LEGISLATION OVERVIEW & PROCEDURES Douglas Walker Chairman Scottish Registration Board

LEGISLATION

OVERVIEW & PROCEDURES

Douglas Walker

Chairman Scottish Registration Board

Structural Engineers Registration Ltd

“ the structural engineer is acknowledged by all parties as the one specialist who can ensure the structure is safe. However the engineer often finds that these same parties are not giving him the leeway and opportunities to make their expectations a reality….”

Dutch Inspectorate of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment

April 2009

Every building must be designed and constructed in such a way that the loadings that are liable to act on it, taking into account the nature of the ground, will not lead to:

(a) the collapse of the whole or part of the building;

(b) deformations which would make the building unfit for its intended use, unsafe, or cause damage to other parts of the building or to fittings or to installed equipment; or

(c) impairment of the stability of any part of another building.

Mandatory Standard 1.1

SCOPE OF STRUCTURAL CERTIFICATION

What is a structure?

Pedestrian barriers

CLADDING

Technical handbook

S1.1.1

Fixings The SCOSS committee has expressed concern that safety critical fixings do not always receive the attention that they deserve…….

….. Designers must be satisfied that fixings receive the same consideration as other aspects of the design …….

Full Plans Submission to Local Authority

Plan checking and adjustment

Building Warrant Issued

Construction phase commences

Applicant Self certifies completion prior to

occupation

Design Certificate

Form Q

Construction Certificate

Information To Be Supplied With a Warrant Application

The Building Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations; Schedule 2 to Regulation 4(2)

Plus

S4(3) Any further information or additional plans that the verifier requires

STAGED WARRANTS

Commencement before all design information is known – One Warrant Application with staged amendments

(Freedom to Agree stages with Verifier)

Conditional grant of WarrantSeparate design certificates for each staged

amendmentOne completion certificate & One Q Form

PRE - WARRANT DESIGN CHANGES

No Warrant Amendment Required therefore no amendment certificate - but

Verifier may request new design certificate – orContact SER to have certificate redated

Care required to ensure that warrant plans relate to certified design (guidance note 8)

POST WARRANT DESIGN CHANGES

Type of Change

Change to certified work

Change affecting certified work

Change not affecting certified work

Certifier Action

Redesign and issue new certificate

Redesign and issue new certificate

Verifier may request confirmation letter

METHODS OF DESIGN COMPLIANCE

Eurocode design deemed compliance (2010 Standards)

Technical Handbooks S1.1.3

Reference to Assumptions in BS EN 1990 and

“Those responsible for procuring the design …. based on Structural Eurocodes ….. should ensure that they have employed individuals with the necessary ….. experience and that appropriate procedures for checking designs have been adopted.”

S1.0.5 Technical handbooks

Alternative Approached

British standards

BBA Agrément Certificates

Small Buildings Structural Guidance

Standard 1.2

Every building must now be designed to avoid disproportionate collapse

CONVERSIONS

REGULATION 12 Specifies the standard to

which the regulations are to be applied to conversions

For Structure this is:

…… in so far as is reasonably practicable, and in no case be worse …….

REGULATION 4

Schedule 2 to Regulation 4 lists 10 changes of use of a building which are defined as Conversions

Certification of Conversions

Case 1: Building is to be converted and alteration works undertaken

Two certificates required: alteration and

conversion

Case 2: Building is to have use changed (conversion) but no construction work

One conversion certificate required

Case 3: Building is to be altered and use changed but not a conversion

One alteration certificate required

Completion Certificates & Form Q

Building Scotland Act 2003 Section 17 (1) After the completion of the work or conversion in respect of which a building warrant has been granted, the relevant person must submit to the verifier a completion certificate certifying:

(a) that the work was carried out …… in accordance with the building warrant, and

(b) …….the building as constructed complies with building regulations

(c) … the building as converted complies with building regulations.

MULTIPLE PLOT COMPLETIONS

• Dwellings - separate completion for each unit

– Separate form Q for each unit

Or– Letter confirming schedule 1 items that relate to that

unit

• Other Building Types may only require single completion certificate

ACE Agreement 9 Key Issues

• Client responsibility to provide information

• Client responsibility to ensure that contractors

and sub-contractors supply information

• Limitations on liability

• Protection of certifiers in employment of AB

• Arrangements for payment including warrant

amendments