green overlay to the riba plan of work

7/29/2019 Green Overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work

1/8

Green Overlayto the RIBA OutlinePlan of Work

Edited by Bill Gething

November 2011


2/8

RIBA 2011 Royal Institute of British ArchitectsPage 1 of 6

Green Overlay to the RIBA Outline Plan of Work

Foreword

Today, one of the greatest challenges facing the construction industry is to deliver low carbon buildings that

maximise value to clients and society in general with optimal use of resources. There is increasing urgency to

ensure more efcient use of energy, water and other natural resources, and the design of sustainable buildings

has a crucial role to play. I am delighted to introduce this new, straightforward guidance for architects, construction

professionals and clients which provides clarity about the actions and activities needed to make sure that sustainabledesign is embedded in the building procurement process.

The rst edition of the RIBA Plan of Work in 1963 was an innovative management tool produced at a time of great

social, cultural and economic change, when Beatlemania was at its zenith, the space race was driving development

in science and computing, and the construction of the Post Ofce Tower in London symbolised a new era of mass

communication technology. Regular revisions and updates have allowed the RIBA Plan of Work to respond to

cycles of change in management approaches, construction and business technologies, and procurement methods,

while remaining succinct and retaining its core structure and exibility. The RIBA Plan of Work is the most widely

recognised and used framework for building design and construction, and it therefore offers an appropriate and

accessible vehicle for mapping the ways in which sustainable design activities can be integrated into the design

and construction process.

As well as a simple set of adjustments to each of the RIBA work stage activities, the Green Overlay to the RIBAOutline Plan of Work provides supplementary information on processes and systems which can help achieve

these key deliverables, along with references to the relevant standards, guidance and other sources of sustainable

design intelligence. The Green Overlay to the RIBA Outline Plan of Work will be an invaluable tool for architects

and construction professionals to engage clients in conversation about truly sustainable design that aspires to go

beyond the regulatory compliance of the standard service and product. I commend it to you.

Angela BradyRIBA PresidentNovember 2011

Photograph by James Jordan

Royal Institute of British Architects, 2011

Published by RIBA Publishing, 15 Bonhill Street, London EC2P 2EA

ISBN 978 1 85946 441 0

Stock code 76906

The right of RIBA to be identied as the Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Design andPatents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form orby any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the copyright owner.

British Library Cataloguing in Publications DataA catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Cover designed by www.aubreykurlansky.co.uk

Printed and bound in Great Britain

While every effort has been made to check the accuracy and quality of the information given in this publication, neither theAuthor nor the Publisher accept any responsibility for the subsequent use of this information, for any errors or omissions thatit may contain, or for any misunderstandings arising from it.

RIBA Publishing is part of RIBA Enterprises Ltd.www.ribaenterprises.com


3/8

Royal Institute of British Architects RIBA 2011Page 2 of 6


Introduction

When it was rst produced, the RIBA Plan of Work brought clarity to the construction industry, encapsulating, in

a way that was easy to assimilate, the essential processes involved in procuring buildings. Over the years it has

been updated to reect changes in procurement methods and developments in technology, and still remains the

clearest summary of those essential processes. More recently, the impact of climate change, as well as broader

environmental concerns, has started to have a major impact on design and construction practice, with ever tighterregulation raising the acceptable minimum standard, and with innovative clients, design and construction teams

leading the way toward more sustainable construction.

The RIBA felt that the time had come to review the current version to reect this changing agenda in the RIBA

Outline Plan of Work. The result is this Green Overlay, which amends the succinct wording of the Outline Plan of

Work (2007 edition, amended November 2008) to clarify the issues, and their timing, in response to the growing

imperative that sustainability is actively considered in the design and construction of buildings.

This Green Overlay is not intended as a fundamental review of the RIBA Outline Plan of Work. However, it will

inform any future review of this and related documentation, such as the Architects Job Book, RIBA Agreements,

RIBA Architects Handbook of Practice Management, and so on.

The robustness of the current RIBA Outline Plan of Work is demonstrated by how little its wording has had to bechanged to expand its scope in this way just over 30 additional words. These amendments have been highlighted

in the Green Overlay text. A column of Sustainability Checkpoints has been added to the descriptions of each Work

Stage to illustrate behaviours and activities that will support a more sustainable approach. Concise Supplementary

Guidance eshes out the Checkpoints. Some essential key references are also provided as a focussed source of

further reading.

The Green Overlay was produced with the help of a multi-disciplinary panel of architects and engineers with

particular expertise in sustainable construction assembled under the direction of the RIBA Practice and

Profession Committee.

It incorporates feedback on a preliminary draft received from members of RIBA Practice and Profession

Committee, RIBA Sustainable Futures Group, RIBA Conservation Architecture Group, CPIC (Construction Project

Information Committee), CIC (Construction Industry Council), the Soft Landings User Group, and WRAP (Wasteand Resources Action Programme).

I would like to thank all those who contributed and, in particular, the members of the expert panel:

Carol Costello (Edward Cullinan Architects)

Nigel Craddock (Pascall and Watson Architects Ltd)

Jess Hrivnak (Max Fordham)

Saud Muhsinovic (Mott MacDonald)

Prof Alan Short (University of Cambridge)

Marcella Ucci (University College London)

Similarly, I would like to thank the staff of the RIBA Practice department who provided guidance, comment and

support throughout the process.

Bill Gething RIBA

Editor


4/8




The activities in italics may be moved to suit project requirements.

RIBA Work Stage Description of key tasks Sustainability Checkpoints

Preparation

A Appraisal

Identication o clients needs and objectives,business case, sustainability aspirations and possibleconstraints on development.

Preparation o easibility studies and assessmento options to enable the client to decide whetherto proceed.

Strategic sustainability review o client needs and potential sites, includingre-use o existing acilities, building components or materials.

B Design Brief

Development o initial statement o requirementsinto the Design Brie by or on behal o the clientconrming key requirements and constraints.Identication o procurement method, project andsustainability procedures, building design lietime,organisational structure and range o consultants andothers to be engaged or the project.

Internal environmental conditions and ormal sustainability targets stated.

Building liespan and uture climate parameters stated.

Early stage consultation, surveys or monitoring undertaken as necessary tomeet sustainability criteria or assessment procedures.

Involvement o design team ater Practical Completion dened.

Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) started.

Design

C Concept

Implementation o Design Brie and preparation oadditional data.

Preparation o Concept Design including outlineproposals or structural and environmental strategiesand systems, site landscape and ecology, outlinespecications, preliminary cost and energy plans.

Review o procurement route.

Key design team members appointed.

Formal sustainability pre-assessment and identication o key areas odesign ocus. Deviation rom aspirations reported.

Initial Part L assessment.

Plain English description o internal environmental conditions, seasonal

control strategy and systems prepared.Environmental impact o key materials and construction strategy checked.

Resilience to uture changes in climate considered.

DDesign

Development

Development o concept design to include structuraland environmental strategies and services systems,site landscape and ecology, updated outlinespecications and cost and energy plans.

Completion o Project Brie.

Application or detail ed planning permission .

Full ormal sustainability assessment.

Interim Part L assessment and design stage carbon/energy declaration(e.g. Carbon Buzz).

Design reviewed to identiy opportunities to reduce resource use andwaste and recorded in SWMP.

ETechnical

Design

Preparation o technical design(s) and specications,sucient to co-ordinate components and elementso the project and inormation or statutory standards,sustainability assessment and construction saety.

Formal sustainability assessment substantially complete minor technicaland contractor items only outstanding.

Principles o handover process and post completion service agreed.

Details audited or airtightness, continuity o insulation and subcontractorpackage coordination.

Pre-Construction

FProduction

Information

F1 Preparation o production inormation in sucientdetail to enable a tender or tenders to be obtained.

Application or statutor y approvals.

F2 Preparation o urther inormation or constructionrequired under the building contract.

Part L submission, design stage carbon/energy declaration update anduture climate impact assessment.

Non-technical user guide drated; ormat and content o Part L log book agreed.

Submission o all outstanding Design Stage sustainability assessment inormation.

Compliance o contributions by specialist consultants and contractors withagreed sustainability criteria demonstrated.

Building handover process and monitoring technologies specied.

GTender

Documentation

Preparation and/or collation o tender documentationin sucient detail to enable a tender or tenders to beobtained or the project.

Contractor sustainability standards specied.

H Te nde r Actio n

Identifcation and evaluation o potential contractorsand/or specialists or the project.

Obtaining and appraising tenders; submission orecommendations to the client.

Contractor sustainability credentials assessed against specied standards.

Implications o cost reductions and contractor substitutions reviewedagainst sustainability targets.

Construction

J Mobilisa tion

Letting the building contract, appointing the contractor.

Issuing o inormation to the contractor.

Arranging site hand over to the contractor.

SWMP passed to contractor.

Design Stage sustainability assessment certied.

Construction sustainability procedures developed with Contractor.

Review o commissioning and handover programme.

K

Construction

to Practical

Completion

Administration o the building contract to PracticalCompletion.

Provision to the contractor o urther Inormation asand when reasonably required.

Review o inormation provided by contractorsand specialists.

Assist with preparation or commissioning, training,handover, uture monitoring and maintenance.

Contractors interim testing and monitoring o construction reviewed andobserved, particularly airtightness and continuity o insulation.

Implications o changes to specication or design reviewed against agreedsustainability criteria.

Non-technical user guide completed and atercare service set up.

Assistance with collating as-built inormation or post-constructionsustainability certication.

Use

LPost Practical

Completion

L1 Administration o the building contract aterPractical Completion and making nal inspections.

L2 Assisting building user during initial occupation period.

L3 Review o project perormance in use.

Assistance with collation o post-completion inormation or nalsustainability certication.

Observation o building operation in use and assistance with ne tuningand guidance or occupants.

Declaration o energy/carbon perormance in use (e.g. Carbon Buzz).


5/8



RIBA Work Stage Sustainability Checkpoints Supplementary Guidance

Preparation

A Appraisal

Strategic sustainability reviewo client needs and potentialsites, including re-use oexisting acilities, buildingcomponentsor materials.

Awareness stage and setting the sustainability context or the project.

Review client requirements to distil their sustainability aspirations and the expectedbuilding liespan against which capital costs should be balanced against costs in use.Identiy potential or cost eective enhancement o client aspirations.

Review options or ormal assessment o aspects o sustainability and/or energyperormance (e.g. BREEAM, LEED, Passivhaus). I the project is a component o alarger scheme, ensure that targets support and are consistent with any overarchingsustainability assessment methodologies. Establish timetable or associated assessorappointment and early stage actions.

Client to consider appointing or identiying a client sustainability advocate (in seniormanagement position) and/or appointing a sustainability champion in the design team.

Assess environmental opportunities and constraints o potential sites and building assetsincluding sucient iterative modelling to support conclusions o easibility studies.

Initial consultation with stakeholders, identication o local planning sustainabilityrequirements and appraisal o existing building, social, transportation, water, energy,ecological and renewable resources, including the need or pre-construction or seasonalmonitoring or surveys.

Commission surveys o existing buildings to be retained (including condition, historic/townscape signicance, materials and components or recycling), services, noise,vibration, renewable energy resources, ecology, geology, etc. as required) to inormthe brie.

Identiy potential unding sources and their eligibility criteria.

Review relevant current and emerging EU, national and local sustainability policy andlegislation and analyse implications on build, environmental and perormance targets.

Identiy and understand nal occupants needs to help to establish user patterns, energyprole and perormance standards required.

Client to consider the ormal adoption o a Sot Landings approach to the project(www.bsria.co.uk/services/design/sot-landings/).

Client to consider appointing a Sot Landings champion.

Client to consider merits and protocols o using a building inormation model (BIM) tohelp deliver sustainability aims.

B Design Brief

Internal environmentalconditions and ormal

sustainability targets stated.Building liespan and utureclimate parameters stated.

Early stage consultation,surveys or monitoringundertaken as necessary tomeet sustainability criteria orassessment procedures.

Involvement o design teamater Practical Completiondened.

Site Waste Management Plan(SWMP) started.

Obtain screening letter rom planning authority to veriy sustainability requirements.

Include a simple description in the brie o the internal environmental conditions theclient requires.

Involve the clients acilities management team and review past experience (good andbad) in a spirit o openness in order to set environmental and perormance targets thatare useul, measurable, challenging but achievable and unambiguous. Targets shouldinclude both regulated and unregulated energy.

Develop water eciency strategies to establish similarly robust perormance targets.

Agree how to measure perormance in use, what incentives there will be to achieveperormance objectives and what action is appropriate i anything alls short.

Develop potential energy strategies or the site including iterative estimated energydemand calculations, options or renewables and implications on building/site design (e.g.sucient plant space).

Set out SUDS and surace water retention requirements.

Develop a brie or specialist environmental sub-consultants (e.g. wind monitoringconsultant, ecologist).

Consider Climate Change Adaptation criteria and uture perormance standards.

Set out any uture uses or reconguration to be accommodated.Ensure that competence o potential design team members matches the clientssustainability aspirations. The team should be balanced, with members o similarcompetence and commitment and with complementary contracts o engagement.

Client to start the Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) to enable designers to recorddecisions made to reduce waste as the project progresses.

Useful Sources

Green Guide to the Architects Job Book, Sandy Halliday, RIBA Publishing, 2007.

NBS Sustainability website (www.thenbs.com/topics/Environment/index.asp).

Resource efciency tools and guidance (www.wrap.org.uk/construction).

RIBA Climate Change Toolkits (www.architecture.com/FindOutAbout/Sustainabilityandclimatechange/ClimateChange/Toolkits.aspx).

RIBA Sustainability Hub (www.architecture.com/SustainabilityHub/SustainabilityHub.aspx).

Soft Landings Framework (www.bsria.co.uk/services/design/soft-landings/).

Sustainable Buildings: The Clients Role, Joanna Ely, RIBA Publishing, 2011.Sustainability, CIBSE Guide L, 2007.

Supplementary Guidance This guidance should be read in conjunction with the Green Overlay to the RIBA Outline Plan of Work.

Table continues overleaf...


6/8




Design

C Concept

Key design team membersappointed.

Formal sustainability pre-assessment and identicationo key areas o design ocus.Deviation rom aspirationsreported.

Initial Part L assessment.

Plain English descriptiono internal environmentalconditions, seasonal controlstrategy and systemsprepared.

Environmental impact o keymaterials and constructionstrategy checked.

Resilience to uture changesin climate considered.

Set out site scale environmental design criteria (e.g. solar orientation, overshadowing,SUDS, waste).

Consider the design o the space between buildings as well as the buildings themselves.Consider the need or and scale o private, semi-private and public external space.

Establish maximum plan depths to achieve desired levels o natural ventilation, daylightand view.

Design or buildability, usability and manageability.

Consider the impact o complexity o orm on thermal perormance, airtightness, andinecient/wasteul use o materials.

Establish an appropriate glazing proportion and shading strategy or each orientation toprovide good levels o daylight while avoiding excessive glare, solar gain or heat loss.

Establish appropriate element thicknesses to achieve U-values required by energy strategy.

Check that materials and construction approach will provide a level o thermal mass thatis appropriate to the environmental design strategy.

Rene and review design decisions to minimise quantity o materials used and tominimise construction waste (or guidance, see www.wrap.org.uk/designingoutwaste).

Review the embodied impacts o materials and construction approach in the context othe buildings liespan.

Avoid design solutions that inhibit adaptation and alternative use o the building or itscomponents and materials.

Take particular care to avoid short- and long-term damage to retained traditional buildingabric rom ill-considered upgrade interventions.

Ensure that design implications o any components essential to the success o asustainability strategy are understood across the design team (e.g. space or ueldeliveries and waste handling, roo collector area and orientation, location and size orainwater harvesting tanks, SUDS attenuation, etc.).

Rene energy and servicing strategy, incorporating energy ecient services design anddesign techniques.

Carry out sucient compliance or advanced modelling to prove the design conceptbeore reezing the design (e.g. SBEM/SAP/PHPP (Passivhaus Planning Package) ordynamic modelling).

Audit the emerging design against projects sustainability agenda and targets.

Set up a programme o intermediate evaluations and reality checks involvingstakeholders and key users as well as the design team.

DDesign

Development

Full ormal sustainabilityassessment.

Interim Part L assessment anddesign stage carbon/energydeclaration (e.g. Carbon Buzz).Design reviewed to identiyopportunities to reduceresource use and waste andrecorded in the SWMP.

Rene and distil the projects sustainability strategy, checking against brie and targets.

Update energy modelling as design develops and check against targets.

Rene climate adaptation strategy and make provision or uture adaptationinterventions.

Incorporate environmental and sustainability issues in the Planning Application Designand Access Statement, including a development o the Stage C plain-English descriptiono internal environmental conditions, seasonal control strategy and systems. Provide asupplementary detailed report i appropriate.

Consider peer reviews o environmental control strategies and also involve stakeholdersand users.

Involve contractors and specialist sub-contractors where specialist products or systemsare proposed.

ETechnical

Design

Formal sustainability

assessment substantiallycomplete only minortechnical and contractoritems outstanding.

Principles o handoverprocess and post completionservice agreed.

Details audited orairtightness, continuity oinsulation and subcontractorpackage coordination.

Audit technical design to ensure integration and compliance with projects

sustainability targets.Agree technical requirements to support monitoring strategy.

Ensure articial lighting and daylighting strategy and controls are mutually supportive indelivering low energy consumption.

Involve acilities management and users in reviewing environmental control systems andmanual and automatic controls to ensure they are appropriately simple and intuitive, andthat there is a match between expectations and the design.

Supplementary Guidance (Continued)

Table continues...


7/8



Supplementary Guidance (Continued)


P

re-Construction

FProduction

Information

Part L submission, designstage carbon/energydeclaration update and utureclimate impact assessment.

Non-technical user guidedrated; ormat and content oPart L log book agreed.

Submission o all outstandingDesign Stage sustainabilityassessment inormation.

Compliance o contributionsby specialist consultantsand contractors withagreed sustainability criteriademonstrated.

Building handover processand monitoring technologiesspecied.

Make sure design team are aware o technical consequences o strategic sustainability decisions.

Speciy sustainable materials and products, balancing liecycle assessment, maintenanceregime, durability and cost.

Complete consultation with sub-contractors and suppliers. Review inormation packagesto check they are coordinated, complimentary, and support all components o thesustainability strategy.

Review inormation required to demonstrate compliance with sustainabilityrequirements, e.g. materials certication.

Review nal details, including subcontractors packages, or airtightness and continuityo insulation.

Agree responsibilities and routines or data recording to monitor perormance and assistin ne tuning.

GTender

Documentation

Contractor sustainabilitystandards specied.

Incorporate agreed procedures to support sustainable construction practice into contractdocumentation, including:

Soft Landings procedures.

Requirements for the contractor to use materials eciently and to minimise waste,energy and water use on site (www.wrap.org.uk/procurement).

H Te nde r Actio n

Contractor sustainabilitycredentials assessed againstspecied standards.

Implications o costreductions and contractorsubstitutions reviewedagainst sustainability targets.

Assess specically the understanding and acceptance o procedures to supportsustainable construction practice when evaluating submissions rom the lead contractor,key sub-contractors and suppliers.

Construction

J Mobilisa tion

SWMP passed to contractor.

Design Stage sustainability

assessment certied.Construction sustainabilityprocedures developed withContractor.

Review o commissioning andhandover programme.

Review potential knock-on implications o value engineering on perormance andsustainability targets.

Collaborate with the contractor to maximise construction phase potential to meetsustainability criteria as economically as possible.

K

Construction

to Practical

Completion

Contractors interimtesting and monitoringo construction reviewedand observed, particularlyairtightness and continuity oinsulation.

Implications o changesto specication or designreviewed against agreedsustainability criteria.

Non-technical user guidecompleted and atercareservice set up.

Assistance with collatingas-built inormation or post-construction sustainabilitycertication.

Submit nal inormation or statutory approval and certication including Part L and EPC.

Visit site to check that quality, installation, etc. is in line with sustainability targets.

Review the content o the O&M manual with the acilities manager, who should signit o when it is complete and acceptable. Reiterate the relevance o design elementsthat are essential to meeting sustainability targets and how to monitor that they areoperating correctly.

Work with clients acilities managers to ensure a smooth handover, with all recordsnalised and coordinated and with adequately trained operation and maintenance stain place in advance o completion.

Check that adequate maintenance contracts are in place and commence immediatelyater handover.

Conrm responsibilities and routines or data recording to monitor perormance and assistin ne tuning.

Identiy atercare representative(s) and when they will be available on site.

For detailed guidance on preparation or handover and post-completion activities, seethe Sot Landings Framework (www.bsria.co.uk/services/design/sot-landings/).

Use

LPost Practical

Completion

Assistance with collation opost-completion inormationor nal sustainabilitycertication.

Observation o buildingoperation in use andassistance with ne tuningand guidance or occupants.

Declaration o energy/carbonperormance in use (e.g.Carbon Buzz).

I necessary, raise awareness o project sustainability eatures and operation methods toclient, acilities managers and occupants.

Assist with ne tuning building services and operational systems to check that they meetuser requirements.

Review controls and perormance in each season and update manuals and records torefect any changes.

Feed back lessons learnt rom post occupancy review to client and design team.


8/8

www.ribabookshops.com www.ribapublishing.com

green overlay to the riba plan of work

Documents