Digital delivery via BIM is now embedded across construction, from
co-ordinated models to data-rich handovers. Where is the architectural ironmongery on that journey? Nicky Roger explores.
Fifteen years on from the UK Government’s 2011 mandate for collaborative BIM on public projects, the wider construction sector speaks the language of digital information with confidence. Models are coordinated, clashes are detected virtually, and asset data is increasingly expected at handover. But where does architectural ironmongery sit within that journey?
With the ‘golden thread’ now a regulatory expectation under the Building Safety Act 2022, and digital product passports moving steadily up the policy agenda, the question is no longer whether ironmongery should be digitally structured – but whether the sector is moving fast enough.
Paul Thompson, head of specification & openings studio at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland, points out that BIM
has been evolving for decades. But much of the early focus fell on structure and services.
“Door hardware and openings, despite their critical role in fire safety, accessibility, security and day-to-day building operation, were slower to become fully integrated into the digital model,” he explains.
“For many years, the detailed information governing door performance – fire ratings, accessibility compliance, durability classifications – lived outside the model. That created duplication and, more critically, coordination risks. Where compliance depends on the precise combination of door leaf, frame and hardware, fragmentation introduces uncertainty.”
Thompson argues that platforms such as Openings Studio emerged to close that gap: structuring openings information so that it moves with the project from design through construction to operation. The aim was not simply to digitise schedules, but to embed accurate, traceable and accessible data directly within BIM workflows.
Now, with around 15 years of development behind it, he sees BIM-enabled specification as less of a specialist add-on and more of an expectation – particularly in complex sectors such as healthcare and education.
“When openings data is embedded during design it can transfer into facilities management systems. In a regulatory climate that demands transparency that continuity is powerful”
Paul Thompson,head of specification & openings studio at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland
The benefits, he suggests, are cumulative. “It means earlier manufacturer engagement; reduced late-stage substitutions; stronger alignment between specification, procurement and installation; and at handover, more robust asset information for facilities teams.
“For clients, the real value lies in continuity,” Thompson adds. “When openings data is correctly embedded during design, it can transfer into facilities management systems, supporting maintenance planning and ongoing compliance. In a regulatory climate that increasingly demands transparency, that continuity is powerful.”
From PDFs to parametric data
If Thompson’s perspective reflects a mature digital ecosystem, Adam Collins of Consort Architectural Hardware describes a more granular shift – one that began with persistent, practical frustrations.
“The recurring requests for CAD files, alongside the common issues that often arise later in project timelines, highlighted a consistent problem,” he says. “From early in the specification process, hardware decisions are frequently rushed, poorly coordinated and made without enough technical certainty.”
For Collins, traditional PDFs and schedules were no longer sufficient to support modern workflows – particularly as the UK BIM framework, aligned with the ISO 19650 series, continues to shape expectations for structured information on public projects.
Developing BIM objects, however, proved far more complex than exporting 3D geometry. It required internal upskilling, data consolidation and alignment with recognised frameworks, informed by guidance from industry bodies including the GAI and NBS. Dimensions, certifications, performance criteria and parametric naming conventions all had to be structured carefully – and future-proofed.
“Ironmongery is inherently complex,” Collins notes. “We chose accuracy and reliability over speed.”
That decision reflects a broader industry truth: poorly structured BIM content can be as problematic as no BIM content at all. Heavy geometry, inconsistent data fields and vague parameters can slow models and introduce confusion rather than clarity.
The reward, however, is evident. Conversations with specifiers have shifted. Instead of basic questions about fit, discussions now centre on compliance, performance and project suitability. “BIM is evolving from a design-stage tool into a decision-making framework influencing procurement, compliance checking and long-term asset management,” Collins argues.
Intelligent doorsets – and early resistance
Lloyd Worrall’s BIM journey began in 2014 alongside the launch of its Interspec doorset offer. Moving into doorsets required a different kind of digital representation – one that integrated door and ironmongery in a single intelligent object.
Working with bimstore, the company developed generic Interspec doorset BIM objects with multiple ironmongery variants, vision panel options and materials libraries. A second phase focused specifically on mental health environments, embedding anti-ligature ironmongery and pre-configured sizes into the digital components.
The ambition was clear: allow the specifier to select the correct doorset and hardware with confidence, within the model.
But this wasn’t without challenges as Claire Spooner, Lloyd Worrall’s marketing manager explains. “Balancing detail with usability proved difficult. Every additional data field or material library increases file size and risks degrading model performance. Software compatibility also posed obstacles, with differing platforms handling exported objects inconsistently.
And there was early cultural resistance. “Traditional spreadsheet-based specification methods were deeply ingrained,” says Spooner. “Convincing some specifiers to change workflows required persistence.”
However, Spooner reports that attitudes are shifting. The concept of the golden thread – the expectation that critical safety information remains traceable throughout a building’s life – is prompting a reassessment of how doorset and ironmongery data is managed.
“Embedding parametric data such as fire ratings and acoustic performance directly within BIM objects strengthens compliance validation early in the process and reduces the risk of non-compliant substitutions during construction,” says Spooner.
The lesson learned? “Becoming a BIM provider is not a marketing exercise but a long-term strategic commitment,” explains Spooner. “Libraries require constant maintenance. Data parameters must evolve alongside regulation. Without ongoing investment, digital assets quickly become obsolete.
Across the three perspectives, one pattern is clear: leading manufacturers and distributors have invested heavily in BIM capability. Structured data, intelligent objects and lifecycle thinking are no longer fringe concepts.
But adoption across the sector remains uneven. Some architectural ironmongers still operate primarily through traditional schedules. Some manufacturers offer only basic geometry. Some project teams revert to PDFs under time pressure. The regulatory climate suggests such fragmentation will become increasingly untenable.
Digital passport demands
The Building Safety Act 2022 reinforces the principle of information continuity. Meanwhile, digital product passports — expected to play a role in future UK and EU construction product regulation – will demand structured, traceable data about materials, performance and provenance.
For a sector where product performance is intrinsically linked to life safety, that shift is significant. Fire resistance, accessibility compliance, durability classifications and certification references cannot remain trapped in static documents. They must be digitally structured, interoperable and transferable.
Meaningful progress has been made in the BIM journey, particularly among larger manufacturers and doorset providers that have invested in structured data, object libraries and lifecycle thinking. Intelligent doorsets are now available, and parametric performance data can be embedded within coordinated models.
The next stage of BIM maturity may focus less on complex geometry and more on data quality, interoperability and ongoing maintenance. Libraries must evolve with regulation, and digital assets require continual review to remain accurate and compliant.
If earlier phases of BIM adoption centred on creating digital representations, the current phase appears to be about ensuring those representations are dependable, coordinated and usable throughout the building lifecycle.
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