New construction products must be
carefully regulated and monitored
A l ack of su i t a b l e te s t i n g i n b u i l d in g a n d con st ruc t ion ca n result in
seriou s p ro b l e m s . Th e B r i t i s h B o a r d of Ag rémen t exp la in s w hy p rod uc t s
shou l d b e i n s p e c te d a n d m o n i to r ed for q ua lit y a n d sa fet y.
S
ome of today’s advanced technologies would raise
eyebrows among even the most forward-thinking
people. That’s why the British Board of Agrément
continues to monitor new products for safety and reliability.
The BBA’s first incarnation was as the Agrément Board,
originally developed in 1966 in response to a high level of
innovation in the construction sector. New products and
processes coming to market needed to be safe, reliable and
fit for purpose, and our independent certification provided all
the reassurances that the market needed.
Today we’re recognised as the UK’s leading construction
certification body, offering approval, certification, inspection
and test services to manufacturers of products and systems. Because our operation here is increasingly more diverse, our
Developed over six decades, our expertise is aimed at helping ability to adopt a more modular approach is also key.
companies realise their potential in today’s competitive
environment.
We can be establishing the durability of a new paint coating
using a traditional adhesion test, while at the same time
Of course, all those years ago no-one could have anticipated assessing a new wall and bridge abutment reinforcement
the kind of developments the world has seen in recent times, system for performance in extreme middle eastern climates,
inside or outside our industry. In 1966 some of today’s using simulated desert conditions in temperatures of up to 40
everyday technologies could only have been imagined. The degrees C.
concept of seeing the person you’re talking to while on the
phone remained firmly in the fantasy worlds of TV shows like
Star Trek. Today our faces are beamed all over the place, from
one side of the planet to the other as we talk on our mobile
phones.
As you would expect from a leading provider of certification
services, the BBA’s testing facilities are second-to-none.
As part of our ongoing remit to encourage innovation in
the built environment, we also offer test services which are
completely independent of the certification process. This
means manufacturers of new products can test them at any
Adapting to technology advances
Meteoric advancements in technology inevitably effect the
stage of the process.
building and construction industry. One such instance is BIM As well as our product and systems certification, the BBA
modelling, a virtual world where manufacturers can place offers support to whistleblowers who wish to raise issues
their products for selection by architects and specifiers; a new of concern with regard to malpractice – another part of the
assurance service that we now offer our clients. BBA’s drive to raise standards in the industry as a whole.
So although many traditional methods are still in place within After over fifty years, the BBA is still working with clients and
our industry, we have had to adapt and develop our expertise partners to encourage the development and adoption of safe,
to meet new certification requirements for products and innovative solutions to the built environment, ensuring sound,
systems that embrace all the advantages of the modern world. safe progress prevails in the world around us.
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