Ms Yvonne Wylde:

We have an Irish standard for timber frame construction. At the moment, its scope is 10 m and one hour is the maximum fire resistance. We normally produce standards in the context of the regulatory environment. It would be rare for a standard to conflict with the regulations or even the guidance on the regulations. We would not conflict with them. At the moment a committee is in place and it is working on revising the standard. I do not think it would be possible for it to change the scope of it tomorrow. More technical work would have to be done on it, but there is nothing to stop a standard being developed to allow for building in timber to greater heights. The Eurocodes are already available. There are structural design codes which already offer ways of designing buildings to meet safety and fire standards. Those codes are available and can be used. Although I.S. 440 does not cover buildings taller than 10 m, there are codes of practice which allow designers to design buildings above 10 m in compliance with the building regulations.