We are delighted to confirm that Capital are now on the Homes England MRS (Medium Rise Scheme) Fire Risk Assessor Panel.
What is the Medium-Rise Scheme (MRS)?
The Medium-Rise Scheme (MRS) is a new scheme for 11 to 18m blocks that will ensure that, where a responsible developer cannot be identified, access to funding is now available to pay for external wall system repairs and mitigations.
The scheme will be funded by the Building Safety Levy. The levy will be charged on new residential developments and raise an additional estimated £3 billion to cover the costs of remediating buildings over 11m tall.
What will the Medium-Rise Scheme (MRS) cover?
Works on eligible medium-rise residential buildings where a responsible developer has not been identified, and where a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Wall construction (FRAEW) following PAS 9980 methodology has recommended action to address life safety fire risks associated with external wall systems.
Applications to the MRS will require a Fire Risk Assessment External Wall (FRAEW), conducted to the PAS 9980 standard, by a suitably competent professional.
When will the scheme open in full and who can apply?
Applicants eligible for the pilot have been proactively targeted by Homes England.
The scheme will open to other eligible medium-rise buildings from 2023. Further details on eligibility and the application process will be announced as soon as possible.
After the pilot, applications will be welcomed from the ‘Responsible Entity’ of other eligible 11-18m buildings. The Responsible Entity is the organisation that has the legal obligation or right to carry out the remediation works. The Responsible Entity may be the building’s freeholder or head leaseholder, registered provider of social housing, a management company or Right to Manage (RTM) company that has primary responsibility for the repair of the property.
If you are a leaseholder in a property that you think could be eligible, we encourage you to get in touch with your Responsible Entity.
To read more about government guidance on the Medium Rise Scheme please see here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/medium-rise-scheme-mrs-pilot-opening-leaseholder-factsheet
How Capital can help
Capitals team of professionals have gained significant experience in the process since the introduction of PAS 9980 Assessments and the EWS1 form. We have refined our methodologies to ensure that the process is not only streamlined for the client, but where necessary, also offers value for money in the accompanying reports. We can help with all aspects of remediation from FRAEWs through to the coordination and delivery of cladding remediation contracts.
For more information on our services, assistance, or advice on these latest developments or any related fire safety or regulatory matter please contact Sean Kelly or Patrick Madigan
We are pleased to have been appointed on several large scale PAS 2035 and Regeneration Schemes for the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea.
PAS 2035 refers to the new energy retrofit standard that came about as a result of the government’s Each Home Counts review, in which 27 recommendations were set for improving energy efficiency in existing buildings in the UK. As of June 2021, these recommendations are now mandatory for all companies installing Energy Efficiency Measures.
With the majority of the UK’s 27 million domestic buildings requiring significant energy efficiency improvements, we pride ourselves on being a part of the solution, particularly in a time where energy efficiency is rightfully becoming an increasingly important talking point.
Capital were commissioned by the London Borough of Camden to act as Employers Agent for re-building of Edith Neville Primary School and a new residential block and children’s centre. The Project forms the first phase of Camden’s new £89m Central Somers Town regeneration masterplan.
Edith Neville Primary School had been housed in sub-standard accommodation since its opening in the 1970s. Its new home includes a 1-to-2FE primary school, nursery, family centre and parent drop-in, providing pupils with a state-of-the-art learning environment and the school a secure basis on which it can thrive into future.
Capital are proud to have been involved in the delivery of LBC’s development project which is now showcased in the latest issue of the RIBA Journal.
‘Its effect has been profound, says Ruby Nasser, Headteacher. “Some parents cried when we first showed them around” The children are noticeably calmer, she notes, and have greater self-esteem – not least because their school is a match for flashy buildings springing up on every side of Somers Town. Too few new school heads could say the same, but it is what every child deserves”
The full article can be read here: https://www.ribaj.com/buildings/hayhurst-and-co-edith-neville-primary-school-somers-town-london and our case study is here: https://www.capitalpcc.co.uk/project/central-somers-town-edith-neville-school-development/
Capital are one of Twenty fire consultants who won a place on Notting Hill Genesis’s £36m Fire Consultants framework to ensure fire safety and compliance on new-build and existing homes.
The framework is split into five lots, three of which relate to existing buildings and will be primarily used by a dedicated building safety team, while the others will be mainly used by the development team for new projects.
Capital have been appointed under Lot 1b which is for consultants to undertake observational and invasive surveys of building components and systems, provide remedial advice, carry out inspections and support with resident engagement.
Our team of experts will provide fire safety and compliance services on new-build and existing homes.
Katie Bond, group director for sales and building safety at Notting Hill Genesis said: “Our priority is making sure our homes are safe, whether they are in existing buildings or our planned developments. The experts that have earned a place on this framework will play a vital role in the planning, management and review of this vital work.
“We thank all those who applied for a place on the framework, which was incredibly competitive and that makes us ideally placed to meet our fire safety obligations and expectations over the coming years.”
PAS 9980:2022 – Assessing the external wall fire risk in multi-occupied residential buildings
What is PAS 9980:2022 about?
PAS 9980:2022 provides a methodology for the fire risk appraisal of external wall construction and cladding of existing multistory and multi occupied residential buildings.
Who is PAS 9980:2022 for?
This PAS is particularly intended for use by competent fire engineers and other competent building professionals tasked with advising on the fire risk of external wall construction of existing blocks of flats. However, it is expected that the key outputs of this appraisal will also be useful to those for whom such appraisals are carried out and those who make decisions based upon the outcome of the FRAEWs. This will include:
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Advice agencies
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Architects and architectural technologists
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Building control bodies
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Building owners/landlords and others with functional responsibilities for management of the external wall and cladding under a building’s lease
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Building surveyors
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Contractors
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Façade engineers
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Fire and rescue authorities
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Fire risk assessors
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Insurers
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Local housing authorities
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Managing agents or facility managers
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Project managers
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Valuers and mortgage lenders
What does PAS 9980:2022 cover?
It gives recommendations and guidance on undertaking a fire risk appraisal of external wall construction and cladding of an existing multistory, multi occupied residential building. A fire risk appraisal of external wall construction and cladding is described in this PAS as a fire risk appraisal of external walls (FRAEW).
The purpose of an FRAEW is to assess the risk to occupants from a fire spreading over or within the external walls of the building, and decide whether, in the specific circumstances of the building, remediation or other mitigating measures to address the risk are considered necessary.
The PAS applies where the risk is known, or suspected, to arise from the form of construction used for the external wall build up, such as the presence of combustible materials. The outcome of an FRAEW is intended to inform fire risk assessments (FRAs) of multistorey, multi occupied residential buildings and other types of building, including student accommodation, sheltered and other specialized housing and buildings converted into flats, where the evacuation strategy will be similar in nature to a purpose-built block of flats.
PAS 9980:2022 also gives recommendations and guidance in relation to the competence of those completing FRAEWs.
Why should you use PAS 9980:2022?
It provides a methodology for appraising and assessing the scope for, and risk from, fire spread via external wall construction and cladding on existing blocks of flats. Its use can:
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Inform a building’s fire risk assessment
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Enable consistent training in carrying out FRAEWs and thus facilitate more entrants into the profession
How does PAS 9980 work alongside the EWS1 form. How will they be used, which takes precedence and why?
PAS 9980 is not intended as an alternative to the EWS1 form, which is for valuation purposes and is administered by RICS. However, if the likes of RICS and others wish to refer to the PAS in the future that is a matter for themselves to consider.
Download PAS 9980:2022 here: https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/standards/pas-9980/#:~:text=Why%20should%20you%20use%20PAS,a%20building’s%20fire%20risk%20assessment
Capital welcomed the commencement of The Fire Safety Act 2021 last week, which provides greater clarity on the areas of multi-occupied residential buildings to which the Fire Safety Order applies.
The Fire Safety Act 2021 (the Act) received Royal Assent on 29 April 2021 and commenced on 16 May 2022. The Act amends the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (the Fire Safety Order).
The Act clarifies that responsible persons (RPs) for multi-occupied residential buildings must manage and reduce the risk of fire for the structure and external walls of the building, including cladding, balconies and windows, and entrance doors to individual flats that open into common parts.
Essentially it extends the existing scope of Fire Risk Assessment obligations of the “Responsible Person” under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, to specifically include:-
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The building’s structure and external walls (including balconies, cladding, insulation and sun-shading devices) and any common parts
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All doors between domestic premises and common parts such as flat entrance doors (or any other relevant door)
The extended obligation applies to any building with 2 or more residential premises.
PAS 9980 has been designated as the risk-based guidance methodology to be used for the basis of assessing the external walls and attachments, it is likely to be relied on as a way of demonstrating compliance with the Act.
“What about EWS1?”
As of 16th March 2022 the RICS updated the EWS1 form, the updated EWS1 assessment now has to follow the PAS 9980 methodology, the two types of assessment are now fully aligned in their approach.
Competency – PAS 9980 itself states that it is essential that persons conducting assessments of external walls are “competent”, whilst no specific description is given, the PAS does emphasise that industry professional body memberships and professional qualifications do provide “Responsible Persons” with confidence regarding those they engage.
Building owners who are designated as a “Responsible Person”, should give urgent consideration to their responsibilities under the Act, in order to avoid any enforcement action from the Building Safety Regulator
“What if my building requires remediation?”
Landlords can apply to the Governments Building Safety Fund (BSF) to pay for cladding remediation costs to non-ACM cladding for buildings over 18m.
In addition and in order to protect leaseholders from the cost of cladding repairs, two new schemes are being created by the Government with funds it expects to raise from the house building industry. As of the 12th May 2022 under the “Building Safety Repairs Pledge”, forty-five developers have signed the pledge to commit £2Bn to fix buildings they have played a role in developing in the last 30 years. In addition, the Building Safety Levy is expected to raise £3Bn over ten years, to fund life critical fire safety works remediation to buildings over 11m in height where no developer can be traced. Buildings under 11m are not considered to in a be high or medium risk category. However, how the fund will be accessed and distributed is currently unclear.
At Capital, our staff are professionally qualified & we are experienced in working with our partners and clients to achieve desired outcomes, including:-
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Identifying buildings that fall within the PAS 9980 scope and require further investigation
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Carrying out external wall investigations using our experienced in-house investigations team
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Providing EWS1 / PAS 9980 assessments in conjunction with our specialist partners
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Carrying out measured surveys to provide plans and drawings for the Premises Information Box (PIB), where none currently exist
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Supporting our clients to make BSF applications for remedial works identified
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Procurement and delivery of remediation works through to completion and sign off
We are proud to announce we have sponsored a new up and coming Amateur Basketball Team, Enfield Bears.
Playing in the London Amateur Basketball League Division 2, they have made a cracking start to their season winning 3 out of their first 4 matches.
Good luck for the rest of your season!
We’ve joined the LHC team!
We have been appointed to LHC’s multi-disciplinary consultancy services framework (MDC1) following a highly competitive tender process.
The framework has a total value of £500 million over the next six years.
MDC1 is available to public sector organisations across two LHC divisions:
CPC – which covers the North of England, the Midlands and Anglia
LSE – which covers London and South East.
MDC1’s 12 work streams cover architecture, building services engineers, building surveyors, clerks of works, quantity surveyors, employers agents, planning consultancies, principal designers, project management, structural engineering, civil engineering, and multi-discipline services.
Capital has been appointed to LSE (covering London and the South East) and we’ll be providing services under the Multi Disciplinary work stream.
The framework is available to be used by a range of public sector clients, including local authorities; registered social landlords; tenant management organisations and arm’s length management organisations; health authorities; councils, boards, and trusts; publicly funded schools and further education establishments, and registered charities.
The framework has been developed to provide an efficient, value for money procurement route for local authorities, registered social property owners, councils, boards, trusts, and other public sector bodies seeking a comprehensive range of high-quality consultancy services across multiple disciplines.
To find more information about the framework visit the LHC website.
- CPC – which covers the North of England, the Midlands and Anglia
- LSE – which covers London and South East.
Capital are proud to announce that we have been successfully appointed to Fusion21’s national Consultants Framework under Lot 5- Fit Out Consultancy following a highly competitive tender process.
Phil Woodhead, Category Manager at Fusion21 said:
“We are delighted to welcome all of the new suppliers onto the framework, including Capital Property & Construction Consultants Ltd. The tender process was highly competitive and the process has identified the best consultants for our members to use.”
“A further, real benefit to our members and their communities is the social value delivery that is aligned to organisational priorities and can be monitored and reported against for all call offs.”
We are looking forward to getting started on this Framework.
The government have announced that EWS1 forms will no longer be required for buildings below 18m in height.
Housing secretary Robert Jenrick described the move as a “significant intervention by government and lenders” as he opened the Building Safety Bill’s second reading debate in parliament today.
The decision comes after an expert panel commissioned by the government found there was no “systemic risk” of fire in smaller blocks.
Instead, the government is recommending a more “proportionate and evidence-based” approach to fire safety. It said risk should be managed through measures such as alarm systems or sprinklers, and that the overwhelming majority of medium and low- rise buildings (those under 18m) with cladding should not require expensive remediation.
The EWS1 form was introduced in 2019 in response to the Grenfell tower fire which killed 72 people in 2017. It was intended to record in a consistent way what assessments have been carried out on the external wall construction of residential buildings. Lenders have asked for EWS1 forms to be completed to allow them to value the properties.
However, a lack of accurate information about blocks, particularly of smaller blocks which have often not been prioritised for fire safety work, have led to difficulties in getting blocks valued and meant leaseholders have struggled to sell or remortgage their homes.