Architectural institutes unite for fire and life safety design guidance

The architectural professional institutes of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland have formed a coordinated body – the Belfast Group – to ensure that architects across the UK and the Republic of Ireland have standardised guidance in fire and life safety design.

Its formation is one of several measures being introduced by the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI), the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS), the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the Royal Society of Architects in Wales (RSAW) and the Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA) to improve building fire safety in response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report.

The coordinated body will work to ensure that fire safety standards go beyond national boundaries and that architects working in all jurisdictions are equally competent to design buildings that conform to the highest levels of fire safety and life protection.

Belfast Group members have made a joint commitment to work with governments in their respective nations to push for architects to unfettered access to all the relevant national regulations, standards and technical information that they need to design the safest buildings possible in any of the five jurisdictions.

Along with standards for architects, the group will also develop guidance to help ensure construction professionals have standardised fire and life safety information to enable them to make more informed decisions about procurement and overall resourcing of build projects.

In a joint statement, the five presidents representing the Belfast Group; Sean Mahon (RIAI), Karen Anderson (RIAS), Dan Benham (RSAW), John Lavery (RSUA) and Muyiwa Oki (RIBA), said: “The Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report makes clear that more is required to ensure our buildings are as safe as possible.

“This is relevant for every architect. While each jurisdiction has its own regulatory framework, there are core competencies on designing for life safety that transcend political boundaries and project typologies.

“Therefore, the Belfast Group will share best practice, knowledge and information in design standards for life safety. This coordination will ensure that appropriate training and competency standards are implemented across each nation.

“We continue to work with our relevant governments to ensure that our members have access to all the regulations, standards and technical information they need whilst also providing guidance to clients on how to support the procurement and resourcing of projects, so life safety is at the heart of the appointment process.

“These steps will help deliver safer buildings for all.”