EXTERNAL ENVELOPE 35


A higher bar for glass safety in high rise balconies


Andy Lake of Pyroguard explains the impact of the latest Building Regulations & fi re safety legislation updates on glazed balconies for high rise buildings.


I


n recent years, fi re safety regulations in the construction industry have undergone signifi cant changes, following the Grenfell Tower fi re and the Government’s independent review of the tragedy, which examined Building Regulations and related compliance focusing on multi-occupancy high-rise residential developments.


This comprehensive review led to


signifi cant amendments to Approved Document B in 2020, 2022, 2025 and further amendments are expected in 2026 and 2029. In 2020, Building Regulations introduced a ban on the use of combustible materials in and on the external walls of buildings, which included preventing


ADF JUNE 2025


the use of certain types of laminated glass – those with PVB (polyvinyl butyral) interlayers – on high-rise balconies or terraces over 18 metres tall. This regulation was revised in 2022 to lower the threshold to 11 metres, refl ecting an even more stringent approach to fi re safety. The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced additional measures aimed at improving the safety of high-rise buildings’ designs. This legislation placed greater accountability on architects and developers, giving them responsibility for ensuring compliance with fi re safety regulations throughout the building’s lifecycle. In March 2025 Approved Document B was further updated to remove all


The evolution of fi re safety regulations has brought about signifi cant changes in the way glass is specifi ed for high- rise balconies


WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60