Leeds Beckett University and ARC are collaborating on a pioneering Knowledge Transfer Partnership that combines digital technology and AI to create a Golden Thread of quality assurance for fire prevention product installations
Maintaining a precise, reliable record of building safety measures is vital for regulatory compliance in the UK’s built environment. The “Golden Thread” concept, as emphasised in the Building Safety Act, is crucial to ensuring transparency and accountability throughout a building’s lifecycle.
In line with this, Leeds Beckett University, through its Construction Informatics & Digital Enterprise Laboratory (CIDEL), is collaborating with ARC Building Solutions in a 33-month Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) to develop an advanced digital monitoring system that enhances the quality assurance of fire prevention product installations.
In its second KTP with Leeds Beckett, ARC Building Solutions continues to demonstrate foresight and commitment to quality improvement. The system will provide a structured, verifiable and real-time record of installation quality, ensuring that fire safety measures meet required standards from the outset.
The digital solution developed through this partnership will allow real-time monitoring of installation quality using images and videos captured on-site.
AI and machine learning
Leveraging advanced AI and machine learning algorithms, the system will analyse uploaded images to identify potential errors and provide immediate feedback to installers and further informs ARC’s product offerings.
This approach not only improves compliance at the point of installation but also ensures that records of correct installations are maintained for future verification and regulatory adherence.
Professor Saheed Ajayi, professor of digital construction and project management at Leeds Beckett University and lead academic on the project, highlights the significance of the initiative: “The construction industry has long struggled with ensuring consistent installation quality for fire prevention products.
“By integrating digital technologies and AI-driven quality assessment, we are creating a transparent and verifiable system that aligns with the principles of the Golden Thread. This will ultimately lead to improved safety outcomes and greater confidence among regulators and building owners.”
This partnership builds on CIDEL’s extensive expertise in digital construction and informatics, ensuring that the developed system is both technologically robust and industry ready.
CIDEL has worked on projects worth almost £10m in collaboration with industry stakeholders to address real-life challenges affecting productivity, safety and sustainability. Through this initiative, CIDEL is applying its research in AI-driven construction monitoring to create a scalable solution that will benefit the broader industry.
ARC Building Solutions, a leader in passive fire protection solutions, is providing real-world insights and industry expertise to ensure the system’s practical applicability.
Key indicators for installation quality
The project adopts a concise, research-led approach, identifying critical parameters for assessing ARC’s product installations. A comprehensive data collection phase, including engagement with industry stakeholders, archival analysis and site visits, will establish the key indicators for assessing installation quality.
The developed system will integrate with wider digital construction workflows, ensuring seamless documentation and accessibility of installation records throughout a building’s lifecycle.
In addition to installation quality assessment, the platform incorporates a sentiment analysis module to gather feedback from installers and end users, offering insights for refining installation practices. This will provide additional insights into common challenges faced in the field, allowing for continuous improvements in installation guidance and best practices.
This initiative directly contributes to the Golden Thread principle by establishing a robust, digital-first approach to documenting fire safety installations.
The ability to verify installation quality in real-time and maintain a traceable record aligns with the UK’s evolving building safety regulations, ensuring that building owners, regulators and safety professionals have access to accurate and up-to-date information about fire prevention measures.
Professor Ajayi notes: “Regulatory compliance and digitalisation must go hand in hand if we are to build safer environments. This project embodies that principle by combining advanced digital technologies with real-world industry challenges, ensuring that every installation is not only compliant but also documented in a manner that aligns with the Golden Thread framework.”
Professor Ajayi is supported by two key researchers from Leeds Beckett University, who contribute to this project by bringing expertise from their respective fields.
Dr Jamiu Dauda of CIDEL applies his knowledge of AI-driven construction safety to enhance installation quality monitoring through automated compliance checks and real-time feedback, reducing errors and boosting accountability.
Dr Kate Morland from the Leeds Sustainability Institute offers a sustainability perspective, ensuring fire safety measures align with environmental objectives. She also contributes to user training initiatives and experience design, helping installers adopt best practices and promoting a culture of safety and quality throughout the project lifecycle.
The project marks a major advance in integrating AI and digital construction practices for fire safety management and sustainable construction. Combining academic and industry expertise, Leeds Beckett University and ARC are setting new standards for digital quality assurance, demonstrating how data-driven approaches improve safety, compliance and productivity.
This project between ARC Building Solutions Ltd and Leeds Beckett University is a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), and is funded by Innovate UK and ARC Building Solutions.
