Construction Standards
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Introduction
NSAI formulates standards through consultation with various interested consumer, environmental, industry and government parties. Get involved in standards development to be at the cutting edge of your industry.
NSAI Standards - Construction Sector
Standardisation Programme
The NSAI’s Construction Sector Standardisation Programme consists of national, European and international standardisation work. It aims to readily connect industry stakeholders with their specific areas of interest with the view to improving stakeholder engagement with this work.
NSAI’s revised Construction Sector Standardisation Programme database has been developed to provide current comprehensive information on standardisation activities in the construction sector, nationally and internationally.
This initiative, supporting the NSAI Strategy builds on the established Construction Sector Standardisation Programme 2019 – 2021, developed in conjunction with NSAI/TC 006 Construction Standards Consultative Committee.
Making data easily discoverable aims to increase knowledge of NSAI Standards, and in turn enable stakeholders to locate relevant information, understand and benefit from its use.
Download the construction Standardisation programme database
External links relevant to the NSAI Construction Sector Standardisation programme
- CEN and CENELEC Work Programme 2023
- Construction 2020 – A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector
- The National Development Plan 2018-2027
- Climate Action Plan 2023
- Construction Sector Group (www.gov.ie)
- The Governments Housing Policy to 2030 - Housing for All (www.gov.ie)
- Report of the Expert Panel on Concrete Blocks (www.gov.ie)
- Technical Guidance Documents (www.gov.ie)
NSAI Publications
- NSAI Eurocodes
- SR 54:2014 & A2:2022 Code of practice for the energy efficient retrofit of dwellings
- Sample Certificate of Building Categorisation for Reactive Pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material
Construction Products Regulations (CPR)
On and from 1st July 2013 under Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 (construction products Regulation or “CPR”, CE marking is mandatory for all construction products placed on the market in the European Economic Area and it is covered by a harmonised European product Standard or a European Technical Assessment.
The following links provide further information relating to construction products, regulation, harmonized standards and Notified Bodies:
- Product Certification and CE marking
- Agrément Certification
- Construction Products Regulation (CPR) information (DHLGH)
- Information on EU New Approach Notified and Designated Organisations (NANDO)
Keep informed
Contact NSAI Construction Standards for our list of Technical Committees and contact details for relevant Technical Secretaries or if you have any questions regarding your involvement in NSAI Standards Development.
You can search our Standards online catalogue for Irish and European Standards, Eurocodes and relevant National Annex and Standard Recommendations (S.R.).
Visit our Your Standards, Your Say portal to search, read, comment and share standards currently under development.
Learn More
Click on the following link to read the latest and historic annual reports:
As part of its drive to overcome technical barriers to trade, the EU has mandated a system of structural design codes known as Eurocodes for application in the field of construction and civil engineering.
There are 10 Eurocodes comprising 58 individual parts or standards. The first 2 parts – Eurocode 0 and Eurocode 1 – are common to all design situations. Eurocodes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9 are material-specific. The others are specialist codes relating to geotechnical and seismic aspects.
- EN1990 Eurocode 0: Basis of structural design
- EN1991 Eurocode 1: Actions on structures
- EN1992 Eurocode 2: Design of concrete structures
- EN1993 Eurocode 3: Design of steel structures
- EN1994 Eurocode 4: Design of composite steel and concrete structures
- EN1995 Eurocode 5: Design of timber structures
- EN1996 Eurocode 6: Design of masonry structures
- EN1997 Eurocode 7: Geotechnical design
- EN1998 Eurocode 8: Design of structures for earthquake resistance
- EN1999 Eurocode 9: Design of aluminium structures.
Eurocodes have been developed principally for the purpose of harmonizing the market for goods and services in the construction sector. They:
- Provide common design criteria and methods to fulfil the specified requirements for mechanical resistance, stability and resistance to fire, including aspects of durability and economy
- Provide a common understanding regarding the design of structures between owners, operators, users, designers, contractors and manufacturers of construction products
- Facilitate the exchange of construction services between Member states
- Facilitate the marketing and use of structural components and kits in Member states
In 1975 the European Commission embarked upon a long-term programme to eliminate technical obstacles to trade. For 15 years, a steering group established by the Commission and made up of representatives from Member States devised a set of harmonized technical rules for the structural design of construction works. By the late 1980s, the first generation of European construction design codes was published.
In 1989, the Commission transferred the preparation and publication of the Eurocodes to the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). Since then, CEN has worked on developing the Eurocodes into a comprehensive set of European Standards (ENs).
As the national member body of CEN, and the national publisher of all European Standards, NSAI has spearheaded the Eurocodes National Implementation Programme via its National Eurocodes Consultative Committee.
2nd Generation Eurocodes
The development of the 2nd generation Eurocodes was mandated by the European Commission in December 2012. This ambitious project to revise the Eurocodes is being overseen by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) technical committee, CEN/TC 250 – Structural Eurocodes.
You can also contact:
Ken Murphy | Technical Secretary to the National Eurocodes Consultative Committee
T: +353 01 8073800
The Fire Safety Standards Committee (FSSC) is a consultative committee of the NSAI set up to advise on what standards are necessary for products and processes in all aspects of fire safety.
The committee oversees the work of several committee working groups who focus on different areas of fire safety standardisation. They are:
- NSAI TC16 WG1 – Fire Safety in Building
- NSAI TC16 WG2 – Fire Alarms
- NSAI TC16 WG3 – Fire Services Equipment
- NSAI TC16 WG4 – Fire Safety of Furniture and Textiles
- NSAI TC16 WG5 – Emergency Lighting
The FSSC steers the development and maintenance of fire safety Standards that are widely used in industry and include:
- I.S. 291:2015+A1:2022 - Selection, commissioning, installation, inspection and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers and Amendment 1
- I.S. 391:2020 - Fire mains for buildings - Installation, commissioning, maintenance and testing
- I.S. 3218:2013+A1:2019 - Fire detection and alarm systems for buildings - System design, installation, commissioning, servicing and maintenance & Amendment 1:2019
- I.S. 3217:2013+A1:2017 - Emergency Lighting and Amendment 1:2017
Click on the following link to read the latest NSAI TC016 FSSC Annual Report