Building design and construction
The building's form, use, materials, compartmentation and construction history.
- Design intent and basis
- Specifications and product information
- As-built and verification evidence
Practical guide
What information should be kept?
Start with the decisions people need to make about the building, then preserve the information and evidence that makes those decisions defensible.
A useful structure
Organise information around the building, not the filing habits of each supplier.
The precise legal requirements depend on the building and lifecycle stage. These information families provide a practical way to assess what exists, what is current and what is missing.
Fire and life-safety strategy
The safety objectives, assumptions, evacuation approach and measures relied upon.
- Fire strategy and updates
- Evacuation strategy
- Fire-engineered analyses
Structural information
The structural form, design assumptions, key risks and evidence of condition.
- Structural system and load paths
- Calculations and assessments
- Inspection and monitoring records
Safety systems
A structured register of safety-critical systems, their purpose and dependencies.
- Fire detection and alarm
- Smoke control and sprinklers
- Firefighting and emergency systems
Drawings and schematics
Controlled visual records that can be related to spaces, systems and revisions.
- Plans, sections and elevations
- Cause-and-effect diagrams
- System schematics and zoning
Commissioning information
Evidence that systems were installed, tested, balanced and set to work.
- Certificates and results
- Witnessing and approvals
- Settings and baseline data
Inspection and maintenance
The planned regime, completed work, defects, impairments and close-out evidence.
- Schedules and service reports
- Defect and action tracking
- Competence and attendance
Changes and alterations
A durable account of proposed, approved and completed change.
- Change request and rationale
- Impact assessment and approval
- Resulting evidence and updates
Risk and safety-case information
The assessments and arguments used to identify and manage relevant risks.
- Risk assessments
- Safety case and report
- Mandatory occurrence records
Responsibilities and contacts
The legal entities, people and appointments responsible for decisions and work.
- AP, PAP and RP records
- Scope and appointment evidence
- Escalation and emergency contacts
Resident safety information
Information, communication and engagement relevant to people living in the building.
- Resident engagement strategy
- Accessible safety instructions
- Complaints and responses
Operational logbook
A chronological record of the events that explain the building's operational history.
- Tests and maintenance
- Incidents and impairments
- Contractor attendance and decisions
Known information gaps
An honest, managed record of information that is missing, conflicting or unverified.
- Gap and significance
- Interim position and controls
- Action, owner and due date
A record about each record
Keep the context, not only the file.
At minimum, consider what the information relates to, its origin, author, date, revision, status, verification, access controls, retention and links to anything it supersedes or supports.
A well-named PDF can still be wrong. Metadata and relationships make evidence discoverable; competent review and physical verification determine how far it can be relied upon.
What to do first
Do not wait for a perfect system. Establish the building and dutyholders, define the information families, create a controlled inventory and start recording gaps. Prioritise information needed to understand and manage fire-spread and structural-failure risks, urgent impairments and live decisions.
Use the free starter resources to structure an initial review.