Figure 1 The half day event in Hilti head office Manchester

Nearly a decade on from the Grenfell Tower fire, the construction industry continues to adapt to the far‑reaching changes introduced by the Building Safety Act (BSA). With gateway approvals, higher‑risk buildings and the “golden thread” now central to design and delivery, many architects and engineers are navigating unfamiliar and increasingly complex territory.

To address these challenges, Hilti proudly sponsored and supported a joint RIBAJ/Hilti conference, bringing together architects, regulators, engineers and manufacturers to discuss how the industry can proactively manage compliance and improve safety outcomes.
The event focused on real‑world experiences of the BSA gateway process, the responsibilities placed on designers, and the growing importance of early technical engagement.

Representing Hilti, Olga Reyes, Head of Technical DD&E Marketing for Northern Europe, highlighted the limitations of current testing standards and the need for whole‑system thinking—particularly in fire protection and service penetrations—where real installations often go beyond what existing standards cover.

A key message from the conference was clear: meaningful collaboration between designers and manufacturers, backed by robust testing, technical expertise and clear documentation, is essential to improving submission quality and building confidence in safety‑critical decisions. This is an area where Hilti continues to support the industry through engineering advice, system testing, and specification‑led solutions.

👉 To read the full conference report and insights from across the industry, view the original RIBAJ article here