It’s Time to Take Responsibility

Following publication of the final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry last week, there has been acknowledgement across the industry that more needs to be done to improve building safety. Whilst the police investigation will now come to the fore for those involved in Grenfell Tower, no‐one can avoid the fact that people in and outside the industry have underestimated the importance of everyone doing their jobs properly to deliver high quality buildings that perform as expected. The drive to get ‘boots on the ground’ has led to ‘build and design’ on site, and the hierarchy of our supply chains has resulted in a lack of understanding and accountability. As the Inquiry report concludes, the fire at Grenfell Tower was the “culmination of decades of failure by central Government and other bodies in positions of responsibility in the construction industry”, and we must all now step up and take responsibility for our actions.

Under the new building safety regime, the design of a Higher‐Risk Building (HRB) must be approved before construction begins and then it must be confirmed that the building has been constructed in accordance with the approved design before it can be registered and occupied. And surely that should be the principle for all buildings ‐ not just HRBs.

Unfortunately, we all know that is not how construction has operated, and the fundamental change needed requires more than just regulation; there needs to be a cultural shift in expectations and behaviours across the industry. Ultimately, we have to change the business environment in which the industry operates, so those who commit to building safely can thrive and those who don’t are flushed out.

The report makes 58 recommendations and it is going to take time for those to be considered and implemented. However, as the industry, we can step up now by insisting on the recommended ways of working featured in every report since Latham, including fair contract terms that result in a more appropriate transfer of risk.

We need to start by being honest with ourselves, our clients and the Government that buildings and infrastructure are not cheap to build and maintain and there is still too much focus on the cost of construction. In reality, the cost of delivering a building or infrastructure is a small percentage of the total value realised over its lifetime. We only have to look at the headlines of snagging lists, mould, crumbling concrete, potholes and sewage spills to understand the benefits of a good built environment versus a cheap and neglected one.

Clients must understand that they are now accountable for their decisions and if they ask for a lower price they should be made aware of the implications. Not only would this help to promote the true cost of construction, but it would result in better buildings, greater productivity, a more resilient supply chain and an incentive to invest for the future.

The final report from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry is a wake‐up call: the pace of change must be accelerated and everyone needs to take responsibility for fulfilling their duties to provide safe homes and buildings, for everyone, every time. As Inquiry panel member Thouria Istephan said: “if you work in the construction industry and you do not feel the weight of responsibility you have for keeping people safe, you are in the wrong job”.

Suzannah Nichol OBE, Build UK Chief Executive

 

Organisational Capability

With the increased focus on competence, Laing O’Rourke is the latest Build UK member to specify its supply chain must be certified to the Common Assessment Standard to “help to ensure quality and compliance”. Companies can obtain certification from any one of the Recognised Assessment Bodies in order to tender for work with a growing list of organisations.

 

Building Safety Guide Updated

Build UK has updated its guide to the Building Safety Regime to reflect the latest information and guidance that has been published. The changes covered in the September 2024 version include:

• Further amendments to Approved Document B from 2 March 2025, including the requirement for sprinklers in all new care homes and the withdrawal of National Classes fire testing standards in favour of the European standard.
• Clarification that recognition of CE Marking for construction products, which was due to end in June 2025, has been extended indefinitely.
• Confirmation that the offence of occupying part of a building without a completion certificate does not apply to hospitals and care homes.
• New building control guidance on the cancellation of initial notices by Registered Building Control Approvers and the transfer of work to another Building Control Approver.
• The CLC Building Safety Report outlining the work undertaken across the industry to support regulatory and cultural change following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

The Building Safety Regulator is regularly updating its guidance on the new regime, and the Build UK timeline shows at a glance when all the key changes take effect.