Recent amendments to Building Regulations

Introduction of new fire regulations requiring the provision of suitable automatic fire suppression systems and fire safety information in certain buildings.

New requirements in Part E (Fire safety) of the building regulations and supporting guidance in Technical Booklet E (Fire safety) came into effect on 6th May 2025. These include the provision of:

• Fire safety information on the date of completion of the work, or the date of occupation of a building or extension, whichever is earlier;
• A suitable Automatic Fire Suppression System (sprinklers) in certain buildings;
• Adequate smoke ventilation from the common escape routes in buildings containing flats;
• Enhanced fire detection and alarm coverage in all habitable rooms, circulation spaces and kitchens of new dwellings;
• Measures to assist the operations of Fire and Rescue Service personnel including requiring Secure Information Boxes, Wayfinding Signage and Evacuation Alert Systems in certain buildings containing flats.

The Building Regulations were amended by a Statutory Rule and amendments to the relevant technical booklets are set out in Amendments Booklet – 2025 (AMD 9) | Department of Finance

The Department held webinars for stakeholders in January 2025, in advance of the amendments coming into effect. The following resources are available:

• A narrated version of the presentation
• Frequently Asked Questions from webinar attendees and answers from the Department 

In addition, track changes version of Technical Booklet E, incorporating the amendments of AMD 9 and a previous amendment booklet AMD 7, has been produced to assist interpretation of both sets of amendments.

Introduction of a ban on the use of combustible materials in certain buildings.

This new fire safety requirement came into effect on 1 April 2022. It applies to the materials used in the external walls and specified attachments of certain high-rise buildings.

The Building Regulations were amended by a Statutory Rule and amendments to the relevant technical booklets are set out in Amendments Booklet – 2022 (AMD7).

Further information can be found in this awareness briefing.

Introduction of updated radon maps

The maps referred to in Part C of the Building Regulations were changed on 1 April 2022, to reference the latest Indicative Atlas of Radon maps.

The Building Regulations were amended by a Statutory Rule and amendments to the relevant technical booklets are set out in Amendments Booklet – 2022 (AMD7).

Further information can be found in this awareness briefing.

Amendment of Technical Booklet R to make provision for Changing Places Toilets in certain buildings

The technical guidance has been amended to introduce criteria for the provision of Changing Places Toilets in certain buildings which would commonly be visited by the public. This will apply where buildings are newly built, or where a building is formed by a material change of use.

Accordingly, the relevant Technical Booklet has been amended by Amendments Booklet – 2022 (AMD8) which came into effect on 30 June 2022.

Further information can be found in this awareness briefing.

Requirements for improved energy performance standards in new buildings

The most recent amendments are the first phase in a five-phase, long term, plan to uplift the energy performance standards in buildings. In this phase, new technical guidance has been developed as an interim step and to provide a more robust application of Regulation 43B (Nearly zero-energy requirements for new buildings).

This is set out in two Technical Booklets, which came into effect on 30 June 2022:

• Technical Booklet F1 – Conservation of fuel and power in dwellings – June 2022; and
• Technical Booklet F2 – Conservation of fuel and power in buildings other than dwellings – June 2022

The Department has developed this awareness briefing and list of Frequently Asked Questions to provide further information.

Amendment of fees mainly domestic buildings

The fees paid to district councils for enforcing the Building Regulations were amended on 1 April 2022.

The new fee schedules are set out in a Statutory Rule which came into effect on 1 April 2022.