Information management system PAS 1958:2026 is aiming to help pave the way for contractors to replace a tick-box approach to data with artificial intelligence (AI), its technical author has told Construction News.
PAS 1958:2026 Built Environment – Data and Information Standards Landscape was developed by the British Standards Institution (BSI) under Innovate UK’s BridgeAI programme.
It is intended to give the built environment sector a clearer way to manage data consistently across projects as AI use grows.
Emma Hooper, head of information strategy at RLB Digital and technical author of the PAS, said the document treats information as “a subject in its own right”, rather than as an administrative exercise.
She said the guide focuses on how information flows through organisations and projects, how it is structured, and how it connects to business goals.
Hooper said that approach should help contractors make better use of the large volumes of information they handle, improving efficiency and helping to keep programmes and budgets on track.
“Rather than treating information management as just ticking a box, the PAS explores the basic concepts of information,” she said.
“It encourages information managers to think of projects as systems that generate valuable data serving multiple needs and stakeholders.
“Contractors, who often need to handle vast amounts of information, gain a better understanding of this dynamic, which helps them optimise their processes, improve efficiency and keep programmes and budgets on track.”
The 70-page PAS followed a public consultation and discussions with a BSI steering group.
It brings together a broad range of existing standards covering information management, data quality, data structure, asset management, project management and management systems.
Rather than replacing those standards, it creates a framework showing how they fit together.
Hooper said that should make it easier for contractors and their supply chains to understand which standards applie, what they cover and how they connect.
She added that previous guidance often focused on what information should be delivered, but not why it was needed.
For example, standards in the BS EN ISO 19650 series tell a user what data to deliver but they do not usually ask the use case why that particular information is needed for a specific business task.
That, she said, had encouraged some contractors to supply data on a “just in case” basis rather than linking it to a specific business use.
She added that the guide should also help firms prepare for more data-driven ways of working, including AI-assisted decision-making.
BSI sector lead Dan Rossiter said the PAS brought “much-needed clarity” to a complex standards landscape.
He said its framework will help contractors and other construction firms, particularly SMEs, identify the standards most relevant to their projects and business needs.
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Cristina Lago