Building Standards

Future Changes to the Domestic and Non-Domestic Technical Handbooks

January 14, 2026 by Simon Moore No Comments | Category Building Standards, Fire Safety, Technical Guidance

Update by Danny Henderson FRICS, Head of Technical Unit

Building standards play a critical role in protecting lives, property, and the environment. As Scotland faces challenges such as climate change, evolving construction practices and lessons learned from tragic incidents, it is essential that our technical guidance remains robust, forward-thinking and evidence based. The upcoming changes outlined below reflect this commitment, strengthening fire safety, improving resilience to flooding and driving energy efficiency for a more sustainable future.

Before outlining these developments, we acknowledge the outstanding contributions of Colin Hird, former technical lead for Fire and Structure, and Steven Scott, former Head of Technical Unit, who both retired in 2025. Their expertise and dedication were instrumental in shaping the guidance within the Technical Handbooks, and we extend our best wishes for their retirement.

Simon and Richard’s Law

In response to the tragic Cameron House Hotel fire on 18 December 2017, a short life working group was established to consider next steps following the Fatal Accident Inquiry report. On 5 November 2025, the Cabinet Secretary for Housing announced Simon and Richard’s Law, introducing a mandatory requirement for automatic fire suppression in traditionally constructed buildings converted to hotel use.

We are developing new guidance to Standard 2.15 with changes coming into effect on 6 April 2026. Ahead of implementation, engagement events will be held in early 2026 to ensure industry stakeholders are fully informed.

Section 2 (Fire) – Call for Evidence

Following recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report, the Scottish Government has committed to reviewing building regulations guidance and the status of statutory guidance. To support this, the Division will issue a call for evidence in January 2026 to review current provisions within Section 2 (Fire) of the Technical Handbooks. Industry stakeholders are encouraged to participate and help shape future fire safety guidance.

Section 3 (Environment) – Standard 3.3 – Flooding and Groundwater

Proposed changes to Standard 3.3 on flooding and groundwater were outlined in a recent blog post by the Section 3 Technical Author. Responses to the public consultation are currently under review, and revised guidance is scheduled for publication in April 2026.

Section 6 (Energy) – Stage 2 Consultation

The Division previously consulted on introducing a Scottish equivalent to the Passivhaus standard in December 2024. Following 350 responses to the stage one consultation, the Energy Working Group has considered feedback and will launch a stage two consultation in early 2026. This will seek further views on new energy standards, which are planned to come into effect in 2028.

Next Steps and How to Get Involved

The Building Standards Division is committed to delivering high-quality, evidence-based, technical guidance. Industry engagement is essential to achieving this goal, and we encourage stakeholders to respond to the upcoming consultations on fire and energy. Details will be published on the Scottish Government website in early 2026.

Stay informed

• Visit www.gov.scot/buildingstandards for the latest news and resources
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