Divided into three parts, the documents are intended to clarify the identification of key data needs for projects
The golden thread guidance comes as a result of the Building Safety Act 2022, which requires a golden thread of data allowing accountable people to demonstrate assessment and management of risks to building safety.
The documents include a master list and sources for information.
The CLC released guidance last year
The golden thread is a thread of information and documentation, right from the building’s inception, of safety management. This includes aspects such as maintenance for fire safety, architectural plans, engineering reports, people in charge at each stage, etc. This thread of information makes it easy to identify what needs addressing and, should an incident come to pass, makes it easier to determine at what stage more should have been done and who is responsible.
The Construction Leadership Council published guidance on the golden thread in August last year. The Building Safety Alliance’s own guidance is intended to build on the CLC’s, and is the result of voluntary work by a panel of experts over a number of years.
This guidance is a soft launch intended to support the technical side of the golden thread and those familiar with the legislation. Stakeholders are now being invited to join a discussion on the approach and standardise it to others outside of the current demographic, including those relatively new to the golden thread.
The Chartered Institute of Housing collaborated with the alliance in the development of the guidance, which can be found and downloaded for free on the Building Safety Alliance website.
“Our aim was to integrate existing standards and industry frameworks”
Anthony Taylor, chair of the Building Safety Alliance, said: “I’m proud to be part of this cross sector collaboration, which included experts from across the digital built environment, experts in information requirements, data structuring, management and labelling – our thanks in particular go to Mark Snelling and Alison Verdin, the technical authors of the prescribed documents table, nima, the BIM for social housing toolkit team, the policy teams at MHCLG and the Building Safety Regulator and the chair of the group Gordon Mitchell who brought his experience in ISO/ and European Data standards to bare.
“The aim of the soft launch is to ensure that we can now adjust the standardised framework and guidance to various personas and audiences across the built environment so that we can continue to simplify the complex regulatory environment for those needing to navigate it.”
Gordon Mitchell, chair of the Building Safety Alliance Special Interest Group 3, said: “Our aim was to integrate existing standards and industry frameworks – such as ISO19650, various safety standards and Uniclass, – to enable harmonisation and compatibility, streamline processes, and enhance information sharing across the built environment. But we’re not done yet, we’re seeking to deliver on a long-term vision of a fully integrated and digitally enabled built environment of the 2050 world and will continue to collaborate in the building safety space to that end.”
CIH policy lead for asset management, building safety, and culture, Eve Blezard, said: “The golden thread is one of the most important parts of the new building safety regime, and vital for ensuring we have the information we need to keep residents safe in their homes.
“CIH is pleased to have collaborated with other members of the Building Safety Alliance to produce this guidance, which we hope will support our members – as well as the housing sector as a whole – to fulfil their golden thread duties.
“The publication of the guidance is a significant milestone, but not the end of this work. The safety and quality of our homes is the fundamental building block for good health and wellbeing, and CIH will continue to work with the Building Safety Alliance in developing guidance, good practice, and further tools to help our members navigate and effectively implement building safety legislation.”
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