Chapter 3- Research Programme Outputs 2001-02
The following gives a snapshot of the range of projects in the 2001-02 research
programme:
New and Improved Technologies and Techniques in support of key
industry themes getting better technological solutions to the problems
faced by construction businesses.
The demonstration projects at the BRE Cardington facility continued to produce good
results during 2001-2002. A successful robustness test was undertaken on the multi-story
concrete frame building, physically removing a corner column, in order to monitor
deflection and cracking - this showed only minimal movement, and minor cracking.
BURO Happold led consortiums were supported to disseminate the value of cutting edge
technologies such as the ETFE foil cushion systems used in the Eden project and the use
of cardboard as a construction material as demonstrated by the Westborough school.
This latter project showed that cardboard could be developed to have the compressive
strength to carry significant structural loads.
TRADA’s small, but highly successful study into new age flitch showed the potential
of strengthened UK-grown softwoods and the ability of these to be produced through
existing UK sawmills. CIRIA led a project investigating the engineering properties
of chalk while their "Buildings that save water" project provided useful guidance on
selecting and using rainwater or grey water systems for buildings. BSRIA led a separate
project developing a standard for grey-water reclamation hoping to achieve up to 30%
reduction in clean water use. Oscar Faber developed a new design approach to utilise
high performance building envelopes to simplify heating and cooling systems.
This aims to improve energy efficiency at comparable, or lower, cost than
conventional designs. BSRIA’s study into condition-based maintenance showed
this to be a more cost-effective monitoring system than traditional breakdown or
service based maintenance.
HR Wallingford commenced a study looking at the increased use of sustainable timber
in costal engineering and completed and published a manual helping engineers understand
the environmental impacts of materials and transport in costal and river schemes as well
as identifying recycling opportunities. This technique was used in the Millennium dome
where flood defences were constructed with recycled timbers from the Regents canal.
Improving the Construction Process -
Developing new and improved approaches to the process of building.
Prefabrication is seen as a key to improving buildability, flexibility and
reducing costs and on-site time in many of the repetitive build processes.
A BRE project aiming to assess the design, construction, cost and appeal of
prefabricated housing showed a poor, and unwarranted image for the process -
in sharp contradiction to high satisfaction survey taken from those occupying
modern prefabricated homes.
CIRIA and Loughborough University continued to build on the highly regarded
Standardization and pre-assembly clients guide and toolkit to produce a guide showing
the benefits of the use of such practices to occasional clients, as well as for large
repeat clients. Work continued into 2002-03 and led to a revised version of the
original toolkit being produced as an interactive CD-Rom.
Kent County Council led a project which explored the benefits of partnering
through a number of live construction case studies, one of which was badged as a
Movement for Innovation Demonstration Project. The output comprising a toolkit
and guidance was widely disseminated as a CD-Rom free of charge. Interest and
take up by other Local Authorities has been significant.
Other work included supply chain management, risk management, time compression,
improved productivity and operation/maintenance issues.
Social Impacts - encouraging an
industry that respects and treats its stakeholders fairly and provides a safe,
healthy built environment.
In response to the widespread and devastating effects of floods in the winter
of 2001 a guidance document "preparing for floods" was produced in conjunction
with a number of partners including the Environment Agency. The Guide provided
best practice information on improving the flood resistance of
new and existing properties.
The BRE's design guidelines on ventilation will go some way towards
improving air quality in urban buildings situated in polluted environments
while HR Wallingford commenced a major study looking at the design of flood
resistant buildings and how the existing housing stock can be better protected
against water infiltration. BRE also completed a collaborative project
examining aiming to increase the efficiency, while reducing the cost,
of sprinkler fire protection. The new approach has been accepted by both
manufacturers and the insurance industry.
Codes and Standards -supporting
development of C&S for the benefit of the industry
We supported a number of projects during the year that support better
codes and standards. These include codes on the use of Aircrete blockwork,
updating the National Engineering specification, and amending BS5850 on
the structural use of steelwork in buildings.
Promoting Innovation and Culture Change
-
This area includes more general projects supporting the development of
sustainable construction and included the new BRE project investigating the
practical options available for the reclamation and re-use of building
components, as well as the recycling and recovery of components. One major
project, which commenced during the year, was the Bio-Regional development
group’s development of a Carbon Neutral toolkit. The toolkit, based on the
pioneering BEDZED demonstration project, will show how the construction
industry can build desirable, and profitable buildings with
zero carbon emissions.
Work concluding in this area included building services best practice clubs
and the UK industry Knowledge Exchange.
Within this theme are programme funding for both the Construction Best
Practice Programme (www.cbpp.org.uk)
and the IT Construction Best Practice Programme
(www.itcbp.org.uk). The CBPP has a key role in ensuring the industry is made
aware not only of the range of management best practice but is given help in
putting it into practice. In March 2002 the ITCBP held its first national
conference Meeting Client Needs in a Changing World.
In addition to the best practice programmes, a number of business improvement
and IT related research projects were supported including sector best practice
clubs, now including the Building Services Best Practice Programme, benchmarking
centres and a STENT led project examining data handling during the piling
process through object technology.
Further information on these projects are available through the DTI
construction website
(www.dti.gov.uk/construction)
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BRE collaborative
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Building on soft ground: a best practice guide
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BRE collaborative
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Innovative displacement ventilation to improve building
performance.
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BRE framework
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Electrochemical monitoring for service life predictions of
concrete
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BRE framework
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Guidance for sulphate-bearing hardcore under domestic
buildings
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BRE framework
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Optimising ground investigation
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BRE framework
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Wood coatings & preservatives
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BRE framework
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Systems integration strategies
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BRE framework
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Watching brief on galvanised wall ties
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BRE framework
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Environmental impacts & whole life costs of building
components
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BSRIA
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Specification for condition based maintenance
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CBA
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Design of floor/foundation details
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CIRIA
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Manual on scour at bridges & other hydraulic structures
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CIRIA
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Embedded retaining walls in stiff clay: guidance for more
economic structures
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CIRIA
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Applications of fibre reinforced polymer composite
materials in construction
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CIRIA
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Shaft friction of cfa piles in chalk
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Filsol
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Low-cost integration of innovative solar heating systems
into new housing
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H+H Celcon Ltd
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Development of a New Energy-efficient System Using Aircrete
for the Whole House.
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HR Wallingford Group Ltd
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Packing & voids in rock armour for breakwaters
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Kingston University
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Transfer of Masonry Diaphragm Wall technology into Practice
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Leeds Metropolitan University
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Off the Frame Clay Brickwork Cladding - Analysis and
Interpretation of Results
from the Monitoring of Winterton House, London
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Oscar Faber Group Ltd
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Integrating heating, cooling & envelope technology for
improved performance
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SCI
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Innovation in composite piling for housing
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SCI
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Design of flooring systems using pre-cast concrete slabs on
steel beams
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Tarmac
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Recycling & upgrading utility arisings & quarry
wastes
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The Loss Prevention Council
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Low Cost Ordinary hazard sprinkler fire protection for
buildings
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TRADA Technology Ltd
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Comparative assessment of performance of proprietary floor
seals for timber
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TRADA Technology Ltd
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New Age Flitch - Case study of innovation into practice
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Transport Research Laboratory
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Reducing the extraction & use of quarry products for
construction
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University of Sheffield
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Demonstrating steel fibres from waste tyres
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Buro Happold
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Constructing a prototype cardboard building
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ABS Consulting
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Continuous commissioning for enhanced value
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Bovis Lend Lease
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A radical step to take? Improving the construction demand
chain.
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BRE collaborative
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Construction quality forum
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BRE collaborative
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Innovation & best practice in flexible & modular
building solutions
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BRE collaborative
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Simplifying construction contracts through risk management
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BRE collaborative
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Promoting environmental issues through trade associations
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BRE collaborative
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Improving timberframe design codes & building
efficiency using TF2000 wall racking data
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BRE collaborative
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No Blame Post Occupancy Evaluation For The Defects
Liability Period
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BRE framework
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GCCP supplier satisfaction survey
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BRE framework
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Sustainable strategies & design - a reference file
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BSRIA
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Development of an automated productivity measurement tool
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BSRIA
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Effectiveness of building control systems
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BSRIA
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Technical design quality control for building services:
best practice guide
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BSRIA
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Uptake of productivity improvements
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BSRIA
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Feedback from facilities management
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BSRIA
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Development of an automated productivity measurement tool
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BSRIA
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Effectiveness of building control systems
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BSRIA
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Procurement of Facilities Management
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BSRIA
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An illustrated guide to electrical building services for
clients and other professionals.
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CIBSE
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CIBSE Guide B: low energy ventilation & cooling
guidance
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CIRIA
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Waste minimisation & recycling - demonstration projects
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CIRIA
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Effective mechanisms for client control of project
environmental performance
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CIRIA
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Guidance on the costing of environmental pollution from
building
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CIRIA
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Best practice end-user facilities management manual
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CIRIA
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Effective mechanisms for client control of project
environmental performance
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CIRIA
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Towards integrated design and construction in ground
engineering: demonstrating and
establishing a monitoring data transfer protocol
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CONSTRUCT
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Best practice guide for formwork & falsework
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Construction Industry Council
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Performance Indicators for the Design Of Buildings
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CRC
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Good Building Guides
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Kent Property Services
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Practical partnering by local authorities
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NBMP
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Potential use of collected packaging waste as raw material
for the construction industry
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Oscar Faber Group Ltd
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Allocation & management of risk
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Richard Hodkinson Consultancy
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Identifying and testing processes that bring together
sustainable and efficient construction.
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SCI
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Tubular connections in simple construction
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Taywood
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Using time compression in construction to reduce risk
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TRADA Technology Ltd
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Communicating timber connection design: an IT toolbox for
professionals
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Transport Research Laboratory
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Waste management and recycling in transport infrastructure
renewal works.
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Univ Salford
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Demonstration of the process protocol (continuation)
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Univ Warwick
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Supply chain management: benefits of best practice
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BCSA
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Steel sector best practice initiative
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BRE collaborative
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Timber sector best practice initiative
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BRE collaborative
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Sustainability - Getting the SME contractors questions
answered.
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BRE collaborative
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Promoting environmental issues through trade associations
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BRE collaborative
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Benchmarking sustainable construction best practice - a
matrix approach
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BRE collaborative
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Life cycle environmental impacts - bringing the results to
the marketplace
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BRE collaborative
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Computer - based training in appropriate use of information
technology by the construction
industry.
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BRE collaborative
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Advanced off-site production of steel/timber building
systems to optimise productivity and widen customer choice
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BRE collaborative
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Sustainability - Getting the SME contractors questions
answered.
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BRE framework
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Development of a benchmarking centre
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BRE framework
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Development of standards for interoperability
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BRE framework
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Informing DETR construction policy & programmes through
international intelligence
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BRE framework
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Environmental assessment & management tool for the NHS
Estate
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BRE framework
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Sustainability of SMEs & SOCs
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BRE framework
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Support for M4I in Scotland
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BSRIA
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Best practice & KPIs for building services
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Building Centre Trust
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Achieving greater integration and usage of IT
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Building Performance Group Limited
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A system for ranking the durability of building services
plant - phase 1: methodology and
criteria. (Future Phase 2 - Proposals for product durability
labelling)
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Carmargue
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Network of best practice clubs
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Centre for Tomorrow's Company
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Construction pathfinder: management innovation into
practice
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CFR Ltd
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Building & infrastructure repair & maintenance
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CIBSE Journal
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Post-occupancy reviews of building engineering PROBE 3
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CIRIA
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Sustainable construction - indicators & targets
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Construction Confederation
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ICT procurement pack for construction SMEs
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ECI-ACTIVE Ltd
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Practical application of fast track techniques to schedule
driven projects
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ICE
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Development of CEEQUAL, a Civil Engineering Environmental
Quality Assessment and Award Scheme
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Palmer Partnership
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Sustainable development centre for the housing market
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Status
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Senior executive communications programme - champions for
change
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The Housing Forum
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Housing sector best practice initiative
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The Housing Forum
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Housing Forum Benchmarking Club
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The Palmer Partnership
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Egan compliance mentoring
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Training Organisation for Professionals In Construction
(TOPIC)
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Building the capability of consultancy practices to take up
and utilise IT to improve
business performance.
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Univ Salford
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How to guides to support best practice construction IT
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