Designing Buildings - User contributions [en]

Talk:Principal designer

2024-06-08T09:15:02Z

Brian Waters: Created page with "to find or register as a principal designer under the building safety act go to www.principaldesigner.uk.<br /> This register has been set up by the Association of Consultant Arc..."

to find or register as a principal designer under the building safety act go to www.principaldesigner.uk.<br />
This register has been set up by the Association of Consultant Architects.

File:LondonBuild ACA programme.png.pdf

2018-09-16T09:51:45Z

Brian Waters:

LondonBuild ACA programme

[[File:3732bf17-41e6-4ed9-b68c-62e018fc3289]]

File:LondonBuild ACA programme.png.pdf

2018-09-16T09:48:44Z

Brian Waters:

Hackitt report on Grenfell Tower from the ACA

2018-06-02T11:21:07Z

Brian Waters: Created page with "File:7dfc224a-e8a1-4301-98bd-59e550f7f46d The Association of Consultant Architects ACA’s response to Building a Safer Future Independent Review of Building Regulations a..."

[[File:7dfc224a-e8a1-4301-98bd-59e550f7f46d]] The Association of Consultant Architects

ACA’s response to

Building a Safer Future

Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety: Final Report

Dame Judith Hackitt’s report has been greeted with a simplistic outcry criticising her failure to demand a blanket ban on inflammable cladding on high rise buildings. The responsible minister has bowed to public and media pressure to look into this proposition.

This is to disown the thoughtful nature of her inquiry and her more fundamental scrutiny of the issues which go to the heart of the failures of government procurement processes in the construction industry.

Government inquiries, despite their length and cost, rarely result in holistic responses. It is always easier to grasp for a big knee-jerk reaction, run with that and assume the job is done.

This would be just a cop-out and it is disappointing that the RIBA has gone along with it. Of course the inappropriate use of flammable materials in the insulation and upgrading of tall buildings has to be addressed through the building regulations, though in the case of Grenfell Tower it seems that the original specification was simply not followed and that the building regulations as they stand were not complied with.

The key issue is the examination of the process which has allowed this to happen. Amongst Dame Hackitt’s report conclusions:

“Creating a golden thread of information by:

• Obligating the creation of a digital record for new multi-occupancy higher risk residential buildings from initial design intent through to construction and including any changes that occur throughout occupation. This package of building information will be used by the dutyholders to demonstrate to the regulator the safety of the building throughout its life cycle.

And in addition:

• Tackling poor procurement practices including through the roles and responsibilities set out above, to drive the right behaviours to make sure that high-safety, low-risk options are prioritised and full life cycle cost is considered when a building is procured.”

ACA Council member Alfred Munkenbeck comments: “I have worked with RBK&C and can fully understand the background that allowed that poor quality refurbishment to take place. There is no-one in that council controlling building works with a modicum of wisdom or qualification… and of course, one suspects the same with many other councils and public bodies. They are obsessed with demonstrably saving money and following the book letter by letter... but to do no more. They are deeply suspicious of architects and a major way to save money is to limit their involvement.

They stand in a long queue of current ‘project manager’ types who now assume 2% fees for architects (just do the planning drawings… slightly enhanced if you are lucky), whilst architects’ construction stage usefulness has been ignored for many years. This both saves fee money and avoids the inevitable pressure for quality control that architects apply. Recent governments are right behind this as a form of ‘de-regulation’ as they have been demonising professionals and experts in general.

With this model of Design & Build, independent professional quality control is ignored. Many contractors treat design requirements as a wilful extravagance. Builders can NEVER be trusted to police themselves – it is a contradiction in terms. Economic motivation needs surveillance and whoever is designated for quality control has to be trained in design, independent, and embedded throughout the process. No-one is more naturally motivated to maintain standards than the original architect.’’

Traditional contracts put the architect in what used to be termed a ‘quasi judicial’ role, standing between the owner and the builder. Given the complexity of modern construction and procurement, especially for larger public works, collaborative arrangements established through the ACA’s PPC forms of partnering and Alliance contracts can maintain the architect’s independent role alongside other members of the team.

Either way, Dame Judith’s golden thread of responsibility can be achieved without having to introduce a whole new layer of process and bureaucracy. And it does not need to be limited to just ‘new multi-occupancy higher risk residential buildings’.

Brian Waters, President ACA

see: ACA www.acarchitects.co.uk

File:File:FRONT pil105 APRIL18 490 copy.jpg

2018-04-25T11:31:15Z

Brian Waters: Created page with "page 5 LEADERS Planning and delivery are related but not synonymous; Calling for the ‘Golden Thread’ 9 PICTURE FEATURE The oldest skate spot in the world set for revival..."

page

5 LEADERS

Planning and delivery are related but not synonymous; Calling for the

‘Golden Thread’

9 PICTURE FEATURE

The oldest skate spot in the world set for revival

10 OPINIONS

Housing | Julia Park

11 Life in the civil service | Sherin Aminossehe

12 The draft London Plan | Kim Vernau

13 The mayor and developers | Paul Finch

14 Green belt | Jay Das

15 Permitted devlopment offices-to-homes | Martin Tett

17 Small builders | Hank Dittmar

18 Architecture | Tchaik Chassay

19 Strategic planning | Jesse Honey and Tom Venables

20 Safer streets | Esha Banwait

21 rRnting and community | Steve Edge

22 ANDY ROGERS

Saying what you mean is not always the same as meaning what you say

24 BRIEFING

Draft revisions to the NPPF | Indigo Planning

28 PLANNING PERFORMANCE

Applications made and decided little changed; commercial permissions

down nine per cent

32 NEIL PARKYN

Transports of delight

33 LETTERS

From Grant Lipton, co-founder of Great Marlborough Estates; Peter Eversden MBE, chairman,

London Forum of Amenity and Civic Societies ; Andrew Rogers, chairman Association of Consultant Architects Planning Action Group

34 THE DRAFT NEW LONDON PLAN DISSECTED

Peter Eversden

37 CLIPBOARD

41 ¡PILLO!

42 LONDON PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT FORUM

Planning in an Age of Uncertainty

52 REGENERATION

Liz Peace: The Old Oak and Park Royal challenge

54 HOUSING DISTRIBUTION AND PLANNING

Paul Cheshire

60 A METROTIDAL VISION

Mark Willingale

65 GARDEN CITIES

Drummond Robson and Gary Young

71 LEGAL

Three year housing land supply: Dalee Kaur and Rachel Holt;

73 Agents of change: Amy Truman

75 PLANNING FOR AN AGEING POPULATION

Lars Christian

81 BOOKS

‘Urban Waterfront Promenades’ reviewed by Anthony Carlile’

83 ‘Ornament is Crime’ reviewed by Alfred Munkenbeck;

84 ‘Big Capital. Who is London for?’ reviewed by Darryl Chen

85 PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT REFERENCE GUIDE

Contacts in all London boroughs

88 SUBSCRIPTION FORM

89 SIR TERRY FARRELL

Making best use of London’s industrial land: Katerina Karaga

91 ADVICE – Consultants and services

File:FRONT pil105 APRIL18 490 copy.jpg

2018-04-25T11:30:44Z

Brian Waters: uploaded a new version of "File:FRONT pil105 APRIL18 490 copy.jpg"

PiL105 cover

File:FRONT pil105 APRIL18 490 copy.jpg

2018-04-25T11:25:32Z

Brian Waters: PiL105 cover

PiL105 cover

Procurement after Grenfell

2018-04-25T11:21:36Z

Brian Waters: Created page with "Association of Consultant Architects Procurement after Grenfell: the independent full service role of the architect can do a lot to fill the gaps caused by lowest-cost methods o..."

Association of Consultant Architects

Procurement after Grenfell: the independent full service role of the architect can do a lot to fill the gaps caused by lowest-cost methods of procurement.

By Richard Harrison, Immediate Past President of the ACA and its representative on the Construction Industry Council reviews into Grenfell

Every construction project begins with strategic decisions by clients who, in commissioning a project, make decisions on appointments, budgets, programmes and contracts. The success or failure of all projects follows these key initial decisions.

The Grenfell Tower fire has demonstrated that the current procurement system for both consultants and contractors does not generate best safety, value or quality because of a universal focus on capital cost. The industry is now in agreement that this focus is flawed and must be fundamentally changed.

A number of issues have been raised by the Hackitt Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety. One broad area of change we can expect is in clarifying roles and responsibilities for ensuring that buildings are safe. As Judith Hackitt said in her interim report:

“There needs to be a golden thread for all complex and high-risk building projects so that the original design intent is preserved and recorded, and…any changes go through a formal review process involving people who are competent and who understand the key features of the design."

What is also now being questioned is the relevant skill and competence of those who carry out the procurement. They need to consider whether the project contracts encourage the ‘Golden Thread’? Are the chosen forms of contract appropriate for the nature of the project: are they adversarial or collaborative, do they encourage social value as well as economy and innovation?

In future, it would seem the procurement process must integrate the security of this thread from design commencement to construction completion and thereafter in occupation.

So what else should a robust and effective procurement process achieve?

To begin with, the process needs to ensure the required performance. This puts performance specifying in doubt when seen as a means of saving on consultants’ fees because it often results in specialist contractors’ design development not being adequately and independently checked for compliance. It’s likely there will be a drive to raise levels of competence in the specialist design and construction sectors. Procurers will be seeking to ensure these new industry standards are demanded and achieved.

It may become a requirement for Building Regulations approval before commencing site work on each element. This will need to be set out at project procurement along with adherence to approved designs and discouragement of change during construction. Procurers will need to ensure that design changes are referred back to the original design team for acceptability of the proposed change. On safety, it may be that CDM regulations should be extended to include life safety for occupants and a whistle-blower facility incorporated.

Under this improved form of procurement, handover should only occur when all ‘life safety’ systems are complete and to ensure this, procurement would need to more clearly define ‘completion’ and appoint an individual or organisation with professional independence from the contractor to certify completion. This is the key to achieving the ‘Golden Thread’. On traditional contracts it is the role of the architect. The consequence of the Grenfell disaster, the end of PFI and the collapse of Carillion should be to re-establish this role for all contracts however large.

It follows that this new procurement process will require more time and resources. It will take time to be thoroughly developed and may extend project programmes. Fast-tracking projects will continue but should only be used with experienced teams, ideally with collaborative forms of contract such as the ACA’s PPC2000 and FAC1.

The industry will have to mandate adequate quality control by all parties as part of the procurement process, including designers, site managers, clerks of works, resident architects and engineers. It will have to be built into the process of procurement from the outset.

It may not fix lowest-cost methods of procurement entirely, but the independent full-service role of the architect can do a lot to fill the gaps.

This column is supplied by the Association of Consultant Architects, the national professional body representing architects in private practice in the UK. Membership for eligible practices is free, please visit [http://www.acarchitects.co.uk www.acarchitects.co.uk]

FROM THE ARCHITECTS JOURNAL 4 APRIL 2018

Talk:National planning policy framework NPPF

2018-03-06T11:18:07Z

Brian Waters:

See 2018 Planning update with the National Planning Forum:

[https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Planning_update_2018 https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Planning_update_2018]

ACA membership

2018-03-06T11:17:32Z

Brian Waters:

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT of the Association of Consultant Architects

== The ACA represents practices across the UK and membership is now free. ==

May I invite you or a colleague to join to represent your firm? Just a quick log-on on our home page at [http://www.ACArchitects.co.uk http://www.ACArchitects.co.uk].

You and your practice will then enjoy:

* Use of the ACA logo on your stationery and website.
* Partners and Directors may use of the suffix ACArch.
* Free entry in the illustrated ACA Directory.
* Discounted rates at ACA and Alliance Steering Group Events.
* 25% off ACA Publications.
* Regular membership emails and newsletters with information on issues relevant to practice.
* Up to date planning guidance from ACAPAG, the ACA Planning Action Group
* The new, exclusive ACA/Towergate PII Scheme which is highly competitive and includes a full contract review service.

Towergate PI are sponsoring free membership for UK practices for three years.

To see how the ACA supports practice please look at our latest newsletter at [https://www.dropbox.com/s/ai55dc0wpd6j0yl/ACA%20News%20Summer%202017%E2%80%A2.pdf?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/ai55dc0wpd6j0yl/ACA%20News%20Summer%202017%E2%80%A2.pdf?dl=0]

Please join the ACA today by signing up at [http://www.ACArchitects.co.uk http://www.ACArchitects.co.uk] and give the profession greater voice with government and in our industry.

Thank you,

Yours,

Brian Waters

MA RIBA MRTPI ACArch FRSA

President

----------------See 2018 Planning update with the National Planning Forum:

[https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Planning_update_2018 https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Planning_update_2018]

[[Category:Organisations]] [[Category:News]]

File:CULS--NPF flyer Dentons 20th March18 v.3.pdf

2018-03-06T11:10:36Z

Brian Waters: uploaded a new version of "File:CULS--NPF flyer Dentons 20th March18 v.3.pdf"

BOOK AT: [https://goo.gl/kEZtjf or call 01638 507843 https://goo.gl/kEZtjf or call 01638 507843]

File:CULS--NPF flyer Dentons 20th March18 v.3.pdf

2018-03-06T11:08:26Z

Brian Waters: BOOK AT: https://goo.gl/kEZtjf or call 01638 507843

BOOK AT: [https://goo.gl/kEZtjf or call 01638 507843 https://goo.gl/kEZtjf or call 01638 507843]

File:•••CULS--NPF flyer Dentons 20th March18 v.2.pdf

2018-03-06T11:01:44Z

Brian Waters:

File:•••CULS-NPF flyer Dentons 20th March18 v.2.pdf

2018-03-06T10:52:00Z

Brian Waters: National Planning Forum joint annual planning update afternoon seminar on 20th March 2018. details and booking at https://goo.gl/kEZtjf or call 01638 507843

National Planning Forum joint annual planning update afternoon seminar on 20th March 2018. details and booking at [https://goo.gl/kEZtjf or call 01638 507843 https://goo.gl/kEZtjf or call 01638 507843]

ACA membership

2017-10-24T11:03:24Z

Brian Waters:

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT of the Association of Consultant Architects

The ACA represents practices across the UK and membership is now free.

May I invite you or a colleague to join to represent your firm? Just a quick log-on on our home page at [http://www.acarchitects.co.uk/ www.ACArchitects.co.uk]

You and your practice will then enjoy:

* Use of the ACA logo on your stationery and website
* Partners and Directors may use of the suffix ACArch
* Free entry in the illustrated ACA Directory
* discounted rates at ACA and Alliance Steering Group Events
* 25% off ACA Publications
* Regular membership emails and newsletters with information on issues relevant to practice
* Up to date planning guidance from ACAPAG, the ACA Planning Action Group
* The new, exclusive ACA/Towergate PII Scheme which is highly competitive and includes a full contract review service.

Towergate PI are sponsoring free membership for UK practices for three years.

To see how the ACA supports practice please look at our latest newsletter at [https://www.dropbox.com/s/ai55dc0wpd6j0yl/ACA%20News%20Summer%202017%E2%80%A2.pdf?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/ai55dc0wpd6j0yl/ACA%20News%20Summer%202017%E2%80%A2.pdf?dl=0]

Please join the ACA today by signing up at [http://www.acarchitects.co.uk/ www.acarchitects.co.uk] and give the profession greater voive with government and in our industry.

Thank you,

Yours,

Brian Waters

MA RIBA MRTPI ACArch FRSA

President

ACA membership

2017-10-24T10:56:07Z

Brian Waters: Created page with "LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT of the Association of Consultant Architects The ACA represents practices across the UK and membership is now free. May I invite you or a colleague..."

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT of the Association of Consultant Architects

The ACA represents practices across the UK and membership is now free.

May I invite you or a colleague to join to represent your firm? Just a quick log-on on our home page at [http://www.acarchitects.co.uk/ www.ACArchitects.co.uk]

<br />
You and your practice will then enjoy:

* Use of the ACA logo on your stationery and website
* Partners and Directors may use of the suffix ACArch
* Free entry in the illustrated ACA Directory
* discounted rates at ACA and Alliance Steering Group Events
* 25% off ACA Publications
* Regular membership emails and newsletters with information on issues relevant to practice
* Up to date planning guidance from ACAPAG, the ACA Planning Action Group
* The new, exclusive ACA/Towergate PII Scheme which is highly competitive and includes a full contract review service.

Towergate PI are sponsoring free membership for UK practices for three years.

To see how the ACA supports practice please look at our latest newsletter at

Please join the ACA today by signing up at [http://www.acarchitects.co.uk/ www.acarchitects.co.uk] and give the profession greater voive with government and in our industry.

Thank you,

Yours,

Brian Waters

MA RIBA MRTPI ACArch FRSA

President