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NBS Create

NBS Create - our groundbreaking new specification tool. Authored by our in-house experts to make sure your time specifying is fast and efficient, saving you time and money.

The new NBS

In NBS Journal 17 John Gelder, Head of content development and sustainability, described some possible future capabilities of project specifications, suggesting that some might be delivered in a couple of years. Here he briefly describes the new version of NBS (NBS Create), which will be launched in 2012. You'll see that it will come with quite a few of these possible future capabilities.

1. Content

NBS prides itself on being the 'recognized UK national standard' for specification – a view we take seriously in producing our new version of the NBS. In terms of specification content (text and guidance) the principal changes will be as follows:

Development of building and system outline clauses, and building and system performance clauses
Introduction of a standard section structure
Introduction of a new section classification system
Re-bundling of the content to better suit individual specifier disciplines
Development of some standard schedules
Extending the range of standard values like 'submit proposals', and supporting this with reporting functionality
Simpler operation of NBS Plus clause selection.

Finally, the new NBS will be more than 'just' a specification tool. We expect it will support you in lots of diverse design and documentation activities.

1.1 Object hierarchy

The object hierarchy is central to the new NBS. The idea is that bigger complex objects comprise smaller less-complex objects. So buildings comprise systems such as partitions, which in turn comprise products such as frames, boards and fasteners. Generally the bigger objects are addressed earlier in the project timeline than the smaller objects, so this object hierarchy represents a time-based view of the project design and documentation process.

1.2 Building outline and performance

The building sections will allow you to describe whole buildings (and, e.g. the grounds between buildings) in terms of their component systems (building outline) and their whole-building performance.

You might begin to author specifications of this kind at RIBA Plan of Work stage C. That is, the new NBS can be used to record these early-stage design decisions, which might be seen to represent the end of the briefing process. You could even go to tender on this basis. Supporting this content within NBS will save the rekeying needed at present, where you create your own outlines in Word for example, and will ensure that this information is available via NBS throughout the entire project timeline.

1.3 System outline and performance

The system sections will allow you to develop the design further, by describing each system in terms of its component products (system outline) and its whole-system performance. System performance clauses have been developed as a coherent set, dealing with the key regulatory performance issues, e.g. fire, structure, and acoustics. This is distinct from product performance, which is covered in the individual generic product clauses. Provision of performance clauses and guidance by NBS will reduce the amount of research that specifiers will need to undertake themselves.

You might begin to author specifications of this kind at stage D or E. Again, you could go to tender on this basis. That is, between the building and the system clauses, completed as you see fit, NBS supports various flavours of design-build documentation:

Building specified entirely by performance
Building specified entirely by outline, with or without system specifications
Building specified by some mix of performance and outline, with or without system specifications
Some systems specified entirely by performance, others entirely by outline, and others by some mix of the two
The system outline specifications may be accompanied, or not, by associated product specifications.

Being able to start the specification early will mean that designers and specifiers themselves will benefit more from the specification. It will be able to 'work harder', and so it is hoped that specifiers will see that is worth doing properly. This should lead to better specifications. For example, the new NBS will allow early cost estimates to be developed, given that cost data for early stages is for buildings and 'elements' (e.g. in the BCIS Online database).

1.4 Standard system section structure

The bulk of the sections in the new NBS will be system sections. Each system section comprises the following subsections:

System outline
System performance
Products
Custom-made products (not all system sections have this subsection)
Execution
System completion
System facility management.

This structure will facilitate browsing and disassembly of the specification (e.g. for an install-only package or subcontract), by the documentation team, the contracting team and others. It will also facilitate reporting, e.g. of all System performance clauses across all systems – the 'system performance' view of the specification. Each subsection is of interest to the contractor with different hats on, and to various third parties. The structure also allows various types of specification, depending on the procurement route, to be made explicit, e.g. 100% consultant design (and therefore no System performance clauses). That is, the new NBS will be very versatile.

The standard structure also means that it will be easy to get your head around the structure of NBS – it's the same everywhere!

Having all these clauses together in the one section means that, if you know at stage C some of the details of the Products (e.g. colour of the facing bricks) or Execution (e.g. nature of the facing brickwork bond), then you can record this at that stage in the appropriate place in the system section.

The table shows how the standard section structure supports different types of specification and procurement. The darker the box the more complete it is.

Specification type:	Outline spec	Performance spec	Developed performance spec	Modern spec	Traditional spec	FM spec
Possible procurement route:	First-stage tendering for full contractor design	Second-stage tendering for full contractor design	Mostly contractor design	Mostly consultant design	Full consultant design	FM
System outline	all 'Submit proposals'	all 'Submit proposals'	mostly 'Submit proposals'	partial 'Submit proposals'	no 'Submit proposals'	branded values
System performance		full	mostly	partial		full
Products			partial	mostly	full	record
Custom-made products			partial	mostly	full	record
Execution			partial	mostly	full	record
System completion		partial	mostly	full	full
System facility management						full

1.5 New section classification system

A new classification system, to replace CAWS, has been developed for the new NBS. This is being done in consultation with the CPIC Uniclass Working Group. This new classification comprises 20 Groups, each of up to 20 subgroups, and each of up to 20 sections, giving us up to 8000 sections altogether. It will include architectural sections, and also civil and process engineering sections. The new classification serves the entire project timeline, and so it provides for building and system sections, and for separate product sections. The 20 Groups are as follows:

00 Project management
05 Regions, districts, infrastructure, facilities and buildings
10 Preparatory systems
15 General structural systems
20 Roof, floor and paving systems
25 Wall and barrier systems
30 Fixed access, tunnel, tower and vessel systems
35 Fittings, furnishings and equipment (FF&E), signage and general finishing systems
40 Flora and fauna systems
45 Fabric, FF&E and landscape products
50 Disposal systems
55 Piped supply systems
60 Heating, cooling and refrigeration systems
65 Ventilation and air conditioning systems
70 Electrical systems
75 Communications, security, safety and protection systems
80 Transport systems
85 Process engineering systems
90 Services and process engineering products
95 Soft facility management.

The product sections (Groups 45 and 90) are the location for all ex-catalogue product clauses in the NBS (see 2.1). The creation of a suite of product sections has allowed us to rationalize (e.g. remove repeated clauses on particleboards, and harmonize all wood-based boards clauses) and deepen the product clauses in NBS. Having just one clause for each type of product will simplify maintenance of NBS considerably.

1.6 Bundling

Based on customer feedback, we are taking the opportunity to develop a bundle of content specifically for architects, and another specifically for structural and civil engineers, alongside the bundles for engineering services and landscape. Accordingly content currently in NBS Building is being redistributed. For example, the architecture bundle will not include soil nailing, and the structural bundle will not include carpeting. Both, though, will include drainage (as will the landscape and engineering services bundles). Individual disciplines will be able, if they wish, to buy sections not in their bundle.

1.7 Schedules

We are authoring a number of standard schedules. These schedules will be delivered in the NBS software and inherit all the functionality of an NBS clause. For example, they will be printed from within NBS, and they will be able to link to NBS Plus.

1.8 Standard values

Lots of standard non-technical values will be offered, all with specific administrative and other purposes, e.g. 'To be determined', 'Contractor's choice', and 'Match existing'. For example, use of values such as 'Submit proposals' in System outline clauses will help make explicit the extent of contractor design. These standard values will all be reportable (see 2.7).

1.9 NBS Plus

In the new NBS, simple replacement of single-product generic clauses by corresponding single-product branded clauses will be facilitated. We will also be able to extend NBS Plus to deal with building and system manufacturers. This is possible thanks to the extensive restructuring of the data that was necessary to create the new NBS. There will be a clear split between NBS generic and NBS proprietary (NBS Plus) clauses, their content and their intent. The generic clauses will only be used for the generic specification of products – they are not intended to be used to also specify the products by brand.

For public sector projects the software will automatically add 'or equivalent' to any proprietary clauses, as well as to citations of standards, as required by the legislation.

1.10 More than just a specification

The new NBS ensures that users will not have to buy lots of different tools, e.g. for outline, performance and conventional specifications, nor will they have to rekey information for lots of different purposes. For example, the system outline clauses, supplemented by product clauses where possible, will be able to be used to deliver asset registers and condition survey reports. They will eventually be able to support site waste management plan functionality, and cost and environmental impact functionalities (both design-stage estimates and construction-stage tracking). Special-purpose Execution clauses can be used to generate the Health and safety plan. The System facility management (FM) subsection will provide a standard format for operation and maintenance manuals, the health and safety file, and occupancy-stage Part L responses, BS 9999 reports, and site waste management plans. Reporting functionality (see 2.7) will allow these individual topics to be collected across all systems.

2. Software

Restructuring the data is providing new opportunities to expand and improve the software. The main changes will be as follows:

Clause linkage
Project specifications will be authored additively, not subtractively (i.e. by deleting clauses not relevant)
Clause tabulation
Improvements to the way the software deals with completion
Section interoperability, e.g. co-consultants will be able to read each other's sections
Provision of hyperlinks in the specification text
Vastly improved reporting functionality
Online delivery of the new NBS content (the software will be installed on the desktop)
BIM-compatibility
Finally, we will include lots of valuable DIY functionality to help you create your own text, reports and so on.

2.1 Clause linkage

Each of the system values in the 'Building outline' report will link to the corresponding 'System outline' clause, e.g. Masonry walling system, and each of the product values in the 'System outline' clauses will link to the corresponding 'Product' clause, e.g. Clay bricks. This linkage will enable automated assembly of the specification. It will also facilitate navigation within an electronic version of the specification, and allow users to see which clauses are related to which (i.e. as parents or children). It will also ensure that required clauses are included, making specification assembly safer and faster.

Linkage will also allow you to toggle between:

A section view of the specification (e.g. all particleboard clauses in the particleboards section), which is concise but distributed (handy for browsing of like systems and products)
A system view of the specification (e.g. particleboard clauses repeated with each system that needs them), which is repetitive (and bulky) but convenient.

Handing the specification to the contractor in NBS electronic form will mean that the decision to use the system or section view is passed on to the contractor. It will also allow the contractor to interrogate the specification, e.g. for reports on inspections, or for preparation of a record specification. This is to be encouraged. NBS will update the free Viewer to allow other members of the project team to do some of this for free.

2.2 Additive authoring

Only the clauses that you have selected will be included in the specification. You will begin by selecting the systems needed, as these decisions are made, from a classified library of system outline clauses. These selections in turn will bring in the corresponding System outline clauses, through linkage. You will then run through these clauses, identifying the component products required, again as these decisions are made. These selections in turn bring in the corresponding Product clauses, and only those Product clauses. Other system outline clauses and other product clauses will not be seen at all (though users will be able to browse if they wish). One consequence is that the project specification should be shorter since it will not include any clauses included just on the off-chance that they might be needed at some point in the future. This will also simplify navigation through the NBS master specification – you won't be swamped by lots of clauses you are not interested in.

2.3 Clause tabulation

All clauses in the new NBS will be able to be tabulated. For Product clauses, for example, rather than copying the wash basins clause five times for each type of wash basin (as you might do in NBS Building), you will create a five-column table, with WB-A, WB-B etc in the top row. This will save space and facilitate comparison between types. Large type tables will be able to be inverted (columns become rows and vice versa) and relocated, e.g. to the drawings, if necessary.

2.4 Completion

The concept of clause and section completion has changed because NBS now serves the timeline from stage C to end of stage K (say). A clause that might be complete enough for stage C won't necessarily be complete enough for stage F. Accordingly the software will allow you to complete as much of a clause as you want to at any point in time, so that clauses can be completed and signed off progressively. Also, you will be able to 'park' items until you are ready to tackle them, and to create progress snapshots at any time.

2.5 Interoperability

Those subscribing to one bundle (see 1.6) will be able to open and edit sections supplied to them by those taking another bundle, subject to appropriate permissions. That is, content will be interoperable. This will be handy for architects wishing to get involved in the specification of lift cars and luminaires, for example.
The NBS Project management sections (aka Preliminaries) will be linked from the technical sections in a number of ways. If it is proposed that our Project management sections will not be used, then the software will ensure that the sections dealing with 'general technical requirements' (e.g. definition of terms, rules for substitution) are included. When a technical section identifies a piece of provisional work, then this work will be added to the 'Provisional sums schedule' in the Project management suite.

2.6 Text links

References in the specification text to standards and other referenced documents will come with hyperlinks to the Construction Information Service (CIS), if the documents are held there, and to publishers and the RIBA Bookshop and other sources. Pop-ups will give the title and currency of the cited document. This will benefit all users, especially contractors, because they will be able to directly access the cited document.

2.7 Reports

Many more reports will be supported in the new NBS. Some have been mentioned already. The product will allow two basic views – the section view and the system view. You will be able to take 'horizontal' cuts, i.e. reporting against the subsection structure. Also, you will be able to report on the following:

Complete classes of products, e.g. all masonry units
Individual performance attributes, e.g. acoustics – this will help where specialists are asked to author this across all systems
Other common clauses, e.g. Spares, courtesy of their standardized titles
Standardized keywords (e.g. Recycled content) and values (e.g. Submit proposals)
Referenced documents
Clauses describing existing systems (e.g. Carpet system – existing).

And so it goes.

2.8 Online delivery

The current online software engine behind NBS Domestic Specification will be enhanced to provide an online version of the new NBS content. This will speed up and simplify maintenance (as will other features of the new NBS, such as having just one version of each product clause, and just one version of each section). It will also allow us to collect feedback from subscribers using NBS (who allow us to do so), so we can continue to develop content and software to the benefit of all. The online version will be platform-neutral and work on Mac, iPad and Android as well as traditional PCs.

2.9 BIM compatibility

The new NBS is being built on a rich digital information model. It will be a mini-BIM in its own right. The data structure will support the ifc (BuildingSMART) 'property sets' concept for object classes including buildings, systems and products. This will (eventually) allow the new NBS to better integrate with BIM-compatible CAD softwares (e.g. via tables linking instances identified in the geometrical model to types defined in the specification) and to integrate with other BIM-compatible softwares, e.g. for various design simulations. NBS Annotator functionality will be available at launch for the new NBS, providing a link between the specification and the CAD files.

2.10 DIY functionality

Specifiers will be able to easily add their own sections, clauses, items and values to the new NBS. We'll have blank sections and clauses, lots of DIY functionality (e.g. to help users make their own links or reports) and a comprehensive user guide.

3. After the gold rush

Most of what has been described will be delivered in the launch versions of the NBS Create, and the rest will follow as soon as possible. We are confident this 'gold rush' will meet specifiers' needs today and in the future. Project specifications based on the new NBS will be quicker, safer and more concise, and a lot more versatile. But development of content and software for the new NBS will not cease at launch. On the contrary, we see the new NBS as a platform for more ground-breaking development for the next 10 years or more.

However, first things first!