BINDT to ATTMA Transition – DCLG Confirm Position


Following a period of uncertainty, DCLG (Department for Communities and Local Government) has now confirmed their position for what they require in terms of accreditation for Air Tightness Testers.

The following letter was written to Building Control and Approved Inspectors:

I am writing to inform you of the closure of the British Institute of Non-destructive Testing’s (BINDT) air pressure testing scheme currently authorised by regulation 43 of the Building Regulations 2010. BINDT have informed the Department of their intention to close this scheme on 31 December 2014. The closure has implications for building control bodies. 

Note: Please note that the Air Tightness Testing and Measurement Association (ATTMA) scheme will continue to be authorised and none of what follows is applicable to that scheme.

Scope of this Circular Letter 

The guidance in this Circular Letter applies to buildings and building work in England, and also to excepted energy buildings in Wales.1 

Regulation 43 

Regulation 43 provides two ways that air pressure testing results may be given to a building control body. 

First, under regulation 43(4) building control bodies are authorised (but not required) to accept as evidence a certificate from a member of the schemes authorised by this regulation that the pressure testing of a building has been carried out in circumstances and in accordance with a procedure prescribed by the Secretary of State. 

Second, where the testing is carried out by a person who is not a member of an authorised scheme that person must instead of a certificate provide a notice under regulation 43(2) and (3) setting out the results of the test and the data on which the results are based. A building control body may take account of the information provided in the notice in coming to its decision on whether the test results are a true reflection of air tightness in a building and that the prescribed procedure has been followed. Building control bodies may also take account of any training undertaken by the tester to show they are sufficiently skilled and trained to carry out the test and details of how and when calibration of test equipment has been carried out. 

Effect of BINDT scheme closure 

The BINDT register of air tightness testers will be frozen from 31 December 2014 but will continue to be available on the BINDT website www.bindt.org with a column added to identify the registration expiry date for each registrant, which will occur at different dates in 2015. Building control bodies will remain authorised to accept certificates from BINDT registrants until the date of the expiry of their registration. In deciding whether or not to accept such a certificate after 31 December 2014, building control bodies will need to take into account the fact that BINDT will not be auditing any firms or assessing any testers after that date. 

Any certificates from a BINDT registrant for any pressure test carried out on or after the expiry date of their registration will not be valid. This means that building control bodies will not be able to accept them as evidence of compliance but must treat any such certificates as a notice under regulation 43(2) and (3). As the certificate and the notice contain similar information the main effect is that the building control body will need to assess the information in the notice and decide whether it complies with the requirements of the Regulations. 

The Department intends to remove the reference to BINDT from regulation 43 with effect from the date of the last testing business’s date of expiry of registration.

It is the sections in red text that testing companies should consider carefully.

  1. If your BINDT registration ends before an alternative scheme is authorised, you will end up in limbo. The above letter makes it very clear that, if your BINDT registration has ended, your certificate will not be accepted. To join ATTMA, you may need to be re-assessed, causing a gap in your registration dates.
  2. Continuing to trade under your BINDT Registration will result in Building Control / Approved Inspectors requiring more information to prove your competence. This could cause delays to clients. The information required could include:
    1. A full test report including:
      1. Temperature readings (before and after)
      2. Barometric Pressure Readings (before and after)
      3. Wind speed (as necessary)
      4. Envelope Area Calculation confirmation / justification
      5. Measurement readings
    2. Calibration certificates for all kit (showing calibration of kit within the past 12 months)
    3. Most recent audit date and results of non compliances
    4. Evidence of software giving the correct result
  3. Continuing to trade from BINDT registration will result in your not being able to carry out testing of simple commercial buildings / non dwellings (Buildings less than 4000m3 – 1 fan blower door kit sized buildings)

If you have any questions please contact the ATTMA scheme manager at manager@attma.org or call 07872065035 to speak to Barry directly.

Please visit www.attma.org/join-attma to sign up to the scheme.

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