WOBO Governor David Gibson thanks Workplace DNA for the competency update and the opportunity for members to participate.

The public consultation for PAS 8671, a new framework for competence of individual Principal Designers and designated individuals working under the Organization Principal Designer, is now open until 24 January 2022.

BSI, in its role as the UK National Standards Body, is seeking comments from residents and people in the housing, construction, fire, and safety industries. Comments can be registered online at http://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/2021-01175

The standard is a part of the Built Environment Competence Programme, which supports the Building Safety Bill to raise competence requirements for three newly regulated roles, which are those of Principal Designer, Principal Contractor and Building Safety Manager. It is sponsored by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

PAS 8671: Built environment – Framework for competence of individual Principal Designers and designated individuals working under the Organization Principal Designer – Specification, sets out the competence requirements of individuals carrying out or managing the function of Principal Designer as set out in relevant building regulations. This PAS is aligned to BSI Flex 8670.

This PAS specifies the Principal Designer’s areas of competence as:

• Legal framework and compliance;
• Design coordination and integration;
• Design risk management;
• Design project management;
• Design team facilitation and orchestration;
• Information creation and maintenance, including the golden thread of information;
• Communication and cooperation; and
• Appropriate behaviour.