The Opportunity
We supported the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (LBHF) in preparing for occupation of EdCity, a £150 million partnership between LBHF and Ark. Our role focused on pre-completion building safety readiness and transition to occupation, including delivery of a Pre-Practical Completion Building Safety Review and development of a Building Safety Case Report (SCR) pathway for the Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs), Blocks E3 and E4 (both over 18m in height).
The commission centred on reviewing Golden Thread information and Regulation 38 fire safety documentation to demonstrate that all reasonable steps had been taken to prevent building safety risks, including fire spread and structural failure, and to reduce residual risks to As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP). The scope included review and coordination of as-built fire strategy information, operations and maintenance (O&M) documentation, commissioning records, cause-and-effect matrices, witnessing evidence, and critical safety information.
Our Approach
A comprehensive review and gap analysis of Phase 2 evidence was undertaken across both HRBs, covering fire strategies, O&M manuals, active and passive fire protection systems, commissioning certificates, critical safety information, and Regulation 38 documentation. This identified key actions, including improving document registers, confirming fire alarm panel locations, securing written witnessing evidence, and formalising “As Built” records.
The Pre-Practical Completion Building Safety Review combined desktop assessments with site inspections, enabling early identification and resolution of information gaps. Findings informed the development of a structured SCR pathway, including a draft Safety Case Report, Building Safety Risk Assessment, and live Improvement Plan.
Targeted technical reviews validated key safety principles, including the defend-in-place strategy, smoke control functionality through cause-and-effect testing, and confirmation that an Evacuation Alert System was not required.
LBHF received a robust, evidence-led safety case framework aligned with Higher-Risk Building requirements and Building Safety Regulator expectations. Enhanced Golden Thread traceability, a complete Regulation 38 information pack, and a coordinated RIBA Stage 6/7 As-Built Fire Strategy provided the foundation for safe occupation and effective long-term building safety management.
