Construction leaders urge clients to prioritise building safety compliance and informed procurement decisions across all project stages.
A coalition of industry bodies, led by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), has launched a coordinated campaign to accelerate client adoption of building safety standards. The initiative responds to ongoing concerns across the digital construction sector that procurement decisions remain driven by cost and programme pressures, rather than compliance with the Building Safety Act.
Supported by eight organisations and endorsed by the Building Safety Regulator’s Industry Competence Committee, the campaign introduces new guidance designed to clarify client responsibilities and improve industry-wide understanding of building safety legislation.
Addressing industry gaps
At the centre of the campaign is BESA’s Clients’ Guide to the Building Safety Act, developed to address a critical knowledge gap among project clients. Industry research conducted by BESA indicates that many clients either lack awareness of their statutory duties or are not fully implementing them, despite the legislation being in force since 2022.
The guidance provides a structured overview of client duties under the Building Safety Act, with a focus on:
- Legal responsibilities across project lifecycles
- Procurement strategies aligned with safety and compliance
- Risk management and accountability frameworks
- Requirements for higher-risk buildings (HRBs) and wider building stock
Importantly, the guide reinforces that building safety regulations apply to all building types, not solely high-rise or higher-risk residential developments. This clarification is critical for digital construction professionals managing diverse asset portfolios.
The role of clients in driving building safety compliance
The Industry Competence Committee has emphasised that clients hold a central role in determining project outcomes. According to Jon Vanstone, chair of the committee: “The Building Safety Act places clear legal duties on clients. They set the tone for projects through their procurement decisions, appointments and allocation of resources.”
Vanstone highlighted that compliance is not recoverable through downstream intervention: “If those duties are taken seriously and supported by competent appointments and informed oversight, the quality and safety of outcomes will improve. If they are not, no amount of downstream control can fully compensate.”
This reinforces a key principle within digital construction: early-stage decision-making, supported by accurate data and competent stakeholders, directly influences lifecycle safety outcomes.
Simplifying complex building safety legislation
One of the primary barriers to compliance has been the complexity of the Building Safety Act. BESA’s guidance addresses this by translating legislative requirements into plain English, enabling clients to better interpret and implement their obligations.
Rachel Davidson, director of specialist knowledge at BESA, explained: “This is a practical guide designed to help clients navigate the building safety process. It is intended to educate not intimidate by explaining what good looks like so clients can make better, safer procurement decisions that also make sense for their businesses.”
The guide also supports digital workflows by promoting clarity in roles, responsibilities, and compliance checkpoints, key elements for Building Information Modelling (BIM) and data-driven project delivery.
Davidson added: “By following the information in the guide, they can reduce project risks and avoid costly mistakes which lead to expensive delays and re-designs.”
Procurement reform and supply chain accountability
A recurring theme across the campaign is the need to reform procurement practices. The guidance encourages clients to move away from lowest-cost selection models and instead prioritise competence, compliance, and long-term asset performance.
It also empowers contractors and supply chain partners to challenge unsafe or non-compliant decisions. Under the Building Safety Act, contractors are legally obligated to ensure clients understand their responsibilities before commencing work.
This shift aligns with broader digital construction trends, where transparent data environments and collaborative platforms support accountability across stakeholders.
Long-term value over short-term cost
From a client advisory perspective, Lilly Gallafent, CEO of Cast Consultancy, stressed the importance of long-term thinking: “Change needs to start with clients. Whilst many already do, clients all need to recognise that they have the power to drive a new culture through their supply chains, but they need to be willing to allocate risk fairly and focus on how their decisions will affect the operational life of their buildings.”
She also warned against short-term cost-cutting: “Pushing hard for cost savings at the start of a project can, when not managed appropriately, end up being very expensive in the long run and risk needs to be properly assessed and not just pushed down the supply chain.”
This perspective is particularly relevant for digital construction, where lifecycle data, asset performance, and operational efficiency are increasingly central to project value.
Industry-wide support for building safety guidance
The guidance has been widely endorsed across the sector, including by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).
Linda Stevens, head of client development at CIOB, said: “The Building Safety Act places responsibilities on both clients and their contractors, and we hear that for many clients it can be a struggle to get to grips with exactly what they are required by law to do.”
She added: “It can only be through everyone conforming to the Building Safety Act that we will ensure the built environment is safe for every community.”
This collective endorsement reflects a unified industry position: improving client competence is essential to achieving safer, compliant buildings.
Data, compliance, and competence
For professionals operating in digital construction, the guidance reinforces several critical themes:
- The integration of compliance data into BIM and digital twin environments
- The need for auditable decision-making throughout project lifecycles
- Enhanced collaboration between clients, designers, and contractors
- Competence verification supported by digital tools and standards
As regulatory frameworks evolve, digital construction methodologies will play a central role in ensuring traceability, accountability, and compliance with the Building Safety Act.
The industry’s unified message is clear: informed clients are essential to delivering safe, compliant, and high-performing buildings. Strengthening client competence will shape procurement, improve outcomes, and support long-term digital construction transformation.
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