Those responsible for Higher Risk Buildings are responsible for demonstrating the Golden Thread under the Building Safety Act, but what does this actually mean?
In this blog post we'll look at what the draft secondary legislation - The Higher-Risk Buildings (Key Building Information etc.) (England) Regulations 2023 - is saying and what that could mean for those in the real estate industry.
It is important to note that this blog does not constitute legal advice, it is simply for guidance purposes only! You can do your own reading using the link above.
The Golden Thread is made up of what is being referred to as "Key Building Information". This information covers a number of areas as outlined below:
1. Ancillary Building: Does the building have any ancillary building(s), and is that ancillary building a higher-risk building?
2. Use: what is the principal use of each of the higher-risk, ancillary, primary and outbuildings (if applicable)? What is the subordinate use of these? The use must be described as one of the following categories:
a) Residential (dwellings)
b) Residential (institutional)
c) Residential (other)
d) Office
e) Shop and commercial
f) Assembly and recreation
g) Industrial
h) Storage and other non-residential
3. Materials:
a) What is the external wall made of? If more than one material is present, what are the percentages of the materials used?
b) If there is insulation of the external wall, what material(s) have been used and what is the percentage of coverage for each?
c) What is the main waterproofing material for the roof? Is there separate insulation? Is the roof plane pitched or flat?
4. Fixtures on External Walls: What type are they (balconies, canopies etc)? What are they made of?
5. Structure: What is the main material used? What type of structural design does the building have?
6. Storeys and Staircases: How many storeys are below ground? How many staircases? Of those, how many serve below ground and above as part of the same staircase?
7. Energy: What is the energy supply to the building? What is the energy storage system (if any)?
8. Emergency Planning: What evacuation strategy is in place? What is there in terms of fire and smoke detection, and where is it all?
As you can see, none of the information required is unusual - however it will often be held by different parties in a variety of different formats or on differing software platforms.
This information just needs to be in the same place, digitised, shareable and secure. This is where Building Passport comes in!
How are you curating your Golden Thread?
Comments