Discover the 5 new digital safety must-haves for BTR. Learn from David Hills, one of the top industry leaders with over 30 years of experience as he uncovers building safety for BTR.

The UKAA and Ark are working in collaboration to bring updates and insights to help built-to-rent (BTR) organisations create pathways to compliance.

During the 2nd webinar, David demonstrated how technology can deliver operational efficiency, property risk and compliance transparency. He also covered the best practices on how to produce reporting to help the Accountable Persons gain visibility and control over property risk, compliance and safety.

The Building Safety Act is in force and now is the time to act!

Speaker, David Hills, delivered a webinar on The 5 New Digital Safety Must Haves for BTR.

David is the Senior Director (Regulatory, Technical and Technology Solutions) at Ark Workplace Risk Ltd.

His background is based within both local authority building control and looking after major construction sites such as The Channel Tunnel Terminal in Folkestone.

David was Chairman of a Government Sponsored / RICS committee that contributed to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and for the last 22 years, he has been working at Ark on the provision of professional services as well as leading regulatory frameworks in the property industry.

Here is a snippet of some of the points David Hills, Senior Director oat Ark Workplace Risk covered during the webinar.

Why is technology so integral to the successful application of the Building Safety Act 2022

The Building Safety Act 2022 (and the subsequent secondary regulations) requires “Accountable Persons” and “Principal Accountable Persons” in respect of HRB’s to:

Give prescribed information to:

• the regulator,
• other accountable persons,
• residents,
• other owners an
• other “prescribed persons”

in a manner and form which will be prescribed by regulations... a digital-first approach.

In addition, the Act (and the subsequent secondary regulations) will also require “Accountable Persons and “Principal Accountable Persons” to:

• Verify
• Secure
• Store
• Keep up to date
• Share relevant and proportionate information on Building Safety

The Golden Thread and technology

The golden thread covers all documentation through:

• design
• construction
• occupation
• Refurbishment
• ongoing management of a building

It’s not just about the documents, it’s also about the information management processes and systems/platforms used to support building safety.

The Building Safety Case and technology

Safety Case

The safety case is all the information you will use to manage:

• the risk of fire spread
• the structural safety of your building

Some of this information will show how you are:

• preventing fire spread and structural failure in your building
• limiting their consequences

Safety Case Report

The safety case report is a narrative document that summarises your safety case.

It identifies your building's major fire and structural hazard and it shows how you are managing the risks as far as you can.

The report should give the reader confidence that you:

• have identified your building's major fire and structural risks
• are managing and controlling them

Accountable Persons and Compliance Reporting

Building Safety Act 2022 Reporting

It’s about;

• Proving you know your assets
• Proving you are acting...and acting promptly
• Proving you have the right documents and information
• Proving you are managing safety
• Proving you are managing occurrences and complaints
• Proving your claims of “safety”

to the Regulator, Other AP’s, Residents and Other Relevant Parties

How technology can help reduce building insurance premiums

We’ve been working with a select group of insurance brokers to support our clients.

It’s about telling an advantageous story:

• proving your claims of safety
• ability to demonstrate an effective management regime
• ability to be aware of the actual (rather than perceived) risks
• to show effective and prompt remediation of issues
  • to show and demonstrate effective levels and quality of management regime in place

Technology platforms can therefore provide that story.

...it’s about having the EVIDENCE

Wouldn’t it be great if you could demonstrate your Safety Management System and your Risk Management Performance for your building to your insurers?

We have been working with several clients on supporting their risk management position.

Case Study – The O2...

....with QUOODA® enterprise software and the dedicated support team, we estimate that we saved over £114,000 this year solely on our insurance premiums.

Even better - we spent far less time reaching our compliance goals thanks to QUOODA® ensuring we were aware of what needed to be prioritised.”

Step Pathway to Compliance

Step 1

Audit to Create Gap Analysis

• determine who is responsible/accountable
• determine what technology you have and/or require to meet long-term needs and are you ready
• determine what information you have, who has it and where it is
• determine what additional activities are needed to complete the pathway to compliance (safety case, engagement strategy, management systems etc.)

Step 2

Devise a short-term plan to address BSB gaps:

• technology solution and integration
• resource requirements
• security
• changes to organisation

Step 3

Plug those gaps:

• technology
• information
• integration
• management system
• accountabilities
• new Roles
• new activities
  

Building Safety for BTR in summary; technology is capable of accelerating pathways to compliance

• QUOODA can support you with the Golden Thread
• QUOODA can support you with the Build Safety Case
• QUOODA can help you provide evidence of compliance and risk management that could result in reduce premiums