Safety & Security


Tenant Safety & Security Feature


There are three building safety ‘gateways’ intended to ensure that building safety has been incorporated from design through to occupancy


Te information must be structured to allow it to be retained, accessed and transferred effectively. Before the building can be occupied it must be certified as safe with a


completion certificate issued by the Building Safety Regulator. To receive this certificate, the duty holders must provide details of the as-built building along with key information about the building and declarations from the principal designer and principal contractor that it complies with the Building Regulations. Completion of this stage also requires confirmation that the digital golden thread information has been handed over to the ‘accountable person’.


DRIVERS FOR CHANGE Smoke control systems are rarely activated unless in an emergency. Tose who are responsible for a building must ensure that the systems will perform as intended when called upon. Manual, periodic inspections coupled with decentralised record-keeping


may result in outdated data, potential human errors, and the risk of missing or misplaced records. Consequently, the opportunities for proactive maintenance and timely remediation are limited, which may jeopardise system performance during emergencies.


HOW A DIGITALISED APPROACH HELPS TO ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE With the right systems and innovations in place, every asset that makes up the life safety system in a building can be combined into a digitalised system or ‘ecosystem’. Tis will change how systems are managed in key areas: An actuator on an automatically opening vent (AOV) can have its


parameters, settings and performance tracked in real-time from the moment it is manufactured, right through its lifetime. Tis means that in the event of a fire, it can be proven digitally that the product was safe and compliant at any point in its history, including in the event of a fire. Configurable technology allows parameters of the products within a life safety system to be tailored using technologies such as Bluetooth and


50 | HMMApril/May 2024 | www.housingmmonline.co.uk


mobile applications, removing the requirement for laptop or specialist equipment on site. A digitalised approach also provides total transparency detailing exactly who


has interacted with the products in a life safety system, what they did, why they did it and when. Also, with the installation of a 4G-enabled router in every building, remote


product validation is also possible whereby products can potentially be tested, and the weekly test results recorded, validating its performance against the fire strategy available in the cloud. Communication of all the data on the life safety systems can be securely and automatically transmitted and stored in the cloud, where it can be accessed by everyone responsible for the building. Creating and managing data and content in a structured way via a common


data environment will enable it to be consumed and accessed by a wide range of stakeholders using an ever-increasing number of asset management platforms. Moreover, maintenance processes can be streamlined with remote


diagnostics and support. Te local or in-house maintenance team in some cases can resolve the issue, removing the requirement for costly engineer callouts, minimising response times and ensuring prompt action in case of faults or maintenance requirements. Te Building Safety Act, as with most legislation, is complex in places.


However, if disciplined approaches are taken in soſtware and technology selection, content management and data strategy, satisfying the requirements of this and future similar legislation will become simpler to achieve. Most importantly, it prioritises the life safety of residents in social housing communities. To download SE Controls’ whitepaper


‘Understanding the Building Safety Act: Driving safety with a holistic technology-driven approach’, please scan the QR Code.


Nelson Godinho is Fire Engineer at SE Controls


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