APS has increased its sector-wide engagement to better support members in developing and maintaining professional competence. Each week, we’ll share an update from APS HQ so you can see the breadth of work being carried out for your benefit.

What’s been happening?

• Sofie Hooper met with the ITFG technical author ahead of Monday’s meeting with the ICC working group Chair and Secretariat to align respective guidance on organisational competence.

• APS attended a CIC public affairs and policy meeting, covering discussion on the Single Construction Regulator Prospectus. APS and other professional bodies will respond to the consultation alongside the CIC response, to which APS is contributing. Discussion also covered the broad scope of the reform and the expanding definition of building safety, which appears to have been expanded to issues such as thermal underperformance, poor indoor air quality, and design impacts on accessibility and health, even if this is not yet apparent in regulations.

Recent updates members should know about

The Technical Unit in the Building Standards Division within the Scottish Government provided an update on future changes to the Domestic and Non-Domestic Technical handbooks. The changes respond to challenges such as climate change, evolving construction practices and lessons learned from tragic incidents.

• Simon and Richard’s Law: introduced a mandatory requirement for automatic fire suppression in traditionally constructed buildings converted to hotel use. New guidance to Standard 2.15 is being developed, coming into effect on 6th April 2026. Information events will be held for industry stakeholders before April.

• Section 2 (Fire) – Call for Evidence: The Scottish Government has committed to reviewing building regulations guidance and the status of statutory guidance. A call for evidence will be issued in January 2026 to review provisions within Section 2 (Fire) of the Technical Handbooks.

• Section 3 (Environment) – Standard 3.3 – Flooding and Groundwater: Proposed changes to Standard 3.3 on flooding and groundwater were outlined recently in a blog by the Technical Author. Revised guidance is scheduled for publication in April 2026.

• Section 6 (Energy) – Stage 2 Consultation: The Division previously consulted on introducing a Scottish equivalent to the Passivhaus standard in December 2024. After reviewing feedback, the Energy Working Group will launch a stage two consultation in early 2026 seeking further views on new energy standards, which are planned to come into effect in 2028.

• APS will monitor for the publications and consultations announced.

What’s coming up this week? (19-25 January)

• APS is due to attend an MHCLG round table on the recent announcements around the Single Construction Regulator Prospectus.

• A meeting is taking place on Monday 19th between the ITFG and the ICC working group chair and secretariat to ensure alignment on content and publication on respective guidance on the management of competence in organisations.

• Sofie and Shaun Lundy, will meet with the BSR to discuss the ‘culture’ concept, what it is and how to demonstrate it.

• The first APS Academy Building Regulations (England) course will take place. The course has been designed to provide practitioners providing Principal Designer or other duties under the CDM Regulations 2015 with an understanding of the Building Regulations 2010 (England) and their application so that they can enhance their current level of skill, knowledge and experience, and expected behaviours for discharging duties or performing functions in their project or professional role, and interface with dutyholders under the Building Regulations 2010 (England), in particular the Principal Designer under that regime.

• APS will also attend an event on driving up competence standards and the role of professional bodies – this is part of APS’ ongoing engagement on the regulation of professionals and what oversight could look like.

• Andrew is due to attend the ICC Client Group to discuss how to support clients in achieving their duties under the Building Regulations England through the development of guidance.

We’ll continue to keep members updated on key developments and engagement across the industry as plans for 2026 take shape.

If you would like to contribute or share expertise on issues that matter to you, please contact APS HQ at info@aps.org.uk.