This month's blog was written by Dr Peter Wilkinson CEng CFIFireE, Fire Engineering Advisor at the IFE.
The Government’s response to the consultation on a proposed Single Construction Regulator confirms both the scale and direction of intended reform following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. The intent behind it is to create a more integrated system focused on managing risk, sharing information, clarifying responsibilities and improving oversight across the building lifecycle.
Professions at the heart of reform
The Government has confirmed that professional regulation will be one of the three core pillars of the future system, alongside buildings and construction products. It recognises that current arrangements for competence, conduct and accountability are fragmented and inconsistent.
An overarching strategy for built environment professions, trades and occupations is expected in spring 2027. This will consider skills, experience, conduct, culture and accountability, alongside whether additional professions should be subject to statutory regulation and whether certain activities should be restricted to suitably qualified individuals.
These developments are directly relevant to the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) as fire engineering has already been identified as a profession requiring reform. The Fire Engineers Advisory Panel’s 2025 Authoritative Statement set out expectations for competent practice. A Transitional Board is now developing proposals for professional reform.
There are other measures being considered to strengthen and professionalise the fire risk assessor sector, including potential mandatory certification. Fire engineering and fire risk assessment involve distinct functions and competence requirements. Any future system will need to recognise both the overlap and the differences between them.
The role of professional institutions
Although the relationship between the new regulator and professional institutions has yet to be defined, organisations such as the IFE will make an important contribution.
Professional institutions develop competence standards, assess individuals, support continuing professional development and promote ethical conduct. They also provide mechanisms for sharing knowledge, identifying emerging risks and improving practice.
The IFE can make an important contribution to the reform process through its competence standards, professional registration, continuing professional development, knowledge-sharing and engagement with government and the future regulator alongside clients and the public.
Beyond individual competence
Highly competent professionals can also be undermined by weak procurement, poor information, inadequate resources or organisational pressures.
The IFE has a strong interest not only in individual competence but also in the conditions that support safe professional practice. The future framework must also distinguish between professional registration and competence to undertake a specific role or project. Fire engineering covers a wide range of activities, and project-specific competence depends on experience, technical expertise and the complexity of the work involved.
Intelligence, data and enforcement
The proposed regulator is expected to adopt a risk-based approach supported by better data, horizon scanning and information sharing. Fire engineers can contribute valuable insight from projects, incidents, research and professional practice to help identify emerging risks before they result in widespread harm.
Digital competence records may also become increasingly important, reflecting concerns about the lack of consistent methods for verifying competence.
Professional institutions will need effective disciplinary processes and appropriate information-sharing arrangements with statutory regulators while maintaining fairness and avoiding duplication.
What happens next?
Implementation of the Single Construction Regulator is expected to begin from 2028, with several important milestones. These include:
- the Government’s response on fire risk assessor reform is expected in autumn 2026
- the overarching strategy for built environment professions, trades and occupations is expected in spring 2027
- the fire engineering Transitional Board will continue developing the model for reform
- the functions, powers and institutional relationships of the new regulator will be refined before legislation is introduced
The central question is no longer whether professional competence will be part of the future regulatory system, but how it will be defined, demonstrated, maintained and linked to accountability. The IFE will have an important role to play in shaping that future and ensuring public confidence in those undertaking safety-critical fire engineering work.