An Industry Overview: Three Months of the Building Safety Act’s Secondary Legislation
Join us for an insightful roundtable discussion hosted by Operance and Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) as we mark three months since the secondary legislation of the Building Safety Act came into effect on 1 October 2023. This event brought together key stakeholders from across the building safety ecosystem to discuss the legislation’s impact, the sector’s readiness, and the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Key Takeaways:
Adapting to Change: The industry is gradually adapting to the Building Safety legislation, but full comprehension of its impact will take time.
Golden Thread Clarity: Clearer definitions around the Golden Thread of information management are needed.
Cultural Shifts: Integrating building safety across all design and build processes remains challenging.
Shared Responsibility: Collaboration and shared responsibility among all stakeholders are essential for success.
Discussion Highlights:
Industry Readiness
A survey conducted by RLB and Operance revealed that 25% of industry professionals felt unprepared for the legislative changes. David Jones, Director of Education & Training at ICM, remarked, “Everything’s changed, but nothing’s changed. It’s a new way of doing what you did.”
Golden Thread Challenges
The ‘Golden Thread’ of information, a key legislative requirement, ensures a collective approach to managing building information. Panellists noted significant challenges due to a lack of a cohesive approach across the building lifecycle. Samantha Mepham, National Head of Health & Safety Services at RLB, said, “There are still uncertainties around how much it’s going to cost and how long it’s going to take because the regulation hasn’t been tested yet.”
Competency and Resource Challenges
Defining competency and understanding the cultural shift needed for integrating building safety throughout the project lifecycle were key topics. Scott Pilgram, Chief Product Officer at Operance, commented, “Competency, once you go into it in finer detail, is still quite a grey area.”
Digital Solutions as Enablers
The roundtable explored whether digital solutions could facilitate the necessary cultural shift. However, resource availability remains a challenge. David Jones highlighted, “Research shows that 58% of the industry is digitally illiterate in two of the 20 basic digital skills.”
Compliance and Cultural Shifts
The industry’s response to the cultural shift required for integrating building safety was discussed, with a focus on moving beyond compliance as a tick-box exercise. Paul Beeston, Head of Industry & Service Insight at RLB, stated, “The biggest change is the collaborative culture of it. Building safety is not a project, it is a mission.”
Setting the Right Standards
Participants agreed that the competencies required by the new legislation were not too high a bar. Chris Tongue, Director at C80 Group, concluded, “It has caused upheaval, but we think it is the right thing for construction.”
Positive Outcomes of the Building Safety Act
Participants highlighted desired outcomes, including increased collaboration, enhanced safety, and digitally upskilling the workforce. Sun-mee Ban, Principal Design Manager at Wates Residential, said, “We need to talk, agree, and find a strategy together.” Gary McCormick from the Sovereign Network added, “I want the Act to be in people’s hearts and, if not their hearts, their minds at least.”
Meet the Panellists
Samantha Mepham, National Head of Health & Safety Services, RLB UK
Scott Pilgram, Chief Product Officer, Operance
Gary McCormick, Business Analyst, Sovereign Network Group
David Jones, Director of Education & Training at ICM, Head of Compliance and Competence at NAADUK, and Chair of Construction Industry Council London & South-East Region
Sun-mee Ban, Principal Design Manager, Wates Residential
Chris Tongue, Director, C80 Group
Conclusion
This roundtable event highlighted the industry’s efforts to adapt to the Building Safety Act’s secondary legislation. The discussions underscored the importance of collaboration, digital transformation, and shared responsibility for building safety. These insights will play a crucial role in shaping the future of building safety and compliance.
Subscribe and Stay Informed:
Don't miss out on future industry insights and updates on building safety and compliance. Subscribe to our channel for more informative content and join the discussion. Like, comment, and share your thoughts on the Building Safety Act’s impact on our industry.
#BuildingSafetyAct #Operance #RLB #GoldenThread #BuildingSafety #ConstructionIndustry #DigitalTransformation #Compliance #BuildingSafetyLegislation #IndustryRoundtable
Негізгі бет The New Age of Building Safety Built to Last hosted by Operance and Rider Levett Bucknall
Пікірлер