For many years Building Regulations in the UK covered a wide range of standards, from energy efficiency to fire protection, however security and the ability of products and a house to withstand burglary attempts was not included.
To devise a security standard, the Association of Chief Police Officers launched the Secured by Design™ initiative in 1989 with the specific aim of reducing crime and helping people to live more safely.
“Secured by Design™ seeks to improve the physical security of buildings using products, such as doors, windows, locks and walling systems that meet the police preferred specification for security.”
Secured by Design’s product based accreditation scheme – the Police Preferred Specification – provides a recognised standard for all security products across 30 different categories, including doors and windows, which can deter and reduce crime.
As a result of the efforts of Secured by Design™, amongst others, a minimum security standard test (PAS 24:2016 – for doors) was included in Building Regulations in 2015 with the introduction of Document Q, however this still only applies to new build and projects such as barn conversions. For those undertaking extension and renovations the Secured by Design™ standard provides an incredibly useful standard for judging the security protection offered by a product.
For doors and windows, such as our bifold doors and sliding doors, to hold a Secured by Design™ award they must be independently tested and certified by a United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) certification body. These tests take place in a laboratory environment, with the physical test designed to mimic an attack by an opportunistic burglar, using tools which are easy to conceal.