Knowledge

A wide range of interesting articles that help you make informed decisions and deliver the best projects for your clients authored by our team of NBS subject specialists and construction industry contributors.

Sustainability

Sustainable Futures UK Report 2026

Explore the current state of sustainability in the UK construction industry based on the results from a comprehensive survey conducted by NBS.

Must Reads

  • Construction Products

    Siderise: Helping to bridge the gap between Gateway 2 approval and on-site fire protection

    While the new building safety regime hasn’t fundamentally changed what requirements higher-risk buildings (HRBs) must meet to comply with the Building Regulations, it has significantly increased the ...

  • RIBA CPD

    RIBA CPD for Architects: Understanding Flooring Specification and Detailing

    For architects and specifiers, flooring details can have a significant impact on the safety, accessibility, durability and overall performance of a building. Yet the technical considerations ...

  • Sponsored

    Designing sustainability into construction – proof over promises in sustainable construction

    With tightening regulations and growing client demand, the construction industry is under increasing pressure to demonstrate measurable progress against carbon reduction targets. For specifiers, that ...

The NBS guide to damp

All material contains moisture to greater or lesser degrees. Those that are porous – concrete, mortar, wood – begin their life with their pores filled with water. As they dry, the water content drops ...

Design and SpecificationSustainability
NBS-LCA

Reduce embodied carbon from the start

Measure, compare and reduce upfront embodied carbon using trusted UK data and pre-built assemblies.

Exploring the NBS BIM Object Standard - Information Requirements

Last time we looked at Section 1: General Requirements, this time we delve into the guidance relating to Section 2: Information Requirements.

Design and SpecificationDigital Transformation

Five things we learnt at Autodesk University 2016

Autodesk's conference for those who design, build, make and create has drawn to a close, bringing the curtain down on a packed three day programme at The Venetian in Las Vegas, USA.

Design and SpecificationDigital Transformation

The pros and cons of polymer photovoltaics

Photovoltaic (PV) technology allows solar energy to be converted directly into electricity. Photovoltaic panels come in a variety of options to suit the varying requirements of structure types; ...

Design and SpecificationSustainability

Exploring the NBS BIM Object Standard - General Requirements

Last time we looked at what the standard is and why standardisation is so important, this time we delve into the guidance relating to Section 1: General requirements.

Design and SpecificationDigital Transformation

How not to fall foul of the private sector tender process

What is a tender? A tender is a submission made by a prospective supplier of goods or services made in response to an invitation to tender.

Contracts and LawTendering

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Specifying the perfect Christmas tree

It's that time of year when you rummage around in the loft for the decorations and stand in line for a nicely shaped Christmas tree. You can't beat the smell of a real pine, but if you can't face ...

Design and SpecificationNBS Annual 2017

Design Engineering Refocused

Design Engineering Refocused Hanif Kara, Daniel Bosia

Design and SpecificationDigital Transformation

Guide to risk management planning

An integral part of every construction project is a risk management plan. In our industry especially managing risks is not only vital for business and financial purposes but for health and safety ...

Health and SafetyContracts and Law

How to ensure smart cities benefit everyone

Technology has the power to help people live in communities that are more responsive to their needs and that can actually improve their lives. For example, Beijing, notorious for air pollution, is ...

Design and SpecificationSustainability

A guide to cavity wall insulation

Cavity wall insulation can be a great way of improving the thermal performance of a building, making it both warmer and cheaper to heat, but it's not always a suitable solution. We explore the pros ...

Design and SpecificationSustainability

Global renewables capacity exceeds coal

Global capacity to generate electricity from renewable sources has, for the first time, overtaken coal according to a new study from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Design and SpecificationSustainability