Guidance on the requirement for certification of the structural design of buildings which are to be demolished or partially demolished
1.0.Background
1.1. The Scottish Building Regulations apply to the design, construction or demolition of a building, the provision of services, fittings or equipment in or in connection with a building, and the conversion of a building.
1.2 The requirements with regard to construction work are set down in Regulation 9 and it is within Schedule 5 to Regulation 9 that the standards applicable to design and construction are described, including Mandatory Standards 1.1 and 1.2. 1.3 The requirements with regard to demolition are set down in Regulation 10 and Regulations 13 to15. These mainly relate to the provision of protective works to ensure the safety of the general public. Only information required to show compliance with the above regulations is required by the verifier.
2.0.General Guidance
2.1. Certification under the Scheme for Certification of Design (Building Structures) is limited to consideration of Mandatory Standards 1.1 and 1.2 within Schedule 5 to Regulation 9. As such the Scheme cannot be used where a warrant is required solely for the purpose of undertaking the complete demolition of a building.
2.2. Where the demolition of a building is not carried out as a single operation, as in cases of temporary or permanent retention of some parts (e.g. façade retention) there is a need to consider the structural stability of those parts of the building which are to be retained either in the short term or permanently.
2.3. If the warrant is only for the partial demolition of a building, the verifier may consider that this constitutes an alteration to the building, in which case a certificate of design could be issued to confirm the structural adequacy of the building that remains.
2.4. It is therefore important to know whether the verifier is treating the application as the demolition of a building or the alteration of a building.
2.5. Where the partial demolition of a building and the subsequent construction of a new building are to be part of the same warrant, the designs for any works required to provide support to the building being demolished until the permanent works covered by the warrant are completed are to be considered as ‘temporary works’ and do not need to be covered by a Certificate of Design.
March 2022