Does Your Product Need an MOT?

Product updates are an important part of an effective project workflow. But most manufacturers forget that a product doesn’t have to physically change for digital information to become outdated. Bimstore is here to remind you of this, and to make updating BIM products an easier process for manufacturers.

The digital landscape is constantly progressing, and building information data is regularly updated. For BIM files, this means technical datasheets can be revised, installation guides can change, and certifications can be suspended. EPDs can be published, product options may evolve, and so on. Over time, the different information surrounding a single product can overwhelm specifiers and contradict itself, adversely affecting specification.

The Government’s Construction Products Reform White Paper sets a broader direction for product information. It informs how data should be clear, accurate, accessible, up-to-date, verifiable, and traceable.

What does the Construction Products Reform paper say about manufacturing standards:

• Safety first regulation – reforms shift construction product regulation from standards-led systems to focusing more on product safety
• All products brought into scope – the General Safety Requirement would mean that products outside the regulated system would need to meet basic safety standards
• Greater manufacturer responsibility – establishes clearer legal duties around product safety, testing, certification, and labelling
• Stronger oversight – strengthens market surveillance, testing, certification and enforcement; regulators can better identify unsafe and non-compliant products
• Better information – aims to improve product information and digital data, while making responsibilities clearer across manufacturers, suppliers, specifiers, architects, and contractors

The report emphasises product safety first and foremost, something we can't afford to overlook. Up-to-date, traceable digital product information is essential, though not always easy to obtain.

At Bimstore, we’re proposing a solution: The Product MOT.

Just like taking your car for an MOT, BIM products require the same level of consideration and maintenance when they reach a certain point of use. We’re asking manufacturers the key question: if we reviewed all the information surrounding your product today, would it pass inspection?

If the answer isn’t an immediate yes, your product could need an MOT. This could include the following:

• Product identity test – are the names, dimensions, materials, finishes, and variants of a product still correct?
• BIM file inspection – does it still accurately represent the current product and contain the right data?
• Documentation assessment – are all technical datasheets, installation guides, certificates, EPDs, maintenance information, etc. up to date?
• Claims and evidence – can claims around performance, sustainability, fire resistance, etc. be backed up with certifications or credited labels (such as EPDs)?
• Checking consistency – does the information match across the BIM file, website, product literature, and other platforms?
• Examining accessibility – can specifiers easily find the right information and know which version is the most current?
• Reviewing dates – when was everything last updated / checked?

This service isn’t so much about keeping your files nice and tidy, just as you might apply a lick of paint to revamp your car. Instead, see it as ensuring the brakes still work; it’s a safety net to improve reliability and improve product credibility. This isn’t so much a yearly inspection recommendation as a consideration when new certifications are introduced, testing is updated, or installation guides are revised. When things have changed, this should trigger a BIM update.

This is where our Product MOT Check comes in. At the bottom of this page, you’ll find our 8-question quiz designed to help you assess whether your product needs attention. The quiz will identify whether any elements of your product have changed or been updated since the BIM content was last reviewed, and it also considers any new certifications or declarations since the original model was created. Take the quiz below to see if your product needs an MOT. Remember, this is a recommendation, not a compliance assessment.

Our Bimstore bible is a valuable resource. This trusted industry resource provides digestible guidance on updating BIM content and aligning with industry standards. By utilising this resource, manufacturers can maintain confidence in the decisions designers and specifiers are making. By giving products an MOT, manufacturers can ensure they comply with regulations and provide customers with the highest level of quality assurance.

Are you a manufacturer who’s interested in a product MOT?