of the suggestions made in her interim report to strengthen the building control system.
“However, we fear that the current set of proposals under consideration overlook simple but critical changes that would provide clarity for professionals and most importantly, would help protect the public.
“Sprinklers, a second means of escape and a ban on flammable cladding for high rise residential buildings are common-sense recommendations, and a basic requirement in many other countries. We have written to the Secretary of State making clear that there must be a thorough re-writing of the building regulations and guidance on all aspects of fire safety, to avoid continuation of the regulatory failings that lead to the Grenfell Tower fire.”
Dame Hackitt’s final report is due in May.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “Following the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy we asked Dame Judith Hackitt to undertake an independent review into building and fire safety regulations and report back to us.
“This work is on-going and it would be inappropriate to prejudge and comment on the outcome of the report.”
A spokesperson for Dame Hackitt said: “Dame Judith Hackitt’s review will assess the effectiveness of current building and fire safety regulations.
“We expect her final report to be published this spring.”
The Hackitt Review
Photo: Tom Pilston/Eyevine
Dame Judith Hackitt’s (above) interim report on building safety, released in December 2017, was scathing about some of the industry’s practices.
Although the full report is not due to be published until later this year, the former Health and Safety Executive chair has already highlighted a culture of cost-cutting and is likely to call for a radical overhaul of current regulations in an interim report.
Dame Hackitt’s key recommendations and conclusions include:
- A call for the simplification of building regulations and guidelines to prevent misapplication
- Clarification of roles and responsibilities in the construction industry
- Giving those who commission, design and construct buildings primary responsibility that they are fit for purpose
- Greater scope for residents to raise concerns
- A formal accreditation system for anyone involved in fire prevention on high-rise blocks
- A stronger enforcement regime backed up with powerful sanctions
FULL LIST: HACKITT REVIEW WORKING GROUPS
Working group 1: Golden Thread
Chairs:
Ben Stayte and Hannah Brook
Members:
National Fire Chiefs Council
Local Authority Building Control
Construction Products Association
UIL
National Housing Federation
Health and Safety Executive
Institution of Fire Engineers
Working group 2: Regulations and Guidance
Chair:
Peter Caplehorn, Construction Products Association
Members:
National Fire Chiefs Council
Local Authority Building Council
Fire Industry Association
Building Research Establishment
Health and Safety Executive
Build UK
Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers
Other groups
Working Group 1: Construction and Design
Chair:
Rachel White, Institute for Civil Engineers
Members:
Association of Consultant Approved Inspectors
Build UK
Local Authority Building Control
National Fire Chiefs Council
Institution of Fire Engineers
Royal Institute of British Architects
Health and Safety Executive
Construction Leadership Council
National House Building Council
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
Working Group 2: Procurement
Chair:
Paul Nash, Chartered Institute of Building
Members:
Telford Homes
Kier Living
Construction Industry Council
Local Government Association
Home Builders Federation
Working Group 2: Occupation and Maintenance
Chair:
Nick Coombe, National Fire Chiefs Council
Members:
Association of Residential Managing Agents
National Fire Chiefs Council
British Institute of Facilities Management
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
Health and Safety Executive
Leasehold Advisory Service
Local Government Association
Association of British Insurers
Working Group 4: Competence
Chair:
Graham Watts, Construction Industry Council
Members:
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
Construction Industry Council Approved Inspector Register
Engineering Council
Fire Industry Association
Local Authority Building Control
Royal Institute of British Architects
National Fire Chiefs Council
Fire Protection Association
University of Edinburgh, School of Engineering
Institution of Fire Engineers
Working Group 5: Residents’ Voice
Chair:
Darren Hartley, TAROE
Members
Association of Residential Managing Agents
British Property Federation
Camden Leaseholders’ Forum, nominated by LEASE
Confederation of Co-operative Housing
Fire Industry Association
National Federation of Tenant Management Organisations
Optivo Homes, nominated by National Housing Federation
Shelter
Tenant Participation Advisory Service
Working Group 6: Quality Assurance and Products
Chair:
Dr Debbie Smith, Building Research Establishment
Members
Construction Products Association
British Standards Institution
United Kingdom Accreditation Service
British Board of Agrement
Fire Protection Association
Fire Industry Association
Centre for Fire and Hazards Science, University of Central Lancashire
National Fire Chiefs Council
Institution of Fire Engineers
The Paper Trail: The Failure of Building Regulations
Read our in-depth investigation into how building regulations have changed over time and how this may have contributed to the Grenfell Tower fire:
Never Again campaign
Inside Housing has launched a campaign to improve fire safety following the Grenfell Tower fire
Never Again: campaign asks
Inside Housing is calling for immediate action to implement the learning from the Lakanal House fire, and a commitment to act – without delay – on learning from the Grenfell Tower tragedy as it becomes available.
LANDLORDS
- Take immediate action to check cladding and external panels on tower blocks and take prompt, appropriate action to remedy any problems
- Update risk assessments using an appropriate, qualified expert.
- Commit to renewing assessments annually and after major repair or cladding work is carried out
- Review and update evacuation policies and ‘stay put’ advice in light of risk assessments, and communicate clearly to residents
GOVERNMENT
- Provide urgent advice on the installation and upkeep of external insulation
- Update and clarify building regulations immediately – with a commitment to update if additional learning emerges at a later date from the Grenfell inquiry
- Fund the retrofitting of sprinkler systems in all tower blocks across the UK (except where there are specific structural reasons not to do so)
We will submit evidence from our research to the Grenfell public inquiry.
The inquiry should look at why opportunities to implement learning that could have prevented the fire were missed, in order to ensure similar opportunities are acted on in the future.
