Dame Judith Hackitt has called on the industry to ‘pull up its boots’ and deliver quality buildings, recognising that feeling safe in a home, school or workplace is a basic human right.
Speaking at the Construction Leaders’ Summit in London today (Oct 17), the former Chair of the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety said: “A fundamental culture change is needed in the industry and we are starting to see it happen. This is about taking responsibility and demonstrating that buildings are safe and fit for purpose to rebuild the trust and reputation which has been lost.
“We now have a clear, systems-based approach to improving regulatory compliance and information sharing. Competence, accountability, and responsibility are now being placed at the heart of building processes.
“This means changing the way we plan, design, and deliver buildings and it starts with a culture overhaul to encourage real ownership – overseen by a regulator with powers to impose serious sanctions for those who continue to try and game the system.
“To make this happen, it’s no longer enough to focus simply on complying with rules. Those who continue to wait for rounds of secondary regulation are missing the point… Now is the time for the industry to pull up its boots and deliver quality buildings that can withstand the test of time. Feeling safe in a home, workplace or school is a basic human right and the construction industry has a responsibility to deliver it – let’s make sure this new system works.”
