The Grenfell Phase 2 inquiry papers make for sobering, but, sadly, not surprising reading. The findings of the report show that there were plenty of warnings about the risks that some products and construction methods posed, and that appropriate regulation was lacking. It also describes how individuals and organisations failed, at every stage, to act professionally and ensure due diligence in their work.
I welcome the recommendations of the report, particularly those that propose greater oversight of the sector and a review of the best way to maintain the independence of certifying bodies. The industry has been changing for the last 7 years, because it has to, and it wants to, but there is more to do. The Building Safety Act and the new social housing regulation regime will establish a baseline for practice – and it is a baseline – the golden thread is no more than we ever should have been doing, it is basic asset management and key to providing good quality homes. The recommendations from this phase of the inquiry, if acted upon, will build on that to ensure that the sector continues to move forward and embraces improvement.
We need to ensure that safety and quality are foremost when working on homes, whilst also ensuring Members achieve value for money solutions and that Contractors and Manufacturers make a profit. We can only do this together. Collaboration with clear governance and accountability will be key. Everyone involved needs to ensure that they bring adequate knowledge and expertise for the task at hand and that they work together to deliver comprehensive, high-quality schemes and services.
CHIC supports the sector to deliver best practice through rigorously procured and specified frameworks. Our new fire and building safety framework, currently out to tender, requires products to meet exemplar standards – fire doors need to achieve the European Standard which will become the primary requirement in the UK in March 2025. We are also working on new frameworks that will deliver future proofed asset management and consultancy services, enabling the sector to deliver efficiently and effectively without sacrificing quality.
I’ve largely focused on the technical here, which you’d probably expect given my job title. But I’d like to finish on the human side of this tragedy. 72 people died needlessly. 72 people died because people and systems did not safeguard them, listen to them or heed the warnings of the past.
I’ve worked in asset management for 30 years, because I love buildings. I’ve worked in and with public sector and registered providers because I believe that buildings should not just provide for basic needs, but enhance people’s lives. At the end of the day, these are people’s homes, and I’d ask everyone involved in delivering works and services to continually ask themselves ‘if someone I love lived here, what would I want for them?’ and then do no less than that.
Written by Hannah Elliott
Technical Manager
