UK Building Regulations Approved Documents Compliance with VitruAI

Approved Documents coverage

VitruAI treats the UK Building Regulations Approved Documents as a structured rule library that can be wired into model and drawing checks, similar to how the Code Compliance Agent handles the Dubai Villa Code. Each Part is implemented as a separate pack so a firm can start with high-risk areas, then extend coverage as projects demand.

Part A — Structure. Covers loadings, ground movement, and disproportionate collapse for typical low- and medium-rise work. Rules focus on clear-span limits, bearing lengths, and basic stability triggers that can be checked against schedules, structural models, and calculation summaries, with out-of-scope complex analysis flagged for the engineer.

Part B — Fire safety. Addresses means of warning and escape, internal and external fire spread, and access for the fire and rescue service. The rule pack can support workflows like the dedicated UK Part B fire safety review, checking escape travel distances, stair widths, door swings, and compartmentation layouts against declared use and height bands.

Part L — Conservation of fuel and power. Focuses on envelope thermal performance, building services efficiency, and on-site renewable contribution. Checks target U-values, glazing ratios, air permeability targets, and system efficiencies as reported in SAP/SBEM outputs, with edge cases such as mixed-use shells or high-percentage curtain walling marked for manual review.

Part M — Access to and use of buildings. Covers accessible approach, entrances, internal circulation, and sanitary accommodation. The same rule definitions underpin the UK Part M accessibility review and can be surfaced through the Accessibility Agent to check door clear widths, corridor widths, ramp gradients, and wheelchair WC layouts against building type and storey.

Part F — Ventilation. Sets mean ventilation rates, infiltration limits, and pollutant control requirements. The pack focuses on room-by-room ventilation strategies, minimum extract rates, and cross-ventilation assumptions, using declared system types and schedules, while unusual natural-vent strategies or mixed-mode systems are highlighted for the services engineer.

Part K — Protection from falling, collision and impact. Addresses stairs, ramps, guarding, and glazing in critical locations. Checks include riser and going dimensions, handrail continuity, guarding heights, and the presence of guarding where level changes exceed thresholds, with heritage staircases or retained existing elements flagged for case-by-case judgement.

Part S — Electric vehicle charging. Covers EV charge-point provision for new buildings and major renovations with on-site parking. Rules look at total parking counts, required charge-point numbers, and cable routes to landlords’ supplies, with complex phased developments or shared multi-plot infrastructure called out for planning with the electrical engineer.

Other Parts — A through R. Remaining Approved Documents, including Parts C, D, E, G, H, J, P, Q and R, are addressed per Labs engagement. The Labs team scopes which clauses can be checked directly from models, schedules, or specifications, and which need manual confirmation or sign-off notes from Building Control.

Known limitations

Approved Documents are statutory guidance, not the only route to compliance. Alternative approaches, performance-based solutions, and project-specific relaxations are valid; the VitruAI checks flag where a design departs from default guidance but do not reject alternative methods that Building Control may accept.

Part-specific edge cases, such as heritage exemptions, listed buildings, or complex mixed-use towers, are always flagged for human review. The system is designed to support the professional judgement of the design team and Building Control, not replace it, and outputs are documented so they can be shared directly with the relevant authority.