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NEWS RESEARCH
Report reveals ‘signifi cant strain’ on practices from Building Safety Act
N
ew research from building materials manufacturer, Wienerberger, reveals that updates
to the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) are placing UK architectural practices “under signifi cant fi nancial and organisational strain,” due to processing product data. and calls for clearer, more transparent product information for the sector.
The report found that architects now spend an average of four hours each week verifying product information, costing UK practices around £16,700 per employee annually. Two-thirds of architects surveyed have experienced a rise in professional indemnity claims since the Building Safety Act was introduced.
And more than half (58%) don’t fully trust product information, with a clear demand for greater product transparency. The fi ndings, published in the new whitepaper, ‘The Cost of Compliance’, draw on an independent survey of 80 UK architects and deeper insights direct from practices including Howells, KA– Architecture and Space Group, alongside commentary from the Manchester School of Architecture and the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI). Wienerberger’s research found that an overwhelming majority (95%) of architects have experienced an increase in compliance related administrative tasks following the introduction of the BSA, with workloads rising by an average of 16%. For one in fi ve architects, this went up by more than 25%.
Architects estimate that an average of four extra hours each week is now being spent checking product claims, certifi cates and performance data – time that could be reduced by manufacturers providing more transparent product information. Based on a typical UK day rate, this equates to around £16,700 in additional cost per employee each year.
The research also explored the extent to which architects feel more exposed under the BSA. It found that four in fi ve (81%) architects have greater concern about
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
potential indemnity claims, with 88% agreeing that the BSA’s introduction has “fuelled rising liability”. This sentiment was not unfounded, with two-thirds (67%) having experienced an increase in claims personally, or within their practice. Unsurprisingly, this pressure is having a marked impact on innovation. Four in fi ve architects agree that the added regulatory demands are hindering creativity, while seven in 10 state that they feel overwhelmed by rising workloads.
Another major driver impacting creativity is widespread distrust of product information. 58% of architects do not fully trust manufacturer product claims, with many citing missing, inconsistent or unclear data. One respondent noted: “Sometimes the specifi cations look perfect on paper but once we use the product
onsite, it just doesn’t perform the way it promised.”
When asked what would make compliance easier, architects were almost unanimous in calling for a single and independently verifi ed digital source of truth for product information. This was in addition to mandatory independent testing with clear visibility of results and digital tools that can “accelerate verifi cation steps”.
The Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI), initiated by the Construction Products Association (CPA), sets clear standards for how manufacturers record, verify, and communicate product data. The consensus is that its framework could ultimately become the long-sought single source of truth for compliant product information.
ADF JANUARY 2026
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