Episode 230 - Soft Landings

Soft Landings serves as a strategic framework to bridge the performance gap between a building’s design intent and its actual operational reality. By integrating transition planning from a project's inception, this process ensures that environmental, energy, and functional targets are met rather than ignored post-handover. The BSRIA framework structures this journey into six distinct phases, emphasizing continuous stakeholder engagement, clear leadership through a dedicated Soft Landings champion, and the systematic capture of lessons learned. While the BSRIA approach offers flexibility across various procurement routes, the Government Soft Landings variant mandates a more prescriptive, BIM-aligned methodology for public sector projects. Ultimately, successful implementation requires distinguishing between simple defects and systemic performance failures, ensuring that facilities management teams are fully equipped to operate the building as intended from the moment of occupation.