Substantial changes to building regulations in Northern Ireland have been proposed in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire which, if implemented, will amend regulations and guidance primarily on blocks of flats, but also on other residential buildings. Ron Alalouff reports.
The proposals contained in a consultation published in July by the Northern Ireland Department of Finance include providing fire safety information to the building owner/occupier, the provision of wayfinding signage, evacuation alert systems and secure information boxes and, where appropriate, automatic fire suppression in care homes, nursing homes, children’s homes and student accommodation.
The new requirement to provide fire safety information at the handover stage of a building would apply when a ‘relevant premises’ is erected, altered, extended or subject to a material change of use. It would also apply when a building containing flats with a storey more than 11m above ground level is created.
The information is intended to help identify and document the fire safety measures incorporated into the building and the fire safety design assumptions that have been made. This approach seeks to ensure there is no disconnect between fire safety standards in design, construction, occupation and enforcement over the lifetime of a building.
The proposed new regulation 37A will make it a legal requirement to produce adequate ‘as built’ fire safety information for the building owner/occupier. The aim of the regulation will be achieved when the person with fire safety duties in a relevant premises or building containing one or more flats – with a storey more than 11m above ground level – has all the information to enable them to:
A new requirement to provide automatic fire suppression systems in certain types of higher risk residential buildings would apply to new builds, and those created by a material change of use. In buildings containing flats, the government is proposing a storey trigger height of more than 11m.
This, says the consultation document, is consistent with a 2019 industry call for sprinklers in all new and converted residential buildings, hotels, hospitals, student accommodation, schools and care home buildings more than 11m in height.
The consultation also proposes the requirement for sprinklers in all care homes/nursing homes, children’s homes and family resident centres. The consultation document says that “supporting evidence from research carried out by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) for various regions and the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) demonstrates the clear benefits to be gained from sprinkler installation in these premises, against the relatively low costs involved”.
Similarly, it is proposes that in view of the risk of students having “an immature approach combined with a lifestyle of partying, smoking, alcohol consumption and cooking at late hours under the influence…” purpose-built student accommodation with a storey more than 11m above ground level should be fitted with automatic fire suppression systems, as the most effective and efficient way of protecting both lives and property in the student sector.
The consultation says that the regulation will:
In order to reflect the proposed changes to the regulations on fire safety information and automatic fire suppression, the government has also published proposed guidance to be included in Technical Booklet E.
Image credit: Alamy Stock
In addition to existing provisions for interconnected and mains wired smoke detectors in circulation spaces on each storey of dwellings, in the principal habitable room, and a heat detector in each kitchen, the proposals include at least one smoke alarm to be installed in all habitable rooms, and at least one heat alarm in every kitchen.
Proposed new guidance in Technical Booklet E will also cover:
The consultation closed on 25 September 2023 and the government will publish its response “in due course”.
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