The Building Regulations are made under powers
provided in the Building Act 1984, and apply in England and
Wales. The current edition of the regulations is 'The
Building Regulations 2000' (as amended) and the majority of
building projects are required to comply with them. They
exist to ensure the health and safety of people in and around all
types of buildings (i.e. domestic, commercial and
industrial). They also provide for energy conservation and
access to and use of buildings.
Anyone wanting to carry out building work which is subject to
the Building Regulations is required by law to make sure it
complies with the regulations.
The approved documents
Practical guidance on ways to comply with the functional
requirements in the Building Regulations is contained in a series
of Approved Documents which are to be read alongside each of the
fourteen 'parts' in Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations.
Each document contains:
- general guidance on the performance expected of materials and
building work in order to comply with each of the requirements of
the Building Regulations.
- practical examples and solutions on how to achieve compliance
for some of the more common building situations.
The fourteen 'parts' of Schedule 1 to the Building
Regulations
A Structure
B Fire safety
C Site preparation and resistance to
contaminants
D Toxic
E Resistance to the passage of sound
F Ventilation
G Hygiene
H Drainage and waste disposal
J Combustion appliances and fuel storage
systems
K Protection from falling, collision and
impact
L Conservation of fuel and power
M Access to and use of buildings
N Glazing - safety in relation to impact,
opening and cleaning
P Electrical safety.
Building Control fees
Building Control forms and guidance notes
