Building Regulations Compliance
Expert-defined terms from the Professional Certificate in Construction Legal Compliance (United Kingdom) course at London School of Business and Administration. Free to read, free to share, paired with a globally recognised certification pathway.
Approved Document #
A set of guidelines that provides practical guidance on how to meet the requirements of the Building Regulations in England and Wales. There are several Approved Documents, each covering a different aspect of building regulations compliance.
Building Act 1984 #
The primary legislation that governs building regulations in England and Wales. It sets out the legal framework for the regulation of building work, including the powers and duties of local authorities and the Secretary of State.
Building Control Body (BCB) #
The organization responsible for ensuring that building work complies with the Building Regulations. A BCB can be a local authority or a private approved inspector.
Building Regulations #
The technical and procedural requirements that building work must meet in order to ensure that it is safe, healthy, accessible, and sustainable. Building Regulations are made under the Building Act 1984 and apply in England and Wales.
Building Regulations Approval #
The formal approval that a BCB gives to confirm that building work complies with the Building Regulations. There are two types of approval: full plans approval and building notice approval.
Competent Person Scheme #
A voluntary scheme that allows registered contractors to self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations, without the need for a separate building control application.
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM) #
The regulations that set out the legal duties of clients, designers, principal contractors, and contractors in relation to health and safety in construction projects.
Drainage and Waste Disposal #
The Approved Document that provides guidance on how to meet the requirements of the Building Regulations in relation to the design and installation of drainage and waste disposal systems.
Energy Efficiency #
The Approved Document that provides guidance on how to meet the requirements of the Building Regulations in relation to energy efficiency in buildings.
Fire Safety #
The Approved Document that provides guidance on how to meet the requirements of the Building Regulations in relation to fire safety in buildings.
Full Plans Approval #
A type of building control application in which detailed plans and calculations are submitted to a BCB for approval before work starts on site.
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 #
The primary legislation that governs health and safety in the workplace. It sets out the legal duties of employers, employees, and self-employed persons in relation to health and safety.
Materials and Workmanship #
The Approved Document that provides guidance on how to meet the requirements of the Building Regulations in relation to the quality of materials and workmanship in building work.
Means of Escape #
The Approved Document that provides guidance on how to meet the requirements of the Building Regulations in relation to means of escape in the event of a fire.
Party Wall etc. Act 1996 #
The legislation that governs the rights and responsibilities of adjacent property owners in relation to party walls, party structures, and excavations near neighboring buildings.
Principal Designer #
The person appointed by the client to plan, manage, and monitor the pre-construction phase of a project, in order to ensure that health and safety issues are addressed.
Principal Contractor #
The person appointed by the client to plan, manage, and coordinate the construction phase of a project, in order to ensure that health and safety issues are addressed.
Site Preparation and Resistance to Moisture #
The Approved Document that provides guidance on how to meet the requirements of the Building Regulations in relation to site preparation and resistance to moisture in buildings.
Structural Design and Construction #
The Approved Document that provides guidance on how to meet the requirements of the Building Regulations in relation to structural design and construction in buildings.
Tolerances #
The acceptable variations in size, level, and alignment that are permitted in building work, in order to allow for normal construction tolerances and to avoid unnecessary expense.
Thermal Elements #
The parts of a building that separate the inside from the outside, such as walls, floors, and roofs, and that have a significant impact on the thermal performance of the building.
Travel Distances #
The maximum distances that people are allowed to travel within a building in the event of a fire, in order to reach a place of safety.
Unauthorized Building Work #
Building work that has been carried out without the necessary building control approval or that does not comply with the Building Regulations.
Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 #
The regulations that set out the legal duties of employers in relation to the health, safety, and welfare of their employees in the workplace.