Publication - Advice and guidance
Building standards technical handbooks 2022: summary of changes for 1 June 2022
A summary of changes included in the Interim 2022 building standards technical handbooks, updating Section 0 (general), Section 2 (Fire) and Appendix A (definitions), which apply from 1 June 2022; information on awareness events.
Changes to regulations and standards
Amendments to the building regulations and standards are now made by Part 2 of The Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022. The main changes introduced by the 2022 edition are amendments to regulations and standards that relate to external wall cladding systems, as follows:
Section 0 (general)
- regulation 8 relating to durability, workmanship and fitness of materials is amended to ban the use of highly combustible metal composite material in an external wall cladding system or as an internal lining;
- regulation 8 is amended to ban the use of combustible materials in external wall cladding systems on dwellings and on other defined ‘relevant buildings’ with a storey at a height of 11 metres or more.
- amendment of Schedule 3 to Regulation 5 relating to descriptions of building and work, including the provision of services, fittings and equipment, not requiring a warrant to control the use of combustible materials in the replacement of external wall cladding systems, other than minor repairs; and
Section 2 (fire)
- amendment to building standard 2.7 relating to the spread of fire on external walls to clarify the intent of the standard.
These changes form part of the output from the Building Standards Fire Safety Review Panel and measures proposed within the 2021 consultation on external wall systems.
The revised standards and supporting guidance apply to all building warrants submitted on or after 1 June 2022.
A full list of all latest changes can also be found in clauses 0.1.7 and 2.0.5 in each of the 2022 technical handbooks. Read more detail on the range of key changes.
Section 0 (general)
Changes listed are to both the Domestic and Non-domestic Technical Handbooks.
- 0.2.1 – Updated list of amended legislation – 2022 regulations added
- section 0.5 – Regulation 5. Buildings work, services, fittings and equipment not requiring a warrant.
- schedule 3 amended to now require replacement of cladding to meet current regulations and be the subject of a building warrant. Excepting minor repairs (defined) to cladding which may still be made on a like-for like basis and do not require a building warrant.
- clause 0.5.1 – guidance on work types 1, 17 and 25 amended to reflect changes to schedule 3.
- schedule 3, Type 17 – exception amended to relate works to external wall cladding systems.
- schedule 3, Type 25 – work associated with cladding removed from the list of works which can be to a standard no worse than at present and which does not require a building warrant.
- schedule 3, Type 25A – new type added to cover extent of cladding replacement (minor repair) which can be to a standard no worse than at present and which does not require a building warrant.
- section 0.8 – Regulation 8. Durability, workmanship and fitness of materials
- Regulation 8 – Amended to prohibit the use of highly combustible metal composite material panels and fire performance criteria for parts of an external wall cladding system.
- Regulation 8(3) added to require materials forming an ‘external wall cladding system’ or ‘specified attachments’ to be non-combustible in ‘relevant buildings’
- Regulation 8(4) added to list materials which are not subject to regulation 8(3).
- Regulation 8(5) added to prevent the use of ‘highly combustible metal composite material’ in external wall cladding systems or internal linings on all buildings.
- Regulation 8(6) added to define the terms ‘highly combustible metal composite material’, ‘relevant building’, ‘specified attachment’ and ‘substantial layer’.
- clause 0.8.1 – New explanatory text added to explain the Regulation 8 changes made for external wall cladding systems and specified attachments.
Section 2 (fire)
Domestic handbook - guidance to standard 2.5.0 (internal linings)
- reference to prohibition on the use of highly combustible metal composite material panels under regulation 8 added.
Domestic handbook - guidance to standard 2.6 (spread to neighbouring buildings)
- reference to prohibition on the use of highly combustible metal composite material panels under regulation 8 added.
- clause 2.6.4 – first paragraph replaced and guidance changed in accordance
- with Regulation 8 of the Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022 Domestic handbook - guidance to standard 2.7 (spread on external walls)
- mandatory standard amended to clarify intent with regard to the height, use and position of the building.
- reference to the prohibition of highly combustible metal composite cladding material panels under regulation 8 added.
- meaning of external wall cladding systems explained.
- additional guidance on awnings, canopies and signage provided. Domestic handbook – Annex 2.B reaction to fire clause 2.B.1 – clause re-written to provide additional guidance on external wall cladding systems including exemptions and the use of large scale fire testing.
Non Domestic handbook - guidance to standard 2.5.0 (internal linings)
- reference to prohibition on the use of highly combustible metal composite material panels added.
Non Domestic handbook - guidance to standard 2.6 (spread to neighbouring buildings)
- reference to prohibition on the use of highly combustible metal composite material panels added.
- clause 2.6.4 – first paragraph replaced and guidance changed in accordance with Regulation 8 of the Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022
Non Domestic handbook - guidance to standard 2.7 (spread on external walls)
- mandatory standard amended to clarify intent with regard to the height, use and position of the building
- reference to the prohibition of highly combustible metal composite cladding material panels added.
- meaning of external wall cladding systems explained, clause re-written and table 2.9 amended to include Regulation 8 of the Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022.
- additional guidance on awnings, canopies and signage provided. Non Domestic handbook – Annex 2.E reaction to fire
- clause 2.E.1 – clause re-written to provide additional guidance on external wall cladding systems including exemptions and the use of large scale fire testing.
Appendix A (defined terms)
Domestic handbook – Appendix A defined terms
- new Regulation 8 definitions included for ‘highly combustible metal composite material’, ‘relevant building’, ‘specified attachment’ and ‘substantial layer’
Non Domestic handbook
- new Regulation 8 definitions included for ‘highly combustible metal composite material’, ‘relevant building’, ‘specified attachment’ and ‘substantial layer’
- ‘Hospital’ definition removed
Contact
Email: buildingstandards@gov.scot
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