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Our sector’s new approach to facades, transparency and the Building Safety Act
The Building Safety Act (BSA) is ushering in a new age of accountability for construction. It will set and enforce the standards that the built environment needs to ensure the safety of a building’s occupants throughout its entire lifespan. Every party will take responsibility for documenting and evidencing their contribution to a building project. This will demand closer collaborative working – particularly where product and performance standards are combined to create high performance, design-led facades. Technical competence and demonstrated performance has long been a priority in façades. But these performance standards now need to be thoroughly evidenced, placing greater emphasis on manufacturers to ensure testing data and certification is easily accessible.
JM201
As a manufacturer supplying windows and curtain walling systems to be used in façades, all of Reynaers’ systems are backed by comprehensive, third-party-verified performance testing. This information lays out how our components stand up to a wide range of building requirements and regulations including those relating to the pressures of air, wind, water and movement. This is supported by our independent third-party testing facilities housed at Reynaers HQ based in Duffel in Belgium, which is one of the largest façade testing facilities in Europe. The seamless flow of certified data such as this clears the way
Photographer: Infinite 3D Photography
for façade-engineering projects to proceed through Gateway 2. Early engagement between all parties during the specification stage is essential to this. It’s vital to build and maintain partnerships between fabricators, manufacturers, architects and developers. While ultimate responsibility rests with the principal designer, it also filters through the supply chain: all parties bear responsibility for ensuring products perform as expected, are specified accurately and installed as intended. There’s no margin for error. Fortunately, digital tools have evolved to provide evidence for the golden thread. Technology now offers the ability to access product data across the entire lifetime of a building. Alongside other manufacturers, Reynaers is introducing digital
tools that pull in up-to-date performance and specification data to enable transparency around systems’ testing standards. The comprehensive end-to-end system also allows installers to record installation details, with the option to upload images to demonstrate best practice. Reynaers’ DigiTrace tool allows for a transparent, traceable data trail to follow systems through their full lifespan. Accessed via QR codes, DigiTrace data stays up-to-date and supports cross-product use. This extends the transparency to fabricators using products as part of a wider façade project. This consideration of the big picture should be at the heart of the industry’s approach to the BSA. By collectively taking responsibility, we can ensure the highest standards in façade design and fulfilment – together.
www.reynaers.co.uk
Architect: Faulkner Browns Architects/Photographer: Hufton+Crow
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