Officials from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) are preparing to launch a major review into building regulations following the Grenfell Tower fire.
According to a report from BBC's Newsnight, the move comes as the Government looks to find explanations for the catastrophic fire and why certain products were used in the £10m refurbishment of the tower block.
There is also consternation that subsequent safety tests on tower blocks across the UK have identified significant and serious fire safety failings.
The review of building regulations, which many argue is long overdue, will run alongside the major criminal investigation, the Public Inquiry and the expert panel convened by ministers to look into the fire.
The independent expert panel on safety has advised further testing as the next step to be conducted in helping landlords to ensure the safety of their buildings.
These large scale tests will help establish how different types of Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) panels in combination with different types of insulation behave in a fire.
The results of these tests will help landlords make decisions on any further measures that may need to be put in place to make their buildings safe following the Grenfell Tower fire. These tests will be undertaken by the BRE and will not require any new samples from buildings.
The industry is also taking steps to investigation building and construction practices in the UK. The Construction Products Association has been asked by the Department for Communities and Local Government to join an ‘Industry Response Group’ alongside Build UK and the Construction Industry Council to help “mobilise and co-ordinate the construction industry’s response to the challenges arising from the Grenfell Tower fire”.
The Group have been asked to provide a genuinely inclusive, cross-industry response, drawing in relevant expertise and data. With this in mind, we will be working with Build UK and CIC to liaise with all of our members and avoid any duplication of efforts.
The group will initially:
- Provide essential advice on possible solutions for use in particular types of buildings to ensure homes, offices and public buildings are safe
- Provide advice on better ways of building and the latest methods of construction, and ensure access to the necessary technical expertise in industry when required
- Help mobilise the UK industry if any major programmes of construction work is needed, by acting as a focal point for government-industry communications
Advise government on the relevant sub-sectors of the construction industry, their expertise and capacity to deliver work at pace.
The Industry Response Group has said: "We understand how concerned people are about the safety of buildings and we would like to reassure the public that the UK construction industry is working with urgency to respond to the Government's review. This Industry Response Group will demonstrate leadership and, acting as a focal point, provide a collective response to Government and other stakeholders."
The group will include representatives from three major industry bodies in the UK who will lead and coordinate contributions across the sector:
- Build UK is the leading representative organisation for the construction industry. By bringing together Client, Contractors and the Trade Associations representing over 11,500 Specialist Contractors and other organisations committed to industry collaboration, Build UK represents in excess of 40% of UK construction.
- Construction Industry Council is the representative forum for the professional bodies, research organisations and specialist business associations for professional services providers in the construction industry. It provides a single voice for professionals in all sectors of the built environment through its collective membership of 500,000 individual professionals and 25,000 firms of construction consultants.
- Construction Products Association represents the UK's manufacturers and distributors of construction products and materials. We are committed to raising the profile of our industry and members' businesses, helping grow the market and reducing regulatory risk. The sector directly provides jobs for 300,000 people across 22,000 companies and has an annual turnover of more than £55 billion. The CPA is the leading voice to promote and campaign for this vital UK industry.
