What Specifiers Want 2017 articles

Watch David Philp present his thoughts on BIM. David is the newly appointed Head of BIM implementation for the UK Government Cabinet office. How can we use BIM to reduce capital costs by 20% and carbon usage down to 0%?

Part 8 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction (LDEDC) Act 2009 amends the adjudication and payment provisions in Part II of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration (HGCR) Act 1996.

Stuart Doran assesses implications and features of the 2011 editions of the JCT contracts.

With BIM (building information modelling) comes the drive to provide greater efficiencies at all stages of the building lifecycle. If a client wishes to benefit from these efficiencies then they need to be instrumental in insuring appropriate working methods and technologies are adopted.

The benefits gained from Building Information Modelling (BIM) correspond to the quality and depth of information in the model. Dr Stephen Hamil explains how BIM is not just 3D CAD and how master specification systems make a huge contribution to the 'I' in BIM.

Dr Stephen Hamil comments on the development of point cloud surveys.

This programme takes an in-depth look at three classic cases in law that have a direct impact on the work of professionals in the construction industry. By examining the implications of the rulings from these seemingly unrelated cases, construction professionals can get a clearer picture of their responsibilities in law towards their direct clients and others.

The programme advises designers and contractors what to consider when specifying and installing water systems such as spray taps, shower units and toilet flushing systems. It also focuses on the Legionnaires' outbreak of 2002 at the Barrow-in-Furness Arts Centre, including the legal consequences for the architect.

The programme provides an introduction to critical path analysis, including a comparison between 'critical paths' and 'critical chains' as well as the relative merits of Gantt charts. This is followed by a more detailed look at flow charts, giving a clear idea of their actual workings. PERT (Project Evaluation and Review Technique) and PRINCE2 (Projects in Controlled Environments) are touched on as project management tools, while the ideas of 'float' and 'contingency' are explained. There is also a brief look at the resourcing of projects and the issue of 'project crashing'.

This programme takes a look at the current state of ventilation in schools.

The Royal College of Music in London is located in the cultural quarter of South Kensington, an area crowded with museums, concert halls and academic institutions.

In this programme we define CHP; the fuels that can be used to power the plant and the basic principles behind the technology and why CHP is different from co-generation plants.