RICS Building Conference 2018 # 2

In the 2nd part of our RICS Building Conference series, Podium’s Stuart Buckley came away with from this year’s conference with the ongoing maintenance of EWI and combustible waste high on the agenda.

Takeaway # 1 – DCLG Advice Note 13

Stuart Buckley, Partner at Podium Surveying, was interested to hear of the existence of DCLG Advice Note 13 which relates to the ongoing maintenance of EWI (External Wall Insulation) systems with either render or brick slip finishes. This document highlights the fact that in a small number of cases there has been partial system failure due to either poor design, poor maintenance or later adaptation to the systems. The document also sets out a suggested maintenance regime including inspections to identify and resolve issues before they become significant. This is an interesting read for all designers, Building Surveyors or Building Owners who may be involved in the maintenance of EWI systems.

Takeaway # 2 – Combustible waste

The legal update this year was very informative, a case which stood out for Stuart was Wheeldon Brothers Waste Limited v Millennium Insurance. This case stemmed from a fire following which a claim was made, a dispute ensued over settlement of the claim and whether or not combustible waste should have been present in certain locations. The court considered the text of the insurance policy and deemed that the wording of clauses by insurance companies must be such that an ordinary person is able to interpret the clause. This case is a reminder to insurers if underwriters intend to impose any particular or unusual requirements, then these need to be prescribed clearly within the wording of the policy.