Totus Digital Hosts Spring Reception at the Palace of Westminster

UK Fire Safety Leaders Reunite for BSI Annual Conference in London

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:31:57 GMT

The week before last marked a significant milestone for the UK fire safety community as the British Standards Institution (BSI) hosted its 2026 Annual Fire Safety Conference, returning to an in-person format for the first time since 2019.

Held at the historic London headquarters of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), the conference brought together experts from regulation, industry, and academia to examine the evolving landscape of fire safety governance and standards.

The event also highlighted the leadership of Aman Sharma, CEO of Totus Digital, who serves as Chair of the BSI Fire & Built Environment Sector Policy & Strategy Committee (FSH/0), providing strategic oversight of the UK’s national fire safety standards portfolio.

The event highlighted a renewed commitment to collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the sector, as stakeholders addressed emerging challenges, regulatory reform, and the future direction of national fire safety policy.

The conference programme was headlined by Lord Andy Roe, Chair of the Building Safety Regulator, whose keynote address set a clear and challenging tone for the future of fire safety governance in the UK.

In his speech, Lord Roe emphasised the importance of robust regulatory frameworks, accountability across the built environment, and the vital role that standards play in improving safety outcomes for communities nationwide.

His address resonated strongly with attendees, highlighting both the progress made since recent regulatory reforms and the work still required to embed a culture of safety across the construction and fire protection sectors.

Inaugural Annual Report Launched

A major highlight of the conference was the publication of the first Annual Report of the BSI Fire & Built Environment Sector Policy & Strategy Committee (FSH/0).

The strategic committee, responsible for overseeing the UK’s fire safety standards portfolio, introduced the report as a new initiative aimed at improving transparency, foresight, and industry engagement.

The report outlines:

Strategic priorities for the national fire safety standards programme
Progress on current standards development
Future areas of focus responding to regulatory change and emerging risk

Aman Sharma, CEO at Totus Digital said “I remain committed to publishing an Annual Report from FSH/0 to provide industry with both foresight and transparency on the direction, priorities and progress of our national fire safety standards programme.”

By making this information publicly available, BSI aims to provide the sector with greater clarity on how fire safety standards will evolve in the coming years.

The return to face-to-face engagement was widely welcomed, with many attendees noting the value of direct collaboration after several years of virtual events.

For those unable to attend the conference in person, the newly published FSH/0 Annual Report is available here: https://storage.pardot.com/35972/1769422684EZ4UBzf7/Fire_safety_Inaugural_report.pdf

The Only Way is Ethics: Part Two

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 09:34:06 GMT

In this new series of articles, our internal specialists discuss the ethical challenges facing the construction industry and the role competence and behaviour play in raising standards.

In part two, our CEO, Aman Sharma MBE, reflects on why ethical intent alone is not enough - and why behaviour, not belief, is the true test of professional competence.

Most drivers will recognise the moment immediately.

You are travelling along innocently – podcast aloud. There is a double flash in the rear view. You know exactly what has happened. You know exactly what will be landing on the doorstep in a few short days.

And yet, almost without thinking, you slow down and drive within the limit for the rest of the journey.

On the face of it, this post incident behaviour makes little sense. The offence has already occurred. The outcome cannot be undone. And yet the behaviour changes instantly. There are multiple psychological explanations for this, with the meta detail immersed in the wizardry of neurology. But a focus upon the environment shifting is appropriate to better understand the context in which decisions are made. That small, familiar moment of knowing you have been caught speeding, but slowing down anyway, captures something important about the challenge the construction industry now faces in translating ethical intent into consistent behaviour.

In the first article in this series, Colin Blatchford-Brown elegantly argued that ethics and behaviours underpin competence, and that skills, knowledge and experience are ultimately shaped by how individuals choose to act. Most professionals know what good looks like. We do not need legislation or codes of conduct to tell us right from wrong. And yet, as with the driver before the speed camera, knowing the rules does not guarantee that they are followed. Competence frameworks, as they are commonly constructed, tend to assume rational actors making conscious, deliberate choices. In reality, most decisions in construction are made under pressure, with incomplete information, competing priorities and strong social cues. Behaviour in those moments is rarely the product of ethical reflection. It is a response to context.

This is where the difficulty lies.

Within the SKEB framework, skills, knowledge and experience are relatively straightforward to evidence. We can train them, test them, log them and audit them. Behaviours, by contrast, are often treated as intangible attributes. Important? Certainly. But difficult to define, difficult to measure and therefore difficult to assure. As a result, behaviours are too often assumed rather than designed for. They are inferred from seniority, reputation or worse still - professional membership, despite widespread acknowledgement that none of these guarantees good behaviour when pressure is applied.

What happens next should not surprise us. In delivery environments where time is short, commercial tension is high and challenge is socially uncomfortable, behaviour drifts. People tend toward stretching beyond the limits of their competence, avoid escalation, normalise uncertainty or defer responsibility. Not because they are unethical, but because the system makes those responses feel safer in the moment. Behavioural science would describe this as bounded rationality. Most professionals experience it simply as “how things get done”.

The problem might be that competence frameworks tend to intervene ‘after the fact’. They assess, review and sanction once outcomes are known. This is akin to issuing a speeding ticket weeks after the journey has finished. There may be learning, but the moment of risk has already passed.

Speed cameras work not because they punish, but because they change behaviour at the point of decision. The environment reinforces compliance in real time. By contrast, behavioural expectations in construction are often implicit, inconsistently reinforced and personally costly to uphold. Saying “this exceeds my competence”, or “we need independent challenge here”, or “I am not comfortable proceeding on this basis” still too often feels risky rather than professional. If ethical behaviour is to be reliable, it must become the default response, not the exceptional one. That requires moving behaviours from the margins of competence frameworks into their operational core. Behaviours cease to be intangible when they are anchored to decisions. How uncertainty is declared, how assumptions are recorded, how often escalation occurs, how challenge is handled when pressure rises - these are all observable, repeatable actions. They are evidence of competence in practice, not abstractions of character.

This is why the reframing of competence from SKEB to BASE matters. Placing behaviours and ethics first is not symbolic. It reflects the reality that skills and knowledge are only as good as the judgement with which they are applied , and that experience only adds value where learning is enabled rather than suppressed. Professionalism, like safe driving, is not demonstrated once. It is demonstrated consistently, especially when it would be easier not to.

Which brings us back to the speed camera.

The real question for the industry is not whether our professionals are ethical. I choose to believe most are. The question is whether our delivery systems, including competence frameworks, are designed to shape behaviour at the point where it matters most. Are we relying on retrospective assurance, or are we creating environments where safe, ethical behaviour becomes unavoidable? Because once the flash has gone off, the decision has already been made.

And in safety-critical systems, that is always too late.

Aman Sharma MBE

CEO, Totus Digital

The Only Way is Ethics

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 13:46:10 GMT

In this new series of articles, our internal specialists discuss the ethical challenges facing the construction industry and the role competence and behaviour play in raising standards, starting with our Technical Director, Colin Blatchford-Brown BSc(Hons), FRICS, FCABE, CBuildE, IEng.

Introduction

The expectation for the construction industry seems to be that in the post-Grenfell era, every person involved behaves 100% ethically, 100% of the time.

This presents a philosophical argument over the concept of balance and interconnectedness. Are positive and negative elements mutually dependent when considered more broadly? Many philosophies suggest that the 'best and worst' are two sides of the same coin and cannot be understood without the contrast of the other.

Is it any surprise then that we continue to see instances of poor practice while most of industry strives to do better?

We cannot expect every person to behave as we would have them do without exception. People are affected all the time by competing factors which may influence decisions, ignorance of legal obligations and sometimes just greed. The construction industry consists of so many elements from all walks of life, is it that surprising there are some undesirable attributes present?

We do have the opportunity to continue to improve and set the benchmarks of good practice and behaviours so that it is easy to differentiate good from bad and drive out as much unethical behaviour and incompetence as possible. It takes the good actors to step up, be consistent in delivery and to challenge those who take a different path. It takes individuals, organisations, regulators and those who set the frameworks to work together to achieve a collective aim.

Competence

Much of the discussions in industry over the last years have revolved around competence. Rightly so, but perhaps we need a deeper look at what this means. Competence is commonly broken into four elements, skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours, often referred to as SKEB.

The combination of these elements presents a coherent overall picture of competence. If one element is lacking, then appropriate actions are needed and of course all elements involve continual maintenance and management to ensure one remains competent.

The benchmark of distinguishing competence may have been to consider membership of a professional body. Speaking from my experience as a building inspector I know that taking such membership in isolation is not a guarantee of competence. It's a strong indicator but it's not the only measure.

So, what underpins the way in which we do our work?

Ethics & behaviours

The behaviours part of SKEB should really be first in the acronym. How we act as individuals sets the tone from the outset.

I would argue that in most cases we all know what is right and wrong. We don't need legislation or codes of conduct to tell us. The choices we make may be influenced in specific circumstances and of course these may determine whether we ultimately do behave in the right way.

Throughout our lives we make these choices every minute of every day. When we are in the right place ethically, we will make the right choices.

There are many knowledgeable people discussing the competence challenges industry faces. How do we all determine whether we have the required skills and knowledge for any given task? How do we record and measure competence? How do we really know the person we appoint is competent?

Perhaps we should have a new way to describe competence?

BASE

B ehaviours & ethics determining the
A pplication of
S kills and knowledge using
E xperience

Placing the behaviours element first, through applying a set of ethics and behaviours to determine how one applies the skills and knowledge one holds and then using experience to shape that application seems a better fit for me.

If we don't possess the ability to understand the limits of our competence for any given task, we will never reach the ambitions for industry. Understanding when we need support, when to say no and when there is a conflict of interest are all crucial to how we progress.

Professionals have been doing this for centuries. There will always be outliers and those out to make a quick profit.

"It’s up to us collectively to call out poor behaviour and set the standards expected."

Alongside this we need strong leadership and enforcement of legislation for those who break the law and from professional bodies when people breach codes of ethics and standards.

In a world where pressure is seemingly applied to everything we do or say, staying true to our ethical beliefs will stand us in good stead.

Colin Blatchford-Brown

BSc(Hons), FRICS, FCABE, CBuildE, IEng

Supporting the 3rd Annual Clarion Building Safety Seminar

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 16:05:18 GMT

Totus Digital and Clarion Housing Group have enjoyed a long and successful partnership in our collective pursuit to bring lasting cultural change across the built environment sector.

In October 2025, we were delighted to continue to support the 3rd Annual Clarion Building Safety Seminar, hosted at the historic Wellcome Trust building in Euston, London.

The event was chaired by Totus Digital Chairman, Sir Ken Knight, and featured a host of industry figureheads and leaders, including Dame Judith Hackitt, Paul Morrell OBE and Totus Digital CEO, Aman Sharma MBE.

The day focussed upon the building safety journey, with a deep dive into the approach Clarion have taken for the development of their Building Assessment Certificates, ensuring data and information is at the heart of the process.

With commentary from Clarion senior leaders, Jock Lennox, Group Board Chair for Clarion Group and closing remarks from Claire Miller, CEO Clarion Housing Group, the event was a great success with attendees afforded the opportunity to network and share experiences across the day.

Totus Digital CEO, Aman Sharma MBE, made the following comments:

“Our enduring partnership with Clarion Housing Group reflects a shared commitment to leadership, integrity, and trust in advancing building safety. I’m delighted that we could contribute to the organisation and delivery of the 2025 Clarion Building Safety Seminar, and deeply proud of the exceptional collaboration between our teams as we continue to set new benchmarks for building and fire safety across the sector.”

Operational Musings on new Fire Door Guidance by Neil Yeomans

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 12:19:59 GMT

In this article, our Head of Education and Building Safety, Neil Yeomans, emphasises the importance of anyone responsible for fire doors reading the new guidance.

While the changes may appear subtle, he believes they represent a significant shift in how the sector has approached this challenge to date.

Change 1: Logistics

"I like that the guidance advises checkers to assume doors are compliant if a detailed FRA has already confirmed their “standard-of-day” performance. It mirrors asbestos surveys, where material sampling feeds into an annual visual re-inspection programme. In practice, this places FRAs in the same role asbestos specialists occupy: Asbestos specialists take samples of materials to confirm what sort (if any) asbestos is present and then they provide key information to help manage the risks. In fire door land, that equates to confirming that the most common door-set in a block met the standards of its era and remains safe for current use.

My Musings on the Operational Impact of Change 1:

FRAers are going to have to seek documentation to show the doors installed were up to muster when installed - many FRAers already do this, but I think this guidance now makes this step vital to the overall system.

The bad news is that I suspect the vast majority of doors in this country won't have that data.

Housing providers have fire doors that pre-date the concept of a CAFM system!

Essentially, information management in those days was purchasing some carbon paper! If you're too young to know what carbon paper is; imagine a bit of kit that copied everything you wrote down; exactly how you wrote it down, including the spelling mistakes!

This lack of available information, I feel, will lead to destructive sampling of fire doors becoming routine rather than occasional. One departure from my asbestos analogy is that testing a fire door is far more invasive than taking an asbestos core, so I suspect FRA firms will either start offering “door-testing” services where they offer to facilitate door laboratory testing or we’ll see a surge in 'fire-door survey required' actions and leave it at the feet of the housing provider to confirm the situation.

And yes, the notional-versus-certificated door debate looms large again.

Thought 2: Effort transfer

FRAs are likely to be quite demanding on the information they require to carry confirm if fire doors are suitable. Therefore the management of the information is going to be a serious challenge across all teams.

Crucially, safety teams rarely handle door replacements themselves - (it's always my preference they do as otherwise it creates a box ticking culture, but alas, I'm in the minority on this matter). Repairs and investment teams often take the lead, so managing information across silos becomes a logistics challenge that will need to be addressed.

I suspect the way this will manifest is that FRAers will request information, and the poor soul that runs the FRA programme will spend hours trawling work orders for door repairs and replacements to see what happened in a particular building. Even in the event they find a works order with enough description to lead them to the team responsible for managing the work, I fear they'll find the repairs and planned teams may not have saved the information quite how the FRAer needs it. Or they may not have saved anything at all...

Either way, the people running the FRA programme are likely to have a difficult task in this data mining, so make sure if you see them and they're looking stressed and forlorn; give them some support.

My message to development, repairs and planned-improvement teams: start logging key fire-door data—make, model, certification status, installation date—in your asset management system now. The HACT website’s UKHDS parameters under “fire doors” are a great reference. Speak to your safety teams - remember; you are just as responsible for making sure fire safety is maintained.

Thought 3: The impact of time

Capturing every detail of doors that are installed today is a challenge in and of itself. Just imagine managing that for tens of thousands of doors that have information all over the place from the last 60 years. Now imagine managing all of that for the life cycle of a fire door into the future. Past, present and future data management represents a huge challenge when FRAers are going to need this information kept and presented to them.

During the 30-40 year life cycle of a fire door (or longer!) we'll see new;

FRA contractors,
Fire-door contractors,
IT systems,
Mergers and acquisitions etc.
Panic installs after a downgrade or legal notice

All of these, and more, will expose the data to risk of translation error, loss or corruption.

Without a digital overhaul, we'll be stuck in the same old cycle of sending out another surveyor to collect the information we already held. All of that undermines the thrust of the new guidance, as it'll be the poor tenants and leaseholders paying for those additional surveys.

However, all is not lost; this challenge has already been overcome in your asbestos registers. So, my advice; if you're managing fire doors, take some time to shadow your counterpart who manages the asbestos register and see how they do things - you may find that the IT kit already exists for what you're after, if just needs to be replicated for fire doors.

Thought 4: Contradiction

A logistical contradiction also caught my eye. The guidance states:

“With appropriate instruction, caretakers, managing agents, housing officers and maintenance personnel should be able to do them … as the checks are only visual and do not involve, for example, use of tools.”

Then it adds:

“To check flat entrance doors, you will need access to each flat … Arrangements should be made with residents in advance … You could consider offering a range of times, so that residents can be present.”

Expecting already-over-stretched housing officers to organise no-access programmes and potentially build legal cases against uncooperative residents shows a misunderstanding of how time-intensive access becomes.

For what it’s worth, even with gas safety, the compilation of a robust case against the resident is a significant amount of work.

To me, it feels like this new guidance is likely to reduce fire door inspection companies from doing annual and quarterly door checks, and it then feels likely that housing providers will directly employ staff to manage the programme, much the same way as gas safety manages its workload. It's one of the very few ways I can see that'll provide the labour required.

I'm afraid the bad news there for customers is that those staff are likely to get the majority of their wages paid for from the management fees, which are again, additional to rent...

In essence, what I'm saying is that the guidance underestimates both the current workload of existing staff and the logistical effort required to do this work in the first place.

Anyway, I hope those musings help give some reassurance that the guidance represents progress in that clarity of the different pieces of law are now crystal clear.

And I also hope that I've suggested some solutions; the most important of which is; you may not need to re-invent the wheel here. Your asbestos team may have done some of the heavy lifting, so take a look at the asbestos management plan and shadow the team for a bit."

Neil Yeomans

Head of Education & Building Safety

Totus Digital

Fire safety standards: what’s coming next for construction?

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 20:35:27 GMT

Our CEO, Aman Sharma MBE, is the new chair of BSI’s strategic fire safety committee for the built environment.

He tells Will Mann from Construction Management what new standards construction should look out for.

Will Mann: Tell us about your work as chair of the FSH/0 committee . What changes can the construction industry expect in fire safety standards development?

Aman Sharma: One of my priorities is to bring greater transparency and inclusivity to fire safety standards development. There’s a lot of misinformation and confusion in the industry about how standards are created, and I want to break down those walls of opacity. Under my leadership, which began officially this year, we’ve begun a transformational shift – moving from simply overseeing fire safety standards to actively engaging the sector.

Industry feedback has highlighted a lack of clarity around standards development. I recognise this, and we’re creating opportunities for more people to engage – understanding how to become a standards-maker, or contributing experience and diverse perspectives. A young site engineer can bring just as much insight as a senior director. Standards must reflect the real-world challenges and demographics of our sector.

FSH/0 will be publishing an annual report to showcase progress across our 26 subcommittees, giving industry valuable insight into which standards are in development and (crucially) signposting to interested parties how they can become involved.

WM: How do you modernise fire safety standards in this current era of fast-moving technology?

AS: We need to respond to today’s urgent risks – like lithium-ion battery fires – while also anticipating future challenges. Thermal runaway , for example, is a critical issue we’re grappling with now. These fires are extremely difficult to extinguish and even harder to design around. But they’re just one example of how emerging technologies can introduce new, complex risks into the built environment.

To address this, we’re establishing a new subcommittee within FSH/0 focused specifically on new and emerging risks and digital innovation. Its purpose will be to ‘horizon scan’: identify technologies and trends, such as AI, automation, and synthetic data , and analyse their potential implications for fire safety. The subcommittee will feed insight and evidence into the standards development process so that we can begin shaping new guidance early, rather than reacting after problems arise.

The pace of technological change means fire safety must evolve just as quickly.

WM: What are the key priorities for FSH/0 in the next 18 months, in terms of new and updated standards?

AS: The response to the revision of BS 9991 last November underlined just how much scrutiny there is of fire safety standards and reinforced the need for greater transparency around how standards are developed. Looking ahead, there are several important standards in the pipeline that the tier 1 community and wider construction sector should be aware of.

The recently published BS 9792 covers fire risk assessment in housing and replaces PAS 79-2 as a full British Standard. It’s the result of extensive and focused work by the technical committee to elevate the previous PAS into a British Standard format. For now, PAS 79-1 remains in place, so we’ll have a BS and PAS running in parallel within the same series, although PAS 79-1 may be converted to a full BS in the coming years.

Another major development is the revision of PAS 9980 , which provides guidance for appraising the fire risk of external wall systems. This standard has just completed its public consultation. The committee is now in the ‘comment resolution’ phase. We expect the revised PAS 9980 to be published in spring 2026, reflecting feedback and lessons learned from its use to date.

WM: What other fire safety developments can tier 1 contractors expect?

AS: There has been longstanding concern about the inconsistent way fire safety is managed during the construction phase, particularly among tier 1 contractors, despite robust guidance such as the Joint Code of Practice and HSG 168 . These documents offer valuable site-level risk management advice, but they don’t address the strategic, organisational-level fire safety planning needed before work begins.

That’s the gap PAS 9970 aims to fill. It’s been developed following extensive stakeholder engagement and designed to introduce a strategic framework for construction-phase fire safety. The goal is to ensure principal contractors establish clear processes, responsibilities, and policies before setting foot on site – and maintain them throughout the project.

The PAS will consist of two parts. Part 1 will outline the strategic principles: what contractors should have in place – procedures, documentation, monitoring mechanisms – before mobilisation. It draws on process safety principles, moving the industry from a reactive to a proactive approach to fire risk.

PAS 9970 is intended to complement existing guidance like the Joint Code of Practice and HSG 168, not replace them. Used together, they will offer a more holistic and consistent model for fire safety across major projects. We’re aiming for publication in 2026.

WM: What about guidance for fire safety engineers?

AS: There’s long been a gap in guidance on how to produce a robust fire strategy. While widely used, fire strategies aren’t currently mandated in legislation – unlike fire risk assessments. However, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommended making fire strategies a statutory requirement .

Previously, PAS 911 attempted to define ‘what good looks like’ in a fire strategy, but it lacked industry recognition and was not widely used. BSI has withdrawn PAS 911, although some time before the Inquiry made its comments, and is replacing it with a full British Standard: BS 9994 .

BS 9994 will form part of the BS 999X series, providing clear, high-level guidance for fire engineers. It’s being designed to be globally applicable, regulation-agnostic and based on best practice. This will allow clients and contractors to request that fire strategies align with BS 9994, ensuring greater consistency and quality across the built environment.

WM: Will you be contextualising these standards with use cases? Are there any exemplar case studies you can mention?

AS: I’d very much like to. In the absence of empirical evidence, good guidance must be grounded in real-world best practice. BSI is engaging with organisations already delivering fire safety effectively. I would like to publish case studies from these early adopters alongside new British Standards.

We’re already seeing positive signs. Mace, for example, has been particularly proactive on fire safety under the leadership of Mark Reynolds. One notable initiative is on the HS2 Euston project, a case study we hope to share publicly in due course.

Berkeley Group is another standout. An organisation that asks the right questions at a senior level and applies standards in a way that supports the development of an evidence-based path to compliance. That cultural maturity is something we want to showcase more widely.

WM: How are you encouraging the industry to engage with these new standards developments?

AS: I strongly encourage anyone with relevant expertise or interest to engage with the public consultations on fire safety standards. These consultations are a key opportunity for the industry to shape the guidance it ultimately uses. We’re not currently seeking more direct involvement on specific committees, but we are building a broader community of potential contributors. Through the FSH/0 committee structure, individuals can register their interest, signal their areas of expertise, and be considered for future involvement.

WM: Finally, congratulations on your MBE. How did your day at the Palace go and what comments did the future king make about building safety?

AS: Thank you. My day at Windsor Castle was unforgettable and what stood out was my conversation with HRH Prince of Wales. It was humbling to hear him speak so knowledgeably and eloquently about the Grenfell Tower tragedy – he spoke for several minutes with sincerity and detail that really struck me.

What resonated most was his parting message: “maintain the momentum”. That phrase encapsulates everything we are trying to do with fire safety standards. It was a powerful reminder that no matter how much progress we’ve made, the job is far from finished.

When I was an adviser at the Ministry of Housing, I was once asked how long the building safety programme should last. My immediate response was: “Indefinitely.” My position is unchanged, building safety must be an ongoing commitment.

Totus Digital Hosts Spring Reception at the Palace of Westminster

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 11:28:30 GMT

A night to remember at the Palace of Westminster.

Last week, we welcomed industry leaders, partners, and stakeholders to the prestigious Palace of Westminster for our Spring Reception—an evening dedicated to advancing building and fire safety standards across the built environment.

The event provided a unique opportunity for guests to connect, exchange ideas, and hear firsthand about our plans. From pioneering new qualifications in building and fire safety to developing novel software, Totus Digital remains at the forefront of innovation in the sector.

Building on the success of this event, we’re already planning future gatherings. We welcome feedback from attendees on topics, speakers, or discussions that would add even more value to our next event.

Our CEO, Aman Sharma, said:

“I’m delighted to have hosted our inaugural company Spring Reception at the Palace of Westminster, bringing together true industry leaders and innovators who continue to drive new standards for building and fire safety, fostering a culture that industry can rightly be proud of.

My thanks again to Lord David Goddard of Stockport for his ongoing support and efforts on the night, together with our sponsored charity Fire Aid for whom we were able to raise just under £4000 during the evening’s auction.”

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this milestone occasion. We look forward to continuing the conversation and shaping the future of fire and building safety together.

We are delighted to share a selection of photos from the evening:

Totus Chief Executive Awarded MBE for Services to Building and Fire Safety

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 09:22:25 GMT

Aman Sharma, one of the UK’s leading voices for building and fire safety and co-founder of Totus Digital, has been awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in recognition of his outstanding contributions to building and fire safety.

The accolade, announced as part of the King’s New Year Honours List 2025, highlights Aman’s dedication to transforming building and fire safety practices across the UK and beyond.

With a comprehensive background in the fire service, Aman is CEO of Totus Digital, a consultancy dedicated to delivering innovative building safety and fire engineering solutions.

In addition to leading Totus Digital, Aman has been instrumental in working alongside central and local government, along with several professional institutions and industry bodies during the development of the Building Safety Act 2022, Fire Safety Act 2021 and a range of associated secondary legislation.

Between 2019 and 2023, Aman served as the Deputy Chair of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee advising the Secretary of State on building regulations and building safety matters. He has led a number of key industry working groups for government, covering subjects such as Approved Document B, higher risk buildings and golden thread.

Aman currently chairs the British Standards Institution (BSI) most senior fire safety committee, overseeing the vast programme of fire safety guidance being produced for industry.

Speaking about the award, Aman said:

"I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive this recognition. Public safety is not just a profession but a passion that drives me to protect lives, properties, and communities. This MBE is a testament to the incredible team I work with and the progress we’ve made together in advancing building and fire safety measures. Whilst there is so much more to do, I wish to express my personal thanks to all those who have advanced building and fire safety standards over the years, as we continue championing this most important agenda."

Speaking about the award, Totus Digital Chairman Sir Ken Knight said:

“I am delighted that Aman has been recognised in the New Years Honours with the MBE. It is a well-deserved recognition of Aman’s tireless efforts to raise the bar for fire safety measures in order to deliver fire safety solutions that the public can have confidence in”

Weaving the Golden Thread

gemmap@digity.co.uk (Gemma Parker) — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 13:59:34 GMT

Weaving the Golden Thread

As the building safety reform agenda gathers momentum in England, one topic has been a standout since its proposal by Dame Judith Hackitt – the golden thread. Since the publication of her report industry has enthusiastically debated this fundamental component of the new regime. On this landmark legislative reform Dr Hywel Davies Technical Director, CIBSE & Chair, Building Regulations Advisory Committee and Aman Sharma Managing Director, Totus Digital & Deputy Chair, Building Regulations Advisory Committee offer an inaugural insight into the development of the golden thread policy; and how it may be applied in law and industry practice.

Second Stair Provision for Tall Residential Buildings in London

gemmap@digity.co.uk (Gemma Parker) — Sun, 12 Feb 2023 13:37:32 GMT

London Mayor Sadiq Khan - All planning applications for residential buildings in London above 30 metres must now include a second staircase - "with immediate effect".

Under new proposals at application stage, all tall residential buildings above 30 metres will need to be designed with two staircases before they can be referred to the Greater London Authority for approval.

This follows the publication in Dec 2022 of the latest Approved Document B consultation from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) which proposes that new residential buildings of more than 30 metres in height feature a second staircase.

DLUHC stated that it was proposing “a very short transition period” before implementing this change, with all developments encouraged “to prepare for this change now”.

The Greater London Authority (GLA) stated that given DLUHC’s wish to swiftly implement the second staircase measure – and “the requirements of London Plan policy D12 that all developments should achieve the highest standards of fire safety” - the mayor of London was immediately applying his change to relevant planning applications.

The DLUHC consultation runs until March 17 and includes other proposals, including removing references to national classifications (BS 476) from Approved Document B. Responses can be made here on the UK government website .

Planning Gateway One - BSI & IFE Webinar

gemmap@digity.co.uk (Gemma Parker) — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 12:47:33 GMT

BSI and the IFE kicked off their ongoing fire safety CPD partnership for 2023, with a focus on planning gateway one (PGO). With expert input from the Health and Safety Executive's policy lead Mark Wilson, and Totus Digital CEO Aman Sharma, delegates were treated to a deep dive into policy requirements and best practice to enable effective engagement with the statutory consultee and local planning authority.

Totus Digital CEO Aman Sharma said: "The fire safety CPD collaboration between BSI and IFE has been a tremendous success, and I'm delighted this will continue into 2023. When I first convened this partnership between these institutions, it was to ensure that voices of authority from across the built environment sector could come together to cascade the latest developments and insights to as broad an audience as possible. During this period of signficant fire safety regualtory reform, it is all the more essential for practitioners to ensure they are abreast of the latest developments, to enable delivery of the necessary culture change we so desperately need".

The webinar recording is free to download from the BSI website and is available via the following link:

https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/our-services/events/webinars/2022/understanding-planning-gateway-one-pgo-what-you-need-to-know/

New Building Advisory Committee Announced

gemmap@digity.co.uk (Gemma Parker) — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 12:43:23 GMT

The first meeting of the Building Advisory Committee (BAC) took place this week. BAC was established under the Building Safety Act 2022 as part of government’s reforms of building safety. The reforms are designed to create lasting change and make it clear how residential buildings should be constructed, maintained and made safe.

BAC will advise and inform the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) in its mission to ensure the safety of residents in high-rise buildings, as well as the Regulator’s other roles including keeping the safety and standards of all buildings under review.

The inaugural meeting was an introduction to BSR and the role of the committee before it starts preparing its workplan. It was chaired by the Health and Safety Executive’s Chief Inspector of Buildings, Peter Baker, who commented:

“I am delighted to welcome the first members to the inaugural meeting of BAC and look forward to working with them in tackling the challenges in the built environment, and in helping to drive culture change and ownership of building safety and standards by industry. BAC’s function is to support the Building Safety Regulator in its important work to protect residents and users of high-rise buildings, identify new and emerging risks affecting the safety and standards of all buildings, and to help develop sensible and proportionate solutions.”

“Establishing the Building Advisory Committee is another important milestone for the Building Safety Regulator and the introduction of the new, more stringent building safety regime following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.”

Totus Digital CEO Aman Sharma, who will take up a position on BAC commented:

" It's a great honour and a privilege to have been appointed to BAC by the BSR, and I look forward to continuing the important work of driving behavioural change and embedding responsibility and accountability at the heart of safety critical decision making. I look forward to working with my new colleagues and positively engaging with industry to drive new standards for building safety. "

Totus Digital Hosts Spring Reception at the Palace of Westminster

UK Fire Safety Leaders Reunite for BSI Annual Conference in London

The week before last marked a significant milestone for the UK fire safety community as the British Standards Institution (BSI) hosted its 2026 Annual Fire Safety Conference, returning to an in-person format for the first time since 2019.

The Only Way is Ethics: Part Two

In this new series of articles, our internal specialists discuss the ethical challenges facing the construction industry and the role competence and behaviour play in raising standards.

In part two, our CEO, Aman Sharma MBE, reflects on why ethical intent alone is not enough - and why behaviour, not belief, is the true test of professional competence.

The Only Way is Ethics

In this new series of articles, our internal specialists discuss the ethical challenges facing the construction industry and the role competence and behaviour play in raising standards, starting with our Technical Director, Colin Blatchford-Brown BSc(Hons), FRICS, FCABE, CBuildE, IEng.

Supporting the 3rd Annual Clarion Building Safety Seminar

Totus Digital and Clarion Housing Group have enjoyed a long and successful partnership in our collective pursuit to bring lasting cultural change across the built environment sector.

Operational Musings on new Fire Door Guidance by Neil Yeomans

In this article, our Head of Education and Building Safety, Neil Yeomans, emphasises the importance of anyone responsible for fire doors reading the new guidance.

﻿ While the changes may appear subtle, he believes they represent a significant shift in how the sector has approached this challenge to date.

Fire safety standards: what’s coming next for construction?

Our CEO, Aman Sharma MBE, is the new chair of BSI’s strategic fire safety committee for the built environment.

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He tells Will Mann from Construction Management what new standards construction should look out for.

Totus Digital Hosts Spring Reception at the Palace of Westminster

A night to remember at the Palace of Westminster.

Totus Chief Executive Awarded MBE for Services to Building and Fire Safety

Aman Sharma, one of the UK’s leading voices for building and fire safety and co-founder of Totus Digital, has been awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in recognition of his outstanding contributions to building and fire safety.

Weaving the Golden Thread

Weaving the Golden Thread

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Second Stair Provision for Tall Residential Buildings in London

London Mayor Sadiq Khan - All planning applications for residential buildings in London above 30 metres must now include a second staircase - "with immediate effect".

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Planning Gateway One - BSI & IFE Webinar

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New Building Advisory Committee Announced

While the changes may appear subtle, he believes they represent a significant shift in how the sector has approached this challenge to date.