Course Description

This comprehensive technical CPD course provides architects and building design professionals with practical knowledge of balcony and terrace design requirements in the UK. The course covers essential guidance on safety, drainage, fire performance, thermal bridges, wind effects, and acoustic considerations.

You'll learn to navigate the guidance on safety, drainage, fire performance, thermal bridges, wind effects, and acoustic considerations. The course clarifies both the explicit requirements and the areas where professional interpretation is necessary – including measurement complexities, drainage strategies, and the integration challenges between different performance criteria.

Presented by Eugene Korch (façade engineer and IAST Programme Director), the course combines regulatory requirements with practical application, using real-world examples and case studies to demonstrate how multiple technical requirements must work together.

Using clear diagrams and conceptual explanations, this course focuses on building actionable understanding. It's designed to help you specify compliant balconies whilst understanding the common pitfalls and design errors that lead to failures.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Distinguish between balconies, terraces, enclosed balconies, and building projections

  • Understand basic structural requirements for balcony design, guarding height requirements and measurement considerations, water ingress prevention hierarchy, optimal balcony arrangement patterns on building facades, how balconies affect acoustic performance and specify mitigation strategies

  • Apply core safety principles including fall prevention, fire safety requirements for residential buildings, the 2,500mm maximum depth limitation for edge drainage

  • Design for appropriate slip resistance on balcony surfaces, accessible thresholds meeting maximum upstand requirements, drainage systems using edge or piped drainage methods appropriately

  • Identify and mitigate thermal bridges at balcony connections, Identify and avoid common design errors

  • Recognize wind-vulnerable locations and specify mitigation measures

  • Integrate multiple technical requirements in balcony specifications

What's Covered

Scope and Definitions

Balcony vs terrace: Why the distinction matters for fire and waterproofing
Enclosed balconies vs cantilevered building sections: Key considerations for structure and safety
Access decks: Dimensional requirements for circulation and accessibility
Key terminology: Edge drainage, piped drainage, water management levels

Safety Requirements

The 1,100mm guarding height rule: When it applies
The 100mm sphere rule: Preventing objects falling through
Toe boards: Preventing items rolling off balconies
Handrail profiles and design requirements: Key considerations for safety
Toe holds: The 400-600mm range and measurement considerations
Slip resistance requirements: PTV values for wet and dry conditions
Preventing falling objects: Imperforate trays and containment strategies

Inclusive Design and Accessibility

Level thresholds: Preferred solution for accessibility
Maximum threshold upstand requirements: Compliance and measurement considerations
Transition slopes: Maximum angles and lengths
Wheelchair turning space requirements: Minimum dimensions for accessibility

Fire Safety Requirements

Fire classification requirements for residential buildings: Key regulations and compliance
Components subject to fire classification: What must meet requirements – and what does not
Imperforate soffits for open balconies: Preventing fire spread through soffit voids
Fire stopping and cavity barriers: At balcony-to-building connections

Drainage Design – A Critical Element

Why drainage is one of the most common causes of balcony failures: Key risks and considerations
Two primary methods: Edge drainage vs piped drainage
The absolute 2,500mm depth limit for edge drainage: Compliance and design implications
The 6m² question: Understanding area vs catchment requirements
Water management hierarchy: Understanding key levels and dimensions
Minimum falls requirements: Ensuring effective drainage
Edge drainage requirements: Projections, drip details, and wall clearances
Piped drainage: Outlets, overflows, and warning pipes
Rainfall catchment calculation principles: Sizing drainage correctly
Stacked balconies: Special drainage considerations

Thermal Bridges and Energy Performance

How balconies create linear thermal bridges: Effects on heat loss and building envelope
Point thermal bridges: From discrete fixings and connectors
The impact on building energy performance: Energy efficiency and compliance considerations
Thermal break technology: Reduction potential and material solutions
Integration with structural connections: Designing for thermal continuity

Wind Effects and Mitigation

Vulnerable locations: Height, corners, and funnelling between buildings
Understanding wind pressure considerations: Effects on balcony safety and comfort
Mitigation strategies: Increased guarding height, side screens, partitions

Acoustic Design Considerations

Soffit reflection: How balconies can increase noise levels
Different balcony positions: Acoustic effects on building performance
Mitigation strategies: Absorption and diffusion techniques
Ventilation opening position: Optimizing for acoustic benefit
Enclosed balconies: Serving as acoustic buffer zones

Integration and Common Errors

Why balcony design requires holistic integration: Coordinating structure, safety, and performance
How fire decisions affect thermal performance: Balancing protection and energy efficiency
How wind mitigation affects fire safety: Interactions between screens, guarding, and escape routes
How drainage affects accessibility: Ensuring thresholds, slopes, and safe circulation
Common design errors: Typical pitfalls to avoid in balcony design

Register for Free Webinar

Course Schedule

    1. Course Overview

    2. Course Objectives

    3. How to Navigate the Learning Materials

    1. Introduction

    2. Interactive 3D detail - Concrete Balcony

    3. Interactive 3D detail - Steel Balcony

    1. Webinar

    2. Post-Lecture Reading List

    3. Knowledge Check

    1. Certificate: Download & Share

About this course

  • £120.00
  • Practice test questions
  • CPD Certificate: 2 hrs
  • Interactive 3D models

Your Instructors

Programme Director, IAST Eugene Korch

Eugene is a façade engineer and educator with extensive experience in building envelope design and technical specification. Through the Institute for Architectural Science and Technology (IAST) and Facade Intelligence, he delivers CPD training to architects and construction professionals across the UK. His teaching approach emphasizes practical application and accessibility, making complex technical subjects understandable for design professionals.

Who Should Enrol

This course is designed for:

Architects: Needing foundational knowledge of balcony and terrace design principles
Architectural Technologists: Working with balcony specifications
Envelope Designers: Seeking to understand balcony and terrace design fundamentals
Façade Specialist Contractors: Requiring technical knowledge of balcony specifications
Junior Façade Engineers: Building foundational knowledge
Building Envelope Consultants: Working with balcony and terrace specifications
Project Managers: Overseeing projects with balcony and terrace requirements
Cost Consultants: Understanding balcony and terrace specifications

Course Details

Format: Self-paced online course with video lectures

Duration: Approximately 2 hours

CPD Points: 2 hours structured CPD / 2 Learning Unit

Access: 12 months from enrollment

Certificate: CPD certificate issued upon completion

Prerequisites: None – introductory level

Materials: Downloadable resources and reference guides included

What Makes This Course Different

Comprehensive coverage: All major aspects of balcony design in one course
Practical approach: Real-world examples and case studies, emphasis on understanding concepts
Integration emphasis: Understanding how different requirements interact
Simplified diagrams: Clear visuals with accessible explanations
Interactive elements: Polls and questions to test understanding

Register to attend online CPD seminar on 12 March 2026

Seminar attendees will receive access to the course materials and a CPD Certificate upon successful completion. The seminar recording will be available to FI PRO Members on demand after 12th of February 2026. To join Facade Intelligence Professional Membership, please email [email protected]

Register now