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All available articles:
Building
- Access statements |
- BS 8300 and inclusive access |
- Education checklist Lecture theatres |
- The future of building control |
- Lofty aspirations: utilising the roofspace |
- Nanotechnology in construction |
- NBS and the structural Eurocodes |
- Pods |
- Public sector building: adaptable housing for special needs |
- Rainscreen cladding: letting air in to keep rain out |
- Rising damp? |
- Site Waste Management Plans |
- Toilets for disabled access |
Building conservation
- Fire safety and heritage buildings |
- The value of construction history to building refurbishment projects |
- Recycling our heritage|
Building information modelling (BIM)
- Are you sitting comfortably...? |
- BIM: a client/facilities management driven process |
- BIM – Are you ready for the Digital Switchover?|
- BIM – measurement and costing|
- BIM – The long view from architectural and design practice |
- BIM and building properties |
- BIM and education|
- BIM as a mindset|
- BIM in construction|
- Building Information Modelling: the holy grail? |
- Building Information Modelling for public procurement |
- Isn't BIM just 3D CAD? |
- NBS in the blogosphere|
- NBS set to work with BIM Academy |
- Point cloud surveys |
- Putting the 'I' into BIM |
- Ryder Architecture and BIM |
- Standards in construction |
- The Collaboration Engine: BIM and the world after June 22nd 2011|
- The National BIM Library |
- The rapid acceleration of BIM |
- The top 10 BIM questions |
- What BIM is and how it is being used |
- What does Building Information Modelling (BIM) mean for specifications?|
- What is COBie?|
- Why do we need BIM? |
Building regulations
- 17th Edition Wiring regulations |
- 2008 changes to the Scottish Technical Handbooks |
- Air tightness and sound insulation: questions answered|
- An overview of the changes to the Scottish Technical Handbooks 2007 |
- Approved Document F: Ventilation |
- Approved Document G and the Water Calculator|
- Approved Document L: Conservation of fuel and power |
- Approved Document P: Electrical safety – dwellings |
- Building Regulations consolidated|
- Compliance with Eurocodes |
- Conserving energy |
- Changes to the Building Regulations will reduce emissions and bills|
- Domestic heating compliance: Solid fuel appliances|
- Fire! A synopsis of Approved Document B |
- Fire: Understanding Part B |
- Fire safety – Approved Document B vs BS 9999 |
- Part E: Resistance to the passage of sound: Floors|
- Lighting system efficiencies for Part L 2010 |
- New Building Regulations for 2010|
- New Part J for 2010|
- Part A – falling behind?|
- Part H: Drainage and waste disposal|
- Part K – Protection from falling, collision and impact|
- Part L – a flavour of 2013 |
- Part M: Access Statements|
- Review of BS 6644 |
- The future of building control |
- Ventilation|
- When is water wholesome?|
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM )
Building technologies
- Access control |
- Achieving 'thermal comfort' in timber frame buildings|
- A-tension grabbing structures |
- Building pathology: moisture conditions within traditionally insulated pitched roofs |
- Cements – standards, third party certification, and chromium (VI) |
- Fixings and fasteners: nails and screws |
- Fixtures and fittings, or FF & E|
- How locks work: key facts about how to obtain closure |
- Initial commissioning - purpose and limitations|
- Insulation versus air tightness |
- Nanoparticle risk management|
- Nanotechnology in construction |
- Never mind the thickness, feel the thermal performance. Specifying multi-layer reflective foil insulation systems|
- New standards for asphalt paving |
- New standards for specifying macadam – NBS section Q22
- Oil separators |
- Organically coated steel sheeting|
- Passive Fire Protection the effects of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order |
- Photocatalysts in construction|
- Precast concrete pavement lights |
- Refurbishing timber floors|
- R.I.P. British masonry product standards |
- Roof slates and BS EN 12326 |
- Self-healing building products|
- Specification of plywood for exterior use: clarification|
- Specifying Reinforced Bitumen Membranes (RBMs) |
- Sustainable concrete architecture: eco-cements and thermal mass|
- The appeal of timber|
- Thatch roofing |
- The East London Line |
- Timber frame design low energy, high performance
- Timber certification |
- Vapour permeable underlays for slate and tile roofing |
- Ventilation of the loft space|
- Warm: cold; vented: unvented roof construction? |
- Why is commissioning always compressed and late?|
- Wooden performance: moisture content of timber|
- Wood shingle and shake roofing |
Contracts and law
- Advising clients on the appropriate form of building contracts |
- Alternative Dispute Resolution |
- An introduction to Letter Contracts|
- Assembling an NEC3 contract|
- Budget 2011 – planning implications|
- Classic Case Law: Teaching tort |
- Commissioning and control of archaeological works in development projects|
- Construction industry corruption |
- Contracts are for wimps: why would I need a (standard) building contract? |
- Design and the planning process|
- Dispute avoidance: stages in a dispute |
- Domestic contract or domestic cat. What's the difference? |
- Enticing - or cover pricing?|
- EU Construction Products Regulation|
- European energy legislation explained|
- Fire and risk engineering |
- Grade listing of buildings |
- Guide to IC05: Contract administrator's instructions |
- Home Information Packs|
- In a pickle over planning reform |
- ICE Conditions of Contract for Minor Works (3rd Edition, as amended) |
- JCT Constructing Excellence Contract |
- JCT Major Project Construction Contract |
- JCT Revision 2 Contracts|
- Local Development Frameworks |
- NEC update |
- Public procurement legislation in the EU |
- Revisiting EU Directive 2004/18/EC|
- Summary of the JCT 2009 Revisions |
- Tax and false self-employment in the construction industry |
- Tendering getting what you wished for |
- Tendering for construction projects|
- The Construction Act review|
- The LDEDC Act 2009 and NBS. What's happening in 2011?|
- What's your problem? |
- Which procurement method? |
- Why is there so much paperwork?|
Design
- A building that feels good: Wellcome Trust, Gibbs Building |
- All at sea |
- Assisted Living and Smart Homes: design solutions for an aging population |
- BDP's new Manchester studio |
- Design recommendations for multi–storey and underground car parks |
- Eric Lyons & Span |
- Facility management briefing |
- Interior design: the Design Brief stage|
- Living façade in Copenhagen at European Environment Agency Headquarters |
- Music accommodation in secondary schools: the music department
- Peter Eisenman: What makes great architecture? |
- Post-Olympic legacy: learning from former host cities|
- Powell and Moya: Oxbridge and beyond |
- Restoring Carver's Warehouse |
- RIBA Changing Practices Symposium |
- RIBA President Elect Ruth Reed, talks education, planning, good design and CPD |
- Root Causes : Building near trees requires extra deep foundations |
- Ryder and Yates: Twentieth Century Architects |
-
Talkback: Álvaro Siza Vieira |
Engineering services
- 17th Edition Wiring regulations |
- Biomass |
- Biomass: comparing the costs |
- Condensing boilers and domestic heating controls |
- CORGI loses its bite |
- Dealing with glare: improving visual comfort |
- Don't get your wires crossed: the colour coding of low voltage fixed wiring cable cores |
- Down to the wire |
- Ecobuild and renewable technologies|
- Field trial report on domestic wind turbines|
- Generator selection |
- Heat pump schemes explained |
- How long will components and systems last ? |
- Limiting false fire alarms |
- Photovoltaic modules|
- Photovoltaics for dwellings - an update |
- Planning and microgeneration technologies |
- Pools for all|
- R22 – the end |
- Specifying controls |
- Sustainable services and microgeneration |
- Swimming pool surrounds
- Underfloor heating: the cover up |
- Wastewater drainage: the real sanitary clause |
Health & safety
- Asbestos surveys 2010 update|
- CDM 2007 and in-use design issues|
- CDM and other health and safety legislation|
- Construction Health and Safety|
- Corporate responsibility: the duties and responsibilities under the new CDM regulations|
- Designing for safer roadsides|
- Health conscious: are construction industry professionals really helping their clients to comply with CDM regulations?|
- Lead in paint|
- Making timber frame structures safer
- Pendulum, Ramp and Tortus slip resistance test methods – are you confused?|
- Specifying new floors – crucial roles of the manufacturer and supplier|
- Slip resistance an update|
- The CDM Co-ordinator|
- The control of asbestos|
- The hidden costs of inappropriate floor covering specification|
- VOCs 'banned' architects' new year resolution? |
Landscape
- External stairs, ramps, handrails and balustrades |
- Not just a timber deck |
- The role of mycorrhiza for plants in stressed environments|
- The use of mycorrhiza to resist drought |
Planning and development
- Contemporary property development: the role of local authorities |
- Eco-towns: folly or inspiration? |
- Eco-towns update |
- Mixing your uses |
- Regenerating historic buildings - legislation |
- Sustainability and the planning process |
- The future of planning |
- The Manual for Streets |
Practice management
- 2010: what to expect|
- A client's guide to engaging an architect: project management |
- A construction recovery?|
- Administration in the credit crunch: a bad taste? |
- Benefits of superfast broadband|
- Changes to the Core Curriculum |
- Cloud computing|
- Fee management
- IT outsourcing for architects|
- Lean thinking |
- Marketing your practice|
- New editions |
- Older workers, one year on |
- Practising for recession |
- Preliminaries and General Conditions |
- Redundancy and the credit crunch: first bite |
- Risk assessment and black swans|
- The technology survey |
Schedules of work
- Cost tracking within NBS Scheduler |
- NBS software improves use of project documentation |
- The functions of a schedule of work |
- The structure of a schedule of work |
Specification
- A code of procedure for production information |
- An inspector calls |
- Anti-flood drainage– Building (or not building) in 'inappropriate' locations
- Ban the ban: materials blacklists |
- Calibration report for Eurocode 1 on wind actions |
- CPIC and Uniclass – who, what and why? |
- Currency of NBS with respect to Eurocodes |
- Designing for airtightness |
- Designing for disability |
- Future specifiers |
- How to specify: A century of works on building specification practice
- How to use NBS content |
- Near-future project specifications |
- Minimising the impact of future flooding |
- NBS Guidance: a wealth of information for clients, architects, quantity surveyors and building services engineers |
- NBS products for 'small works' specification |
- Review: Frank W Macey, Specifications in detail, Donhead, 2009 (reprint of 1904 edition) |
- Specifying colour |
- Specifying for sports |
- Sustainable specification |
- Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) |
- The benefits of master specifications |
- The efficiently formed building |
- The mail must get through |
- The use of historic buildings as museums and art galleries |
- Where's the 'green' bit in NBS Building?
- Yes! We have no specifications
|
Surveying
Sustainability
- A short history of sustainable development |
- Achieving sustainable domestic refurbishment|
- Adjusting to new green realities: retrofit not new build the new Ska Rating Environmental |
- Before you start building "green" |
- Biodiversity: the new challenge for architecture|
- Biodiversity and landscape|
- Biomimicry in architecture|
- BREEAM Assessment methods |
- BREEAM and the Plan of Work |
- Building for biodiversity|
- Building on Copenhagen|
- Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC)|
- Defining Zero Carbon|
- Designing for biodiversity in low- and zero-carbon buildings|
- Do DECs add up?|
- Eco-minimalism: value for money ways of making buildings energy efficient |
- Energy-using Products Directive |
- Environmental construction: methods of assessing buildings |
- Environmental permitting regulations |
- Extreme low carbon dwelling refurbishment|
- Furniture miles |
- Green roofs: an introduction |
- Green specifying |
- Healthy, efficient and sustainable buildings|
- Lime mortar: an introduction |
- Low carbon buildings – standards, assessment systems, tools |
- Management of the indoor environment|
- Maintaining sustainability through contracts |
- NBS WRAP |
- Peak oil |
- Polymer photovoltaics|
- Public building energy data|
- "Quantum change" needed to achieve low carbon construction |
- Review of waste policy|
- School report on zero carbon: not by 2016|
- Small projects and the low-carbon agenda|
- Specifying sustainable products and systems using NBS|
- Straw bale construction |
- Strategy for low emission refurbishment|
- SUDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems) |
- Sustainability... more questions than answers? |
- Sustainability and the new NBS|
- Sustainable architecture |
- Sustainable housing |
- Sustainable property - does it make economic sense? |
- Sustainable specification in the public sector|
- Sustainable (Urban) Drainage Systems (SUDS): an introduction |
- The client's role in the sustainable building project|
- The growth of living walls |
- The UK Carbon Plan|
- Towards zero carbon |
- Wildlife on your roof |
- Water, water everywhere|
- WRAP - Recycling and Waste Reduction |
- Zero carbon homes the impact on the industry|
General
- Bats and buildings |
- British Stainless Steel Association Conference 2008 |
- Changes to the Construction Act |
- Dispute resolution |
- Post Disaster Reconstruction |
- Preliminaries and contemporary procurement |
- Reclassification |
- Residual standards content |
- Smart homes |
- The fall of skill, the rise of automation |
- Third party certification |
- When birds are banned: architectural tactics for managing birds |
From time to time we'll also be providing other documents that we think you'll find useful; check here to see what's available.



As of November 2008,