In Summary: The Key Building Information Required as part of Registration for Higher-Risk Buildings to the Building Safety Regulator, under the Building Safety Act 2022.

The Secretary of State for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has published new advice on the information that the Accountable Person(s) will be required to submit when registering their “higher-risk buildings” (HRB) to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR).

Registration opens on 6th April 2023, with a digital portal expected to launch on the 12th April, and the deadline for registration will be 1st October 2023. After this date it will be a criminal offence for any HRB to not be on the official register.

Following the registration application, the Accountable Person(s) will have just 28 days to collate and submit the Key Building Information, which we have summarised below. It is important to note that this information is not the same as the Golden Thread of Information, which comes into play in the next stage as part of the Building Safety Case Report.

The Key Building Information is prescribed as the following:

1. Document of any ancillary buildings 1 related to the HRB, including if the ancillary buildings are deemed as an HRB. 1 any structure or section that is attached to but does not form part of the higher-risk building.

2. Definition of the principal use a of,

  • The higher-risk building, and
  • Any ancillary building, and
  • Any outbuilding 2, and
  • Any storey below ground level in the higher-risk building.

2 any permanent or temporary building, whether attached or not to the higher-risk building but not forming part of it, that is used for purposes incidental to the enjoyment of the higher-risk building.

3. Definition of the subordinate use of,

  • The higher-risk building, save in respect of a residential unit 3, and
  • Any ancillary building, and
  • Any storey below ground level in the higher-risk building.

3 a dwelling or any other unit of living accommodation

4. Evidence of any change to the principal use of the higher-risk building since its construction.

a “Use” must be described using the following categories:

  • Residential (dwellings),
  • Residential (institutional),
  • Residential (other),
  • Office,
  • Shop and commercial,
  • Assembly and recreational,
  • Industrial, or
  • Storage and other non-residential.

5. Information detailing the material(s) of the external wall of the higher-risk building, including.

  • The description of the material(s) used, and
  • If more than one material, the percentage of what each material constitutes.

6. Information detailing the insulation of the external wall on the higher-risk building, including.

  • The description of the material(s) used, and
  • If more than one material, the percentage of what each material constitutes.

7. Information detailing the roof of the higher-risk building, including.

  • The main material used in composition of the part of the roof that provides a waterproof covering, and
  • If there is a separate layer of insulation, and
  • Whether the roof plan is pitched, flat or a combination of both.

8. Information on any fixture attached to the external wall or roof of the higher-risk building, including.

  • The type of fixture, and

9. Information on the structure of the higher-risk building, including.

  • The main material used, and
  • The type of structural design the building has (in compliance with Part A of Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 2010).

10. The number of storeys below ground level4 that are in the higher-risk building, and

  • Total number of staircases, and
  • Number of staircases that serve, as part of the same flight of stairs, the storey at ground level and every storey above.

4 where the level of the surface of the ground on which the building is situated is uniform, the level of surface of the ground immediately adjected to the building, or where the level of the surface of the ground on which the building is situated is not uniform, the level of the lowest part of the surface of the ground adjacent to the building.

11. The type of energy supply to the higher-risk building, and

  • The type of energy storage system of the higher-risk building.

12. A description of the evacuation strategy that is in place for the higher-risk building, and

  • A list of the fire and smoke control equipment within the higher-risk building, save for that provided by a resident for their own use, and
  • Where in the building the equipment is located.

It is safe to say that even the information required for registering a HRB is substantial, and it is understandable that any Accountable Person(s) would be overwhelmed with the task of gathering and submitting these items. Considering that some of these persons may have more than one HRB in their portfolio and an individual registration is required for each, and the tight time limit of 28 days to meet, this could easily lead to inadequate quality of information and missing crucial deadlines.

 

The good news is that an Accountable Person(s) may authorise for an independent to submit the Key Building Information on their behalf.

FRC are qualified and competent to undertake the tasks required to gather the information required, undertake areas where information is identified as missing, and complete the submission to the Regulator.

 

For further information and to discuss how we can support you with meeting full compliance with The Building Safety Act 2022, please reach out to our team of experts at enquiries@frconsultants.co.uk or call 01794 332 456.