CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS DIRECTIVE (CPD)

For manufacturers' products to be compatible and uniformly acceptable in the European market, there exists a process for harmonising technical specifications. These specifications are known as harmonised European product standards (hENs), produced and administered by the Comite ' Europe ' en de Normalisation (CEN). European Technical Approvals (ETAs) are also acceptable where issued by the European Organisation for Technical Approvals (EOTA). These standards are not a harmonisation of regulations.

Whether or not the technical specification satisfies regional and national regulations is for local determination. However, for commercial purposes a technical specification should cover the performance characteristics required by regulations established by any member state in the European Economic Area (EEA). CPD harmonises:

* methods and criteria for testing
* methods for declaring product performance
* methods and measures of conformity assessment

UK attestation accredited bodies include: BBA, BRE and BSI.

CE mark - a marking or labelling for conforming products. A `passport' permitting a product to be legally marketed in any EEA.

It is not a quality mark, e.g. BS Kitemark, but where appropriate this may appear with the CE marking.

CE marking † reproduced with kind permission of Rockwool Ltd.

BUILDING REGULATIONS - VALIDATION

Deposit of Plans or Full Plans Application ~

• Application form describing the proposed work.
• Location plan, scale not less than 1 :2500.
• Block plan, scale not less than 1 : 1250 showing north point, lines of drains (existing and proposed) and size and species of trees within 30m.
• Plans, sections and elevations, scale not less than 1 :50 (1 : 100 may be acceptable for elevations).
• Materials specification.
• Structural calculations where appropriate, e.g. load bearing beams.
• Fee depending on a valuation of work.

The appointed inspector examines the application and subject to any necessary amendments, an approval is issued. This procedure ensures that work on site is conducted in accordance with the approved plans. Also, where the work is being financed by a loan, the lender will often insist thework is only to a Full Plans approval.

Building Notice ~

• A simplified application form.
• Block plan as described above.
• Construction details, materials specification and structural calculations if considered necessary by the inspector.
• Fee depending on a valuation of work.

This procedure is only really appropriate for minor work such as extensions to existing small buildings such as houses. Building control/inspection occurs as each element of the work proceeds. Any Building Regulation contravention will have to be removed or altered to attain an acceptable standard.

Regularisation ~

• Application form.
• Structural calculations if relevant.
• A proportionally higher fee.

Applies to unauthorised work undertaken since Nov. 1985. In effect a retrospective application that will involve a detailed inspection of the work.Rectificationmay be necessary before approval is granted.

BUILDING REGULATIONS - APPROVAL

Building Regulations Approval ~ required if  "Building Work'' as defined in Regulation 3 of the Building Regulations is proposed. This includes:

• Construction or extension of a building.
• Alterations to an existing building that would bring into effect any of the complying regulations.
• Installing replacement windows where the installer is not known to the local Building Control Authority as being a ``competent'' registered installer, e.g. FENSA (FENestration Self Assessment) scheme.
• Alteration or installation of building services and fittings that bring into effect any of the complying regulations.
• Installation of cavity wall insulation.
• Underpinning of a building's foundations.
• Change of purpose or use of a building.

"Competent'' persons are appropriately qualified and experienced to the satisfaction of a relevant scheme organiser. For example, Capita Group's ``Gas Safe Register'' of engineers for gas installation and maintenance services. They can ``self certify'' that their work complies with Building Regulations, thereby removing the need for further inspection.

Local Authority Building Control ~ the established procedure as set out diagrammatically on the preceding page with an application form of the type shown on page 61 and accompanying documents as indicated on the next page.

Private Sector Building Control ~ an alternative, where suitably qualified and experienced inspectors approved by the local authority undertake the application approval and site inspections.

BUILDING REGULATIONS - COMPLIANCE

Local Authority Building Control ~ as described in the previous  two pages. A public service administered by borough and unitary councils through their building control departments.

Approved Inspectors ~ a private sector building control alternative as outlined on the preceding page. Approved inspectors may be suitably qualified individuals or corporate bodies employing suitably qualified people, e.g. National House Building Council (NHBC Ltd.) and MD Insurance Services Ltd.

Borough councils can contract out the building control process to approved inspectors. Validation and site examinations follow the established format shown on page 56, with approved inspectors substituting for LA.

Both NHBC and MD Insurance publish their own construction rules andstandards that supplement the Building Regulations. These form the basis for their own independent quality control procedures whereby their Inspectors will undertake stage and periodic examinations of work in progress to ensure that these standards are adhered to. The objective is to provide new home buyers with a quality assured product warranted against structural defects (10†15 years), provided the house builder has satisfied certain standards for registration. Therefore, the buyer should be provided with a completion certificate indicating Building Regulations approval and a warranty against defects.


Robust Details ~ Building Regulations A.D. E - Resistance to the passage of sound; requires that the separating walls, floors and stairs in new dwellings are sufficiently resistant to airborne and impact sound transmission. Sound measurement tests defined in the associated BSs specified in the Approved Document must be undertaken by an approved inspector/building control official before completion.

An alternative or a means for exemption of pre-completion testing is for the builder to notify the building inspector that sound insulation construction details are registered and specified to those approved by Robust Details Ltd. This is a not-for-profit company established by the house building industry to produce guidance manuals containing details of acceptable sound resistant construction practice.

BUILDING REGULATIONS - CONTROL

Building Control ~ unless the applicant has opted for control by a private approved inspector under The Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2000 the control of building works in the context of the Building Regulations is vested in the Local Authority. There are two systems of control namely the Building Notice and the Deposit of Plans. The sequence of systems is shown below:-

NB. In some stages of the above sequence statutory fees are payable as set out in The Building (Local Authority Charges) Regulations 1998.

BUILDING REGULATIONS - APPLIED

Example in the Use of Approved Documents

Problem:- the sizing of suspended upper floor joists to be spaced at 400mm centres with a clear span of 3600m for use in a two storey domestic dwelling.

Building Regulation A1:- states that the building shall be constructed so that the combined dead, imposed and wind loads are sustained and transmitted by it to the ground †

(a) safely, and
(b) without causing such deflection or deformation of any part of the building, or such movement of the ground, as will impair the stability of any part of another building.

Approved Document A:- guidance on sizing floor joists can be found in `Span Tables for Solid Timber Members in Dwellings', published by the Timber Research And Development Association (TRADA), and BS5268-2: Structural use of timber. Code of practice for permissible stress design, materials and workmanship.

Dead loading is therefore in the 0.25 to 0.50kN/m2 band From table on page 633 suitable joist sizes are:- 38 X 200, 50 X 175, 63 X 175 and 75 X 150.

Final choice of section to be used will depend upon cost; availability; practical considerations and/or personal preference.

BUILDING REGULATIONS - APPROVED DODUMENTS

Approved Documents ~ these publications support the Building Regulations. They are prepared by the Department for Communities and Local Government approved by the Secretary of State and issued by The Stationery Office. The Approved Documents (ADs) have been compiled to give practical guidance to comply with the performance standards set out in the various regulations. They are not mandatory but show compliance with the requirements of the Building Regulations. If other solutions are used to satisfy the requirements of the Regulations, proving compliance rests with the applicant or designer.