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P2-19

Review architect education and training for fire safety

Grenfell Tower Inquiry · Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 2 Report · Issued 4 September 2024 · Addressed to: ARB/RIBA

Government responseARB/RIBA: Accepted (Feb 2025)

DeliveryMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government says in progress (Sep 2026)

Recommendation, verbatim from the inquiry

●Inquiry recommendation

We recognise that both the Architects Registration Board and the Royal Institute of British Architects have taken steps since the Grenfell Tower fire to improve the education and training of architects. We recommend that they should review the changes already made to ensure they are sufficient in the light of our findings. (113.30)

Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 2 Report · 4 Sep 2024 Source PDF →

Published evidence summary

AI-generated evidence summary

The Inquiry recommended that professional bodies review post-Grenfell changes to architect education and training. In September 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government reported that the Royal Institute of British Architects had updated its core continuing professional development curriculum and revised its Part 3 graduate attributes (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). The department stated that updated validation procedures, competence test pilots, and a review of the practice code remained scheduled for late 2026 (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). In February 2026, the department reported that the Architects Registration Board had reviewed its changes, while a review of the institute's professional conduct code was expected to continue into 2027 (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Feb 2026).

AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 19 Oct 2026.

Government response

●ARB/RIBA · Accepted · 26 Feb 2025

Words of: The Architects Registration Board and the Royal Institute of British Architects, their acceptance as printed in HM Government, Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report: Government response (CP 1248), 26 February 2025

ARB and RIBA accept this recommendation. The Inquiry’s report notes that both the regulator, the Architects Registration Board (ARB), and the professional body, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), have taken steps since the tragedy to improve the education and training of architects. Both organisations have committed to reviewing the changes already made to ensure they are sufficient in the light of the Inquiry’s findings. We welcome the steps ARB and RIBA have already taken, and we will continue to support them to make further changes if deemed necessary.

Extract from: Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report: Government response (HTML version)

Site note: This is the government's response to the Phase 2 report (CP 1248, published 26 February 2025). It prints each recommendation and then the response to it. Where the recommendation is addressed to a body outside government, the response prints that body's own acceptance (the Architects Registration Board and RIBA, HMICFRS, London Fire Brigade, the National Fire Chiefs Council, the British Standards Institution, the National Police Chiefs' Council), and the row is filed under that body.

Delivery

●Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government says in progress · 10 Sep 2026

RIBA continues to review the areas identified following the Inquiry’s recommendation and has made progress this quarter. RIBA has:

- revised Part 3 graduate attributes; these have been approved by RIBA’s Standards Committee and will be included in its Validation Procedures

- reviewed and relaunched its Net Zero Carbon Course

- been revising its Validation Procedures, which will be published in Q4 (October to December) 2026

- commenced a review of its Code of Practice, this review is currently gathering evidence

- updated its core CPD (Continuing Professional Development) curriculum, which will come into force in 2027

- been piloting the Climate Literacy mandatory competence test, and developing an Ethical Practice mandatory competence test to pilot

The RIBA Academy also continues to add to RIBA’s library of CPD courses to develop a programme in response to the updated Education and Professional Development Framework.

From: Progress report September 2026: the construction industry (part of Grenfell Tower Inquiry Government Progress Report: September 2026)

Site note: This is the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's progress report of September 2026 on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations. Where the passage describes work by another body, such as the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade, fire and rescue services, the British Standards Institution or the Cabinet Office, it is the Ministry's account of that body's progress, and the row is filed under the Ministry.

Site note: Recommendation 19 is addressed to the Architects Registration Board and the Royal Institute of British Architects. The passage is the Ministry's report of the Royal Institute of British Architects' progress, and the site files it under the Ministry.

Earlier statements on delivery (0)

●Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · 10 Sep 2026

Timeline for delivery
2026
- Launch consultation on updated Part 3 professional attributes for chartered membership. – Complete
- RIBA Net Zero Carbon advanced course will be reviewed. – Complete
- Publication of Client Guide to Building Regulations alongside a Design Responsibility Matrix. – (Q4, Oct to Dec)
- Update Validation Procedures on the basis of the new Education and Professional Development Framework. – (Q4, Oct to Dec)
- Complete a review of the RIBA Code of Practice for Chartered Practices. – (Q4, Oct to Dec)
- Update the core CPD curriculum in accordance with the new Education and Professional Development Framework, which will come into force in 2027. – Complete
- Pilot test new mandatory competence tests on Ethical Practice and Climate Literacy. – (Q4, Oct to Dec)
- Continue to add to our library of CPD courses across all core curriculum topics and develop the programme for 2027 in response to the updated Education and Professional Development Framework. – (Q4, Oct to Dec)

From: Progress report September 2026: implementation timeline for Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations (part of Grenfell Tower Inquiry Government Progress Report: September 2026)

Site note: This is the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's progress report of September 2026 on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations. Where the passage describes work by another body, such as the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade, fire and rescue services, the British Standards Institution or the Cabinet Office, it is the Ministry's account of that body's progress, and the row is filed under the Ministry.

●Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · 25 Feb 2026

We have monitored and supported progress made by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in reviewing changes to their education and training requirements. In May, the ARB confirmed it was content with and had reviewed its changes in light of the recommendations and would keep them under review during implementation. RIBA committed to review their changes while also taking into account the work of ARB on the required training of architects.

RIBA update

Since the Grenfell Tower fire, RIBA has delivered a major programme of reforms to strengthen architectural education, professional standards, and competence, with a focus on health and life safety and ethical practice. In line with recommendation 19, RIBA continues to review and build on earlier changes to ensure they remain sufficient in light of the Inquiry’s findings. Most remaining work will conclude in 2026, with only the review of the Code of Professional Conduct expected to continue into 2027.

RIBA has paused revisions to its Code of Professional Conduct until ARB’s guidance on its recently updated Architects Code is released in full, to avoid inconsistency. Work is underway on an updated Code of Practice for Chartered Practices, focusing on competence, employment culture, sustainability and ethical practice, due by end of 2026.

The revised RIBA Education and Professional Development Framework, approved in 2025, strengthens requirements around ethical practice, health and life safety, and sustainability across Parts 1–3. Updated professional attributes will be consulted on in 2026 and integrated into course validation later that year. RIBA is also redeveloping the PEDR system (an online system for recording professional experience development for students) and aligning CPD (Continuing Professional Development) requirements with the updated framework.

Further work includes new guidance for members, expansion of the Principal Designer Register, updated tools on Building Regulations compliance, specification writing, construction product safety, whole-life carbon, and challenging poor behaviour. Pilot tests for new mandatory competences in ethical practice and climate literacy will begin this year.

From: Annual Report February 2026: the construction industry (part of Grenfell Tower Inquiry Government Annual Report: February 2026)

Site note: This is the annex of the government's Phase 2 annual report (CP 1512, published 25 February 2026) as GOV.UK publishes it, one page per theme: the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's account. Where the passage describes work by another body, such as the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade, the British Standards Institution, the Health and Safety Executive or the Cabinet Office, it is the report's account of that body's progress, and the row is filed under the Ministry. The status is what the passage says: completed only where it says the recommendation is complete or closed.

How this page is built

The recommendation and the government responses are verbatim from primary documents. Delivery statements and other bodies' findings are shown in their own words, each with its source. The summary is written by this site and labelled as such. The Index does not paraphrase sources or characterise intent; it records what has been published.