Building regulations explained - website

Introduction

BRE has been working on a European project with the working title of ‘Connie', which is now moving into its next phase. This is to provide searchable web based help on construction regulation and legislation in UK ( England and Wales to start with). Initially the website (available free to members of the main construction institutions) will link information in the Approved Documents with Defects, Case studies and Frequently Asked Questions with glossary (a growing on-line dictionary of building terms) and references. It is expected to develop to include Scotland and Northern Ireland , and widen in scope to include CDM Health and Safety, Planning etc. The site will eventually be linked with similarly developed sites throughout Europe .

In order to get the ball rolling, we are seeking RIBA, CIAT, CIOB and NFB help to identify the ten most frequently asked questions for each of the Approved Documents. Our current view is that ADs L1A, L1B, L2A and L2B would be treated as not one but four separate ADs. We will also be asking the government-funded help-desks to provide similar information.

The lists of faqs we receive will be compiled and condensed to provide a short list top ten faqs for each AD.

Appropriate BRE experts (or external consultants where appropriate) will then be asked to produce a succinct reply with references linking to other documents available in Technical Indexes together with a description of any defects (or other problems) resulting from a misinterpretation of the relevent AD provisions.

The reply will be edited to a plain english with all technical terms explained (by hyperlink) and full text used the first time an acronym appears. For example 'Target Carbon Dioxide Emission Rate ( TER )'.  

Based on our enquiries we understand that this website will fill a gap in the provision of information and knowledge to all those involved in the construction industry. 

The help needed

A list of the Approved Documents is attached. Please respond if you have had to refer to any of these documents recently and had difficulties with interpretation, application or other use of them.

Your response should be in the form of a simple question (or simple questions) regarding interpretation of an approved document. eg

1. Is "green electricity" - i.e. electricity generated by sources such as wind farms, tidal barrages, or by burning biomass/waste - treated more favourably in Part L's calculations than electricity generated from conventional sources?

BRE will then collate and compile these questions and put them to their in-house experts (many of whom have been involved in drafting the ADs or writing published guidance on them.