Reappointment of members of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee

The Department of Finance has announced the reappointment of four members of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee (NIBRAC).

New members appointed to NIBRAC

Andrew Corbett, Andrew Frew, Cormac Freehill and Martin McCook have all been appointed for a second three-year term, for their respective expertise in building surveying, domestic construction, non-domestic construction and building regulation enforcement.

They were first appointed to NIBRAC on 1 March 2021 and their reappointments run until 28 February 2027.

Notes to editors: 

1. NIBRAC is a statutory body set up under Article 4 of the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) Order 1979, to advise the Department on the amendment of Building Regulations and on other associated matters referred to it. Further information can be found at: Northern Ireland Building Regulations Advisory Committee | Department of Finance (finance-ni.gov.uk).
2. The Chair and members of NIBRAC do not receive remuneration however they are reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred during their work for the Committee.
3. These reappointments were made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland’s Code of Practice. 
4. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. The Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires the political activity of appointees to be published. All have confirmed that they have undertaken no political activity during the past five years, with the exception of Andrew Frew, who declared making a reportable donation to the Green Party Northern Ireland, of which he is a Member, during this period.
5. Andrew Frew, Cormac Freehill and Martin McCook hold no other public appointments.  Andrew Corbett is Chair of a School Board of Governors and has been appointed by the Department of Finance as a Gateway Reviewer. Neither position is remunerated.
6. Andrew Corbett represents the Building Surveying area of expertise on NIBRAC. He is a Chartered Building Surveyor and Senior Project Manager with over 20 years’ practical knowledge and experience in domestic and commercial construction design and project management. Andrew has held senior positions client and supplier side within private and public sector organisations delivering annual construction projects and programmes of work. He is a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors with a degree in building surveying, a master’s degree in construction project management and an accredited Project Manager. During Andrew’s first term on NIBRAC, he participated in the Technical Sub-Committee for Part E (Fire safety).
7. Andrew Frew represents the Construction (domestic) area of expertise on NIBRAC.  Andrew is an architect and housing specialist. He has worked in construction and design in Germany, London and Wales, and on new products for construction.  He pioneered the Energy Rating of housing in Northern Ireland, advising self-builders, architects, and Housing Associations on improving the energy efficiency of new and existing homes. Andrew won a national award for training NI Housing Executive Architects and Surveyors. He has supported NI government departments in developing initiatives to upgrade standards in private homes, and currently works on improving standards and managing innovation for social rented homes. During Andrew’s first term on NIBRAC, he participated in the Technical Sub-Committee for Part F (Conservation of fuel and power).
8. Cormac Freehill represents the Construction (non-domestic) area of expertise on NIBRAC.  Cormac is the Managing Director of Bennett Freehill and an experienced Building Services Engineer who specialises in Passivhaus and Nearly Zero-Energy Building (NZEB) construction. He is a chartered engineer and a member of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (MCIBSE) and the Institution of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management (MIHEEM). He is a current member of CIBSE NI Committee. He holds a BEng (Hons) in Building Services Engineering and a MSc in Renewable Energy and Energy Management with the University of Ulster. Cormac has extensive experience in leading the MEP and Sustainability design on large scale construction projects across the Leisure, Healthcare, Culture and Tourism and Conservation sectors.  During Cormac’s first term on NIBRAC, he participated in the Technical Sub-Committee for Part F (Conservation of fuel and power).
9. Martin McCook represents the Building Regulation Enforcement area of expertise on NIBRAC.  He has achieved MSc Environmental Health Protection and Safety and BSc (Hons) Building Engineering and Management from Ulster University and holds full member status in the Chartered Association of Building Engineers. Martin is a Chartered Building Engineer with over 24 years’ experience in Local Government in Northern Ireland. This has included positions as Head of Estates, Building Regulation Manager and Senior Building Control Officer. He also has previous experience in the Public Sector within Building Management (NI) and Private Sector of the construction industry in Northern Ireland. Martin has held positions within the Building Control Northern Ireland Committee, Building Control Northern Ireland Standards Panel and Building Control Northern Ireland Fire Safety Panel and has participated in various specialist subcommittees. In part fulfilment of these roles he has drafted non statutory guidance relating to interpretation and application of Building Regulations and other allied legislation. During Martin’s first term on NIBRAC, he participated in the Technical Sub-Committee for Part E (Fire safety) and was Chair of the Technical Sub-Committee for Part R (Access to and use of buildings).
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