In short: Key Building Information (KBI) is a defined set of facts about a higher-risk building that the principal accountable person must give to the Building Safety Regulator shortly after registering the building. It gives the Regulator a consistent picture of each building's characteristics and helps it understand the risk profile of the buildings in scope.
What KBI covers
KBI is factual information about the building, including things such as:
- its height and number of storeys, and the number of residential units;
- the building's use and the year it was built;
- the structure and external wall construction, including materials and insulation;
- roof construction;
- fire and smoke control measures - for example alarms, sprinklers and ventilation;
- staircases and energy/fuel supplies.
When it is provided
KBI is submitted to the Building Safety Regulator as part of getting the building into the new regime - after the building is registered, within the timeframe set by the regulations. It is not a one-off form to forget: if the building changes, the information must be kept up to date.
Why it matters
KBI underpins the Regulator's understanding of your building and connects to your wider duties. The same facts sit at the heart of your golden thread and inform your safety case report, so getting them accurate and keeping them current matters well beyond the initial submission.
How CTS helps
CTS gathers and verifies your Key Building Information, submits it correctly, and holds it - accurate and up to date - within your golden thread on the CTS BuildSafe platform, so it stays consistent with your registration, KBI and safety case.
Would you rather hand the day-to-day work to a specialist? CTS also offers fully outsourced building safety compliance - the duty met without building an in-house team.
Frequently asked questions
What is Key Building Information?
The structured facts about a higher-risk building - its structure, materials, fire and evacuation strategy and services - that the BSR requires, submitted in its prescribed categories.
When do you submit Key Building Information?
KBI is provided as part of registering the building with the BSR, and updated as the building changes.
How is KBI different from the golden thread?
KBI is a defined dataset submitted to the BSR; the golden thread is the fuller body of building safety information kept throughout the building's life.
General information, not legal advice. Reviewed by the CTS building safety team.
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Video transcript
Key Building Information, or KBI, is the set of facts you give the Regulator about your building. Here is what it involves. KBI is a defined set of facts about a higher-risk building, which the principal accountable person gives to the Regulator shortly after registering. It gives the Regulator a consistent picture of each building. It covers the building's height, storeys and number of homes, its use and age, the structure, external walls and roof, the fire and smoke control measures, the staircases, and the energy supplies. It is not a form to file and forget. If the building changes, the information must be updated, and the same facts sit at the heart of your golden thread and safety case. CTS gathers and verifies your Key Building Information, submits it correctly, and keeps it accurate in the CTS BuildSafe platform. The full guide is on our website.
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