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 ...

New standards for asphalt paving

On 1 January 2008 the existing British Standards for asphalt paving (BS 4987-1 and BS 594-1) were withdrawn and replaced by a new European Standard in several parts:

Construction Products
NBS-LCA

Reduce embodied carbon from the start

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

Lead in paint

Michele Lucarelli, NBS Technical Author, following work done on sections C20 and M60 with respect to lead in paint, provides some background to the issue.

Construction Products

RIP British masonry product standards

NBS Technical author, Kevan Brassington, outlines the confused transition – now at an end – from BSs to BS ENs for masonry units.

Standards and Regulations

BREEAM Assessment methods

BREEAM is a familiar term which has been in use since 1990, and when used in the construction industry, usually refers to 'BREEAM Buildings'. But BRE's Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) family ...

Sustainability

Dispute resolution

With over 10 years experience in the dispute resolution section of an international consultancy, dealing with projects ranging from runways to power stations to highrise buildings, John Boanson’s ...

Contracts and LawProcurement

Access statements

Access statements demonstrate how the legislative obligations placed upon developers, designers and service providers are met, or will be met. Access statements are not simply a tool for achieving ...

Standards and Regulations

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The benefits of master specifications

Specification is an essential part of the design process. Unfortunately, for most engineers, it is the least enjoyed task. This often results in specifications of inferior quality. If a specification ...

Design and SpecificationSpecification

Underfloor heating: the cover up

The following notes cover some of the factors that must be taken into account when selecting a finish over underfloor heating. In all cases the advice and recommendations of the heating system and ...

Construction Products

Part H: Drainage and waste disposal

Approved Document H, amended in 2002, covers both foul and rainwater drainage, waste water treatment systems and cesspools and solid waste storage.

Standards and RegulationsFlooding

External stairs, ramps, handrails and balustrades

External steps and ramps are one of the few areas of work where a landscape architect may need to refer to the Building Regulations Approved Documents. There is no obligation to adopt a particular ...

Design and Specification

Preliminaries and contemporary procurement

With the construction industry adopting design and build, partnering, or PFI procurement for certain sized projects, NBS is consulting with subscribers to understand and formulate proposals that ...

Procurement

The use of historic buildings as museums and art galleries

Architects and their clients face very significant dilemmas in making historic buildings more inclusive in response to contemporary access standards and regulations. Architects, conservationists, ...

Design and SpecificationFire safety