Design and Specification

Question 1

What are the stages of the RIBA plan of work?

Answer 1

0 - Strategic definition
1 - Prep and briefing
2 - Concept design
3 - Spatial coordination
4 - Technical design
5 - Manufacturing and construction
6 - Handover
7 - Use

Question 2

What does RIBA stage “0 - Strategic definition” actually mean?

Answer 2

what are you trying to achieve, what are your requirements?
Is a building even the best way to do it?

Question 3

What does RIBA stage “1 - Prep and briefing” actually mean?

Answer 3

Meet on and walk around site, throw ideas out, what is possible, how much will anything cost, how long could it take

Question 4

What does RIBA stage “2 - Concept design” actually mean?

Answer 4

Sketch design, discuss and adjust, think more about time/cost, sustainability, H&S.

Question 5

What does RIBA stage “3 - Spatial coordination” actually mean?

Answer 5

Planning app + drawings. Drill down to more detail, make sure everything is buildable/functional.

Question 6

What does RIBA stage “4 - Technical design” actually mean?

Answer 6

Technical drawings and spec, tender project and choose contractor.

Question 7

What does RIBA stage “5 - Manufacturing and construction” actually mean?

Answer 7

Building actually built, CA role.

Question 8

What does RIBA stage “6 - Handover” actually mean?

Answer 8

Handover, building is occupied, snagging.

Question 9

What does RIBA stage “7 - Use” actually mean?

Answer 9

Use. Enjoy building! Maintenance and repair.

Question 10

What do you understand by the term, modern methods of construction?

Answer 10

• Use of off-site factory produced component parts, transported to site and connected together
• Whole “modules” built off-site and assembled together
• Use of materials other and “brick and block” again to speed up production, ie. timber framing
• Use of technology to speed up production, ie. laser cutting of raw materials

Question 11

When are design risk assessments required?

Answer 11

Whenever there is a designer(s) on a project, comes under CDM.

Question 12

What technical standards are you aware of and do you use?

Answer 12

• Approved Documents
• Manufacturer’s instructions and guidance
• British Standards documents (“BS”)
• Eurocodes (“EN” – “European Norm”, German name “Europäische Norm”)
• NHBC if there is a warranty on the building

Question 13

At what stage would a Building Regulation Application be made?

Answer 13

• “No plans” application – “Building Notice” given to Local Authority 48 hours before works start.
• “Full plans” application – made “well in advance” according to Planning Portal.
• Also an “Initial Notice”, whereby Approved Inspector must notify LA at least 5 days prior to works commencing.

Question 14

Explain the key difference between Prescriptive and Performance specifications.

Answer 14

• Prescriptive: write a detailed description of what you want, including materials, maybe even how it is put together. “Contractor, do what we write/prescribe, and we accept the outcome”. Quite “closed”.
• Performance: write what we want the outcome to be, and leave it up to the contractor to design and specify how it would be achieved. Quite “open”.

Question 15

What does “CAWS” mean?

Answer 15

Common Arrangement of Work Sections (CAWS) by the “CPIC”