More stringent regulation proposed for industry
This week’s newsletter is framed by an important government consultation that has the potential to reshape the regulatory landscape for our industry. The Single Construction Regulator Prospectus sets out proposals to bring multiple regulatory functions across the built environment under one unified body, following recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and a growing recognition that the current system is fragmented and, in places, ineffective.
For the window, door and glazing sector, the implications could be significant. The consultation places strong emphasis on construction products, product information, testing, certification and enforcement – all areas that directly affect how our products are designed, manufactured, tested, marketed and installed. The government is clear in its intention to strengthen oversight, improve accountability and address historic weaknesses around compliance and enforcement. In simple terms, this points towards a future where product performance claims, conformity and traceability will come under far closer scrutiny.
While much of the detail is still to be developed, a single regulator overseeing construction products and building safety could lead to clearer rules and greater consistency, but it may also increase regulatory burden for businesses that are not already aligned with best practice. For compliant manufacturers and installers, however, it could help level the playing field and restore confidence across the supply chain.
To explore what this could mean in practical terms for fenestration, I’ve spoken with Richard Sellman, managing director of the BFRC, who explains more about how the consultation is ‘about being accountable and proving procedures and processes have been followed correctly and products perform to the required level’.
You can read the full interview here.