Feature Friday | Siderise: Supporting designers and specifiers through Gateway 2

Welcome to our first Feature Friday edition of Facade Focus!

Coming to you every other Friday, we'll be highlighting extraordinary businesses that provide innovative solutions to complex problems in the Global Facade Industry.

This week, we're teaming up with Siderise Group the leaders in passive fire solutions for the building envelope.

For over 50 years Siderise Group has been providing innovative insulation solutions for Fire and Acoustic applications throughout the UK and now supplys customers internationally in Europe, the Middle East and North America.

? Grab a coffee and enjoy this week's deep dive

The introduction of the new building control regime and approval ‘Gateways’ under the Building Safety Act (BSA) has reshaped how we approach the design and construction of higher risk buildings (HRBs)— especially Gateway 2. Here, a full application is submitted to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) outlining how compliance with the functional requirements of the building regulations will be met, and construction cannot begin until it is approved. For architects, this means that plans must be prepared with an appropriate amount of detail, particularly around key elements such as the fire safety of the external envelope.?

During this process, manufacturers of life safety critical products must be ready to lend their expertise and experience to support designers in producing detailed applications that demonstrate the diligence necessary to create safe and long-lasting buildings.

Going beyond accurate product information

As standard practice, manufacturers must ensure architects and specifiers have access to clear, accurate and up-to-date product information that is not ambiguous. Any performance claims should be backed up by testing carried out to the standards stipulated by the applicable compliance guidance or the regulations as a minimum. These results should be verified by accredited third-party certification bodies wherever possible for greater assurance. This data should also be captured within usable BIM models which have been authored to industry standards such as the NBS BIM Object Standard.

However, a common misunderstanding is that Gateway 2 is simply an assessment of the building design. The BSR states that plans need “to outline exactly how compliance with the functional requirements of the building regulations is going to be met — and that they do not rely on unrealistic management expectations”.[1] This means that there needs to be detailed justifications of why certain products or approaches are being used on a specific project and how they contribute to compliance. For this to happen, contractors and specialists must not only be brought into the design process at a much earlier stage than what had become the norm, but manufacturers must be ready to share their expertise to ensure products are used correctly to support compliance and long-term safety of the building.

?

Going beyond the factory gate

Manufacturers are often considered specialists and are seeing an increasing trend of being asked to support designers in preparing key details or providing the right training and education at this crucial stage. This can include project-specific advice and guidance ranging from product selection and calculations, to arranging bespoke testing of specific elements.

For project teams, working with manufacturers earlier on in the construction process can also help to limit the risk of changes to specifications, as the products will not only be specified correctly for the application but will be cost factored too. The new building safety regime requires all projects to demonstrate a clear change management process. On higher-risk projects, this is prescribed by law. A “change to any part of the active fire safety measures or passive fire safety measures in a proposed higher-risk building referred to in the fire and emergency file” after Gateway 2 approval is classed as a ‘major change’ and would mean that project teams would need to refer back to the BSR. They then have up to six weeks to approve the change or request more justification. As well as incurring a fee, this could potentially cause significant delays to the build programme, as no work can begin on the area subject to the change until it has been approved.

Additionally, early involvement from manufacturers of safety critical products can help build up a bank of information that can be incorporated in or used to contribute to the Golden Thread. This can include everything from test data to a history of technical communications and training, which can be added to in later stages of construction, such as when product installation inspections have taken place.

?

How can Siderise support Gateway 2 applications?

1. Robust product information

Our product data is easily accessible, available to both download from our website, or via industry platforms such as bimstore and NBS Source, allowing designers to embed this information into their designs from the very beginning. We back up performance claims through thorough testing carried out to the standards stipulated by the applicable building regulations - as a minimum.? Wherever possible, these test results are verified by accredited third-party certification bodies. This is crucial for passive fire protection, whose accurate specification is essential for protecting both lives and property.

2. Technical design support

We are committed to sharing our expertise and experience to ensure specifications are not only compliant with the relevant regulations, but that they are applied properly to ensure the building will perform as intended. Our comprehensive technical services can help project teams to prepare detailed passive fire safety strategies, with clearly defined approaches and supportive data. These include everything from design feedback and project-specific product suitability advice to technical detail drawing reviews, standard details and specification writing as an NBS Chorus Specification Writing Partner. We can also conduct project-specific product level testing and facilitate bespoke fire testing at our UKAS-accredited Innovation Centre, or via one of our testing centre partners.

3. The Golden Thread

We can give you a digital report of your recorded interactions with us throughout design and construction, including everything from test data to a history of technical communications and training. This can be added to in later stages of construction, such as when product installation inspections have taken place.

For more information on how Siderise can support your next project, please contact our Fire Safety Technical Support team via direct email [email protected] or visit: ?Contact Us - Gateway 2 | Siderise

[1] Gov.uk (23/09/2023) ‘The three gateways to building safety.’ Booklet:? https://buildingsafety.campaign.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/157/2023/09/23_039-Building-Control-Authority-Booklet-3.pdf