Common Arrangement of Work Sections
The Common Arrangement of Work Sections (CAWS) was developed by the Construction Project Information Committee (CPIC), a pan-industry organisation with representatives from key industry institutes.
It was developed as a result of research demonstrating that the quality of construction information was a very significant determinant of the quality of construction. It was recognised that standardisation of the way production information was created and classified could help improve quality, and that the commonly used CISfb classification was not sufficiently comprehensive to achieve this.
CAWS established a consistent arrangement for specifications and bills of quantities. It was first published in 1987 and was updated by CPIC in 1998 to align it with the Unified Classification for the Construction Industry (Uniclass). In 2005 nbs submitted to CPIC, modifications to the services sections of CAWS for consideration and following 5 years of consultation these changes were accepted.
CAWS is the categorisation of work that is used for the National Building Specification (NBS – which before 1987 followed the CISfB structure), National Engineering Specification (NES), the Standard Method of Measurement, currently in its 7th Edition (SMM7) and a number of industry pricing books such as Spons, Laxtons and Wessex.
CAWS has since been incorporated into Table J of Uniclass, which was also developed by CPIC. Uniclass is a classification system for organising library materials, product literature and project information.
In 2011, the CPIC used the nbs proposals for re-classification of the work sections in CAWS and Uniclass Table J as the basis of a consultation process for revising Uniclass. This development of Uniclass as a whole is considered to better accommodate civil engineering and process engineering alongside architecture and landscape, it also better enables the description of systems in performance terms, and is more suited to accommodating facilities management.
The main categories are:
- A - Preliminaries
- B - Complete buildings / structures / units
- C - Demolition / Alteration /Renovation
- D - Groundwork
- E - In situ concrete / Large precast concrete
- F - Masonry
- G - Structural / Carcassing metal / timber
- H - Cladding / Covering
- J - Waterproofing
- K - Linings / Sheathing / Dry partitioning
- L - Windows / Doors / Stairs
- M - Surface finishes
- N - Furniture / Equipment
- P - Building fabric sundries
- Q - Paving / Planting / Fencing / Site furniture
- R - Disposal Systems
- S - Piped supply systems
- T - Mechanical heating / Cooling / Refrigeration systems
- U - Ventilation / Air conditioning systems
- V - Electrical supply / power / lighting systems
- W - Communications / Security / Control systems
- X - Transport systems
- Y - General Engineering Services
- Z - Building fabric reference specification
Each section includes further sub-classification and offers detailed information and supplementary rules. For more information see: Common arrangement of work sections classification.
NB: SMM7 has been replaced by the New Rules of Measurement (NRM) which has moved away from CAWS, to adopt its own system of indexing. See New Rules of Measurement for more information.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Bills of quantities.
- BIM classification.
- CI/SfB.
- Classification, an introduction.
- Common arrangement of work sections classification.
- Comparison of SMM7 with NRM2.
- Construction Project Information Committee.
- Elemental cost plan.
- How to take off construction works.
- New Rules of Measurement.
- Preliminaries.
- Production information.
- Specifications.
- Spot items.
- Standard Method of Measurement (SMM7).
- Sundry items.
- Uniclass.
- Work section.
[edit] External references
- CPIC.
- NBS.
- NBS article on CAWS reclassification.
- NBS article on Co-ordinating CAWS and NRM.
Featured articles and news
Heritage protection in England vs Australia.
Fire doors and the Fire Door Inspection Scheme.
Three-quarters of fire doors fail inspections
UN International Day for Biological Diversity, May 22.
The role of geoparks, biospheres and world heritage sites.
BSRIA conference 2022, June 23.
Just one month to go ! Find out more here.
Restoring Broadbent’s Bath House
A new gallery for the University of Huddersfield.
Corruption in the construction industry.
What will it take to stop it ?
To celebrate world bee day 2022 !
Just one month until the changes to part L come into effect.
Not forgetting part F and the new part overheating part O.
Heat Pump demand rises by one quarter.
As energy prices jump up in cost.
With people in the UK from Ukraine.
Industry leader Steve Murray takes on role.
An abundant and versatile building material.
How overheating complicates ending gas in the UK.
600,000 heat pump installations targeted per year by 2028.
Cost planning, control and related articles on DB.
Helping prevent those unwanted outcomes.
ICE debate Public transport - post pandemic.
How has transport changed due to Covid-19 ?
Cross-ventilation in buildings. Do you have it ?
Will you need it ? after June 15 and the new Part O ?
Share your knowledge with the industry.
Create an account and write the first of many articles.
The green jobs delivery group.
CIAT commentary after the first meeting.
Liverpool's world heritage site status
Who is to blame?
Research recommends focussing on portfolio success rather than project success.