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The Building Safety Act – Part E
The Building Safety Act 2022 and its associated Gateway 2 Submission has been a key challenge for the construction industry since 2024.
As more information, experience and feedback has been received through the process, project design teams have had to react quickly and develop the approach and content of their submissions.
While the Building Safety Act does not introduce new acoustics-specific regulations, it reinforces the importance of compliance and consideration of the interaction between acoustics and other safety aspects such as fire and structures.
The Act also places a strong emphasis on competence and accountability among professionals involved in building design and construction. As a leading consultancy in urban design acoustics, Cass Allen has already had the opportunity to assist with a large number of submissions and we have noted a few challenges that have been a common thread through all of them:
Amount and Detail of Reporting Evidence Required
The majority of Gateway 2 Submissions that have been submitted are still under review by the relevant authority and yet to be decided or have any feedback provided. The amount of evidence required to successfully demonstrate compliance with any of the Building Regulations is therefore somewhat unknown. Cass Allen has however tailored our submissions in line with feedback we have been able to gather alongside our extensive experience in Building Regulations Approved Document E, and we are confident in our approach for our clients’ developments.
Timing of Submission
The Gateway 2 process has required significantly more information regarding the final detailed design and selection of materials for developments at a much earlier point in the design process. This has placed pressures on commercial and design teams to produce a co-ordinated developed design faster than ever before. Our response to this particular challenge has been to ensure that acoustics design considerations are presented and finalised as early as possible to allow the rest of the design team complete the designs in time for submission.
Company Experience and Technical Evidence
The BSA places great emphasis on companies to prove their relevant experience. Any designer must therefore be above to demonstrate not only that they have the qualifications to be carrying on the assessment but also that the assessment itself can be backed up with evidence. Our approach is to base our assessment on our 20+ years experience in Approved Document E as well as over 25,000 on-site sound insulation tests. As well as forming a reliable foundation for the advice we provide, this archive of test data also provides the strongest possible evidence to demonstrate compliant designs for Gateway 2.
In summary, it is important to consider the implications of the Building Safety Act and Gateway 2 process as early as possible in a project, even though the ideal response is often not to rush the submission!
Please get in touch with us if you have any need for advice on Part E regarding the Building Safety Act or more generally, and we would be delighted to help.
