Unlocking the Power of Design with the Design Framework for Building Services

[edit] Why is BG 6/2018 important?

BSRIA Guide BG 6 A Design Framework for Building Services 5th Edition (BG 6/2018) was first published in 1994 to help give clarity over the roles and duties of those involved in the design phases of construction projects. Since then, it has been revised and updated to reflect the changing nature of the UK construction industry practices, and the implications these have had on the allocation of design responsibilities.

In recent years, changes in technology have brought with them new issues concerning the level of information provided as outputs from design activities. They have also highlighted the need for clarity around existing topics such as the resolution of clashes throughout the design stages and defining coordination roles and responsibilities. These are amongst the topics addressed in the fifth edition of BG 6, which was published in 2018.

[edit] Technological advancements and industry trends

Whilst the advance in technology has enabled developments such as BIM Level 2, resulting in the extensive use of graphical modelling, not every project will be carried out using this approach. The ‘traditional’ method of conveying design requirements via 2D drawings continues to be widely used. As part of the 2018 update, elements of BG 6 were clarified to clearly identify and support these different strategies. The key point is that the correct format of information is used to best meet the project objectives.

The guide contains design activity proformas and drawing / model definitions that are used to support contract documentation and to encourage efficient collaborative working between building services and other designers such as architects, structural engineers and also along building services supply chains.

It must be remembered that BG 6 is, as the title states, a framework. As such, the content of the proformas and output production table should be seen as a starting point for the user to accurately detail what they require their supply chain to do. If any required task or deliverable is not in the published proformas or table, then the user should add them, making sure that the proformas and the output production table align with each other.

[edit] Purchasing options

BG 6/2018 Design Framework for Building Services 5th Edition can be purchased or downloaded here.

Two purchasing options are available. Option 1 is a hard copy or pdf of BG 6/2018. The pdf is a free download for BSRIA members. There is a clickable link in the document to download selected files.

Option 2 is a ‘multi-site licence’. This contains all the editable files including the Appendix A proformas. The multi-site licence allows users to save the editable documents on a company server for colleagues to access.

[edit] Training course: A practical introduction

For professionals looking to deepen their understanding of BG 6/2018 and its practical applications, BSRIA offers a comprehensive training course. The BG 6/2018 Design Framework for Building Services: A Practical Introductioncourse provides participants with hands-on experience and expert guidance on implementing the principles outlined in the guide. Information about this course can be found here.

This article appears on the BSRIA blog site as "Unlocking the Power of Design: Why BG 6/2018 Matters" dated March 14, 2024 and was written by Donna Toomey.

--BSRIA

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• BSRIA.
• BSRIA articles on Designing Buildings.
• Building services.
• Design Framework for Building Services 4th Edition (BG 6/2014).
• How BIM can cause needless early stage MEP design concerns.
• RIBA Plan of Work.
• Building information modelling.
• Data drop.
• PAS 1192-2.