Eden Facades has adopted a new system that records a continuous and accurate line of data about a building, captured and maintained from the start of a project, right through its lifecycle.
Our commitment to the ‘golden thread’ will ensure that information is easily accessible and transparent for all stakeholders, be it the building owners, occupiers, or the authorities.
The new system – called Viewpoint Field View™- has aligned us with the aims of the golden thread underpinned by the Building Safety Act.
The origins of the golden thread
In June 2017, the Grenfell Tower tragedy in West London claimed 72 lives and left an indelible mark on the nation’s conscience. The disaster called for the failures in building safety that led to the tragedy to be addressed, identifying a need to raise the bar on competence across all buildings, but particularly higher-risk buildings.
Post-Grenfell investigations uncovered a litany of building safety breaches and a maze of accountability issues. There was a clear and pressing need to overhaul the entire system and implement a framework where every stakeholder in the building process— from designers to constructors, and from regulators to residents—had clarity and transparency about a building’s safety protocols.
The Building Safety Act, which received Royal Assent in April 2022, was the result of the investigations. One key change was the introduction of the ‘golden thread’ concept, a response to the existing complex and often opaque system. The golden thread isn’t just a digital record; it’s an evolving narrative of a building’s life, charting its journey from initial design sketches to its standing as a lived-in structure.
The data it captures is comprehensive: design blueprints, materials used, fire safety measures, modifications, maintenance schedules, and more. It’s not just a historical record but also a forward-looking tool, facilitating timely interventions and proactive measures.
Better safety, quality, and defect management
In order to meet the requirements of the golden thread and ensure our operations run as efficiently as possible, our team will be using the Field View system. Recognised as market-leading software and used by top-tier contractors like Kier, Berkeley, and Morgan Sindall, the system offers a cloud-based solution perfect for ensuring safety in modern construction.
The software is not a digital notebook, it offers features that cater to many aspects of construction management. From our site management team to project managers and administrative staff, the system ensures everyone can log details about every facet of the building.
Some of the other benefits of Field View include:
- With its audit trail functionality, the system gives full data accountability. It means that every action is recorded, whether a quick data entry or a substantial design modification.
- Each action is time stamped, ensuring there can be no ambiguity about when a change was made. This granularity is invaluable in a sector where timings can directly influence project costs, timelines, and most of all this detail leads to a greater insight into safety provision.
- The reporting feature uses advanced algorithms which enables real-time analytics. It’s capable of predictive analysis, which means it doesn’t just show our team what’s happening, but can also forecast potential future outcomes based on current data trends.
- Data shows an increase in efficiency of up to 89 per cent as a result of moving to Field View.
- Incorporating high-level encryption and data security protocols, Field View ensures that all project data remains uncompromised and protects us from potential cyber-attacks.
Technology for safety and efficiency
“We’re currently rolling out the system across our teams,” Paul Michaelson, Construction Director at Eden Facades explains, “Within the next three months, the system will be an integral part of all our projects, seamlessly connecting work on site and the back office.
“We’re not just adapting to change; we’re actively embracing it. With the golden thread’s requirements now in place, the functionality provided by Field View will give us valuable insights into the performance of projects, allowing us to increase ROI, mitigate risk and increase productivity.
“The move to Field View demonstrates our commitment to safety, quality, and innovation. Our clients trust us to deliver, and we’re proud to be working with a technology partner that allows us to provide an even better experience for them.”
To see some of our recent work, head over to our Projects page. If you feel that Eden Facades could be a great choice of partner for a future project, please get in touch via our Contact page.
