The old UK BIM (Building Information Modelling) standards became obsolete in 2018, yet we still see a lot of the construction industry using out-of-date terminology.  

If you’re still talking about BIM “level 1” or “level 2”, you might need bringing up to date on the latest BIM standards.  

But, don’t worry, we’re here to break it down for you in the first instalment of our BIM Basics series.  

Below, we outline some of the key differences between the old and latest standards, plus link to some resources that will bring your knowledge up to scratch.

But first, what is BIM?

Short for Building Information Modelling, BIM is an information management process.  

A common misconception is BIM is all about 3D modelling, but it’s so much more than that.  

In fact, our resident BIM expert Dave Peacock often explains it as “Better Information Management”.  

It’s about making the right information available to the right person at the right time. 

BIM is a process for defining, creating and delivering structured data and documentation. This allows everyone involved in the project access to the right information at the right time. 

From 2007, the UK adopted its own BIM standards (BS1192 and PAS1192), but this was replaced by a globally focused set of standards in 2018, known as ISO 19650.

The transition from the old UK BIM standards to the latest ISO standards reflects a shift towards global standardisation and collaboration across borders.  

The aim is to have a global framework that can be applied universally across different countries and regions.  

1. Structure – the structure and format of ISO 19650 are standardised to facilitate this worldwide adoption. 
2. Interoperability – the aim is to enable seamless information exchange, so the latest standards establish common principles, terminology, and methodologies.

This article explores how BIM can help building owners with Building Safety Act compliance.

The prioritisation of building safety has never been as big of a focal point as it is today. Ensuring our buildings are resilient for the future, protect human life and instil trust and confidence in their occupants is crucial as our population grows and more infrastructure is required.  

The Grenfell Tower disaster and the subsequent introduction of the Building Safety Act underscored the importance of building safety for building owners.  

But how can Building Information Modelling (BIM) help support building owners in complying with the Act?

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a smart process that changes the way we plan, build and take care of buildings and all kinds of infrastructure.   

Contrary to popular belief, it’s much more than a digital 3D model outcome. BIM uses all kinds of data about buildings and their zones, floors, spaces and more, in both graphical (I.e. the 3D BIM Model) and non-graphical (I.e. COBie data).   

The BIM process helps everyone who is involved in a project, and those responsible for the built asset beyond handover, to work together and share important information. This reduces project and lifecycle risks associated with time, cost, quality and safety.

We would like to welcome our new Lead Project Coordinator, Shoughan Dilshad’s, to Operance. We sat down with Shoughan, Operance’s newest Lead Project Coordinator, to learn more about her journey and what drew her to join the Operance family.

Shoughan joined Operance on the 13th of November, and her decision to become a part of Operance is a tale of resilience, networking, and seizing the right opportunity. Her journey began when the company she worked for faced administration in September. The opportunity to work for Operance was shared through her network. Shoughan, having explored various leads, saw this as a chance to continue her work in an area similar to her previous role as a CDE coordinator.

Shoughan’s story highlights the power of networking and how a well-timed opportunity can reshape one’s professional path. Her decision to join Operance wasn’t just about finding a job; it was about aligning her expertise in O&M with a role specifically tailored for the end stage of construction projects.

What drew Shoughan to Operance was a combination of confidence in her skills and a desire for a more focused role. Her wealth of experience in O&Ms from previous roles, coupled with innovative ideas for improving the O&M process, made Operance an ideal fit.

Moreover, Operance offered her the chance to dive into a specific aspect of the construction industry that she was passionate about. It was an opportunity to contribute to the end stage of projects, particularly in the realm of handovers. Shoughan saw Operance not just as a startup, but as a unique platform where she could leverage her knowledge and make a significant impact.

We look forward to seeing the positive impact Shoughan will undoubtedly bring to the Operance team. Welcome aboard!

Shoughan’s role as Lead Project Coordinator is central to ensuring the seamless management of projects on the Operance platform. Her daily responsibilities encompass a range of tasks critical to project success. This includes overseeing user onboarding, ensuring timely assignment of sections within the platform, and actively chasing subcontractors or consultants for outstanding information.

A key facet of her role involves continuous improvement. Shoughan is actively engaged in generating ideas and enhancements for the Operance platform, contributing valuable feedback to the product team. This dual role—balancing project management with a focus on platform evolution—underscores Shoughan’s multifaceted contribution to Operance.

Looking ahead, Shoughan discusses plans to expand the service team. A new Project Coordinator is set to join, with the aim of creating a robust team under Shoughan’s leadership. This strategic move not only aims to optimise workload distribution but also to enhance the overall service quality provided by Operance.

By strengthening the service team, Operance aims not only to meet but exceed client expectations. Shoughan emphasises the importance of aligning sales promises with service delivery, creating a synergy that fosters long-term client satisfaction and loyalty.

In conclusion, Shoughan’s role as Lead Project Coordinator is pivotal in shaping the operational success of Operance. Her blend of project management acumen, commitment to continuous improvement, and strategic team expansion align with Operance’s vision for excellence in project delivery and client service.

When it comes to unwinding, Shoughan reveals a desire for an active and dynamic lifestyle. She discloses herself as a dedicated gym enthusiast, striving to hit the gym a minimum of three times a week and ideally five. This commitment to fitness extends beyond the gym, with activities such as swimming, walks, and hiking finding a place in her routine.

Beyond the world of fitness, Shoughan unveils another facet of her leisure time. She identifies herself as a movie fan, expressing a love for cinema that spans a wide range of genres. With a particular fondness for mystery, sci-fi, and crime, she shares her passion for watching movies and exploring diverse narratives.

BREEAM – Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (let’s stick with BREEAM) – is the world’s longest-established method of assessing, rating and certifying the sustainability of buildings.   

Around 550,000 buildings have been BREEAM certified, so if you’re looking to add your building project to that list, there are a few things you need to know first.   

Our guide to BREEAM is a great starting point.   

Below, we cover: 

• What is BREEAM? 
• How is BREEAM calculated?
• What are the different BREEAM schemes? 
• What are BREEAM standards?
• What are BREEAM credits?
• What are BREEAM ratings?
• How does BREEAM certification work?
• Is BREEAM a legal requirement?
• Is BREEAM worth it?

In short, BREEAM is the standard for best practice for sustainable buildings and their design, construction and operation.  

Launched in 1990 by the Building Research Establishment (BRE), BREEAM is a sustainability assessment method that sets standards for the environmental performance of buildings, through design, specification, construction and operation phases.

To achieve BREEAM certification, your building project must undergo a comprehensive assessment process that involves various categories, each with specific criteria. 

In this guide, we talk more about the different BREEAM schemes, standards, categories, criteria and ratings.

BREEAM has a suite of schemes, which include various frameworks tailored to specific types of buildings and projects:  

BREEAM New Construction

Aimed at new buildings. Assesses the environmental performance of various types of construction projects, including commercial, residential, industrial, and public buildings. 

BREEAM In-Use

Focuses on the operational phase of existing buildings. Assesses the sustainability and environmental performance of the building in terms of management, energy, water, and other key factors. 

BREEAM Refurbishment and Fit-Out

Specifically designed for existing buildings undergoing refurbishment or fit-out projects. Evaluates the environmental impact of renovation and improvement activities. 

BREEAM Communities

Assesses the sustainability of large-scale developments, including residential, commercial, and mixed-use projects. It considers the environmental, social, and economic aspects of the entire development.

BREEAM standards refer to the specific criteria and guidelines set by BRE (Building Research Establishment) for assessing and certifying the environmental performance of your building.  

The assessment focusses on a range of categories, including: 

• Management 
• Water 
• Energy  
• Transport  
• Health and wellbeing  
• Resources 
• Resilience  
• Land use and ecology  
• Pollution  
• Materials 
• Waste  
• Innovation  

Each category addresses factors such as low-impact design and carbon emissions reduction, design durability and resilience, adaptation to climate change, and biodiversity protection.   

Within each category, there are specific criteria and performance benchmarks that a building must meet to earn BREEAM credits (see below).

Points are awarded to your building project during a BREEAM assessment. These points are known as BREEAM credits.  

Building projects earn credits based on how well they meet or exceed the specified criteria.  

To achieve a specific BREEAM rating (see below), your building project must accumulate a minimum number of credits.

BREEAM ratings range from Acceptable, to Pass, Good, Very Good, Excellent to Outstanding. They are reflected as stars on your BREEAM certificate.

The BREEAM process can be broken down into the following stages: 

1. Find a licensed BREEAM assessor 
2. Register your project  
3. Undertake the BREEAM assessment 
4. Quality Assurance check of the assessment  
5. BREEAM certification

The BREEAM process can be broken down into the following stages: 

1. Find a licensed BREEAM assessor 
2. Register your project  
3. Undertake the BREEAM assessment 
4. Quality Assurance check of the assessment  
5. BREEAM certification

With the growing need to prioritise sustainability in construction, you may wonder if BREEAM is mandatory or a planning requirement for new buildings.  

However, BREEAM is not a legal requirement – it’s an entirely voluntary certification. 

Sources:  

• Build Energy – https://www.buildenergy.co.uk/services/breeam/what-is-breeam/  
• BRE Group – https://bregroup.com/products/breeam/how-breeam-works/  
• NBS – https://www.thenbs.com/knowledge/what-is-breeam 

Building Information Modelling (BIM), contrary to popular belief, is much more than a digital 3D model outcome. BIM is a smart process that changes the way we plan, build and take care of buildings and all kinds of infrastructure.  

BIM utilises all kinds of data about buildings and its zones, floors, spaces and more, in both graphical (I.e. the 3D BIM Model) and non-graphical (I.e. COBie data).  

The BIM process helps everyone who is involved in a project, and those responsible for the built asset beyond handover, to work together and share important information. This reduces project and lifecycle risks associated with time, cost, quality and safety.

Enhanced collaboration – A clear visualisation of the project’s design and functionality encourages seamless collaboration between architects, designers, engineers, contractors and other stakeholders. 

For instance, each designer has their own 3D design – the architect, structural engineer, mechanical engineer, electrical engineer etc.  

We overlay all the design team models to create a federated model. By doing this, we can mitigate any clashes between the design team models.  

Reduce risk and costs – The 3D digital models help stakeholders detect clashes and check project coordination, helping them make informed decisions early in the process, before they arrive at site. This saves time, arguments, delays and costs. 

Operational efficiency – BIM models are valuable resources for building managers and owners beyond handover. They are filled with data about how to operate and maintain the building and its assets, lowering operational costs and ensuring the longevity of the building.   

Sustainability – By visualising a building digitally, architects and engineers can optimise their designs to reduce energy consumption and environmental impact.

BIM related deliverables, such as models, drawings, specs, reports are most typically stored in a Common Data Environment (CDE), a centralised digital platform where all project stakeholders can access, share and collaborate on the BIM data. This could be multiple platforms connected together to form a CDE in line with the ISO 19650 suite of BIM standards.

However, CDEs can present multiple issues during the construction and design phases and beyond handover. 

Training – To make the most out of the CDE, users often need to be trained, and this can hinder user adoption, meaning people might be resistant to using the platform.   

Lack of standardisation – As BIM information is a collaboration between different stakeholders, this can often result in a lack of standardisation of the data in the CDE, making it increasingly difficult to use as time goes on. 

Operance is the world’s first true “Golden Thread” software platform, which provides comprehensive building information management solutions. 

Our software supports you to create digital operations and maintenance (O&M) manuals, Health and Safety (H&S) files, Building User Guides, PPM schedules and much, much more.

Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) is a renowned global construction and property consultancy. Their services include Principal Design, project management, surveying and cost management. With a commitment to promoting best practices and ensuring building safety, Rider Levett Bucknall has established itself as a reliable partner for clients worldwide.

Join Operance and Rider Levett Bucknall to discuss Building Safety Case compliance on Monday 11 December. Sign up for free here.

Operance helps building owners produce a “golden thread” of building information and comply with the Building Safety Act, which aims to improve building safety in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.   

The Act is being introduced in phases and the latest phase requires owners of ‘higher-risk buildings’ – which covers around 13,000 properties – to register them with the Building Safety Regulator and assess the safety risks and produce a safety case report to show how risks will be managed. From April 2024, further building information provisions are set to come in force.

Launching in 2020, the Operance platform has been transforming the way that building information is defined, curated, accessed and maintained. The software is used by housing authorities such as Camden, Basildon and Harrow and construction firms including Kier, Higgins, United Living, Vermont and Rider Levett Bucknall. 

Maurice Disasi, investment manager at Mercia, says:  

“The Building Safety Act will bring about major changes in the construction and property industry and will drive uptake of digital technology. Operance is the first platform that has been specifically designed to help firms meet the requirements of the Act.  

“This latest funding will enable the company to add new features and expand its presence in an industry that is ripe for change.” 

Our Operance Company Retreat 2023 took place on 9 and 10 November, bringing together everyone in the company (including our remote members from across the globe) for two days of networking, discussions and workshops.

The concept of the golden thread of building safety information was born in the wake of the tragic Grenfell Tower fire, and it has continued to evolve to provide a framework of building and fire safety standards in the construction industry ever since.  

In late 2017, Dame Judith Hackitt’s interim report conveyed a crucial message:   

There needs to be a golden thread for all complex and high-risk building projects to prevent disasters, like Grenfell, from happening again.  

The final report of the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety in 2018 underscored the significance of the golden thread.   

Now, new building legislation requires developers to provide an up-to-date golden thread of information which spans the entire lifecycle of old and new facilities.   

This demand for creating, curating, maintaining and providing access to extensive information has added pressure and confusion to the construction industry, with many not knowing where to begin or what to do to comply with the new rules. 

In this guide, we aim to demystify the golden thread, looking at: 

• What is the golden thread? 
• Why is the golden thread important? 
• Who is responsible for creating and maintaining the golden thread? 
• When should golden thread information be created? 
• How should golden thread information be stored? 
• How should golden thread information be accessed? 

All higher-risk buildings (HRBs) are required to have an accurate, digital building information audit trail that spans its entire lifecycle.  

The term golden thread refers to both the building information and the steps needed to keep its residents safe, now and in the future.   

The golden thread holds the information that those responsible for the building need to:  

• Show that the building was compliant with applicable building regulations during its construction.  
• Provide evidence of meeting the requirements of the new building control route throughout the design and construction, and refurbishment of a building.   
• Identify, understand, manage and mitigate building safety risks to prevent or reduce the severity of the consequences of fire spread or structural collapse throughout the life cycle of a building.   

Examples of golden thread information includes but isn’t limited to: 

• Specifications – detailed construction products, materials and component information, including important fire performance capabilities. 
• Safety plans – relating to how fire and structural safety risks will be managed. 
• Models – digital 3D BIM representations of the building ‘as planned’. 
• Fire Statement – details on fire service access and firefighting water accessibility, which form the foundation of the fire and emergency file. 
• Construction Control Plan – how compliance with Building Regulations will be achieved and how changes will be controlled and recorded.

Weaving together critical information about a building’s safety and compliance, the golden thread has many benefits: 

Reducing and minimising risk – By proactively demonstrating that a building is compliant with building safety regulations and that the people responsible for the building have identified, understood and mitigated building safety risks, we can reduce and eliminate the risk of tragedies like Grenfell.  

Accountability – The golden thread establishes clear lines of responsibility, making it clear who is responsible for each aspect of the building’s safety.  

Transparency – Storing and managing the information digitally allows for transparency between building owners and facilities managers and their residents.  

Better, safer decisions – Developers, designers and managers can use the information to make informed decisions about maintenance and future upgrades.  

Public confidence – The commitment to building safety bolsters confidence among the public and trust in our buildings and their construction and maintenance.

Your golden thread information must be: 

• Stored digitally. 
• Kept securely. 
• Be a single source of truth. 
• Reviewed and managed so the information is accurate and up to date.  
• Accessible to many different people throughout its lifecycle, including but not limited to building managers, architects, contractors, residents and emergency responders.  
• Accessible by people who need information to do a job. 
• Readily accessible when the person needs the information. 
• Presented in a user-friendly way. 

We run through the full golden thread principles in this article. 

The person responsible for creating and maintaining a building’s golden thread changes depending on the phase of the building. 

During design and construction, it’s the responsibility of the dutyholder, which could be: 

• The client/building owner 
• Principal designer or designer 
• Principal contractor or contractor 

After handover, during the occupation phase, the golden thread is the responsibility of the Accountable Person (AP), which could be a company, partnership or person who is responsible for the building, such as: 

• Building owner 
• Building safety manager  
• Facilities manager 

The AP is the dutyholder, but they can appoint a person or company to be the Building Safety Manager (BSM) to continue maintaining and updating the information to record the ongoing safety of the building. 

We have created an in-depth guide to who is responsible for the golden thread and how to appoint dutyholders here.

Golden thread information spans the entire lifecycle of a building, from its initial design to demolition.  

For new buildings, there are three gateways which the dutyholder must submit golden thread information to the Building Safety Regulator:  

Before building work starts  

Before any construction begins, you need to submit a design application to BSR. Among other things, the application must include the golden thread of information about the building.  

During construction 

Ongoing requirements during construction include identifying and storing the golden thread of information.  

After handover  

Golden thread information must be accurate and up-to-date, requiring a clear change control process that sets out how and when information is updated and who should update and check the information.

1. Define – Create bespoke organisational data templates to help you create accurate, structured data required by the Building Safety Regulator. 
2. Curate – Manage and collaborate on new and legacy building projects to gather accurate information from key stakeholders.
3. Access – Share golden thread information in a user-friendly way with anyone who requires access.  
4. Maintain – Manage and update your golden thread information throughout the building’s lifecycle.