Nigel Thomas, National Specification and Projects Sales Manager, ABB Electrification
Grenfell changed everything. Well, at least it should have. The enquiry found that the tragedy was caused by a chain of failures by government, dishonest suppliers, and fire service shortcomings.
The legislative response, in the form of the Building Safety Act, has been rolling out in layers since 2022. The next piece lands in early 2027, and it’s going hard on compliance. And in my honest assessment, too few are prepared.
This July, ABB hosted an open evening with experts from CIBSE Fire Safety Group, Skanska, and the BCIA . Everyone agreed that the changes themselves aren’t particularly complex; what struck us is the sheer gap in awareness across industry.
What’s changing?
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) became a standalone body in January 2026. The amendments were made in March 2026, with main compliance (for all building work) applying 24 March 2027, and Higher-Risk Building provisions (HRB) applying 24 September 2027.
The key items to be aware of are the extensions of the duties of the client, Principal Designer, and Principal Contractor, and the new concept of the ‘Accountable Person’: the individual legally responsible for managing building safety risks in an HRB.
The Gateway process
Gateway 2 is a hard stop. Construction literally cannot begin without BSR approval of all your design information. Justifications of fire and structural safety decisions must be airtight.
Seeking to speed up responses to Gateway 2 applications to 18 weeks, the new legislation now calls on Principal Designers to provide a full understanding earlier in the process that also includes the contractor portion. For a Gateway 2 BSR submission, design now effectively equals RIBA Stage 4.
You need to prepare to pre-explain potential changes to the build. If your programmes and fees do not account for them, your projects will face delays higher up the Gateway that cost far more.
The Golden Thread
The Golden Thread is the evidence trail that is created as work is designed, procured, installed, tested, changed and handed over. It’s there to ensure that what was designed is actually done, and must be maintained digitally.
But now, evidence absolutely cannot be retroactively provided at completion. It must be continuously created and available throughout delivery. For supply chain partners, competence and information deliverables need to be clear at the tender stage.
MEP and compliance
Don’t forget that Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) are part of the compliance chain. The MEP question from the BSR is no longer just "was it installed?" but "can you prove it was designed, installed, changed, tested and handed over compliantly?"
Specification of emergency lighting, for example, is often taken for granted. The Grenfell inquiry exposed that after installation, these systems were not properly maintained or tested. That meant many residents had no clear escape routes.
Automatic transfer switches (ATS) must be scrutinised. An ATS should conform to BS EN 60947-6-1 and BS 8519:2020, and should be a single component with integrated controller from the same manufacturer.
If you are using or specifying a manufacturer that is unable to offer irrefutable evidence of compliance, you are falling short of your BSA obligation. Always ask for certificates of the appropriate tests and standards.
The cost of non-compliance
The Act now introduces stronger enforcement powers. Failure to comply can result in unlimited fines and criminal prosecution. For Accountable Persons, prosecution for gross negligence carries up to 15 years' imprisonment, director disqualification, and unlimited personal liability in civil claims.
What you should do right now is ask hard questions of your suppliers. Ask for test certificates. Clarify who is designing what on every package; whether their SKEB (skills, knowledge, experience, behaviour) competence is verified by a respected third party. If you procure MEP packages on price alone and ask for evidence of compliance later, you’re already in too deep.
The Building Safety Act is law. If you do the work to comply now, you’ll be well clear of trouble come 2027 – and well ahead of the competition.
