Scottish Building Regulations 2004

In Scotland, ministers are responsible for making building standards and the associated technical guidance documents. The building (Scotland) Act 2033 grants these powers. The main purpose of the standards is to ensure the building is safe, efficient and sustainable. They do not control the building process but outline the essential standards that are to be met during building works or conversions. The key functions of the building standard system are to: Prepare the building standards and produce guidance on how to attain the standards, Assist local authorities making decisions on compliance, Allow relaxations of the standards in exceptional circumstances, Maintain a register of approved certifiers, Regulate the certification system, Regulate the performance of verifiers, and Verify crown building work. There are two technical handbooks which provide guidance on achieving the building standards: Domestic Handbook and Non-Domestic Handbook. Certification is an optional scheme for the implementation of building standards applicable to work that requires a building warrant. It can only be undertaken by a registered, approved certifier of design or construction holding the appropriate designations and employed by an appropriate body of business.