May 13 2004
A recent seminar on Approved Document L of the Building Regulations has been heralded as a valuable and useful exercise by participants and organisers. The event, organised by the Steel Construction Institute, was sponsored by Corus Construction and discussed the implications of the recently revised Document and its forthcoming revision, scheduled for 2006.
Although Part L was reviewed in detail prior to its implementation last year, evidence has suggested that aspects of design practice may not fully recognise the implications of details in certain situations. These include the design of cladding systems, external features attached to frames and the placement of insulation between structural elements.
“The seminar acted as a forum for a diverse range of professionals involved in the construction industry to voice their concerns,” explains Mike Webb, Construction Development Manager at Corus Construction and Industrial. “We funded the event as part of our ongoing commitment to offer advice and design guidance on all aspects of the Building Regulations.”
According to Neesha Gopal of whitbybird Façade Engineering, the seminar was an opportunity to learn. “It was extremely useful,” she comments. “It was an ideal place to raise concerns about the implications of Part L with experts from various disciplines, as well as academic representatives. The structure of the seminar allowed everyone to contribute and it was very helpful.”
This is a view shared by Matthew Bennett, Senior Engineer at Anthony Hunt Associates Ltd. “I found the seminar extremely valuable - as my background is structural engineering, it was very enlightening to view the situation from other viewpoints. Having such a wide variety of people in attendance enabled many relevant issues to be addressed from all angles.”
As a leading manufacturer, supplier and advisor within the structural steel market, Corus sponsored the event to address the issues raised by the newly introduced legislation. “This was a very proactive approach to resolving current issues arising from Part L and pre-empting future problems before the Document is upgraded,” concludes Mike Webb. “By listening to the people who design and construct buildings, we are able to offer the most relevant and technical information to our customers.”
Source: Communique PR