Building Safety Act 2022

The Act, made practical.

Gateways, dutyholders, the Building Safety Regulator and the Golden Thread. Here’s what they mean for your façade, and how Profac helps you through them.

Open the gateway tracker Check your building

Regulation built around accountability

The essentials

Four ideas behind the Act.

The Building Safety Act was introduced to change how higher-risk buildings are designed, built and managed, with clear accountability at every stage.

Higher-risk buildings

At least 18m or seven storeys, with two or more residential units. These buildings fall under the Building Safety Regulator for design, construction and occupation.

Dutyholders

Client, Principal Designer and Principal Contractor each carry legal duties to plan, manage and monitor work so it complies. Competence has to be demonstrated, not assumed.

The Golden Thread

A digital, accurate and up-to-date record of how the building was designed and built, kept for its whole life and available to those who need it.

Combustible materials

Relevant buildings over 18m must use A1 or A2-s1,d0 materials in the external wall. Combustible cladding on existing buildings is assessed under PAS 9980.

Gateway tracker

From planning to occupation.

Choose new build or remediation, then step through each stage.

Use ← → to move between stages

Principal Contractor · Herculaneum Quay

Our role

A contractor dutyholder that takes it seriously.

As a Principal Contractor and installer, we plan, manage and monitor our work so that it complies with the Building Regulations, and we control building safety risks through every phase.

We’re Constructionline Gold accredited with certification in Building Safety Act – Higher-Risk Buildings, and SafeContractor approved. More importantly, we build the evidence trail as we go.

Competence evidenced for Gateway 2 applications
Change control on every element of our package
Fire-critical details photographed and signed off by an appointed person
A complete Golden Thread handed over for Gateway 3

See the Golden Thread

Jargon buster

Straight answers.

The terms you’ll hear on every remediation project, explained simply.

What is a higher-risk building?

Under the Building Safety Act, a higher-risk building in England is at least 18 metres tall or has at least seven storeys, and contains at least two residential units. Care homes and hospitals meeting the height threshold are also included during design and construction.

What is the Golden Thread of information?

It’s the accurate, up-to-date digital record of how a higher-risk building was designed, built and is maintained. It must be kept for the life of the building so anyone responsible for safety can find the information they need.

What is PAS 9980?

PAS 9980 is the code of practice for fire risk appraisal of external walls (FRAEW). It’s used to decide whether an existing wall presents a risk to life, and what action is needed.

What does an EWS1 form do?

An EWS1 form records an assessment of an external wall for valuation purposes. Lenders may ask for one before agreeing mortgages on flats in buildings with cladding.

What does A1 or A2-s1,d0 mean?

They’re fire reaction classifications under BS EN 13501-1. A1 is non-combustible; A2-s1,d0 has limited combustibility, low smoke and no flaming droplets. Relevant buildings over 18m must use materials of at least this standard in the external wall.

All FAQs

Remediation checker

Not sure where your building stands?

Answer five quick questions about height, cladding and assessments. You’ll get a plain-English summary of the likely route and the next steps.

Check your building

Tendering?

Send us the drawings.

Our estimators price the whole through-wall build-up, itemised and transparent, with technical comments where the spec can be improved.

Request a price