Traceability and compliance are an essential requirement under building regulations and has been further highlighted by the report into the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy. Regulations seek to ensure that products are certified, properly installed, and recorded for accountability, inspection, and future maintenance.
The recommendations in the Grenfell Report, whilst centring on construction materials and methods also highlights the importance of third-party testing and traceability throughout. This has implications for all those involved in electrical installations large and small, whether directly related to fire prevention or not.
Compliance & Responsibility
Contractors and developers are responsible for Product Identification, Documentation and Certification, Digital Traceability, Installation & Competence and Key Standards & Systems.
Clients, consultants and developers are required to maintain a Fire Strategy Record or Asset Register aligned with the Golden Thread principle. They must also ensure all fire-rated components are listed in specifications; verified by third-party certification; tracked through procurement, installation and handover.
How this relates to Smart Building Projects
The performance and traceability of building construction products significantly affects the selection, specification, installation, and documentation of electronic devices in smart building projects. The requirement is to show the products conform to the relevant building standards, with associated test certificates’ available for inspection
Devices Installed in Fire-Rated Partitions
Any smart device installed in or on fire-rated walls, floors, or ceilings must not compromise the integrity of that compartment. This includes:
- Sensors
- Switch actuators
- Touch panels and user interfaces
- Smart lighting control modules
- Network and KNX cables
Wiring and Cabling for Smart Systems
Cabling for KNX, BMS, fire alarm integration, and smart lighting must comply with:
- BS 8519 – fire performance of power and control cables
- BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regs) – especially Sections 560 and 710 for life safety
- CPR (Construction Product Regulation) – requires minimum fire performance for permanently installed cables
Power Supplies, Actuators, & Control Panels
Where smart devices power or interact with life safety systems (e.g., fire dampers, emergency lighting), the equipment, must fail safe or include fallback modes. Fire-resistance-rated enclosures may be required. All devices must be traceable in documentation and maintenance plans.
Labelling and digital asset registration (aligned with the Golden Thread) along with Inclusion in the Fire Strategy documentation will be required and there may be a potential need for fire-resistant control panels if in protected routes.
Where smart control devices are used to trigger fire alarm notifications, report faults in fire suppression systems, control smoke dampers or trigger emergency lighting they must be clearly separated from the core fire alarm systems unless certified. Traceable commissioning records, system diagrams, third party testing and qualified installers are also required, and it is the responsibility of the contractor/consultant/client to ensure these requirements are met by sub-contractors.
Documentation & Handover (Golden Thread)
Smart building projects must now document device locations and specifications; certifications and installation records, commissioning, maintenance, and firmware upgrade history
This will require:
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- Use of digital fire safety management platforms (e.g., based on BS 8644-1)
- Requirement for QR codes or RFID tagging of smart devices in critical areas
- Inclusion in digital twins or BIM models for traceable updates
How this relates to specification, installation and maintenance of Smart Building Projects
The traceability of fire-rated components significantly affects the selection, specification, installation, and documentation of electronic devices in smart building projects. Contractors may find that additional compliance checks and product traceability could impact program and delivery. Specifying components that are already compliant will make a huge impact on project delivery in terms of cost, reputation and reduced risk of overrun.
Awareness of Smart Building Controls standards, interoperability and traceability
Many consultants, contractors, developers and clients are not aware that there is a single worldwide standard for smart home and building controls.
It is supported by over 500 manufacturers globally and provides endless choice and flexibility. KNX Certified devices and the ETS software used for programming, ensures product identification and traceability by design without the need for additional work. This is not a new feature, it has been standard for many years. This means that pre-existing systems built using KNX technology, will almost certainly already be compliant.
Because traceability and product identification are intrinsic in KNX/ETS all future modifications and maintenance are easily recorded at point of action.
Third Party Certification
All KNX devices undergo rigorous third-party certification. It is vital to check components for the KNX certification mark and avoid cheaper uncertified devices that claim compatibility without the relevant certification marks.
Qualified Installers
KNX Partner Certification can easily be checked on the KNX Association website. Likewise, membership of a KNX National Group such as KNX UK requires checks of installer certification to ensure that recommended companies comply with this.
Another check to ensure competency is to require KNX Installers/Integrators to provide a KNX Integrator ECS card. – Whilst these are primarily used for site access, this is also a good way to ensure competency among sub-contractors. The cards require checks and additional third-party competency testing so even if the programming and panel building is done offsite this can be a useful tool for checking and recording in project documentation.
