Enter the Matrix [for Strata Building Defects]
Are we about to see Morpheus, Neo, Trinity [and Mr Smith] emerge in strata defects issues …
The emergence of digital strata building construction data has many potential quality assurance benefits. But, it could equally create a new digital building world that like, in the Matrix, doesn’t reflect reality. So, where are our strata Morpheus, Neo, and Trinity in this epic saga to keep the machines in check ...
[5.25 minutes estimated reading time, 1027 words]
Introduction
We’re entering a new digital age of strata building construction data that promises better construction outcomes, higher compliance, easier defect identification and management, and better tools for ongoing building maintenance. It sounds great and will be a significant improvement to things for strata stakeholders.
But, a dystopian view is that, like in the movie The Matrix, it’s possible the digital data about strata buildings might turn out to be a simulated reality where intelligent stakeholders and machines neatly ordered digital pictures, mask the true reality in strata buildings for stakeholders.
What’s happening with digital strata building data
Strata building structure issues are going digital. None of this is a surprise. Nor, was it hard to predict.
In my article ‘BIM & the next stage of digitalised buildings ...’ I highlighted the usefulness of Building Information Modelling in capturing base strata building information about our near future.
In my article ‘Strata Building Defects Typologies Overviewed’ I wrote that one of the problems facing strata building defect management and claims was the limited access to information due to the paper based record-keeping practices and the ‘black hole’ places where that information gets kept.
And, in my new defect management work one of the agile principles we’re applying is a digital approach where we use software tools for strata building defect management; rather than create paper, PDFs, and spreadsheets that get buried in confidential archived folders [see ‘An Agile Approach to Strata Building Defects’].
And, it seems that this echoes the latest developments in the regulator’s approach to building quality issues as this article in the Urban Developer ‘Digital Building Records Could Bolster Valuations’ explains and promotes’.
As the article points out, the recent combustible cladding crisis has shown that paper-based records held in multiple separate parties hands have complicated even identifying which buildings are affected, what products were used on those buildings, and what, if any, certifications or alternate fire safety systems were created and/or approved for them.
Plus, the NSW Building Commissioner is implementing a digital Building Assurance Solution that captures new building construction, compliance, and other data in a centralised system. It’s being piloted on Project Remediate, and involves a consortium of KPMG, Microsoft and Mirvac, ASX, and the Western University Sydney, and is planned to underpin future work on NSW new strata building audits. More information from NSW Fair Trading can be found here.
So, we’re about to see digital versions of strata buildings emerge that represent thier construction details, compliance status, defects, maintenance requirements and more.
This is good news, isn’t it?
It’s great that strata building construction data will be created, stored, and available digitally going forwards.
The Urban Developer article suggests that going digital will improve the trustworthiness of buildings by creating transparency.
I’m not so sure that’s completely true [at least initially] as there’s a lot of lost trust to regain and because the digital data will not be accessible to everyone, it will be hard to interpret and it needs to be verified at the strata buildings when created and over time. Plus, for the digital data to remain valuable it will be necessary to keep it updated over the life of the strata buildings.
I have plenty of questions [including the following] and it will be interesting to see the answers emerge.
When is the digital strata building data created and available?
Can ‘off the plan’ buyers track the construction of the building whilst they wait for completion?
When do the regulators certify the digital strata building data?
What does regulator certification mean? Is it conclusive about quality, compliance, etc of can it be challenged [and by whom]?
Who can access the digital strata building data? Just strata buildings and strata owners, or can others like mortgagees, insurers, local council, neighbours, service providers, etc?
Is it publicly available by search for purchasers of strata apartments?
Who updates the digital strata building data over time? And, what verification is there of updated data?
Is the digital strata building data available for research purposes or not?
Plus, having digital strata building data is one thing, but interpreting it is another.
Just like all information, viewers and analysts can see interpret it in different ways based on their various theories, assumptions, biases and views. So, it will never provide a definitive objective outcome.
And, finally, despite the desire for transparency, there will be demands for the confidentiality of the digital strata building data as time goes on from interesting and unexpected places like:
strata owners and committees that want to preserve or enhance property values in sale situations [David Chandler AOM has already complained about this],
strata committees and managers when dealing with third parties in day-to-day operations over services, contracts, reporting, etc,
lawyers and Courts and Tribunals for strategic, ethical, and other legal reasons in disputes over the construction or compliance of the building,
builders that want to protect their construction processes and/or want to avoid scrutiny in disputes,
experts who provide advice and opinions as preliminary opinions or confidentially,
regulators who want to protect constituents or avoid public alarm [as they have done with the list of combustible cladding affected buildings], and
government [and the development sector lobbyists] when [as is likely] the digital strata building data begins to reveal the serious issues with the construction of strata buildings and it slows down the property development and construction sector, state GDP and stamp duty revenues.
Conclusions
I’m all for the digital strata building future and want to get access to all that construction data as soon as possible to better handle building defect, repair, and maintenance issues.
But, I have a healthy cynicism about centralised data that’s created and maintained by others. And, I know that the data is just the beginning of the journey.
So, I hope and look forward to seeing Morpheus, Neo and Trinity emerge in strata digital future to keep the system honest.
July 19, 2021
Francesco ...