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Welcome to the November edition of theNBS.com eNewsletter

In this issue find out how to take advantage of lower 2007 rates on NBS products, and read up on the new trend for smart homes, how BREEAM relates to the RIBA Plan of Work, and the dangers of lead in paint.

Order before 10am on Friday 21 December 2007 and pay less for NBS products

From 1st January 2008 a standard annual price increase will be applied to all NBS products and services. This price increase will be in excess of 4%, therefore if you are considering subscribing to any NBS product and wish to take advantage of lower 2007 rates, please ensure that NBS receive your order by 10am on Friday 21 December 2007 at the latest.

You can also take advantage of our two year deal. By subscribing to an NBS software product for two years you will pay 2007 rates until 2009 and can choose from an additional 10% off your subscription, an extra licence free of charge or a free place on a CPD accredited NBS training course.

The NBS order form can be returned by fax with a credit card payment. If you are sending a cheque by post, please leave enough time for it to reach us given Christmas posting dates.

If you still require information and updated product or 2007 price information or need further assistance with completion of your order form, please contact NBS Sales on 0845 456 9594 selection option 2.

The NBS order form can be downloaded for your convenience.

Do you administer construction contracts?

If you administer construction contracts you should consider NBS Contract Administrator. It's an easy to use software package that simplifies the contract administration process.

NBS Contract Administrator contains electronic copies of the RIBA Contract Administration Forms that can be used with JCT 05 and 98 contracts. It has recently been updated to include forms to support the Scottish Standard Building Contracts and includes generic forms for use with contracts other then JCT.

For more information contact NBS sales on 0845 456 9594 or visit our website.

Smart homes

A smart home is defined as a one that has an internal communications network with access to external broadband connectivity. This article takes a brief overview of smart homes, looking at what they are and how they are envisaged to work.

Find out more about smart homes >>

BREEAM and the Plan of Work

Sustainable development is becoming an everyday part of life for property developers, designers and contractors, as many people
both inside and outside the construction industry are demanding
that the environmental impacts of buildings are kept to a minimum.
NBS Technical author Bill Clark, in training as a BREEAM Assessor,
briefly explains the broad principals of BREEAM and how some
of the various credits contained within BREEAM schemes relate
to the RIBA Plan of Work.

Read more >>

Lead in paint

Exposure to lead, even at low levels, can cause a wide range of problems, even in extreme cases encephalopathy, coma or death. We provide some background to the issue.

Read more on lead in paint >>

New books from RIBA Publishing

Keep up to date with the latest design and construction reading with these new releases from RIBA Publishing. All books featured are available to order from RIBA Bookshops.

Guide to the Management of CDM Co-ordination - written by the Association for Project Safety, this fully up-to-date reference tool for the new role of CDM co-ordinator is arranged so that basic services and procedures can be quickly reviewed and related to the activities on a traditional procurement route.

Building Bulletin 100: Design for fire safety in schools - this Building Bulletin gives comprehensive guidance on the life safety requirements to comply with Part B of the Building Regulations on Fire Safety, and the new policy of the Department for Children, Families and Schools on sprinklers in schools.

Fabric Formwork – richly illustrated with photographs and diagrams and containing new and innovative research, this book offers the architect, engineer and student inspiration and technical guidance on concrete casting and formwork.

A Client's Guide to Health and Safety for a Construction Project under the Construction
(Design and Management) Regulations 2007 – This fully up-to-date and straightforward guide aims to assist construction clients in understanding the health and safety duties imposed upon them by the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and to help ensure that a project is safe to build, use and maintain.

Most popular NBS articles - November

Find out what NBS users are reading. Each month we round up the most popular technical articles on www.thenbs.com.

CDM Regulations 2007 - What changes have the contract publishers made?
The introduction of the CDM Regulations 2007 has meant that amendments are needed to almost all contracts. NBS Technical Author Roland Finch explains what the various publishers have been doing to address CDM.
Read more on CDM Regulations 2007 >>

Yes! We have no specifications
A recent court case revolving around the lack of a specification on a project has left a significant legal legacy. We look at what this legacy can tell us.
Read more >>

Specifying colour
There is a veritable rainbow of standards for the generic specification of colour. John Gelder, Content development manager, looks for the pot of gold.
Read more on specifying colour >>

The benefits of master specifications
Specification is an essential part of the design process. Unfortunately, it is often the least enjoyed task. If the specification is well written, it can enhance project delivery for the whole construction team while saving everyone money.
Read more >>

Green roofs: an introduction
Green roofs are the result of a complete underlying roof build-up system, providing continuous, uninterrupted layers of protection and drainage. Recent advances in technology have made them lighter, more durable and more able to withstand the extreme conditions of the rooftop.
Read more on green roofs >>

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