Latest Changes to Regulations 2010
Statutory Rule 2010 No1 Building Regulations, The Building (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 was made 4 Jan 2010 and came into operation 31 March 2010
It brought changes to Part J (Solid Waste in Buildings) and Part D (Structure) The existing Part D technical booklet “DOE(NI) Technical Booklet D:1994” was also replaced with “DFP Technical booklet D:2009”
Part J (Solid waste in buildings)
J2 Solid waste storage
Part J now recognises that most buildings have more than one waste container.
All references to provision for a waste container (singular) have been changed to containers (plural) and in J2 (1)(c) ‘of sufficient capacity’ has been replaced with ‘of sufficient area’
Therefore:
J2 (1) A building shall be provided with adequate space for the storage of waste in containers, and such space shall (in additional to existing requirements) now be:
(c) of sufficient area having regard to the number of necessary containers and the frequency and method of removal
and
J2 (2)(a) Every dwelling on or below the fourth storey of a building shall have adequate space for individual waste containers or access to communal waste containers or a waste chute system.
Deemed to satisfy
Table J contains deemed to satisfy provisions. The requirements of J2(1)(c) are deemed to be satisfied for a dwelling not served by a waste chute system by the provision of ‘a washable hard-standing base not less than 1.8m x 1.2m to accommodate the waste containers and provide reasonable access’.
Therefore each dwelling now requires this 1.8mx1.2m area hard standing for waste storage (which is based on the size needed to accommodate three 240 litre wheeled bins allowing some access space to put things in the bins)
Schemes with multiple dwellings such as flats
As a dwelling includes a house, a flat or a maisonette under definitions in Part A of the Regulations, this requirement applies to all of these.
The area is per dwelling. So in a building containing multiple dwellings the requirement is for this area (1.8mx1.2m) multiplied by the number of dwellings.
J3 Waste chute systems
Now a waste chute system shall (in additional to existing requirements):
b) be capable of facilitating the segregation of waste.
Previous Changes to Regulations 2006
Described by some as "the most radical changes to face the construction industry in 20 years", the requirements being introduced in the amended Building Regulations will be a challenge for all of the industry.
More than 10 years ago the requirements to provide smoke detection in dwellings, escape windows and safety glazing were introduced through the Building Regulations. Today, these have become the industry norm and no professional Architect or Builder would contemplate erecting a building without them.
Over the next year we will witness further evolution, with several major changes to the Regulations. Whilst some of the proposals are at a very early stage of drafting, this article is intended to give you an insight into the changes.
TRAINING FOR CUSTOMERS
Training provided for the Construction Employer Federation - 20th November 2006.
Introduction PowerPoint
The Building Regulations Part F (2006) PowerPoint
The Building Regulations Part R (2006) PowerPoint
Additional Resources:
DFP Technical Booklet F1: 2006
DFP Technical Booklet F1: 2006
DFP Technical Booklet F2: 2006
DFP Technical Booklet H: 2006
DFP Technical Booklet L: 2006
DFP Technical Booklet R: 2006
DFP Amendments Booklet - AMD 3: 2006
Principle Regulations
The Building (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006, which comes into operation on 30 November 2006 and amends Part F: Conservation of fuel and power, Part L: Combustion appliances and fuel storages systems and Part R: Access to and use fo buildings.
The Building (Amendment No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 further clarifies the intent of the preceeding amendment and also comes into operation on 30 November 2006.
