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.