Your leader column (24 July, page 3) illustrates both the increasing complexity of trying to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and the growing potential role for building control in ensuring that this is done

Leaders in the construction industry have argued for many years that all of the regulations affecting the design and construction of buildings should be brought together in one place, that place being the Building Regulations, and building control is the logical home for the enforcement of zero carbon.

And yet the future of building control seems somewhat uncertain. It is now well over a year since the government consulted upon this, but we have still to see what its conclusions are. And the Conservative party is said to be considering abolishing building control altogether. Surely that would be a retrograde step when enforcing compliance with the regulations is so clearly needed.

Construction leaders have argued for years that all regulations affecting design and construction should
be brought together in one place

Paul Everall, LABC

So I hope all your readers will join in promoting an efficient, effective and customer-friendly building control service. For its part, Local Authority Building Control (LABC) in particular and the Building Control Alliance more generally pledge to continue to strive for improvements to the service, and to seek the resources necessary for it. And LABC set up a training division last year, which will be playing a leading role in providing training on the new Part L for both building control surveyors and customers.

Paul Everall, chief executive, LABC

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