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Guidelines for conducting a cost benefit analysis of smart grid projects
Posted on: 30 April 2012
By: mackene
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The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre has released a set of guidelines for conducting cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of smart grid projects. The report extends to smart grids the recent JRC work on guidelines for CBA of smart metering deployment, which served as a technical basis for the European Commission (EC) Recommendation on smart metering deployment, adopted in March 2012. The study serves as key input to the definition of an eligibility assessment framework for “common interest” smart grids projects, according to the provisions of the EC proposal for a regulation on guidelines for trans-European energy infrastructure.
Building Information Modelling (BIM) Task Group
Posted on: 26 April 2012
By: mackene
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The Building Information Modelling (BIM) Task Group are supporting and helping deliver the objectives of the Government Construction Strategy and the requirement to strengthen the public sector’s capability in BIM implementation with the aim that all central government departments will be adopting, as a minimum, collaborative Level 2 BIM by 2012. It is argued that significant improvement in cost, value and carbon performance can be achieved through the use of open sharable asset information. The task group aims to bring together expertise from industry, government, public sector, institutes and academia. The website will provide the latest news on the programme, linkage to key resources, lessons learned from the exemplar BIM projects and provide a means of contacting the team.
NBS Educator
Posted on: 26 April 2012
By: mackene
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National Building Specification (NBS) has recognized the importance of teaching specification writing and other skills to students of architecture, surveying, and construction trades. This site takes students through the theory of producing contract documentation and recommends best practice. It also provides teaching resources for lecturers, in the form of down-loadable presentations, which can be adapted for use in the relevant course. BS Educator includes RIBA CPD Assessed Materials covering: briefs; contract documentation; schedules of work; and specification. The site also provides reading lists and links to relevant information sources on the preparation of: heath and safety plans; conditions of contract; production drawings; and bills of quantities. In addition there is list of acronyms and their meanings, together with useful links.
Contracts and law blog
Posted on: 26 April 2012
By: mackene
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NBS has launched its first blog which aims to keep you up-to-date with the latest legal developments in construction, with weekly posts featuring news, tips and quotes.
RICS launches New Rules of Measurement and construction standards ‘Black Book’
Posted on: 24 April 2012
By: mackene
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RICS has published its quantity surveying and construction standards (the Black Book) and New Rules of Measurement (NRM). Described as one of the most significant launches by RICS in the past 30 years, the standards provide the tools for the construction industry to work collaboratively, efficiently and consistently. The guidance includes an updated version of New Rules of Management (NRM) 1: Order of Cost Estimating and Cost Planning for Capital Building Works and the new NRM 2: Detailed Measurement for Building Works alongside two new guidance notes looking at conflict avoidance and dispute resolution and retention, which will form part of the RICS construction standards (the Black Book).
Getting the most out of BIM: a guide for clients
Posted on: 23 April 2012
By: mackene
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This guide is aimed at construction clients and provides a general introduction to BIM, explaining what BIM is, and how it works. It looks at how BIM is being used in the current construction marketplace. It highlights the key benefits and how clients may go about getting started with BIM. It does not cover everything, but provides references to further information for those who want to delve deeper.
The Self Build Portal
Posted on: 20 April 2012
By: mackene
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This website is the result of a joint initiative between the Government and the custom build housing industry. The site provides encouragement and impartial advice to people who want to build their own home to suit their family’s needs. It forms part of the Government’s Housing Strategy to bring about a custom build housing revolution. The site also provides information on: finding a plot; sources of finance; construction methods; eco guidance; budget advice; typical timescales; and technical downloads.
Efficiency tools used to cut building time
Posted on: 20 April 2012
By: mackene
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Housebuilder Stewart Milne has cut the time taken to build three energy-efficient houses by around a third using efficiency tools. The timber frame specialist used BRE’s CLIP (Construction Lean Improvement Programme) methodology and CALIBRE waste management tool to help reduce the time taken to build the houses from the usual 16 weeks to 10 weeks, while adding extra energy-efficiency measures to the designs.
Ecobuild presentations
Posted on: 19 April 2012
By: mackene
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During Ecobuild 2012, held in London on 20-22 March 2012, NBS (National Building Specification) hosted a series of BITESized talk. These 15 minute talks were delivered by a host of leading authors and high profile guests, covering a wide range of topic areas such as Uniclass, sustainable design, the NBS National BIM Library, social media as a sustainable communication tool. Videos are available online.
Evaluation of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007
Posted on: 17 April 2012
By: mackene
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This report from the Health & Safety Executive is an evaluation of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 to determine how the regulations meet the objective of improving risk management, and what the cost implications are for the construction industry.
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