New Grenfell recommendations report is 'disappointing', says BCU expert
Some buildings in Birmingham still have the same cladding as Grenfell.
A leading expert from the Centre for Future Homes has called for a united response from the UK housing industry to address failures outlined in the final report into the Grenfell fire.
As a visiting professor at Birmingham City University (BCU), Mike Leonard helped to set up a fire engineering degree apprenticeship in 2022 in the wake of initial Grenfell report recommendations - the first degree of its kind in the UK.
Seven years after the tragic Grenfell fire, he is still calling for the housing industry to do more: “This report has outlined the systemic failures of a construction sector driven by a race to the bottom, incompetence, very poor behaviour, and inadequate regulation and control”.
“As we reflect on the loss life, we must fully embrace the new legislation and effect a major cultural change, putting life safety and quality first. Our buildings should be non- combustible and resilient to the effects of climate change including overheating, wind, flood and wildfires.
“Birmingham City University and The Awarding Body for the Built Environment (ABBE) will continue to work with industry to develop routes to ensure people are competent in their roles and can demonstrate the right behaviours.
“Today our thoughts are with those who lost their lives and with their families. We must never forget the human cost of this wholly avoidable event.”