Building regulations are constantly evolving. And on July 1, 2025, it’s happening again: a new set of changes to the Besluit bouwwerken leefomgeving (BBL) — the Dutch Building Works Decree for the Living Environment — will take effect. The changes are technical, but their impact is very practical, especially if you’re involved in permitting, design, or inspection work.

But what exactly is changing? And more importantly, what should you be paying attention to?

First, a quick refresher: what is the BBL again?

The BBL, or Building Works Decree for the Living Environment, is the successor to the former Bouwbesluit. It lays out the rules every building in the Netherlands must comply with, covering safety, health, usability, and sustainability. Whether you're building with or without a permit, the BBL always applies.

What’s new: from thresholds to CO₂ monitors

This latest round of updates focuses primarily on accessibility, reachability, health, and fire safety. Here are a few key changes:

🔸 Stricter requirements for level differences

Is your threshold higher than 2 centimeters? You’ll no longer be allowed to simply place a bike ramp next to it. In many situations, a ramp or lift will be required. For example, at the entrance to external storage spaces or balconies. Routes from the public road to a main entrance must also meet clearer requirements.

🔸 New concept: the “main entrance”

Not every door counts as an entrance. The BBL now explicitly defines a main entrance as the doorway intended for general use. These main entrances are now subject to stricter rules around accessibility and reachability, depending on the building’s function.

🔸 CO₂ monitors become mandatory in educational spaces

In both new and existing school buildings, every occupied room must be equipped with a CO₂ monitor. This applies even to older and previously existing buildings. The monitor may run on mains power or battery, as long as it includes a signal for when the battery is running low.

🔸 Fire safety: double hose connections

Fire hose connection requirements are getting stricter in new builds. Every floor must now have two hose connections: one inside the smoke lobby, and one in the adjacent space. This ensures that the fire department always has water access, no matter where a fire breaks out.

Already have an accessible route? Then you must keep it

If a pathway was created to meet accessibility standards at the time of construction, it must be maintained — even if those standards no longer apply. There’s no requirement to create new paths, but existing ones can’t simply be removed.

Why all these changes?

These updates are part of a broader push toward more inclusive, safer, and healthier buildings. That means more consideration for people who don’t always fit the default ‘norm’: wheelchair users, children, the elderly, or anyone with limited mobility. And it also means better air quality and faster emergency response for everyone.

What does this mean for your work?

If you deal with permit applications, building plans, or regulatory oversight: these are changes you need to know. A slope of 1:10 isn’t just a detail. And missing a CO₂ monitor could easily mean your plan gets rejected.

Struck helps you stay ahead — with the updated BBL

Here’s the good news: the new BBL rules effective July 1, 2025 are already available in Struck’s database. That means you can check today what will apply to your parcel, your situation, and your project. Our smart tools automatically account for the most up-to-date legislation, including the latest updates published in Staatsblad 2024, no. 368.

No guesswork. No maze. Just clarity.

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