The road to regulatory reform has been a challenging one, but it’s one the construction industry needs to continue following if it wants to rebuild public trust post-Grenfell.
Whilst good progress has been made, I don’t think most appreciated the complexity and variety of the legislation’s requirements, particularly the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA). Conceived and created via consultation, many also underestimated the commitment and investment needed to comply.
There’s no doubt the impact on expenses took some by surprise, further stretching tight budgets. Yet it is one which must be incurred if we’re to achieve a safer, better quality, built environment. Speaking at NBS’ recent Construction Leaders’ Summit, Dame Judith Hackitt was correct when she highlighted that this was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to put things right.
However, whilst making a firm commitment to improve the situation is one thing, knowing how to proceed hasn’t been so easy. The seemingly uninterrupted conveyor belt of legislation aimed at housebuilders, developers, contractors and asset owners can seem daunting; just as one code has been complied, another new provision comes into force.
With the second staircase rules, Gateways 3, and the BSA’s Higher-Risk Building Regulations coming into force as of October, staying within the letter of the law has become a priority. A large part of this comes down to possessing complete and correct whole-life asset information, which means contractors and specifiers nationwide will be busy getting their data in order.
It’s easier said than done. We now live in an era where digital assets are as important as the bricks and mortar they support, yet there’s so much to account for. Really, part of the current headache is not so much how information is collated but what needs to be collected to satisfy the regulator. Many are still unclear about the definition of the ‘right’ data and where it needs to be stored.
There’s a degree of confusion that needs to be overcome. Essentially, we need more clarity around the requirements and it will require the entire industry including the Government, HSE, and the CCPI to adopt a more strategic approach that better aligns information requirements to regulations, standards, and system schemas. Learning what is required ad hoc, with limited guidance to date, can lead to frustrations but also means requirements are open to subjective interpretation, which is not an ideal place to be.
Yet it’s not a quick fix, and it would be naive to suggest so. Standardisation will mean unpicking current, overlapping standards and regulations, sometimes this is very subtle and requires a methodical approach and high attention to detail. Of course, this will take time to achieve. So at this stage, clients need to have a hawk eye to ensure no stone is left unturned.
That’s not all, the industry is trying to stay on top of constant regulatory updates, which are not always well communicated. This means that not only do those responsible for information management need to be sifting through the data with the finest toothcomb, they must also carefully monitor the policy agenda to ensure the business doesn’t suddenly fall out of compliance. If requirements are overlooked in error, no matter the efforts taken to understand them, it can lead to delays in completion or building occupancy so businesses need to introduce their own safeguards.
There is a way to mitigate the impact and, as with so many of the challenges facing contemporary construction, the answer lies in the information we have and the digital technology available. In this case, digital information management tools and personnel provide a panacea.
Fundamentally, investing in a data team and the right tools will help streamline a nebulous process across systems and ensure a golden thread of information is established and properly managed. Encouragingly, many developers, contractors and asset owners are making provisions in these areas.
However, whilst we are seeing a rapid increase in solution adoption, some still lag behind the curve. Not only are they missing out on the massive benefits offered, but soon they will be compelled to show what methods they have used to find, store, and manage information, as well as share it with key stakeholder including the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) and building residents. Anything less than the requirements could result in stiff sanctions, so it definitely pays to get ahead now.
There are no shortcuts either. This is not just a bolt-on exercise or something which can be added to an existing person’s role. It requires a dedicated division/service inextricably linked to your commercial operation. Furthermore, those managing this need to be equipped with the best tools to do the job.
Fortunately, these tools, including our own portfolio of solutions to support the digitisation and compliance of information to meet regulatory requirements, are mainstream, affordable, and interoperable, while also being easy to assimilate with existing tech stacks and instantly operational.
We understand it’s a difficult time for built environment businesses as they seek to stay compliant and we sympathise with the scale and pace of change. That said, we’re at a point of no return and the rate of change is only going to get faster, meaning the ability to comply at pace will become a signzutecificant commercial advantage as much as a social one. That’s why getting the right systems and team on board to guide you through this period of strict compliance pays dividends in the future, keeping you in step with the regulator.
Maria Hudson, CMO, Zutec