CPD MODULE WILL HELP ARCHITECTS AND SPECIFIERS MAKE BETTER PRODUCT CHOICES

The British Board of Agrément (BBA) has received approval from RIBA for the content of its new CPD, titled ‘Navigating 3rd Party Certification: Using BBA Agrément to build with confidence’. The module is designed to help specifiers interpret the information within a BBA Agrément Certificate and have confidence in a product’s suitability for a particular project. 

New responsibilities, resulting from the Building Safety Act, requires the construction industry to help raise the standard on accountability and improve building safety standards, prompting change across the whole sector. Third party certification has a vital role, enabling specifiers to understand if a product is fit for purpose for a specific application.  

Hardy Giesler, BBA CEO, explains, “The Grenfell tragedy has highlighted how vital it is that specifiers are able to make better informed decisions about the products they are choosing. Our research has shown that there is often uncertainty in how certification is interpreted, so following a consultation to understand how we can support the market in this transition, the BBA is rolling out a new CPD designed to help the industry interpret and understand 3rd party certification better, to help them make better decisions.” 

The new CPD will also provide greater clarity on often misunderstood differences between product conformity and certification. 

Julie Bregulla, Chief Technical Officer (CTO) explains, “The BBA’s new CPD is vital to help deliver our goal to support the construction industry, because it is essential that everyone in the value chain understands how to interpret product safety certification correctly. The CPD will enable specifiers to make informed and confident decisions about the products they choose.” 

The BBA’s CPD will be part of RIBA’s core curriculum, from which its members are required to obtain more than half their annual CPD totals. It will be available via monthly online webinars, the first taking place on Wednesday April 17th or can be delivered on a practice by practice basis.