What does the UK’s Building Safety Act mean for the Industry?

The UK’s Building Safety Act was given Royal Assent in April 2022, with secondary legislation following throughout 2022 and 2023.

Since then, the UK construction industry has been grappling with its implications – with early movers attempting real-world applications of the new rules.

The UK’s Building Safety Act 2022 represents a significant shift in the design, construction, and management of buildings.  

The Act was in part a response to the 2017 Grenfell Tower tragedy, in which 72 people died in the fire in the high-rise tower block in West London. The Act seeks to ensure that the safety of future building occupants is placed front and centre of the building control process. 

The Act’s requirements are wide-ranging and impose new obligations on all construction projects and duty holders. In this course, we will focus primarily on cost and programme issues for ‘higher-risk buildings’.  

Higher-risk buildings are broadly defined as buildings containing at least two units of accommodation in England, or one unit of accommodation in Wales, that are either 18 metres or higher or contain seven or more storeys.  

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

1. Understand the key components of the UK’s Building Safety Act 2022
2. Identify the impact of the Act on construction project timelines and costs
3. Understand the long-term benefits of compliance with the Building Safety Act