In her report ‘Building a Safer Future’, Dame Judith Hackitt
highlights the need for a system-based approach with a golden thread of
information running through the lifecycle of each project. Here Jackie
Maginnis shares with the Offsite Hub how modular technology is providing a
comprehensive information pathway.
As made clear in the Hackitt report, providing a golden thread of
information from concept to completion is a process that many in the
construction industry are struggling to implement. Central to the concept is
guaranteeing the traceability and availability of project data and all
decisions relating to the design, construction, safety performance and
maintenance of the building.
The ‘thread’ involves the information handed over at the completion of a
project which must be right from the start of client ownership and then must
remain accurate throughout the building’s lifecycle. With traditional
construction often key information such as product specification and
maintenance details are not complete or accurate at the point of client
handover which means the golden thread required for optimal running and safety cannot
be achieved.
Currently fire safety is divided into pre-construction regulation,
covering the approval of building design, and post-construction regulation for
the period of the building’s occupation and use. This two-stage approach can
lead to a disconnect at handover and complicates decision making, causing a
lack of information which hampers for example, the carrying out of risk
assessments.
Traceability and Accountability
With modular construction all data can be validated and coordinated as
part of a structured process, which helps provide accurate and reliable information
for clients at the point of handover. It also means it is easier to identify
what products and material specifications were used on previous projects should
any legislation changes occur.
By verifying the materials and products to be used on a construction
scheme and by simplifying the onsite assembly process, volumetric modular
construction offers developers an opportunity to avoid many traceability issues. Modular construction helps ensure client satisfaction and product assurances
through the certainty and quality embedded into the build process. Modular
builds are less susceptible to poorly specified manufacturers’ products as time
can be taken upfront to validate the correct specification of materials. This
allows clients to have confidence in the quality and performance that they can
expect from their new building. By completing large elements of construction
away from the build location, they can also reduce the length of
construction time spent onsite as well as reduce the risk of unforeseen
construction issues.
It
is standard practice for Building Information Modelling (BIM) to be embedded
into the design and advanced manufacturing processes involved in modular
construction. As an established method of sharing building lifecycle data
across design, construction and operation – BIM is also regarded as integral to
achieving a golden thread.
Since
2016 the BIM mandate has required UK public sector construction projects to use
BIM technology. This has helped speed up the pace of adoption during the design
and construction phases. It has been predicted that government intervention
around the golden thread will accelerate things further.
As I have mentioned before, modular construction is not a new industry
but through learnings from advanced manufacturing and best practice in other
sectors, it represents a genuine opportunity to disrupt an often-disjointed
industry which suffers from a lack of data traceability and accountability.
With its powerful combination of controlled deliverables
and customisable outputs, modular construction provides the repeatable quality
and safety needed to meet client demands. It is going to be difficult to
achieve the levels of assurance and traceability the UK construction industry
will need to actively deliver a golden thread of information from concept to
completion – without an even wider adoption of modular technology.
