Bookings open for course on fire safety in building design
Posted on: 2 September, 2025
Bookings are now open for ‘Design for Life? Fire safety, building resilience and the Principal Designer’ – a six-week professional development course developed by the London School of Architecture, now merged with the University of the Built Environment.
Created in direct response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the Building Safety Act 2022, the course equips architects and built environment professionals with the knowledge and competence required to meet new fire, health and life-safety responsibilities.
A Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) spokesperson said: “The RIBA welcomes the LSA Design for Life programme that supports architects in developing their competence in fire and building safety, for regulatory compliance and beyond.
Design at the centre of fire safety
Led by Dr Liam Ross, Senior Lecturer in Architecture, the course is distinctive in placing design itself at the centre of questions of fire safety. Participants will explore how spatial and technical decisions affect fire performance, resilience and life safety – and how to balance these demands with sustainability, usability and client expectations.
He said: “Fire safety is something that is all around us. It’s in the shape and size of the room you’re sat in, it’s the distance you are from a means of escape, the fire rating of the plastic seat you’re sat on.”
He added: “This course is unique because it puts the concerns of the commercial practitioner front and centre, and particularly looks at financial and commercial issues which limit the delivery of ethical practice.” The course is also unique in that it puts design at the centre of questions of fire and life safety.”
Book now via the University of the Built Environment’s Online Academy
Guided by leading experts
The course is taught by a team of expert practitioners, researchers and campaigners who have shaped the post-Grenfell discourse:
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Liam Ross – Course Leader; author of ‘Pyrotechnic Cities’
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Paul Bussey – Chartered Architect; RIBA Expert Advisory Group on Fire Safety; Senior Technical Consultant, AHMM
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Jane Duncan OBE – Former RIBA President; Chair, Expert Advisory Group on Fire Safety; Architectural Adviser to the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission
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Peter Apps – Journalist and author of ‘Show Me the Bodies’ (Orwell Prize winner)
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Samaneh Moafi – Assistant Director of Research, Forensic Architecture
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Giles Grover – End Our Cladding Scandal / Manchester Cladiators campaigner
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Chris Miles – Commercial Director, Fire Protection Association
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Samantha Peat – Chair, CLC’s Professional Indemnity Insurance Group
Together, they bring academic, technical, policy and lived perspectives, ensuring participants gain a 360° understanding of fire-safety design.
Jules Pipe CBE, Deputy Mayor of London, said: “The London School of Architecture’s Part 4 programme provides exactly the kind of support that the profession needs to respond to the most urgent issues facing our cities.”
Book now via the University of the Built Environment’s Online Academy
Course structure
Delivered through a blend of pre-recorded content, live online sessions and one optional in-person event, the programme follows the RIBA Plan of Work and integrates case studies, guided discussions and design workshops. Delegates will test their knowledge against Architects Registration Board (ARB) and RIBA competence requirements, with resources to take back into practice.
Who should attend
This course is essential for architects, designers, and built environment professionals preparing for Principal Designer roles – and for anyone seeking to strengthen competence in fire, health and life safety under the Building Safety Act.
Dates and booking
Friday 7 November – Friday 12 December 2025
Six Fridays, 10:00–12:00 (one optional in-person event, 28 November, London)
Course fee: £625 (15% discount for University of the Built Environment and LSA alumni). Places are limited.
Book now via the University of the Built Environment’s Online Academy
For enquiries, please contact: academy@ube.ac.uk
