The Grenfell Tower Inquiry Podcast

“Professionally reckless behaviour”. Expert witness Barbara Lane gave evidence on the fire risk assessments carried out at Grenfell Tower. She described the fire risk assessor’s behaviour as ‘reckless’ for signing off the building’s cladding as safe without evidence. She also deemed it ‘not acceptable’ that residents with disabilities weren’t identified. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producers: Sharon Hemans and Ben Carter Researcher: May Cameron Studio Mix: Gareth Jones Editor: Jasper Corbett

“An necessary tragedy”. The inquiry revealed the Local Government Association was warned in 2011 that its failure to recommend evacuation plans for residents with disabilities could lead to an ‘unnecessary tragedy’. Expert witness Colin Todd gave evidence on the work of fire risk assessor Carl Stokes and answered questions about guidance he helped draw up. The inquiry’s expert witness on building control Beryl Menzies examined the role the council’s building control department had played signing off the smoke ventilation system at Grenfell Tower. Abigail Acosta, a Project Manager at the TMO, also gave evidence. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron Studio Mix: Gareth Jones

Expert witness Roger Howkins concluded the inquiry’s examination into the lifts at Grenfell Tower. Contractors who worked on the lifts and a former engineer from the Tenant Management Organisation also gave evidence. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron Studio Mix: Gareth Jones

“That culture possibly needs to change”. Gas safety expert Rodney Hancox concluded the design of the gas pipes installed on Grenfell Tower did not comply with building regulations. Staff from the contractor involved in installing the gas pipes accepted the company failed to identify safety hazards. The inquiry also heard evidence from lift consultants Butler & Young. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron Studio Mix: Gareth Jones

The smoke ventilation system installed at Grenfell Tower as part of the refurbishment did not comply with building regulation guidance. The designer of the system, Hugh Mahoney, told the inquiry he did not think any system could be compliant. Presenter & Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: Luke Radcliff Studio Mix: Gareth Jones

The smoke ventilation system was “another story of incompetence and indifference” according to a lawyer representing a group of bereaved, survivors and residents.Building Control fire regulations expert Paul Hanson from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea was asked whether he’d given proper scrutiny to plans for the smoke ventilation system in Grenfell Tower. Legal representatives for some bereaved and survivors claimed that some parts used were of the lowest possible quality, something the system designer denied. Meanwhile Tenant Management Organisation Chief Executive Robert Black and Repairs Direct boss Graham Webb faced questions over the fitting and maintenance of fire doors. Presenter & Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Editor: Jasper Corbett Studio Mix: Gareth Jones

“An exercise in concealment and half-truth”. Senior management at the Tenant Management Organisation answered questions about the TMO’s fire safety management systems in the lead up to the fire at Grenfell Tower. The Chief Executive Robert Black said he understood why some residents had reason to lose trust in the organisation. An LFB officer said he thought the TMO was “economical with the truth”. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron Studio Mix: Gareth Jones

“He may not be competent for his role”. The LFB raised concerns with the TMO’s Health and Safety and Facilities Manager about the competency of the fire risk assessor at Grenfell Tower. Witnesses from the LFB told the inquiry why they had concerns about Carl Stokes. Two caretakers at the TMO also gave evidence. Presenter / Producer: Sharon Hemans Producer: Luke Radcliff Researcher: May Cameron Studio Mix: Gareth Jones

Today marks four years since the fire at Grenfell Tower. We spoke to former resident Antonio Roncolato. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: May Cameron Studio Mix: James Beard

“It was clearly a major oversight. I can’t give you any other explanation, I’m sorry.” The Health and Safety and Facilities Manager at the Tenant Management Organisation admitted it was a ‘major oversight’ not sharing information of vulnerable residents with the fire risk assessor at Grenfell Tower. She described feeling ‘spread thin’ in her role at the TMO, lacking resources and staff. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Luke Radcliff Researcher: May Cameron Studio Mix: Gareth Jones

“I believe that I undertook the risk assessments to the best of my ability”. The fire risk assessor Carl Stokes gave his final day of evidence at the inquiry. It emerged he had told the organisation which ran Grenfell Tower that the cladding installed on the building met regulations – despite doing no investigations of his own. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

“Is that not a very incurious approach for a fire risk assessor?”. Carl Stokes was the fire risk assessor responsible for carrying out checks on Grenfell Tower from 2009 to 2017. Part of his job was to check doors; many flat entrance doors did not have self-closing mechanisms at the time of the fire. The inquiry heard how Carl Stokes copied and pasted information across different fire risk assessments. He accepted they contained mistakes because he did not read what he signed off.Presenter / Producer: Kate LambleProducer: Sharon HemansResearcher: May CameronStudio Mix: Gareth Jones

“I think we lacked a little humanity”. The inquiry heard from elected councillors at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Councillor Quentin Marshall said the council “could have done better” after it emerged he sent an email saying he was “not massively sympathetic to general ‘it’s all terrible’ complaints” about the refurbishment works at Grenfell tower. Leader of RBKC Nick Paget-Brown and Councillors Rock Feilding-Mellen, Sam Mackover and Judith Blakeman also gave evidence. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron Studio Mix: Gareth Jones

“Getting out of this building by the stairs is extremely difficult”. The Director of Housing, the Executive Director of Operations and the Head of Housing Commissioning at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea gave evidence. The inquiry heard how some recommendations after another high rise cladding fire weren’t implemented, and that the council did not collect data on how the Tenant Management Organisation, which ran Grenfell Tower, performed in terms of fire safety. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

‘Stay put’ was relied on despite evacuations after fires in other TMO properties. The TMO’s Peter Maddison and Teresa Brown were questioned about the organisation’s relationship with residents and why no personal emergency evacuation plans were drawn up for residents with disabilities. Expert witness Jonathan Sakula told the inquiry the dangers of using combustible cladding on high rise buildings were widely known in the construction industry after a number of cladding fires around the world. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

‘Let’s hope our luck holds out and there are no fires in the meantime’. Staff from the Tenant Management Organisation, which managed Grenfell Tower, returned to give evidence at the inquiry. The TMO’s Peter Maddison and Claire Williams were asked why important fire safety measures, such as smoke vents and self-closing fire doors, were left broken or non-compliant for significant periods of time. Two other TMO staff, Siobhan Rumble and Nicola Bartholomew, both said they never discussed evacuation plans for residents with disabilities because the building had a ‘stay put’ policy.Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

‘They didn’t treat us with respect or humanity or empathy and if they had done, we wouldn’t be sitting here now’. Former residents of Grenfell Tower described how the Tenant Management Organisation ran the building. One of the main campaigners for safety at Grenfell Tower, Edward Daffarn, repeatedly questioned fire safety matters within the building and residents with disabilities described being given no instruction about fire safety. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron Studio Mix: Gareth Jones

This week the inquiry will hear evidence from residents, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the Tenant Management Organisation. Groups affiliated to the bereaved, survivors and residents have called for the inquiry to investigate the role race and class played at Grenfell. In this episode relatives of residents who lived in the tower explain why they think it's important for the inquiry to explore whether discrimination and class played a role in the deaths of their loved ones. Presenter / Producer: Sharon Hemans Studio Mix: Gareth Jones

Grenfell Tower ‘a landmark act of discrimination against disabled and vulnerable people’. The inquiry was presented with opening statements for Module 3 of the inquiry. This section will examine the management of Grenfell Tower, including the fire risk assessments carried out and how residents’ complaints were dealt with. Legal representatives for the bereaved, survivors and residents of Grenfell Tower said resident involvement in the refurbishment of the building was ‘tokenistic’ and accused the person who carried out the fire risk assessment on the tower of inventing qualifications. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron Studio Mix: Gareth Jones

‘Would it be fair… to say that you were set up by others …as Kingspan’s useful idiot’? Kingspan Insulation’s Managing Director Richard Burnley gave evidence this week. Questioned about Kingspan’s conduct after the fire at Grenfell Tower when it held a private meeting to lobby MPs, Richard Burnley denied the company accessed political power for its own commercial gain. The British Board of Agrement also gave evidence. The BBA’s Senior Technical Manager John Albon, denied that the BBA was ‘toothless and weak’, but admitted it had supported inaccurate claims from manufacturers. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron Studio Mix: Gareth Jones

A safety certificate for insulation installed on Grenfell Tower contained a ‘very basic failure of due diligence’. In 2008 the independent organisation, the British Board of Agrement produced a certificate for a combustible plastic foam insulation made by the company Kingspan. The product - Kooltherm K15 - was later installed on Grenfell Tower. The inquiry heard from staff at the BBA involved in certifying Kooltherm K15. The certificate stated that the product achieved a British fire standard without the BBA ever requesting any fire tests proving the product had actually achieved this. BBA staff were also questioned about how they issued certificates for the combustible cladding panels used on Grenfell Tower. One employee accepted the organisation had published a certificate that was ‘materially wrong’. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron Studio Mix: Gareth Jones

“What will happen if only one building made out [of] PE core is on fire and will kill 60 to 70 persons”. Arconic, the company which made the combustible cladding installed on Grenfell Tower was warned of the risk of a building fire that could kill “60 to 70” people, a decade before the tragedy. Three of Arconic’s witnesses have refused to give evidence at the inquiry. Lead Counsel to the inquiry Richard Millett presented some of the documents and questions he would have covered had they attended. Witnesses from the cavity barrier manufacturer Siderise, the British Board of Agrement, and insulation panel manufacturer Panel Systems were also questioned. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron Studio Mix: Gareth Jones

A manager at the BRE accepted he made a fundamental omission when analysing test data. Tony Baker told the inquiry he failed to notice non-combustible magnesium oxide boards used in a test by the insulation manufacturer Celotex. The inquiry also heard from David Jones of Herefordshire Building Control who produced a certificate which incorrectly stated Kingspan insulation was a material of ‘limited combustibility’. This is the standard suggested for use on buildings over 18 metres in height. He admitted taking information at ‘face value’ but told the inquiry he was misled by Kingspan.Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron Studio Mix: Gareth Jones

A manager at the BRE denied deliberately concealing test evidence. Phil Clark managed the burn hall where fire safety tests were carried out. He told the inquiry he failed to notice that a test rig for an insulation product used on Grenfell Tower had been altered to increase its chances of passing. Non-combustible magnesium oxide boards had been added to the test but were not mentioned in the BRE’s test report. Claude Schmidt, the President of Arconic Architectural Products, continued his evidence and accepted the use of the cladding panels installed on Grenfell Tower was an ‘accident waiting to happen’. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron Studio Mix: Gareth Jones

The cladding manufacturer admitted it had been ‘deliberately and dishonestly misleading’. Claude Schmidt, the President of Arconic Architectural Products, answered questions about the testing, classification and performance of the cladding panels used on Grenfell Tower – which the inquiry has established was the main cause of the spread of the 2017 fire. The cladding panels came in two different shapes - either cassette or rivet - each shape performing differently when exposed to fire. The inquiry heard that when the cassette panels ‘disastrously’ failed a fire test, the test results were not shared with certification bodies or customers. The cassette shaped cladding panels were used on Grenfell Tower. Claude Schmidt accepted that this was misleading, but denied deliberately withholding information and risking life safety. The inquiry also heard that Claude Wehrle, head of the technical sales support team, told his colleagues that the failed fire safety test should be kept ‘very confidential’. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

The inquiry returned this week with evidence from the cladding manufacturer, Arconic. UK Sales Managers Deborah French admitted she had not read building regulation guidance on cladding installed on buildings over 18 metres. She also said that for reasons of cost Arconic continued to sell cladding panels with a combustible core after a number of high profile fires. Evidence also showed that Arconic provided its clients with outdated classification certificates for its cladding panels. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

The inquiry pauses for a few weeks because of the pandemic

The inquiry heard how technical staff from the insulation manufacturer Kingspan joked that claims about the fire performance of its insulation product – Kooltherm K15 - were “all lies” and the product should be scrapped.Kingspan also hired a PR consultancy firm to help it lobby MPs who were deciding the future of building regulations just six weeks after the fire at Grenfell Tower. Emails also showed that to help justify the sale of Kingspan’s combustible insulation on buildings over 18 metres in height, Kingspan carried out a test with a non-combustible insulation deliberately designing it to perform poorly. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

The inquiry heard more evidence from insulation manufacturers Kingspan. Three of the company’s managers were questioned about their involvement in the testing and marketing of the company’s combustible insulation. The company’s Technical Manager said a contractor who had concerns about the use of Kingspan’s insulation had confused him “with someone who gives a damn”. The inquiry also revealed that an official in the Department for Communities and Local Government knew about the risks of using combustible insulation on high rises as early as 2014 – three years before the fire at Grenfell Tower. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

Former staff from Kingspan, the manufacturer of an insulation product used on Grenfell Tower gave evidence this week. Technical Project Lead Ivor Meredith, admitted he was involved in a deliberate calculated deceit carried out by the company – aimed at achieving the best possible sales for its insulation products. Only a month ago Kingspan withdrew three large scale fire test reports after accepting the product tested did not represent what they were selling.Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

Former staff from the insulation manufacturer Celotex admitted that they behaved unethically dishonestly and lied for commercial gain during their work to get a product approved for use on buildings over 18 metres in height.They admitted they adding a non-combustible material called magnesium oxide to ensure their cladding system passed a fire test and then hid details of that test from certification bodies, customers and even their own staff. Producer / Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

The Module 2 opening statements concluded as the cladding manufacturers were accused of abusing their products’ testing and certification processes. Sam Stein, who represents a group of bereaved, survivors and and residents, said the panel “may well come to the conclusion that the manufacturers, Arconic, Kingspan, and Celotex are little more than crooks and killers.” They outlined how they say the manufacturers set out to manipulate fire performance tests, resulting in unsafe products being sold for use on high rise buildings like Grenfell Tower.Staff from Celotex, which made the insulation used on the tower, said they were under pressure to raise the company’s profits by bringing a new product to the market. They admitted their marketing material was potentially misleading. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: Luke Radcliff

Opening statements of Module 2 of the inquiry. The companies which manufactured the insulation and cladding products used on Grenfell Tower were accused of ‘sinister’ behaviour to distort fire tests conducted on their materials so that their products could be used on high rise residential buildings. Module 2 of the inquiry will examine how materials used on the tower were tested, approved, advertised and sold. Stephanie Barwise who represents a group of bereaved, survivors and residents argued that manufacturers knew that the products they were selling were dangerous, yet failed to be candid with organisations which issued official classification certificates, instead viewing them as ‘mere marketing tools’ Expert witness Paul Hyett, charged with investigating the work of architects Studio E, also gave evidence to the inquiry this week. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

The TMO conclude their evidence and the inquiry hears from expert witnesses Dr Barbara Lane & Beryl Menzies. Peter Maddison, former Director of Assets and Regeneration at the Kensington and Chelsea TMO said he knew meeting contractor Rydon before the conclusion of the tender process was a commercial risk but one worth taking. He also faced questions on the late submission of his diaries and notebooks.Expert witness Beryl Menzies stated that RBKC Building Control made a fundamental failure by not asking for more details about the cladding material. And expert witness Dr Barbara Lane said fire safety consultants Exova’s failure to analyse the cladding proposals amounted to professional negligence.Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: Luke Radcliff Editor: Hugh Levinson

In October 2019 the Inquiry published its Phase 1 report, and as part of that, the chair of the Inquiry Sir Martin Moore-Bick, made 46 recommendations. They were directed at the government, the London Fire Brigade, fire and rescue and emergency services around the country, as well as landlords and managers of high rise residential buildings. To help us understand what progress has been made implementing the recommendations over the last 12 months we spoke with two experts in the industry; approved inspector Geoff Wilkinson and fire safety consultant Phil Murphy. One recommendation in particular, Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans for vulnerable residents living in high rise buildings, looks unlikely to be implemented in full. Shahrokh Aghlani explains his family’s legal case to try and ensure this recommendation is applied in full. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: May Cameron

There was a surprising start to the week when it was revealed the TMO's Director of Assets and Regeneration, Peter Maddison, failed to submit evidence to the Inquiry until four days before he was due to be questioned. It also emerged that Claire Williams from the TMO had ‘binned’ notebooks from her time working on the project. Peter Maddison admitted talking to the main contractor Rydon about saving £800,000 from the project costs, before the formal results of the tender process were announced. The inquiry heard how Claire Williams asked the main contractor for details of the fire performance of the cladding system several times. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Luke Radcliff Researcher: May Cameron

Staff from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s Tenant Management Organisation, which ran Grenfell Tower, gave evidence this week. The Inquiry heard that the TMO broke European procurement rules; they admitted they had secret meetings to discuss savings on the refurbishment and asked the architects Studio E to limit their fees in order to reduce competition in the tender process. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

Simon Cash, the Grenfell Tower Project Director at Artelia, told the Inquiry he felt uncomfortable about how part of the project’s tender process to employ a design and build contractor was carried out. He said he was not aware that Rydon, the main contractor, had been told they were in pole position to win the tender before the tender interviews had taken place. Neil Reed, also from Artelia, told the Inquiry that he thought some of Rydon’s work on the refurbishment was poor. The Inquiry also heard evidence from John Allen, head of Building Control at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. John Allen denied there was a culture of bullying in the Building Control department. He thought John Hoban, who gave evidence last week, had adequate support. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

Evidence at the Inquiry this week was dominated by the first witness from the building control department at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. John Hoban was the building control surveyor responsible for the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower. He told the Inquiry he was overworked due to funding cuts at the local council. He said he knew nothing at the time about the fire performance of the combustible core to the panels, and that he did not notice incorrectly installed cavity barriers. He admitted that this was below the standard of a reasonably competent building control surveyor. Installers of the cladding, Osborne Berry, admitted that some of their workmanship such as the incorrectly installed cavity barriers was unacceptable. The Inquiry also heard from Mark Dixon, Director of SD Plastering, responsible for installing the uPVC window surrounds. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

The Inquiry started this week with evidence from Ben Bailey, Project Manager for cladding specialists Harley Facades. In his mid-twenties at the time, he described how he changed the insulation material used and only carried out site inspections on three sides of the tower.Jonathan White, a Clerk of Works, told the Inquiry he thought it was his job to check work on the refurbishment was presentable but that it was for building control to check the building complied with regulations. The Sales Director at the cladding manufacturers CEP - Geof Blades, said he had limited knowledge of what the materials he sold were made of and that he did not check if the design met the building regulations. Andrew McQuatt, the Project Engineer with Max Fordham suggested insulation for use on Grenfell Tower. He told the Inquiry he did not know it had the potential to be so unsafe. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

Staff from cladding specialists Harley Facades gave their second week of evidence with some contradictionsThe freelance designer hired to do the detailed design work on the cladding told the inquiry he knew building regulation guidance suggested cavity barriers were necessary around windows. But these never appeared in drawings. The Design Manager said he didn’t consider it his responsibility to check whether the drawings complied with building regulations.Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

Harley’s Managing Director, Ray Bailey denied that his company put pressure on the architects Studio E to use combustible cladding materials on Grenfell. Ray Bailey said he thought the materials used on the tower complied with building regulation guidance, which he found confusing. In other evidence Zak Maynard, a Managing Surveyor for Rydon, admitted the main contractor downgraded materials around the windows of the tower due to an estimating error.Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

Rydon knew they were in ‘pole position’ to win the tender for the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower, before the formal tender process had ended, according to evidence given to the inquiry. The Refurbishment Manager agreed in his evidence that Rydon had personal and private access to staff at the Tenant Management Organisation. The tender document gave inaccurate information in the CVs of key staff. Rydon passed on incorrect figures to the TMO about potential savings from changing materials. Two site managers working on the refurbishment said that they had not checked the fire safety of the materials used to clad the exterior. One site manager, Daniel Osgood, was described by a senior colleague as “a chancer” who tried to do as little work as possible. Another site manager gave evidence about the installation of the windows, which along with the cladding played a significant role in the spread of flame on the night of the fire. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron Contact us via email: [email protected]

The Inquiry heard a full week of evidence from Rydon, the lead contractor in the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower. The Inquiry heard how Rydon relied on specialist subcontractors to raise safety concerns. Emails described some residents unhappy with the building work as ‘rebels’. And there was evidence which showed how Rydon underreported potential savings to make up for their own budgeting shortfall. Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron Contact us via email: [email protected]

The inquiry heard evidence from three of the companies involved in the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower. The consultant who reviewed the fire safety strategy said he was unaware that the works included overcladding, and no-one working for the contractor Rydon had the experience to check whether materials used in the refurbishment complied with building regulations.

This week the fire consultants Exova gave more evidence. The Inquiry heard how no fire strategy report was ever completed for Grenfell Tower, and that their last version of the report suggested the proposed changes would have no adverse effect on the risks of external fire spread. The Inquiry also heard that the lead consultant working on the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower said he was unaware of any of the materials designers were planning to use on the building, but was sent details of the materials in email attachments he did not read.Presenter / Producer: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron Contacts us via email: [email protected]

More than three years after the fire at Grenfell tower, hundreds of buildings around the country are still covered in ACM – the same type of cladding used at Grenfell. As Phase 2 of the inquiry restarts after a four month break, we hear from residents who have been living in buildings with combustible cladding. Producer / Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Sharon Hemans Researcher: May Cameron

This week Cate Cooney, a former employee of the fire safety consultancy Exova gave her evidence, before the inquiry was suspended due to the outbreak of Covid-19.The fire safety strategy for the existing building was written by a consultant who never visited the site. It decided that a number of features which didn’t meet current building regulations were ‘satisfactory’. Presenter / producer : Kate Lamble Producer: Luke Radcliff Researcher: May Cameron Contact us via email: [email protected]

This week the architects Studio E gave more evidence. The Inquiry heard how the materials used in the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower were chosen and how some of the design features were selected. Witnesses said the initial selection of the combustible cladding was based on appearance and price, and blamed what they called misleading marketing material for their choice of insulation. Presenter / Producer : Kate Lamble Producer: Luke Radcliff Researcher: May Cameron Contact us via email: [email protected]

The architectural company which designed the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower started their evidence this week. The Inquiry heard how none of the initial team working on the project had any experience in cladding high rise residential buildings, and that the lead architect was not familiar with specific regulations for high rise buildings. Presenter / producer : Kate Lamble Producer: Luke Radcliff Researcher: May Cameron Contact us via email: [email protected]