Building Standards system

The Building Standards system ensures that work on new and existing buildings meets the requirements set out in the building regulations and aims to:

• protect the health, safety and welfare of people in and around buildings
• promote energy efficiency and sustainable development

Building regulations apply to

• the construction of new buildings
• alterations and extensions to existing buildings
• the conversion of a building (for example, changing a house into a hotel)

Technical standards

The regulations are supported by technical standards covering:

• structural stability and suitability of materials
• fire safety (including escape routes and firefighting facilities)
• ventilation, drainage, energy efficiency and electrical safety
• protection from dampness, condensation and noise
• access to and use of buildings

The current technical standards can be viewed on the Building Standards Division pages of the Scottish Government website.

What we do

We:

• assess and approve building warrant applications
• carry out site inspections during construction
• consider completion certificate submissions when work is finished
• take enforcement action on unauthorised works and dangerous or defective buildings

Support for applicants

We provide additional services to support applicants through the building warrant process, including:

• pre-application discussions
• processing agreements
• consideration of alternative design solutions