Soft Landings

Delivering Better Sustainable Buildings

1

Gary Clark, Wilkinson Eyre ArchitectsStuart Thompson, Morgan Sindall

Recurring Issues

How have we approached it

How have we approached it

How have we approached it

How have we approached it

How has this helped?

• Understand Client vision & values• Existing Client strategies for operational performance

& specification• Lessons learnt, feedback• Start by closing the feedback loop…

• Late 1990s: devised as ‘Sea Trials’ for new buildings, by architect Mark Way

• 2004 scope of service documentation developed with construction sponsorship

• 2008 Open-source documentation developed into a Framework by industry task group led by BSRIA

• 2009 The Soft Landings Frameworkauthored by BSRIA and the Usable Buildings Trust.

• 2011 Soft Landings covered in BREEAM New Construction, the IGT report, and Government strategy

Soft Landings Origins

What does Soft Landings mean to Morgan Sindall..?

…compliments our Perfect Delivery philosophy, which is at the heart of everything we do

… offers our customers an enhanced experience, ensuring that we are the best in the industry delivering exceptional customer service

… ensures we think about asset performance, creates a seamless construction phase and enriches our approach to aftercare

… the ‘framework of activities’ provides a structure for us to provide a consistent approach

How have we approached it

GSL Section 3• Functionality & effectiveness• Developing the Brief

BSRIA Stage 1• Inception & briefing• Review past experience

Stage 1: Inception and 

briefing

Stage 1: Inception and 

briefing

Stage 2: Design, construct

Stage 2: Design, construct

Stage 3: Pre‐handover

Stage 3: Pre‐handover

Stage 4: Initial aftercare

Stage 4: Initial aftercare

Stage 5: Extended 

aftercare & POE

Stage 5: Extended 

aftercare & POE

Feedback to Inception and briefing

Clarify operational outcomes in the client’s requirements

Review past experience, agree performance metrics, agree design targets, regularly reality‐check

Prepare for occupation, train FM staff, demonstrate control systems, review monitoring strategy of occupants and 

energy use

Support occupants in first few weeks of occupation, be resident on site to respond to 

queries and react to emerging issues

Monitor, review, fine‐tune, and perform periodic 

feedback studies for up to three years to reach performance targets

Five Stage Process

Design briefDesign & Pre‐construction

Mobilisation & Construct 

Post practicalcompletion Aftercare

B C to H J to K L1 L2 & L3

RIBA  Plan of Work 

Strategyand brief

Concept to technical design

Construction& handover In use

0 & 1 2 ‐ 4 5 & 6 7

2013 RIBA Plan of Work

Inception and briefing

InitialAftercare

Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5

SOFT LANDINGS ACTIVITIES

Design& construct

Pre‐Handover

Years 1 to 3Aftercare

B1 Define roles and responsibilitiesB2 Review past experienceB3 Plan evaluations & reality checksB4 Set performance targetsB5 Sign-off gateways B6 Incentives for performance outcomes P1 Environmental / energy logging review

P2 Building readiness programmeP3 Commissioning records checkP4 Maintenance contractP5 TrainingP6 BMS interface completion and demoP7 Migration PlanningP8 Aftercare team ‘home’P9 Compile Building User’s GuideP10 Compile Technical GuideP11 O&M Manual Review

A1 Resident on-site attendanceA2 Provide datacomms linksA3 Building usage guidanceA4 Technical guidanceA5 CommunicationsA6 Walkabouts

Y1 Aftercare review meetingsY2 Log env'l & energy performanceY3 Systems and energy reviewY4 Fine tune systemsY5 Record fine-tuning and changeY6 CommunicationsY7 WalkaboutsY8 Measure env'l & energy performanceY9 End of year review

D1 Continue building revisits

D2Review design for buildability, commissionability and maintainabilty 

D3 Review design for usability and manageability D4 Undertake reality checking started at Briefing stageD5 Revisit and update early performance targetsD6 Incorporate Soft Landings requirements in tender documentsD7 Iterate between Stages D1 to D4 during the design process

Soft Landings and Reality Checking

Asset Operations

Client decision points

Environment

Financial Performance

Functionality & Effectiveness

Design & Construction Commissioning, Training & Handover

Asset Design & Construction

Asset/FacilitiesManagement

1 2 3 5 P3

Define outcomes and measures of success

Identify & deliver user / operator needs

Collect and compare actual operational performance against planned targets

Information Exchange points

Measures

0 P24

Review new design requirements and expectations through feedback

Government Soft Landings Map

Measures

BSRIA Soft Landings is one way to deliver GSLbutOutcomes have to be realistic and measurableandCollaborative working is a pre-requisiteorOutcomes will probably not be achieved

1 7

GSL and Soft Landings: How do they relate?

Where does it fit in?

510A SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Statements and undertakings: Prepare, describe how the special requirements will be complied with:- As required and described in the tender documents; VISREA 'Soft take off and landing'; Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Co-ordination.

Where does it fit in?

Where does it fit in?

Where does it fit in?

Where does it fit in?

More common

Where does it fit in?

More common

This is new…

But also…

Where does it fit in?

Where does it fit in?

Local Authority ITTs in relation to GSL

Does "Ensure project is completed using government soft landings" mean:

• just do the things set out in accompanying bullet points, or

• do everything in the GSL documentation?

Plan of work

Plan of work

May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov DecApril Jan FebMarch

RIBA Stage B Stage C Stage D Period of reflection…

Stakeholder 1

Stakeholder 2

Stakeholder 3

Stakeholder 4

Stakeholder 5

DQI 1

DQI 2

Stage 1

Sof

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Sof

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s G

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SL

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SL

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SL

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Stage 2

Reality checking workshops

Life Cycle(£ + CO2)

Project values

‘Awareness’ ‘Delivery’

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Stage Activity Additional CostStage 1 Briefing and Targets nil

Stage 2 Appoint Independent SL Consultant:Reality Checking (4 workshops)Peer Review (2 days)

£2000£1000

Stage 3 Peer Review (2 days)Testing

£1000Inc in contract

Stage 4(month 1-3)

Aftercare officeTeam attendance on site (8 days)Peer Review (1 day)

Inc in contractnil£500

Stage 4(month 4-9)

Team attendance on site (9 days)Peer Review (1day)

nil£500

Stage 5 POE (TM22 and BUS minimum)6 Meetings of Core Project Team(Contractor, Architect, Service Eng, Specialist Contractor)Lessons Learnt Report

£8-15k£12k

Inc in POE

Total Additional Costs £32,000 (0.1 -1%)

For Construction Costs £3m to £30m

What is the Cost of Soft Landings?

Does it cost?

Approx. 1.5%DEPENDING ON SCOPE

Does it cost?

Does it cost?

…fine tuning and post handover surveys…

…we have not been involved in a SL project…

…our understanding is…

…our Breeam Champion will be our SL Champion…

…we have vast experience in delivering SL…

…after PC to assist Clients…

Does it cost?

Does it cost?

Approx. 0.5%DEPENDING ON SCOPE

Does it cost?

Approx. 0.1%DEPENDING ON SCOPE

Simple building systems…

BUS Survey £ 800 - £2500

TM22 survey (inc 3days) £ 1500 - £2500

Time/expenses allowance £ 1000 - £1500

Comparisons, further study…

Additional time & effort £ 1000 - £1500

When does the cost appear..?

What is the cost of unnecessary kit

What is the cost of it going wrong

Inefficient

Cost of putting things right

Loss of functionality

Reputation

What is the cost of not doing soft landings..?

Elizabeth Fry Building, UoE

55% Reduction

Source: UBT

75% Reduction

Energy Analysis

Occupant Satisfaction Survey

Source: HCCC and Bennetts Associates

Elizabeth II Court, Winchester

44% reduction

Source: Carbon Trust Report

Energy Analysis

2008 survey

Source: Carbon Trust Report

beforeAfter

BUS User Results Occupant Satisfaction Survey

Download from www.bsria.co.uk/services/design/soft-landings/

“Soft Landings is a process for a graduated handover of a new or 

refurbished building, where a period of professional aftercare by the project 

team is a client requirement – planned for and carried out from project 

inception onwards – and lasting for up to three years post‐completion”

Soft Landings in a sentence

Soft Landings

Delivering Better Sustainable Buildings

42

Gary Clark, Wilkinson Eyre ArchitectsStuart Thompson, Morgan Sindall