The concept of the ‘golden thread’ under the Building Safety Act 2022 is often perceived as complex and daunting, but it fundamentally revolves around ensuring that the right information is available to the right people at the right time.
This principle is vital across all design stages, from the initial concept through to the delivery and construction process to ensure that duty holders identify, understand, manage, and mitigate building safety risks throughout a building’s life-cycle – in essence it’s a digital record that has been designed to help not hinder the entire process from the outset of design, through construction and during occupation.
Whilst the legal concept of the golden thread is specific to Higher-Risk Buildings, it can be seen to be an important concept to enable the management of any building in a safe manner
It is relevant to design work, building work and maintenance to ensure compliance with legal duties and ensure building safety is at the forefront at all times. Once established, during occupation, for example, modifications or enhancements to a building are accurately documented and enable building owners to proactively identify potential risks or hazards and take corrective action throughout a building’s lifecycle.
Some of the most critical principles are:
- Right information at the right time: Ensuring that all stakeholders, from architects to contractors, to facilities managers, have access to accurate and up-to-date information.
- Proportionate to the scheme: The level of detail in the golden thread should be appropriate to the size and complexity of the building.
- Electronic format: All information must be stored electronically to ensure consistency and accessibility.
- Accountability and security: Information must be secure, accountable, understandable, consistent, simple to access, and durable.
- Principal accountable person: In the case of a high-rise residential building, there must be a designated individual, often the facilities manager, who knows the building inside out and is responsible for managing its safety.
These principles ensure that safety information is not only available but also actionable, allowing for effective management of building throughout its life.
Bureau Veritas provides assurance services to clients, which includes guiding them on implementing the golden thread from the outset.
Higher-Risk Buildings
We are now moving beyond a time of what, for many, often seemed like endless debates and webinars providing updates and opinions of what the new regime under the Building Safety Act 2022 may look like.
Many are now taking their first steps into projects that necessitate them to think differently about how they as individuals and their organisations approach delivery of design and building work. This is regardless of whether they are dealing with what may be classified as a Higher-Risk Building (HRB) or indeed a non-HRB. This extends from new duties for individuals with a focus on competence on all schemes controlled under building regulations through to the new procedural requirements for a HRB.
For the HRB, The Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023, which is one of the many pieces of legislation that has been created or modified under the Building Safety Act 2022, this brings a number of submission documents that must be approved before commencement on site.
This includes; competence declarations, a change control plan, a building regulations compliance statement, a mandatory recurrence reporting plan and a level of design that demonstrates how the work will comply with building regulations.
Whilst these requirements are specific to a HRB submission, it is perhaps difficult to argue that the philosophy behind these is not essential to ensuring a safe building whatever its classification.
Take a Change Control Plan, which perhaps has often centred on a commercial basis, should we not be able to demonstrate the consideration given to potential compliance issues with building regulations long before building?
Or in the case of the Construction Control Plan, should we not be able to describe the strategies for how the building work will be managed in order to maintain compliance with building regulations. Central to all of this is a consideration of how information on the design and construction will be managed and stored and ultimately ensure that this information is available to ensure ongoing building safety once occupied.
Marc Bradfield, Director at Bureau Veritas, outlines some key observations during the last few months:
“Early consideration is crucial yet is not happening soon enough. Starting a project and then beginning the golden thread of information is far too late and will come under scrutiny later on down the line and that’s where, on some occasions, we have been brought in to help.
“By engaging us at the early stages of design, clients have assurance that the golden thread principle and requirements are firmly established, ensuring that all information is accurately captured and maintained from the off.
“Furthermore, proactive compliance is achieved this way, as clients who integrate the golden thread early on experience are likely to face fewer delays and compliance issues, benefiting from a streamlined approval process at the gateway stages.
“Data integrity, consistency and accuracy are also among the mistakes we have witnessed and been brought in to help, all enhanced by ensuring that team members work with the same information, preventing discrepancies and improving overall safety and quality.
“And while software solutions can aid in managing the golden thread, it is essential for users to understand the underlying principles of building safety; software is a tool, not a solution in itself. A centralised and trusted source of information, the single source of truth, helps in making informed decisions and managing changes effectively.”
Things to Consider with the Golden Thread
- Start Early: Integrate the golden thread from the concept stage.
- Clarity on Content: agree with the team the information that needs to be captured through the project.
- Designate Responsibility: Ensure there is clarity on who is managing the golden thread, and the responsibilities of every contributor
- Use Electronic Formats: Mandate digital records for consistency.
- Ensure Proportionality: Tailor the level of detail to the building’s complexity.
- Maintain Accuracy: Regularly update information to reflect changes.
- Secure Information: Implement robust security measures.
- Facilitate Access: Ensure information is easily accessible to all relevant stakeholders.
- Promote Understanding: Educate team members on the importance of the golden thread.
- Plan for Longevity: Ensure the information can be maintained over the building's lifecycle.
- Audit and Review: Regularly audit the information to ensure integrity, compliance and accuracy.
The golden thread is an essential aspect of building safety that needs to be considered from the very beginning of any project. By integrating this concept early on, users can ensure that all safety information is accurate, accessible, and actionable.
While it may seem daunting, the golden thread boils down to maintaining accurate and accessible safety information throughout a building’s lifecycle. By following basic principles, building projects will not only comply with regulations but also upholds the highest standards of safety and quality.
Marc Bradfield, Director at Bureau Veritas
