Hundreds of boom-builds are unsafe, say experts

This article from September 2013 shows how these problems are not going away.

Hundreds of apartment blocks built during the boom around the country could be as dangerous as Priory Hall, fire safety experts have warned. Many apartment complexes share the same problems identified in the Tom McFeely-built block of apartments in north Dublin. And fire safety inspectors who have been called to examine blocks say owners and management companies are "burying their heads in the sand" over the dangers. One expert in the area of fire safety said last week that not only were residential buildings potentially dangerous, but so too were schools, healthcare premises and office buildings that went up in the boom era. When asked to give an estimate of the number of potentially fire-hazardous buildings that were built during the time, the expert told the Sunday Independent: "No one knows, but hundreds, certainly hundreds."

Read the full article @ The Irish Independent

Our fire safety certification process will not protect against another Grenfell

Fire safety in buildings has again become an area of major concern following on from the disaster in Grenfell Tower in London, and, more recently, the Metro Hotel fire in Ballymun. In Ireland most buildings must have a fire safety certificate, but what does that mean? If I ask people not directly involved in the building industry what a “fire safety certificate” is, most will reply that it is a certificate confirming the building is safe in relation to fire. This is not an unreasonable assumption but it is not an accurate one. The certificate is issued at design stage and it confirms that if the building is built in accordance with the submission made to the local authority, it will be safe. That is a significant difference and renaming it a “fire safety design certificate” would at least bring more clarity to the public. This goes to the heart of a difficulty with Ireland’s certification processes; we offer certs that the public is fully entitled to take at their word but that can – and probably do – mislead.

Read the full article @ The Irish Times

The role of building control within Irish planning

The role of building control within Irish planning

Building regulations have a long colourful history, dating back to the 1878 Public Health (Ireland) Act which controlled the construction of buildings in the interest of health, safety and welfare. The most recent, consolidated building regulations came into force on 1 July 1998 (the first ones date from 1991) – Parts L and M came later, in 2003. The building control regulations prescribe the procedures to be followed in order to comply with the Building Control Act 1990. They are a set of requirements for the design and construction of new buildings, extensions and material alterations to and certain changes of use of existing buildings.

The regulations comprise a set of legal requirements, expressed in simple functional statements. They address: Structure; fire safety; site preparation and resistance to moisture; sound; ventilation; Hygiene; Drainage and waste water disposal; heat producing appliances; stairways, ladders, ramps and guards; Conservation of fuel and energy; and, Access for people with disabilities. They go from Part A to Part M and are clearly exciting stuff. They are 12 separate technical documents.

All construction work must comply with the regulations. The responsibility for compliance rests with designers, builders and building owners. Building control authorities have powers to inspect design documents and buildings as well as powers of enforcement and prosecution where breaches of the regulations occur. There are heavy fines and imprisonment penalties. Selling a property can be difficult if a purchaser’s solicitor finds out the building does not comply with the regulations.

There are two important control arrangements in the system:

Firstly, Commencement Notices: these notify a building control authority that a person intends to carry out either works or a material change of use to which the building regulations apply. This notice must be given to the authority not more than 28 days and not less than 14 days before commencement. A fee is payable with the notice. Its size depends on the number of buildings. They are required for: (1) erecting ad building, (2) a material alteration or extension of a building, (3) a material change of use of a building or works in connection with this change. Exempted development under the planning code does not require a notice.

Secondly, a Fire Safety Certificate: this is a certificate granted by a building control authority which certifies that if a building or works is constructed in accordance with plans submitted, it would comply with the regulations (part B – fire safety). With few exemptions (agricultural buildings and houses), one is required for all new buildings (including flats and apartments), as well as material changes of use and certain alterations and extensions to buildings. It must be obtained before work starts. A fee is required and there is an application procedure. It takes two months but this can be extended on written agreement, e.g. if more information is required. An appeal to the Board is possible within one month if refused.