External Wall System Assessment Training Programme

Method of study 

This online course allows you to study at your own pace and is divided into two parts: Assessment 1 and Assessment 2. 

• Assessment 1 includes all the learning materials; eLearning, videos, and reading. At the end, you'll take a multiple-choice test. You have 60 days to complete and pass Assessment 1. Once passed, you can move on to:
• Assessment 2, where you’ll complete a case study assessment. This part must be finished and submitted within 28 days.
   

Note: there is a four-week wait between Assessment 1 and Assessment 2.  

Overview 

What is the External Wall System Assessment Training Programme? 

This programme is a Level 6 Award qualification, designed to equip surveying professionals with the skills and knowledge to conduct External Wall Systems (EWS) assessments. This includes the ability to carry out Fire Risk Appraisals of External Walls (FRAEWs) for buildings under 18 metres and to complete EWS1 forms under Option A and Option B for buildings classified as low or medium risk. 

Please be aware that the RICS EWS Assessment Training Programme is highly specialised and demands a solid foundation of technical knowledge and practical skills related to external wall systems. The programme is designed to challenge even experienced professionals, and success will require significant commitment to learning and assessment readiness. 

The EWS assessment training programme is designed for candidates in the UK who already have a base knowledge to undertake external wall systems assessments for low to medium risk residential buildings; increasing the number of professionals to support the current market demand. 

You should be based or work in the UK to take this course. 

Further information and FAQ is available here.

Key features of the qualification include: 

• Accredited by ABBE (Awarding Body for the Built Environment) and regulated by Ofqual. 

• Developed to address the rising demand for qualified professionals in fire safety and building assessments, specifically focusing on the assessment of external wall systems.

This course provides participants with the competencies needed to assess and report on EWS in line with current fire safety standards, enhancing their ability to contribute to safer built environments.
 

The training programme covers:  

• Pre-inspection processes, including legal frameworks and contract setup.  

• Inspection techniques, fire safety materials, and their impact on fire risks.  

• Post-inspection procedures, including completing documentation and advising on remediation. 

Who can enrol on this course?

• MRICS or FRICS who qualified via the Building Control or Building Surveying pathway 
• CABE, CIAT, CIOB or IFE – specific conditions for each  
• AssocRICS who qualified via the Building Control pathway 
• AssocRICS, MRICS, or FRICS who qualified via any other pathway will be required to first complete an RICS Fire Safety course, equivalent to 5 hours of learning, and successfully pass the associated quiz, before being enrolled on the EWS course. This requirement ensures you will possess the necessary foundational knowledge of fire safety, which is crucial for fully understanding the content of the EWS training programme. There is no additional cost for completing this course.

Criteria for other professional bodies:  

Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)

• CABE Chartered member (MCABE, MCABE C.Build E or FCABE) with:  
  • at least 10 years’ relevant industry experience.  
  • at least five years’, in the last 10 years, experience in Building Control, Building Surveying or Fire Engineering disciplines.  
  • must complete and pass the CABE Principles of Fire Safety Training course. This final criterion is waived where a member is also a registered fire engineer with the Institution of Fire Engineers. 
     

Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE)

• IFE member – at MIFireE or CEng/IEng level only - MIFireE, FIFireE or CEng/IEng members with:  
  • a qualification at level 4 or above covering fire safety and/or fire engineering.  
  • a declaration to attest at least 10 years’ relevant industry experience.  
  • a declaration to attest at least five years’ experience, in the last 10 years, in a fire safety related discipline.
     

Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT)

• Chartered Architectural Technologists (MCIAT) vetted by CIAT membership department.
   

Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)

• CIOB member (MCIOB) - Chartered members with:
  
  • the CIOB Fire Safety for Construction certificate or   
  • have a degree in Fire Safety at Level 6 or above. 
     

Other points to note: 

Applicants should be aware that eligibility for this training programme requires that they have not been previously, and are not currently, the subject of any disciplinary investigation, action, or proceedings by a professional body. By submitting an application, candidates affirm this status and acknowledge that providing false or misleading information may result in the rejection of their application or removal from the programme. 

Potential delegates do not need to be practising or be completing EWS1 Forms (a previous MHCLG requirement). Academics, and others looking to increase their knowledge and understanding can join if eligible. 

Assessment 1: A one-hour, 47-question closed book multiple-choice exam that is taken online in the presence of an invigilator. The pass mark is 70%.  

Assessment 2: A case study based test with information taken from real life examples and situations to test the application of knowledge.