Designers should welcome proposed construction products reform

Specifying products is seemingly becoming more difficult for designers due to the lack of reliable test evidence and wider data in relation to the performance of the products. The frustration is such among some designers that they are even proposing to undertake tests themselves so that they can find a solution for a project which is currently stalling due to not having a compliant product.

The issue mainly relates to the fire performance of products and is compounded by manufacturers not having test evidence available for some construction types or details, the withdrawal of previously published technical literature by manufacturers and the change in approved document B in relation to the replacement of BS476 with the European Standard.

It is estimated that two-thirds of construction products are currently unregulated and there is little deterrent to manufacturers producing and selling substandard products. It is also acknowledged by the government that product information is sometimes not clear or detailed enough, a statement with which many specifiers will agree.

The construction products reform green paper, published earlier this year, sets out the government’s proposals for changing the construction product industry so that manufacturers are responsible for assessing safety risks of their products and ultimately ensuring that unsafe products are eliminated from the supply chain. The National Regulator for Construction Products will take a proactive approach to ensuring that manufacturers comply with the planned legislation, and non-compliance will come with financial penalties for companies and the restriction  of individuals’ ability to operate in the industry.

Products will be marked with easy-to-understand safety-critical information and will have a digital passport. A national library will include product test reports and certificates as well as academic research.

The reforms will not only focus on safety but also on environmental performance, something that has my full support

No longer will the designer have to sign a non-disclosure agreement, as some have recently, in order to obtain information from manufacturers; that information will be publicly available in the future.

The reforms will not only focus on safety but also on environmental performance, something that has my full support. The changes would include manufacturers having to undertake a full lifecycle assessment of their products and publish it as a declaration of performance, the obligation to provide replacement parts to enable longer use periods and the inclusion of used products within the regulations. This would be a positive step forward for the circular economy.

The enhanced accountability framework includes all of those in the supply chain and not just manufacturers. The designer will be accountable for ensuring that the specified product is appropriate for the proposed situation and, in turn, the contractor must ensure that the specified product is installed correctly. These are current responsibilities, but the new accountability terms will be defined as formal obligations.

The government’s proposed reforms of construction products will not force manufacturers to test their products for every situation for which the designer may wish to specify them. They will however, if introduced, ensure that technical literature and test evidence is readily available, that the information is clear and that it can be relied on.

Of course that does not mean that the designer will not have to undertake their own evaluation and due diligence checks, but it will very much improve the current situation and allow designers to specify more confidently and in a more efficient manner.

In summary, the proposed changes will surely be welcomed by designers.