Amended building regulations and approved documents (WG 004/2018)

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Circular

Issued by:

Francois Samuel: Head of Building Regulations

Summary:

The purpose of this Circular Letter is to make you aware of amendments to the Building Regulations, the new Approved Document Q, and the amendment slip for Approved Document G for Wales.

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Circular

The Building Act 1984

The Building Regulations 2010

•Amendments to Part G (Sanitation, Hot Water Safety and Water Efficiency) of Schedule 1

•Amendments to Approved Document G (Sanitation, Hot Water Safety and Water Efficiency)

•New requirement Part Q (Security) of Schedule 1

•New Approved Document Q (Security)

•Amendment to Regulation 47 (Contravention of certain regulations not to be an offence)

Introduction

1.I am directed by Welsh Ministers to draw your attention to the Building (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2018 (“the Amendment Regulations”) which make amendments to the Building Regulations 2010 as amended (S.I 2010/2214) (the “Building Regulations”). These amendments will take effect on 1 November 2018.

2.I am also directed by the Welsh Ministers to draw your attention to the approval under Section 6 of the Building Act 1984 for;

•amendments to Approved Document G which supports Part G (Sanitation, Hot Water Safety and Water Efficiency) and;

•a new Approved Document Q (Security).

3.In accordance with section 14(7) of the Building Act 1984, the Amendment Regulations were made after consultation with the Building Regulations Advisory Committee for Wales and with other bodies representative of the interests concerned.

4.The purpose of this Circular is to:

•draw attention to the amendments to the Building Regulations.

•draw attention to the new Approved Document Q and the amendment slip for Approved Document G.

Scope

5. This Circular Letter applies to all building work carried out in Wales.

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AMENDMENTS TO THE BUILDING REGULATIONS 2010

6.Annex A to this circular sets out in tabular form all the changes to the Building Regulations.

7.The Amendment Regulations amend regulation 36 (water efficiency of new dwellings) to introduce a new requirement that where a dwelling is erected the potential consumption of wholesome water by persons occupying the dwelling must not exceed 110 litres per person per day. The current requirement of 125 litres per person per day remains where there is a material change of use such that a building is used as a dwelling or contains a flat, in either case where previously it did not.

8.The Amendment Regulations add paragraph G2A (water efficiency of new buildings other than dwellings and healthcare buildings) to Part G (sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency) of Schedule 1 (requirements relating to building work). The new requirement does not apply to dwellings or healthcare buildings.

9.The Amendment Regulations also amend regulation 47 (Contravention of certain regulations not to be an offence). The effect of the amendment is to designate regulations 23 (requirements for the renovation or replacement of thermal elements), 25B (nearly zero-energy requirements for new buildings) and 26 (CO2 emission rates for new buildings) for the purposes of section 35 of the Building Act 1984 (penalty for contravening building regulations) in so far as those regulations apply to Crown buildings or to building work carried out or proposed to be carried out by Crown authorities.

10.The Amendment Regulations add Part Q (Security) to Schedule 1. This new requirement only applies to the erection of dwellings.

11.The Amendment Regulations also contain transitional provisions.

Approved Documents G and Q

12.Approved Documents provide statutory guidance on the application and compliance with the Building Regulations.

13.An amendment slip, “Amendments to the Approved Document G”, is available alongside this Circular on the Welsh Government website. The amendment slip outlines the amendments to Approved Document G.

14.A new Approved Document Q (Security) is available alongside this Circular on the Welsh Government website.

15.A notice of approval of the amendments to the Approved Documents is at Annex B.

16.An electronic copy of the “Amendments to the Approved Document G” and “Approved Document Q” is available from https://gov.wales/topics/planning/buildingregs/approved- documents/?lang=en

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Further Advice

17.If you have any queries regarding this Circular, please contact:

Building Regulations

Planning Directorate

Welsh Government

Rhyd y Car

Merthyr Tydfil

CF48 1UZ

Tel : 0300 062 8646

E-mail : enquiries.brconstruction@gov.wales

Yours faithfully

Francois Samuel

Head of Building Regulations Planning Directorate

Welsh Government

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The Building (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2018

S.I. 2018 No.552 (W.94)

The following table lists all the changes made by S.I. 2018 No.552 (W.94) to the Building Regulations 2010:

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Annex B

Building Act 1984

The Building (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2018 S.I. 2018/552 (W. 94) are available at:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2018/552/contents/made