Circular letter: Notice of corrections to Approved Document B 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments

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To:

The Chief Executive:

Unitary, Metropolitan, District and London Borough Councils in England

County and County Borough Councils in Wales

The Town Clerk, City of London

The Clerk, Council of the Isles of Scilly

The Sub-Treasurer, Inner Temple

The Under Treasurer, Middle Temple

The Head of Building Control:

Unitary, Metropolitan, District and London Borough Councils in England

County and County Borough Councils in Wales

City of London

Council of the Isles of Scilly

Approved Inspectors cc: The Chief Executive:

County Councils in England

National Park Authorities in England & Wales

Chair: National Fire Chiefs Council

30November 2022

Dear Sir or Madam,

Notice of corrections to Approved Document B (ADB) 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments

You will be aware that the Department most recently published amendments to ADB 2019 edition (incorporating the 2020 amendments) Volume 1 and Volume 2 in June 2022 which are due to come into force on 1 December 2022.

I am writing to give notice under section 6 of the Building Act 1984 of some further revisions which are to correct errors made during this amendment process. The Secretary of State withdraws approval of the sections of incorrect text set out below and approves the revised text also set out below. The new revised version of the

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2019 edition of ADB incorporating these changes and the changes announced in June 2022 will be available from the GOV.UK website on 1 December 2022: 2019 edition of ADB incorporating these changes and the changes announced in June 2022 will be available from the GOV.UK website on 1 December 2022: 2019 edition of ADB incorporating these changes and the changes announced in June 2022 will be available from the GOV.UK website on 1 December 2022:

We expect it to be available from the publisher in hard copy shortly.

The revisions set out below take effect from the date of this letter and all the 2022 amendments (those published in June and corrected by these revisions) will come into force on 1 December 2022 subject to the transitional provisions set out in the circular dated 1 June 2022. I would be grateful if you would notify your members of these changes.

The approved revisions set out below relate to the requirements in Part B, Schedule 1 Regulations 6(3), 7(2) & 38 of the Building Regulations 2010.

Notice of corrections to the Notice of Approval of Revision and Notice of Withdrawal published in June 2022

It has come to our attention that the Notice of Approval of Revision and the Notice of Withdrawal issued at Annexes A and B of Circular 02/2002 dated 1 June 2022 contained the following errors:

•In the Notice of Approval of Revision, the Assistant Secretary’s name was written incorrectly.

•In the Notice of Withdrawal of Approval, the wrong document was listed as being withdrawn.

These notices should be disregarded. The corrected versions of the notices are provided at Annex A and B of this letter.

Details of the revisions to the 2019 edition of ADB incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments (‘ADB 2019 incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments’):

1.Firefighting shaft provisions

This change corrects an error which would have resulted in an unintended change to a technical provision for firefighting shafts for basements.

The following text in ADB Volume 1 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments paragraph 15.5 on page 105 is withdrawn and no longer approved:

Withdrawn text:

“In buildings where a firefighting shaft is required, a minimum of two firefighting shafts should be provided in either of the following situations.

a. A building that has both of the following.

i. A storey with a floor area of 900m2 or more.

ii. A storey 18m or more above the fire and rescue service vehicle access level.

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b. A building with a basement storey which is more than 900m2.”

The above text shall be replaced by the approved text below:

New approved text:

“In buildings where a firefighting shaft is required, a minimum of two firefighting shafts should be provided to buildings with a storey that has both of the following.

a. A floor area of 900m2 or more.

b. A floor level 18m or more above the fire and rescue service vehicle access level.”

2.Definition of solar shading:

The definition of solar shading in ADB did not match that in the statutory instrument. The definition has been updated for consistency and has been annotated with * to denote it is a key term from the Building Regulations 2010.

The following text in ADB Volume 1 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments Appendix A: Key Terms text on page 119 is withdrawn and no longer approved:

Withdrawn text:

“Solar shading device A device attached to an external wall for reducing heat gain or controlling visible light within a building by shading or deflecting sunlight.”

The above text shall be replaced by the approved text below:

New approved text:

“*Solar shading device A device attached to the external surface of an external wall for reducing heat gain within a building by shading or deflecting sunlight.”

The following text in ADB Volume 2 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments Appendix A: Key Terms text on page 134 is withdrawn and no longer approved:

Withdrawn text:

“Solar shading device A device attached to an external wall for reducing heat gain or controlling visible light within a building by shading or deflecting sunlight.”

The above text shall be replaced by the approved text below:

New approved text:

“*Solar shading device A device attached to the external surface of an external wall for reducing heat gain within a building by shading or deflecting sunlight.”

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3.Removal of erroneous comma:

The reproduction of Regulation 7(3) in ADB did not match the statutory instrument because of an extra comma between “awning” and “curtain”. The wording in both volumes of ADB has been updated to remove the comma and ensure consistency.

The following text in ADB Volume 1 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments requirement text on page 77 is withdrawn and no longer approved:

Withdrawn text:

“(ha) components associated with a solar shading device, excluding components whose primary function is to provide shade or deflect sunlight, such as the awning, curtain or slats;”

The above text shall be replaced by the approved text below:

New approved text:

“(ha) components associated with a solar shading device, excluding components whose primary function is to provide shade or deflect sunlight, such as the awning curtain or slats;”

The following text in ADB Volume 2 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments requirement text on page 92 is withdrawn and no longer approved:

Withdrawn text:

“(ha) components associated with a solar shading device, excluding components whose primary function is to provide shade or deflect sunlight, such as the awning, curtain or slats;”

The above text shall be replaced by the approved text below:

New approved text:

“(ha) components associated with a solar shading device, excluding components whose primary function is to provide shade or deflect sunlight, such as the awning curtain or slats;”

4.Reference to specified attachments:

A reference to ‘specified attachments’ has been included in relevant paragraphs and notes to warn that metal composite materials are prohibited on both external walls and specialised attachments.

The following text in ADB Volume 1 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments Section 10 Table 10.1 on page 80 is withdrawn and no longer approved:

Withdrawn text:

“• Regulation 7(1A) prohibits the use of relevant metal composite materials in the external walls of all buildings of any height (see paragraphs 10.11 and 10.12).”

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The above text shall be replaced by the approved text below:

New approved text:

“• Regulation 7(1A) prohibits the use of relevant metal composite materials in the external walls, and specified attachments, of all buildings of any height (see paragraphs 10.11 and 10.12).

The following text in ADB Volume 1 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments Section 10 Paragraph 10.11 on page 82 is withdrawn and no longer approved:

Withdrawn text:

“Regulation 7(1A) prohibits the use of relevant metal composite materials in the external walls of all buildings of any height.”

New approved text:

“Regulation 7(1A) prohibits the use of relevant metal composite materials in the external walls, and specified attachments, of all buildings of any height.”

The following text in ADB Volume 2 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments Section 12 Table 12.1 on page 95 is withdrawn and no longer approved:

Withdrawn text:

“• Regulation 7(1A) prohibits the use of relevant metal composite materials in the external walls of all buildings of any height (see paragraphs 12.12 and 12.13).”

The above text shall be replaced by the approved text below:

New approved text:

“• Regulation 7(1A) prohibits the use of relevant metal composite materials in the external walls, and specified attachments, of all buildings of any height (see paragraphs 12.12 and 12.13).”

The following text in ADB Volume 2 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments Section 12 Paragraph 12.12 on page 97 is withdrawn and no longer approved:

Withdrawn text:

“Regulation 7(1A) prohibits the use of relevant metal composite materials in the external walls of all buildings of any height.”

New approved text:

“Regulation 7(1A) prohibits the use of relevant metal composite materials in the external walls, and specified attachments, of all buildings of any height.”

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5.Cavity barrier correction:

The guidance is updated to make a correction currently set out in the ADB FAQ.

The following sentence of text in ADB Volume 2 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments Section 9 Paragraph 9.12 on page 80 is withdrawn and no longer approved:

Withdrawn text:

“If the undivided area exceeds 40m in any direction, there is no limit to its size if all of the following conditions are met.”

New approved text:

“If the cavity is over an undivided area that exceeds 40m in any direction, there is no limit to its size if all of the following conditions are met.”

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6.External stair diagrams updated

The diagram showing the areas of fire resistance of areas near to external walls has been updated to bring further clarification.

The following Diagram 2.7 (Fire resistance of areas near to external stairs) in ADB Volume 1 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments is withdrawn and no longer approved:

Withdrawn diagram:

New approved diagram:

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The following Diagram 3.11 (Fire resistance of areas near to external stairs) in ADB Volume 1 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments is withdrawn and no longer approved:

Withdrawn diagram:

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New approved diagram:

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The following Diagram 3.4 (Fire resistance of areas near to external stairs) in ADB Volume 2 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments is withdrawn and no longer approved:

Withdrawn diagram:

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New approved diagram:

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7.Text updated in diagram for pipes penetrating fire-separating elements

An update is made to the note in the diagram to clarify that the former term ‘structure’ refers to the fire-separating element.

The following text in the Note of Diagram 9.2 (Pipes penetrating fire-separating elements) in ADB Volume 1 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments is withdrawn and no longer approved:

Withdrawn text:

“1. Make the opening in the structure as small as possible and provide fire-stopping between pipe and structure.”

New approved text:

“1. Make the opening in the fire-separating element as small as possible and provide fire-stopping between pipe and fire-separating element.

The following text in the Note of Diagram 10.1 (Pipes penetrating fire-separating elements) in ADB Volume 2 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments is withdrawn and no longer approved:

Withdrawn text:

“1. Make the opening in the structure as small as possible and provide fire-stopping between pipe and structure.”

New approved text:

“1. Make the opening in the fire-separating element as small as possible and provide fire-stopping between pipe and fire-separating element.

8.Updated to include a cross reference to Section 2

An update is made to paragraph 12.2 to include reference to Section 2 in order to highlight other provisions in relation to the fire resistance of external walls.

The following text in ADB Volume 2 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments Section 12 Paragraph 12.2 on page 94 is withdrawn and no longer approved:

Withdrawn text:

“This section provides guidance on resisting fire spread over external walls; however, it does not deal with fire resistance of external walls. An external wall may need fire resistance to meet the provisions of Section 3 (Design for vertical escape), Section 7 (Loadbearing elements of structure), Section 13 (Resisting fire spread from one building to another) or Section 17 (Access to buildings for firefighting personnel).”

The above text shall be replaced by the approved text below:

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New approved text:

“This section provides guidance on resisting fire spread over external walls; however, it does not deal with fire resistance of external walls. An external wall may need fire resistance to meet the provisions of Section 2 (Design for horizontal escape), Section 3 (Design for vertical escape), Section 7 (Loadbearing elements of structure), Section 13 (Resisting fire spread from one building to another) or Section 17 (Access to buildings for firefighting personnel).”

Action

Please ensure you distribute this amongst your members to ensure they are aware of this update and are using the most up to date version of ADB.

Enquiries

Telephone enquiries on this Circular Letter should be addressed to Technical Policy Division on 0303 444 0000 and all e-mail enquiries to: enquiries.br@communities.gov.uk

Yours faithfully

V Molho

Deputy Director

Technical Policy Division

Building Safety Portfolio

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Building Act 1984

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Building Act 1984