Joule Group: New Digital Code Of Practice For Fire Safety Is Welcome But Overdue
Proposed real estate industry code will significantly improve fire safety in UK buildings
Joule Group, a fire safety engineering consultancy, welcomes the recent publication of landmark proposals for a new digital code of practice for the management of fire safety information in the real estate industry, by the British Standards Institute (“BSI”), the UK’s national standards body.
The new code covers building design, construction, handover, asset management and emergency response. It will lead to the consistent digitisation of information across the disparate elements of the real estate industry, ensuring better co‑ordination in emergency situations which will, in turn, significantly improve fire safety.
John Noone, Co-Founder of Joule Group, said: “The adoption of this new code of practice will undoubtedly play a leading role in driving the cultural and behavioural changes required to improve fire safety. It should be welcomed by all those involved in construction and building management.
“The real estate industry is sometimes criticised for moving slowly on initiatives like this – and the adoption is not before its time. Other countries and jurisdictions should now be rapidly following the UK’s lead.
“We very much look forward to submitting our views to the BSI in the coming weeks to help make sure the proposals are match‑fit for the challenges that our sector faces in the years ahead.
“Fire safety in the built environment has never been more newsworthy, in part due to a number of recent and tragic events. It is the responsibility of all of us in our industry to promote understanding of fire safety as broadly as possible and make sure best practice is followed everywhere and all the time.”
As sizeable sector of the UK economy with a particularly wide range of market participants by function, value and asset class, real estate has historically adopted common standards less quickly than other sectors.
The Company will submit a detailed response to the proposed new standard to the Fire Safety & Built Environment Committee before the 9 September deadline.
The British Standards Institute, was established in 1901, received a Royal Charter in 1929, and is well known to the public as the awarding the Kitemark.
