Recent publications

Citation

(2009), "Recent publications", Structural Survey, Vol. 27 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ss.2009.11027aae.001

Recent publications

Article Type: Recent publications From: Structural Survey, Volume 27, Issue 1

NHBC Foundation Guidance on Site Waste Management

A new and comprehensive NHBC Foundation guide and accompanying templates aim to help the house-building industry with producing and implementing site waste management plans (SWMPs). The guide offers extensive advice and examples of good practice, including how to comply with current legislation. Site waste management is a key element of The Code for Sustainable Homes and has become a regulatory requirement with the implementation of The Site Waste Management Plans Regulations in April 2008. The guide has been produced in partnership with WRAP (the government-funded Waste and Resources Action Programme) and is available online at www.nhbcfoundation.org

Dilapidations – 5th edition of RICS Guidance Note

The fifth edition of the RICS Dilapidations Guidance Note includes all the latest information required to undertake a successful schedule of dilapidations. This essential guidance includes direction on best practice in dilapidations instructions, constraints on surveyors, differing claims at the end of and during the term, types of schedule and problem areas, damages and other remedies, and the correct layout and content of the schedule. Published in paperbook at £25.00 (ISBN: 9781842194034).

Energy performance certificates for dwellings in the social and private rented sectors: a guide for landlords

Published by DCLG this publication provides guidance to landlords in the social and private rented sectors to understand their responsilbity for making Energy Performance Certificates available when renting a property. The guidance will help landlords to understand the basic legal requirements relating to EPCs, the situations for which EPCs will be required, at which point a dwelling may require an EPC, how to obtain an EPC and how long the EPC can be expected to be valid for, what an EPC will contain and what the tenant will receive, and the implications for the validity of the EPC if the dwelling’s energy efficiency is improved. This publication is only available online – see www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/epclandlordguide

Pitt Report: “Learning Lessons from the 2007 Floods”

Sir Michael Pitt has called for urgent and fundamental changes in the way the country is adapting to the increased risk of flooding and has called on the Government to set out publicly how it will make rapid progress, and be held to account, on improving the country’s flood resilience. Pitt recommends that the Government should:

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  Establish a Cabinet Committee dedicated to tackling the risk of flooding, bringing flooding in line with other major risks such as pandemic flu and terrorism.

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  Publish monthly summaries of progress during the recovery phase of major flooding events, including number of households still displaced.

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  Ensure proper resourcing of flood resilience measures, with above inflation increases every spending review.

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  Establish a National Resilience Forum to facilitate national level planning for flooding and other emergencies.

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  Have pre planned, rather than ad hoc, financial arrangements in place for responding to the financial burden of exceptional emergencies.

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  Publish an action plan to implement the recommendations in this review, with regular progress updates.

For other recommendations see the full report at: www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/thepittreview

Recent BRE publications

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  Building and Urban space accessibility (EP83).

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  Earth Masonry (EP80).

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  Sustainability through Planning (BR498).

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  Putting a Price on Sustainable Schools (FB15).

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  Role for Concrete in Global Development (EP86).

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  Pre-cast Concrete: Towards Lean Construction (EP87).

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  Concrete Durability: Achievement and Enhancement (EP88).

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  Designing Concrete for the Visual Environment (EP89).

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  Concrete for Fire Engineering (EP90).

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  Concrete: Construction’s Sustainable Option (EP92).

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  Determining the Minimum Thermal Resistance of Cavity Closers (IP808).

To order a copy of any of the above, telephone +44 (0) 1344 328038.

AutoCAD Workbook for Architects and Engineers

By Shannon R. Kyles this practical step-by-step guide – designed for use at your computer – gives clear, compact instructions and self-test exercises to help you learn 2-D drawing using AutoCAD. The text is written for use on all AutoCAD releases from 2000 to 2008. Computer-aided drawing is a skill that every student in architecture, engineering, surveying and construction must learn – and ideally at the computer, actually drawing things. AutoCAD is the most widely used package in the industry but existing teaching books tend to be too wordy and focus more on technical wizardry than on how to deliver actual finished drawings using industry drafting protocols. AutoCAD Workbook provides the skills needed for the full range of drawing types using a wide variety of commands and sequences. Each chapter - or teaching module – contains a brief introduction to the commands, explaining exactly how each one can be used, and plenty of exercises to demonstrate how to produce everything from working drawings to presentation drawings; and orthographic projection to pictorial views. Examples include residential and commercial buildings for architects and designers and steel and concrete details for civil and structural engineering. ISBN: 978-1-4051-8096-2. Paperback (296 pages) published by Wiley-Blackwell at £24.99.

Defective Construction Work

Written by Kevin Barrett, solicitor and published by Wiley-Blackwell at £65.00 in paper back (ISBN: 9780632059294). Defective construction work, whether the result of inadequate design, faulty workmanship or poor materials – or some combination of these failings – is a frequent cause of legal disputes. Someone is usually to blame, either the builder or one or more of the professional consultants, or even the entire project team. It is important therefore that the project team should possess a good working knowledge of their responsibilities and liabilities. The author has over 20 years of experience of building disputes and this book examines the responsibilities and liabilities of the project team when defects occur. It sets out the background role of the common law and statute and includes detailed discussion of important case law affecting the construction process from inception through to completion, together with a consideration of the impact of letters of intent, “no contract” situations, and specific provisions of model conditions of contract.

Improving the Energy Efficiency of Our Buildings: A Guide to Air-conditioning Inspections for Buildings

Published by DCLG (ISBN 9781409802174) this guide is intended to help anyone who manages or controls air-conditioning plant understand how the Directive and Regulations work in practice, how to apply the Regulations, what their responsibilities are and when air conditioning inspections are required. This publication is only available at www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/airconditioning

Case in Point – Negligence in Valuations and Surveys

Written by John Murdoch the 2nd edition of this highly practical case-based guide to negligence informs professionals of potentially problematic areas and aids understanding of the implications for practice. Based on summaries of negligence cases with commentary by the author, this fully updated edition retains the wealth of legal information of the first edition and includes brand new material covering:

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  the liability of individual members of the firm for negligence;

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  the scope of a valuer’s duty to third parties;

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  damages for negligent surveys;

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  the effect of disclaimers;

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  the “margin of error” approach to establishing negligence against valuers;

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  the liability of estate agents when setting asking prices;

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  new case summaries and expanded commentary, offering fresh insights to the area.

Published by RICS Books (ISBN: 9781842194249) at £28.50.

Archaeology and Development. A Good Practice Guide to Managing Risk and Maximising Benefit (C672)

Published by CRIA Books (Authors: Barber B, Carver, J, Hinton, P, Nixon, T) ISBN 978-0-86017-672-5 and priced at £80.00 (available to Core/Books Club Member price: £40.00).

Archaeology is a major factor in construction and development and an estimated £150m is spent by developers on archaeology in the UK each year. As most clients and developers are aware, archaeological remains are treated as a material consideration in the planning process. However, archaeology is often underestimated as a business risk. So it is often not considered early enough in the feasibility and design stages of projects, leading to unexpected and unplanned consequences. This guide provides the development sector with a unified accessible source of independent and practical advice and information regarding archaeology, drawing on the array of existing guidance. It is illustrated by a series of case studies showing good practice, and a few cautionary examples of less well-planned events that have led to difficulties both for developers and the archaeological heritage. This good practice guidance has been written for clients, designers and investors, and for all members of professional teams, including archaeologists, involved with development and construction dealing with sites of known or potential archaeological interest.

Surveyors Acting as Expert Witnesses – 3rd edition

Surveyors acting as expert witnesses is written for those surveyors who provide expert evidence to be relied on in civil proceedings before a wide range of tribunals (including courts) in the UK. The RICS practice statement sets out the duties of a surveyor and the RICS guidance note provides further information on good practice. It takes the surveyor through every stage of an expert witness role including:

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  principal duties, acceptance of instructions, written evidence/reports, and oral evidence;

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  advocacy and expert witness roles, agreeing facts and resolving differences, fees; and

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  the scope of immunity attaching to the expert witness role.

Published by RICS Books in paperback at £25.00.

Remedying Damp

Written by Ralph Burkinshaw, one of the authors of Diagnosing Damp (RICS Books, 2003) this book will enable readers to:

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  employ a useful seven stage process to tackling damp problems;

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  access technical advice on the various damp remedies available today;

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  assess alternative strategies and damp remedy options with the help of illustrated examples;

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  understand the implications of the chosen damp remedy option; and

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  use checklists and case studies to verify the approach taken.

Topics covered include: flood remediation; basement waterproofing; plumbing problems; wall base damp-proofing; rot and woodworm; mould and ventilation; and monitoring moisture condition.

It is published by RICS Books in paperback at £49.95.

Inspections and Reports on Dwellings – Reporting for Sellers

Written by veteran authors Ian Melville and Ian Gordon this book is a timely text for surveyors and all those engaged in preparing reports on dwellings, whether experienced, newly qualified, or studying – for a degree or the appropriate qualifications to become a member of a professional institution. It is also intended for practitioners in all fields who are preparing to take the Diploma in Home Inspection and become Licensed Home Inspector and who will need ten sample reports to demonstrate their capabilities. It is published by EG Books (ISBN: 9780728204508) in paperback and priced at £39.99.