The Engineering Council, in association with the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) and the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE), is pleased to announce that the first applicants have been assessed for Higher-Risk Building (HRB) registration.

To mark this milestone, we would like to extend our congratulations to those who have demonstrated their competence and commitment to maintaining the highest standards of building and fire safety:

• James Watson FCABE has over 25 years’ experience within the construction sector and is currently a Principal Systems Engineer at consulting engineering firm CGR Group UK Ltd.
• Atba Al-Samarraie FCABE MIStructE currently works as a Director at Archi-Structure and has almost 40 years of experience working in the construction industry.
• Paul Buck FCABE MIFireE, Major Projects Manager at MDIS Insurance Services, has over 25 years’ experience of working on varied commercial and residential projects and for over five years he has worked predominantly on HRBs.
• Peter Camp MIFireE has 30 years’ experience in industry and is currently a Director at Tenos.
• Sally Friswell MIFireE, currently Associate Director at Arup working in their Fire Safety Engineering team. Sally has 20 years’ experience in fire engineering.
• Andrew James MIFireE, with 37 years’ experience in the fire industry, Andrew is currently a self-employed fire engineering consultant.

HRB registration is assessed against the UK-SPEC HRB competences, which have been developed by the Engineering Council in collaboration with the profession in response to the recommendations of the Hackitt Report, which was commissioned after the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017.

The report highlighted the need for a stronger regulatory framework and improved safety standards for those involved in the design, construction and management of higher-risk buildings.

The competence-based framework establishes clear standards for engineers and technicians working on higher-risk buildings, enabling them to demonstrate their qualifications, knowledge and experience under the new Building Safety Act 2022.

In addition to the IFE and CABE, there are currently three other professional engineering institutions (PEIs) licensed to award professional HRB registration, which are:

• Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE)
• Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
• Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE)

The HRB registration process involves an assessment of the applicant’s knowledge, skills and experience in managing higher-risk buildings, demonstrating competence against either the core framework or one of the four specific discipline annexes (Fire, Structural, Building Services or Facades). This is followed by an interview with industry experts to ensure that the necessary safety and competence standards are met. Those who are successful will be officially acknowledged for their expertise and commitment to building safety across the industry.

To apply, you must be a member of one of the PEIs authorised to conduct assessments against the UK-SPEC HRB competences. Your institution will review your credentials and once eligible, they will submit your registration form. However, please note that not all institutions are authorised to conduct these assessments.

Engineering professionals interested in HRB registration should begin by contacting their PEI for further information.

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