Tel: +44 (0)20 7580 5533

Where people live: Tools for engaging communities in the design process
Type: Seminar
This seminar will look at the value of community engagement in the design of the built environment and offer a how-to guide that professionals can use to work collaboratively in the design process. This seminar will take place on the following dates in 2013: 24 April

• Nottingham 9 May
• Gateshead 14 May
• London 16 May
• Cambridge 22 May
• Leeds 23 May
• Birmingham 19 June
• Reading 20 June
• Bath 25 June
• Crawley 9 July
• Exeter 10 July
• Cardiff 17 July
• Manchester 18 July
• Liverpool

Procurement and contracts: Design liability and contracts
Type: Seminar
This seminar will cover the following:

• Forms of procurement and role of the architect
• Forms of contract (JCT and NEC) – comparisons and when to use
• Design liability under the different contractual arrangements
• Contractor and sub-contractor design
• Administration of contracts, inspections, quality monitoring, certification, practical completion collaboration, team working and implications of BIM. This seminar will be taking place on the following dates in 2013: 24 January
• Cambridge 14 February
• Cardiff 7 March
• Reading 23 April
• Crawley 14 May
• Exeter 26 June
• Nottingham 17 September
• London 10 October
• Gateshead 24 October
• Birmingham 7 November
• Bath 13 November
• Manchester 14 November
• Liverpool 4 December
• Leeds

Internal management: Business planning and marketing for architects
Type: Seminar
If you are running an architectural practice, you need to think like an entrepreneur and take control of your business. To be successful, it helps to have a clear development strategy. A written business plan makes decision-making easier. This interactive workshop will cover the following:

• Analysis of your existing practice
• How to react to a competitive environment
• Marketing objectives; financial objectives
• The importance of understanding and using your Unique Selling Point (USP)
• A structured approach to business development. Throughout the session, you will be working on practical exercises which lead to a structure for winning new work. This seminar will take place on the following dates in 2013: 24 January
• Birmingham 26 February
• Crawley 12 March
• Exeter 9 May
• Cardiff 13 June
• Gateshead 10 July
• Reading 17 July
• Leeds 18 July
• Cambridge 24 July
• Nottingham 18 September
• Manchester 19 September
• Liverpool 3 October
• Bath 15 October
• London

External management: Professional liability and risk management
Type: Seminar
Following a short refresher on the principles of modern professional liability, the programme is devoted to applications of the principles to specific areas of architectural practice, covering: use of letters of intent and the giving of advice on forms of contract and procurement strategies; design liability under traditional employer design and design and build models; liability to client and to third parties by collateral warranty and under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act; liability for contract administration, including certification responsibility and dispute resolution. The emphasis is on proactive risk management and dispute avoidance through identification and analysis of potential problem areas. This seminar will be taking place on the following dates in 2013: 10 January

• Gateshead 7 February
• Reading 14 March
• Bath 27 March
• Nottingham 17 April
• Cardiff 11 June
• Exeter 18 June
• London 5 September
• Crawley 9 October
• Leeds 16 October
• Manchester 17 October
• Liverpool 7 November
• Cambridge 14 November
• Birmingham

Designing and building it: Passivhaus myths and realities - a “get you started” active workshop for architects and designers
Type: Seminar
This seminar will describe the Passivhaus fundamentals including the importance of good building design to achieve that high level of comfort. It will explain the pre-requisites, while busting myths such as suitability to climate change, issues with ventilation (can Passivhaus have opening windows?) and whether Passivhaus buildings should always face south. The speaker will also detail the steps to succeed with Passivhaus in the UK and illustrate the things that don’t work so well, such as the additional costs incurred when trying to achieve airtightness after construction, dealing with extensive glass surfaces requiring external shading or facing complex designs. This seminar will take place on the following dates in 2013: 26 February

• Nottingham 9 April
• Gateshead 4 June
• London 12 June
• Leeds 19 June
• Manchester 20 June
• Liverpool 23 July
• Crawley 5 September
• Cardiff 26 September
• Birmingham 15 October
• Exeter 17 October
• Cambridge 4 December
• Reading 5 December
• Bath

Context: Understanding historic buildings - refurbishment and building performance
Type: Seminar
Much refurbishment practice is predicted on modeled assumptions of building performance. However, how appropriate are these assumptions with regard to older, solid wall properties that make up much of our historic building stock? Using measured data gathered from a variety of historic building refurbishment projects, this seminar will look at performance both before and after refurbishment as a means to judge both the risks and opportunities associated with retrofitting older buildings to improve their energy efficiency. This seminar will take place on the following dates in 2013: 23 January

• Leeds 14 February
• Gateshead 16 April
• Exeter 18 April
• Reading 15 May
• Manchester 16 May
• Liverpool 9 July
• London 5 September
• Birmingham 12 September
• Bath 19 September
• Crawley 25 September
• Nottingham 9 October
• Cardiff 21 November
• Cambridge

Compliance: Party Wall etc ACT 1996 - Understanding legislation affecting architects in everyday practice
Type: Seminar
This seminar for architects and associated professionals will outline the provisions of the legislation under the Party Wall etc Act 1996, give information on the interpretation of the Act and discuss the architects’ responsibilities and duties when acting as a party wall surveyor. It will cover:

• Overview of the Party Wall etc Act 1996
• Detailed examination and discussion of sections 1, 2, 6 and 10 (including delegate involvement, questions and explanations)
• An example project including serving appropriate Notices and making an Award. This seminar is taking place on the following dates in 2013: 12 February
• London 20 March
• Manchester 21 March
• Liverpool 18 April
• Cambridge 16 May
• Bath 19 June
• Leeds 27 June
• Birmingham 12 September
• Gateshead 9 October
• Reading 17 October
• Crawley 23 October
• Nottingham 12 November
• Exeter

Climate: Building physics and retrofit design
Type: Seminar
This seminar will explore how the principles of building physics should inform design decisions in retrofit projects. Presentations, with examples drawn from real projects, will address:

• Carbon, energy consumption and measurement
• Energy movement and thermal transfer
• Airtightness and thermal bridging
• Ventilation, moisture and human comfort. The consequences – and potential pitfalls – of particular design strategies will be discussed. A number of short exercises will help attendees develop an understanding of the often complex issues involved. This seminar will be taking place on the following dates in 2013: 22 January
• Exeter 13 February
• Manchester 14 February
• Liverpool 21 February
• Cambridge 27 March
• Birmingham 23 May
• Crawley 11 July
• Gateshead 18 July
• Bath 12 September
• Reading 18 September
• Leeds 12 November
• London 27 November
• Nottingham 4 December
• Cardiff

Being safe: CDM for architects - practice procedures and competence
Type: Seminar
This seminar is aimed at providing architects with a clear, unambiguous method of both addressing their statutory duties under CDM 2007 within the practice, and embracing the opportunities to contribute to health and safety through design. The session will also ask how far architects need to go in reducing risk and eliminating hazards, given the other considerations an architect needs to manage, such as planning, aesthetics, budgets etc. Finally, we will discuss the latest status on the proposed new CDM Regulations which may be introduced as soon as 2014! This seminar will be taking place on the following dates in 2013: 23 January

• Nottingham 14 February
• Bath 12 March
• London 21 March
• Crawley 17 April
• Manchester 18 April
• Liverpool 25 April
• Birmingham 8 May
• Reading 12 June
• Cardiff 20 June
• Cambridge 17 September
• Exeter 23 October
• Leeds 14 November
• Gateshead

Access for all: Designing inclusive, accessible buildings and spaces
Type: Seminar
This seminar will show how recent changes in regulations, standards and legislation can inform the design process to assist the architect in creating buildings that are accessible and inclusive for all. Areas covered will include:

• The Equality Act 2010
• Changes to the Building Regulations Parts K, M and N affecting accessibility (coming into effect in 2013). Using flow charts and examples, this seminar will demonstrate how legislation, regulation and guidance can be used to support the design process in creating places and spaces that are accessible and enjoyable for everyone
• without stifling design freedom or creativity. This seminar will take place on the following dates in 2013: 16 January
• Manchester 17 January
• Liverpool 13 February
• Exeter 27 February
• Nottingham 7 March
• Gateshead 21 March
• Cardiff 18 April
• Bath 23 April
• London 30 April
• Leeds 12 September
• Cambridge 6 November
• Crawley 7 November
• Reading 28 November
• Birmingham