The dominant risk is selecting whichever clause produces the easiest answer
International projects often cite Georgian legislation, authority comments, client standards, CIBSE guidance, British and European standards, ASHRAE criteria and NFPA provisions in the same brief. Those references do not automatically form a coherent design basis. They may use different terminology, climate assumptions, test methods, safety factors or legal duties.
The design team must therefore establish which requirements are statutory, which are contractual, which provide calculation or performance guidance and how conflicts will be resolved.
Start with local statutory requirements
Applicable Georgian law, Decree No. 41, authority conditions and location-specific duties form the legal baseline. The project must identify the current edition, scope and approval route. An international standard cannot be used to reduce a local statutory requirement unless the competent authority accepts a properly justified alternative route.
Record the client and project criteria
Employer’s requirements, operator standards, insurer conditions, certification targets and a fire strategy may impose duties beyond the legal minimum. These become contractual criteria when incorporated into the appointment or project documents. The Basis of Design should distinguish them from statutory requirements.
Use guidance for the question it was written to answer
CIBSE may establish design methods, climate data and system guidance; ASHRAE may provide ventilation, comfort or energy criteria; product and system standards may define construction and testing. Applying one document outside its scope can be as misleading as ignoring it.
Choose the superior outcome without creating incompatibility
Where an international provision offers a demonstrably safer or higher-performing result, the team should test compatibility with local law, architecture, controls, commissioning and authority expectations. The departure and approval route must be recorded before the design is issued.
Acceptance criterion
The standards basis is ready when a competent reviewer can identify the legal minimum, contractual enhancements, adopted engineering guidance, conflicts, departures, approval status and measurable evidence required to verify the completed system.