Introduced in response to the tragic events of the Grenfell Tower fire and Dame Judith Hackitt’s report on Building Regulations and Fire Safety, the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) is a pivotal piece of legislation which aims to improve the safety of buildings throughout their lifecycle, from initial design and construction to ongoing occupation and maintenance.

The Act first came into force in April 2023 and applies to all buildings, not just high-rise, but there are additional requirements for taller, ‘higher-risk buildings’ (HRBs) above a certain height threshold, such as residential buildings over 18m or 7 storeys.

The new legislation will undoubtedly provide vital improvements for the safety of buildings and occupants, but what effects will the Act have on our climate change commitments? As voiced by the Climate Change Committee, “climate change is a building safety issue” and the focus on fire safety must be broadened to address the risks of climate change to building occupants and the health & safety of the wider population.

The UK was one of the world leaders for mass timber construction but the ban on the use of combustible materials for external walls in 2018 has thwarted further uptake of this lower carbon construction method, despite major campaigning efforts to encourage the Government to consider the unintended consequences. Could the BSA further hinder our vital transition to a lower carbon built environment, or are there ways natural building products can still be embraced whilst complying with the Act?

Programme

13:00 Welcome from ASBP and The Green Register

• Simon Corbey, CEO, ASBP

• Tom Westwood, Programme Director, The Green Register

13:10 An update on the Building Safety Act

• Speaker tbc

13:30 Building safety – An architect’s perspective

• Ben Humphries/Laura Rowland, Architype

13:50 Timber and building safety

• Alastair Ogle, Waugh Thistleton

14:10 Fire, risk and insurance and update on the Mass Timber Insurance Playbook

• Jim Glockling, Independent Consultant; Chair of BSI FSH/16 & 'Hazards to life from fire' committee and Visiting Professor, School of Natural Sciences, University of Central Lancashire

14:30 Panel discussion
15:00 Close