Cladding - Single Building Assessments and additional work assessments: standards

Introduction

The Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Act 2024^[1] (“the 2024 Act”) introduces the concepts of a ‘Single Building Assessment’ and ‘Additional Work Assessment’.

A Single Building Assessment (SBA)^[2] is an assessment which results in a report on any risk to human life that is (directly or indirectly) created or exacerbated by a building’s external wall cladding system, and what work (if any) is needed to eliminate or mitigate this risk.

An Additional Work Assessment (AWA)^[3] is required where additional information comes to light in the period between an SBA being completed and the date on which Scottish Ministers were satisfied that any work identified in the SBA or a previous AWA had been completed. This may occur during opening of works, or in an unexpected situation where previously unobserved material is found.

Section 32 and section 34 of the 2024 Act state that an SBA or AWA must be carried out in accordance with Standards for the time being specified by the Scottish Ministers.

This document sets out these Standards. These must be complied with when undertaking an SBA or AWA in scope of the Act^[4] and apply regardless of who is commissioning an SBA or AWA.

The Standards comprise:

• the Single Building Assessment specification
• some further provisions on the conduct of SBAs/AWAs
• requirements to retain information.

These Standards will be kept under review as assessment and remediation of buildings progresses, to ensure that they are working in practice and that they are achieving the desired outcomes.

These Standards do not replace or supersede existing Building Standards or Fire Safety Legislation, which continue to apply (see the Single Building Assessment Specification, below).