Building Control Legislation Ireland

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Building Control LegislationIreland

Building Control Act 1990
Ministerial Power to make building
regulations - to
make building control regulations Building
Regulations 1997-2003 1. Minister may
publish Technical Guidance Documents T G Ds
2. Parts A to M of the Second Schedule
apply to building works T G Ds for A to M
3. Works carried out in accordance
with T G Ds Prima facie evidence of
compliance with Regulations 4.
Alternate solutions are allowed
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Building Regulations 1997Technical Guidance
Documents
A Structure
31 Pages B
Fire Safety
159 C Site Preparation
and Resistance to Moisture 18 D Materials
and Workmanship
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E Sound
21 F
Ventilation 13 G Hygiene

8 H Drainage and Waste Water
Disposal 22 J Heat Producing
Appliances
2 K Stairways, Ladders, Ramps and Guards
11 L Conservation of Fuel and Energy
55 M Access for Disabled
People 19

Total 385 pages
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Technical Guidance Document BFire Safety
Introduction Quotes Part B of the Second
Schedule of Building Regs Section BO Clarifies
sections in Guidance Document Performance
Statements Alternative Solutions - Fire
Safety Engineering Approach - Guidance sources
BRE etc. Section B1 Means of escape Section
B2 Internal Fire Spread (Linings) Section
B3 Internal Fire Spread (Structure) Section
B4 External Fire Spread Section B5 Access and
Facilities for the Fire Service
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Part BFire Safety
Means of escape in case of fire B1 A
building shall be so designed and constructed,
that there are adequate means of
escape in case of fire from the building, a place
of safety outside the building,
capable of being safely and
effectively used. External fire Spread
(linings) B2 For the purpose of inhibiting
the spread of fire within a building,
the internal linings (a) shall offer
adequate resistance to the spread of flame over
their surfaces and (b) shall
have, if ignited, a rate of heat release which is
reasonable in the circumstances. Intern
al fire spread (structure). B3 (1) A
building shall be so designed and constructed
that, in the event of fire, its
stability will be maintained for a reasonable
period. (2) (a) A wall common to two
or more buildings shall be so designed
and constructed that it offers adequate
resistance to the spread of
fire between those buildings.
(b) A building shall be sub-divided with fire
resisting construction
where this necessary to inhibit the spread of
fire within the building.
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Part BFire Safety (Continued)
(3) A Building shall be so designed
and constructed that the unseen spread of
fire and smoke within concealed spaces in its
structure or fabric is inhibited where
necessary (4) For the purposes of
sub-paragraph 2(a), a house in a terrace and a
semi-detached house are each to be treated as
being a separate building. External
fire spread. B4 The external walls and
roof of a building shall be so designed and
constructed that they afford adequate resistance
to the spread of fire to and from neighbouring
buildings. Access and facilities for the
fires service. B5 A building shall be
so designed and constructed that there is
adequate provision for access for fire
appliances and for such other facilities as may
be reasonably required to assist the fire
service in the protection of life and property.
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Alternative Solutions
For each Section, B1 to B5, the law is stated in
general terms, a Performance Statement is given
as to how the legal requirement may be met and
detailed guidance offered. Alternative ways of
achieving compliance may be appropriate No
obligation to adopt any particular solution
contained in Guidance Document Use of
alternative design solutions, standards, systems
or methods of fire protection are acceptable
provided the level of fire safety achieved
satisfies the Building Regulations Alternative
s may be based on a fundamental analysis of the
fire safety problem or involve a comparative
analysis between the Guidance Documents and an
alternative solution. Fire Safety Engineering
may generate alternative solutions Factors to be
taken into account - Fire risk - Fire
Severity - Fire safety
measures - Risk to persons Measures are listed
which may be considered
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Building RegulationsAndPerformance Based
Building
Name of Firm
1 Is it feasible to have a policy of design first, check Building Regulations compliance later Yes Yes No No


Scale of Change Scale of Change Scale of Change Scale of Change Scale of Change
2 Do you have completed designs changed because of Building Regulations requirements emerging in relation to Minor Minor Medium Medium Large
- Materials
- Buildability
- design issues
- fire cert
- maintenance requirements
- other (please specify)
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3 Your opinion is sought under a number of
headings (A ) on whether
building regulations have a positive, neutral or
negative influence - generally -
specifically in relation to promotion of
innovative materials, practices, technologies,
etc. (B) on the relative merits
of detailed Building Regulations as
against a Performance Based
approach
Please tick one box Please tick one box Please tick one box Please tick one box Please tick one box Please tick one box Tick Superior System Tick Superior System
General Influence General Influence General Influence Influence on Innovation Influence on Innovation Influence on Innovation Tick Superior System Tick Superior System
Neutral Neutral Building Regs PeBBu
Design Cost
Design Cost Predictability
Construction Cost
Construction Cost Predictability
Client Briefing
Client satisfaction - design
Clients satisfaction - construction
Client satisfaction - in use
Design Firm Profitability
_
_
9
Please tick one box Please tick one box Please tick one box Please tick one box Please tick one box Please tick one box Tick Superior System Tick Superior System
General Influence General Influence General Influence Influence on Innovation Influence on Innovation Influence on Innovation Tick Superior System Tick Superior System
Neutral Neutral Building Regs PeBBu
_
_
Design Firm Productivity
Construction Firm Profitability
Construction Firm Productivity
Total Building Lifecycle
Environmental Sustainability
Performance Options
Staff Experience Development
Assembly of specs and Tender Documents
Promotion of supply chain relationships
Conflict avoidance
Decommissioning Planning
Design Conceptualization






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Please tick one box Please tick one box Please tick one box Please tick one box Please tick one box Please tick one box Tick Superior System Tick Superior System
General Influence General Influence General Influence Influence on Innovation Influence on Innovation Influence on Innovation Tick Superior System Tick Superior System
Neutral Neutral Building Regs PeBBu
_
_
Buildability
Design from IT Policy
Construction Firm IT Policy
Promotion of IT Networks
New approaches to risk sharing

Promotion of investment in R D by Designers
Promotion of investment in R D by Contractors
Promotion of investment in R D by Materials Manufacturers
Promotion of investment in R D by clients
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Please tick one box Please tick one box Please tick one box Please tick one box Please tick one box Please tick one box Tick Superior System Tick Superior System
General Influence General Influence General Influence Influence on Innovation Influence on Innovation Influence on Innovation Tick Superior System Tick Superior System
Neutral Neutral Building Regs PeBBu
Promotion of Competitive Tendering
Promotion of fairness in Competitive Tendering
Promotion of fairness in Competitive Tendering
Consumer Protection
Effect on Procurement Process in terms of Time
Effect on Procurement in Terms of Design
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Question 4 In your experience, approximate of
designs where Alternative Solutions to Building
Regulations are provided
With Respect to Fire Regulations With respect to Non-fire Regulations
---- Design
---- Materials
---- Components
---- Construction Method
---- Total Solutions
---- Other (please specify)
Question 5
of jobs where inspections dictated
---- Design changes
---- Materials changes
---- Component changes
---- Construction method changes
---- Other (please specify)

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Question 6
Is procurement of Fire Certificate on Critical Path for Project Always Some times Never

Question 7
Is Compliance with Building Regulations assured in detail by Re Fire Regulations Re Non Fire Regulations
---- Client
---- Designer
---- Main Contractor
---- Sub Contractor
Question 8
Have you had previous Minor Medium Extensive
Knowledge of Pe BBU
Interest in Pe BBU
Professional application of Pe BBU
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Question 9
On a scale of 1-10, please rate Irish Building Regulations Given Totally Prescriptive 1 Performance based 10 Bldg Regs Rating ?

Question 11 Any Further Comments
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Commentaries
Institute of Engineers of Ireland
Little use of powers of Act to ensure buildings
comply with Building Regulations
Enforcement in construction matters is almost
non-existent Enforcement in design matters
generally extends no further than requiring a
Fire Safety Certificate and random requests
by L. A. inspectors for drawings, calculations,
design information Comprehensive
enforcement system neither feasible or
economic. Design should be by registered
professionals and construction by registered
contractors.
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Commentaries

Forum for Construction Industry
33 of 37 Building Control Authorities have
appointed Building
Control Officers 92 of BCAs now
inspecting 70 of BCAs have reached target of
inspecting 12-15 of developments
National Review of Fire Service Building
Control function to be incorporated into Fire
Service?
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Ireland PBB
Capability - pilot questionnaire -
other benefits e.g. reduced conflict, user
needs - sources of innovation in C.I. In
Use - small IPFMA - FM to grow,
become structured, recognised - socio
/enviro/ economic drivers needed Process
Construction - PPP a Government
Policy - CITA a facilitator - FCI
a Forum for issues / problems but Champion
of Change? Product - Construction -
Brickwork the economic imperative -
Timber Framed Housing the economic imperative

Building Regs. - Mechanisation the
economic imperative
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Innovation in the Irish Construction Industry
Technology Foresight - Construction
Panel Strategies Change the Culture
Information Technology
(CITA) Improve Competitiveness
Increase Tradeability
Sustainability S T I Access and Transfer
Centre (for new and best practice
technologies) Material Technology
(for benefits of advances in Materials
Technology) Strategic Review of the
Construction Industry F.C.I.
Objectives - efficiency,
productivity, competitiveness tendering
procedures, conflict reduction,

regulatory environment. CITA Construction
IT Alliance Education and Industry in
Cooperation