Episode 207 - Under D&B who is responsible for specialist design compliance

The Building Safety Act and the new Building Regulations Duty Holder Regime fundamentally redefine design responsibility, particularly regarding specialist packages like cladding and MEP services. While individual specialist subcontractors remain directly liable for the technical compliance of their own designs, the Principal Designer must coordinate these inputs to ensure collective regulatory compliance. When a Principal Contractor assumes control of design work, they should be formally appointed as the Principal Designer by the client, as this statutory role cannot be delegated or novated. This framework necessitates robust design management, including responsibility matrices and compliance trackers, to resolve interface clashes. On high-risk building projects, the Principal Designer and Principal Contractor must additionally conduct regular, documented inspections of design work and construction activities, respectively, to ensure safety and regulatory adherence throughout the project lifecycle.