Understanding Building Regulations

Image: Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage

Image: Wix

Building regulations apply to the construction of new builds, alterations to existing buildings and to existing buildings where a change of use takes place. These regulations are only applicable to buildings constructed after 1st June 1992.

Primary responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the building regulations rests with designers, builders and owners of buildings with the Building Control Authority (eg. appropriate Local Authority or County Council) ensuring buildings are compliant.

Technical Guidance Documents (TGD’s) give guidance on how to construct a building so that it complies with building regulations. This provides for the safety of the people in and around the building and the safety of the building itself and its environment. There are 12 documents in total, each dealing with a different aspect of construction. These may be found at http://www.housing.old.gov.ie/housing/building-standards/tgd-part-d-materials-and-workmanship/technical-guidance-documents but the following can help with a summary of what is contained therein.

A - STRUCTURE

This section gives advice regarding

1. Loading - how the design and construction of a building ensures the loads are transmitted to the ground safely without causing damage to the building

2. How any movement within the subsoil does not affect the stability of the building. Image - Wix

3. Specifications and sizes regarding walls, roofs, floors, masonry chimneys, strip foundations etc.

4. Recovering help existing roof structures and structural safety of external wall cladding.

5. How additional measures should be included to avoid collapse loading in the event of an accident.

B - FIRE SAFETY

Buildings should be designed so the -

1. Appropriate means of escape can be provided to a place of safety in case of fire.

2. Internal linings preventing the spread of fire should have a rate of heat release or rate of fire growth plus adequate resistance to ignition and spread of fire over their surfaces.

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3. Structure will be protected from internal fire spread, common walls between two buildings display resistance to fire spread and the construction within a building be such a way that prevents fire spread between subdivided units. The speed of fire smoke in concealed areas should be inhibited . Terraced or semidetached houses should be treated as separate buildings

4. External walls and roofs can withstand the spread to and from neighbouring buildings and there is adequate provision for emergency fire services, water supply, hoses, fire escapes etc.

C - SITE PREPARATION & RESISTANCE TO MOISTURE

The main points to consider in this section are -

Site preparation – The site should be free of vegetation before building commences.

Subsoil drainage shall be provided if necessary, so that the site does not become waterlogged, potentially damaging the building.

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Dangerous substances - Reasonable precautions should be employed to avoid dangerous substances eg. radon and landfill gases which can be present in the ground.

Resistance to weather and ground moisture - The floors, walls and roof of a building should be designed and constructed to prevent the passage of moisture to the inside of the building or damage to the fabric of the building.

D - MATERIALS & WORKMANSHIP

Materials & workmanship - Quality of workmanship using appropriate materials should meet specified quality standards. Materials should be fit for the use for which they are intended and for the conditions in which they are to be used eg. resistant to both moisture and subsoil. Image - Wix

They should bear a CE Marking, comply with an appropriate harmonised standard or European Technical Assessment or comply with an appropriate Irish Standard. Specifications regarding high alumina cement and safety glazing are also outlined.

Letterplates – These should be positioned at a reasonable height above ground level so as not to endanger the health and safety of persons using them.

E - SOUND

This guideline regards the general transmission of sound both by direct and flanking transmission via floors, walls, and cavities both within buildings and between adjoining buildings. It gives specific details regarding sound insulation testing and reporting, separating wall, floor and ceiling construction and reverberation control including the reverberation control in the common internal part of a building which provides direct access to several dwellings eg. in an apartment block. Image - shutterstock.com

F - VENTILATION

This section concerns ventilation, both natural and mechanical (with heat recovery), in both public buildings (eg. car parks and offices) and private dwellings. This limits the moisture content of the air preventing condensation and mould growth and also limiting the concentration of harmful pollutants in the air within the building. Also covered in this section is ventilation in roofs thereby preventing the buildup of condensation which could possibly lead to damage within the building. Image - shutterstock.com

G - HYGIENE

These give guidance on bathrooms and kitchens in dwellings along with specifications for bathroom and washing facilities in public buildings, building sites etc. A bathroom in a dwelling should contain either a fixed bath or shower/bath plus washbasin, in a kitchen a sink of adequate size plus a draining board and all appliances be plumbed with both hot and cold water. Any bathroom which contains a sanitary convenience should be separated from food preparation or cooking areas. All sanitary conveniences (toilets and urinals) should be designed to facilitate efficient use of water for flushing and effective cleaning. Image -shutterstock.com

H - DRAINAGE & WASTEWATER DISPOSAL

This gives specifications for general, foul and surface water management including storage for grey water and rainwater. Wastewater treatment systems for both domestic and large-scale developments is also covered. Buildings should have drainage systems for the hygienic and adequate disposal of foul and surface waters from a building and for these waters to be connected to the appropriate sewer system. Wastewater treatment systems should be designed and constructed so that it cannot compromise human health, does not cause a risk to public health or the environment, prevents unauthorised access but allows adequate means of access for emptying and maintenance, it will function to a sufficient standard for the protection of health in the event of a system failure, has adequate capacity, is impermeable to liquids, and is adequately ventilated. Image - Wix

J - HEAT-PRODUCING APPLIANCES

This concerns solid fuel, gas and oil burning appliances, their installation, air supply, extract fans, fireplaces, chimneys, hearths, and flue pipes. Specifications for oil storage tanks, liquid biofuels, LPG, and water are also laid out. Air supply should be adequate to provide for combustion, prevent overheating and efficient working of any flue or chimney discharging the products of combustion to the outside air, preventing danger to human health within the property by carbon monoxide.

The flue or chimney should be constructed in such a way that it does not catch fire during use. Fuel storage and pipelines from it to the heat producing appliance should be located, constructed and protected to reduce the risk of fuel ignition or fuel escaping thereby causing pollution. Image - Barry Frampton Ltd

K - STAIRWAYS, LADDERS, RAMPS & GUARDS

This provides for rise and pitch of stairs and ladders considering headroom, width, landings, handrails, and guards. Also includes guidelines for pedestrian and vehicle guarding, vehicle ramps, and prevention of falls from windows. Stairways, ladders and ramps should be designed to give safe passage for users of a building. Sides of every floor, balcony and part of a roof which people normally have access should be guarded to protect users from the risk of falling. The sides of every vehicle ramp, floor and roof to which vehicles have access shall be guarded against the risk of vehicles falling therefrom. Image - Pinterest

L - CONSERVATION OF FUEL & ENERGY (DWELLINGS & NON-DWELLINGS)

This lengthy document contains information as to how a building should be designed and constructed to ensure that energy performance is maximised so that the energy required for the operation of the building and the amount of CO2 emissions associated with using this energy is as low as possible. Areas covered include thermal conduction within the building, buildings of architectural or historical interest, energy rating of the building, heat loss and gain through the building fabric, CO2 emissions, thermal bridging and air infiltration. Also covered are controls for space heating and hot water supply systems, air conditioning, mechanical ventilation, managing heat loss from pipes ducts and vessels, efficiency of oil and gas fired boilers, artificial lighting and renewable energy technologies. Image - berrating.ie

M - ACCESS & USE

This document gives guidelines as to how the building should be designed to allow people have access to it, its facilities, and its environs. Regarding extensions to buildings, people should be able to approach and have access to the building and sanitary facilities. Guidelines are included regarding ramps, hand rails, pedestrian crossings, accessible doors, entrances, lobbies, corridors, passageways, lifts, stairs, sanitary facilities, audible aids, lighting switches and sockets. Image - Pinterest

References

1. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. 2016 Available at: http://www.housing.old.gov.ie/housing/building-standards/tgd-part-d-materials-and-workmanship/technical-guidance-documents [Accessed 26.03.2021]