The Department of Finance has launched a public appointment competition to recruit a new Chair for the Northern Ireland Building Regulations Advisory Committee (NIBRAC), the statutory body responsible for advising on building standards and safety regulations. The appointment comes as the committee oversees significant changes to fire safety requirements, with the new Chair expected to provide leadership during a period of substantial regulatory reform while several expert positions remain vacant.
The closing date for applications is Friday 20 March 2026, giving prospective candidates approximately three weeks to prepare and submit their applications. The position is unpaid, though reasonable expenses are reimbursed, and requires at least five years of proven experience as a chartered professional in disciplines ranging from architecture and structural engineering to fire safety and building regulation enforcement.
Leadership Responsibilities and Committee Duties
The Chair will provide effective leadership of the Committee, coordinating advice from members to feed back to the Department, chairing Committee meetings, and participating in relevant Technical Sub-Committees. The role also includes duties relating to the assessment and recruitment of members.
The Department describes the position as “an excellent opportunity for a construction professional to use their skills and experience to play a central role in guiding the development of modern, robust, and evidence-based building standards, helping to drive positive change across key aspects of construction and building design.”
Eligibility: Seven Disciplines Sought
Applicants must have at least five years of proven experience and be a chartered professional, or equivalent, in at least one of the following disciplines:
- Architecture
- Building regulation enforcement (Building Regulations are enforced here by local council building control departments)
- Building services, engineering and energy
- Building surveying
- Construction
- Fire safety
- Structural engineering
Further information on the position and the application process can be found at www.nicsrecruitment.org.uk.
Leadership Vacuum and Multiple Vacancies
NIBRAC is a statutory body set up under Article 4 of the Building Regulations (NI) Order 1979, consisting of a Chair and eight members, with each member appointed to represent a specific area of expertise. According to the Department’s current membership information, the Chair position has been vacant since April 2025, when the previous Chair’s term ended.
Additionally, several member positions remain unfilled, including expertise in Architecture, Building Services/Engineering/Energy, Fire Safety, and Structural Engineering. Four members—Andrew Corbett (Building Surveying), Andrew Frew (Construction, domestic), Cormac Freehill (Construction, non-domestic), and Martin McCook (Building Regulation Enforcement)—were reappointed in 2024 for second terms running until February 2027.
The Department notes: “The Chair and members of NIBRAC do not receive remuneration however they are reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred during their work for the Committee.”
Fire Safety Reforms and the Building Safety Act
The recruitment comes at a critical juncture for building safety in Northern Ireland. New regulations amending Part E (Fire safety) of the Building Regulations came into effect on 6 May 2025, introducing requirements for automatic fire suppression systems in certain high-rise residential buildings and residential care premises, along with enhanced provisions for firefighter access and evacuation alert systems.
These changes follow recommendations from the Phase 1 report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and align Northern Ireland more closely with other UK jurisdictions. The Construction Professionals’ Council of Northern Ireland has noted that similar legislation to England’s Building Safety Act 2022 is expected to be introduced across Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland, representing what industry figures describe as “the largest and most extensive change to affect the construction industry since the Second World War.”
Four Questions for Consideration
- How will the Department ensure a diverse and qualified field of applicants for this senior voluntary position, given the significant time commitment and expertise required?
- With the Chair position vacant for nearly a year and multiple expert roles unfilled, what impact has this had on NIBRAC’s capacity to advise on urgent building safety matters, including the recent Part E amendments?
- How will the new Chair navigate the potential introduction of a Building Safety Act for Northern Ireland, which would fundamentally reshape regulatory oversight and accountability in the construction sector?
- Given the tight three-week application window, what steps are being taken to reach senior professionals who may need time to secure employer support for this public service commitment?
Selection Process and Next Steps
All appointments are made on merit, and political activity plays no part in the selection process, though any political activity of appointees will be published. The successful candidate will join a committee facing significant workload demands, including ongoing technical sub-committee work on fire safety, energy efficiency, and access standards.
The Department has not indicated when the appointment will be announced, though public appointment processes typically take several months to complete following the closing date. Observers will be watching to see whether the new Chair can help fill the remaining vacancies on the committee and steer Northern Ireland’s building regulations through the anticipated further reforms stemming from the Grenfell Inquiry recommendations.