The golden thread is only as strong as the data behind it: this guest blog from GS1 UK examines why consistent product identification, structured information management, and account across the supply chain are the foundations the industry must get right.
Why the golden thread depends on more than data volume
Recent questions about the accuracy of information supplied to the Building Safety Regulator have brought a familiar problem back into focus. The information relates to building control bodies rather than construction products, so the two issues should not be confused. Even so, it is a reminder that collecting data is not enough. People must understand what it relates to and rely on it when making decisions.
The same applies to the golden thread. Its value will not come from the volume of information stored, but from whether someone can use it to understand how a building was designed, what changed during construction and what was eventually installed.
What the industry currently understands about the golden thread
Our recent research with Barbour ABI suggests there is still some way to go. Nine in 10 construction professionals have heard of the golden thread, but only 14 per cent say they fully understand what it means. More than three quarters still use static formats such as PDFs and brochures to manage or share construction product information.
PDFs are not going to disappear, and nor do they need to. Technical datasheets, certification and installation guidance will remain important. The difficulty comes when documents sit in different systems, several versions are in circulation, or the product has changed since the information was created.
A document may be easy to find without making clear whether it relates to the product in front of you. It may describe the original specification rather than the product installed. A certificate may be valid, but not for that exact model or version. These details determine whether information can be used with confidence.
Why product substitution exposes weaknesses in the golden thread
Product substitution is a good example. A survey by the Construction Products Association’s Marketing Integrity Group found that 84 per cent of respondents had encountered substitutions on site. That is not surprising. A product specified during design may be unavailable when work begins or a suitable alternative may have been developed.
The people making that decision need to know why the original product was selected, which performance requirements mattered and whether the proposed replacement meets them. The decision, supporting evidence and approval should then be recorded through the relevant change control process and carried through procurement, installation and handover. Otherwise, the finished record may reflect what was designed rather than what was built.
The challenge of connecting product information across the supply chain
There is already a huge amount of product information in construction. Manufacturers create specifications, certification, installation instructions and maintenance guidance. Designers, contractors, merchants and asset owners add records of their own. The challenge lies in connecting that information to a product consistently as it moves between organisations and systems.
How GTINs support consistency
A Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) gives a product a unique identity that can be recognised across the supply chain. It provides a common reference point that can connect the product to relevant technical, certification, installation and maintenance information.
The role of a GTIN is quite specific. It does not hold all the information about a product or deliver the golden thread by itself. It helps different organisations recognise that they are referring to the same product, even when they use different systems.
Without that reference point, information can become disconnected quickly. A manufacturer may use one product reference, a merchant another and a contractor a shortened description. By the time the information reaches the asset owner, it may no longer be clear whether every record relates to the product installed.
There is strong recognition that this needs to improve. Some 93 per cent of respondents saw value in using product identifiers such as GTINs, with traceability, lifecycle management, supply chain efficiency and data exchange among the benefits identified.
What the industry must agree on to make the golden thread work
The industry already has many of the platforms and tools it needs. Another system will not solve the underlying problem if products continue to be identified differently at each stage. The more immediate task is to agree how products are identified, how information is structured, what needs to follow the product and who is responsible for keeping it current.
The golden thread needs to work for people who may use it years after a building is completed, not only for teams preparing information at handover. If an asset owner, contractor or regulator needs to establish what was installed and why, the answer should not depend on searching through folders and hoping the right version can be found.
Consistent identification will not address every information gap, but it gives the sector a practical place to start. The golden thread will only work if people can find the right information, connect it to the right product and use it with confidence.
Contents
Why the golden thread depends on more than data volume
What the industry currently understands about the golden thread
Why product substitutions exposes weaknesses in the golden thread
The challenge of connecting product information across the supply chain
What the industry must agree on to make the golden thread work
