Research and Development

Resources

These resources are the outcomes of projects or research the department has contributed to, or has been inspired by.

 

Advisor's notepad

The RIBA research department hopes to contribute some form of measure or quantification to the value of design. We have collected views and fed them into the development of the 'Advisor's Notepad'. For each individual project, the Notepad captures data on issues such as: type of client, building type, nature (new build, extension etc), region and stakeholder information with respect to outcomes under the value types above. All data will be treated anonymously by the RIBA. It is primarily aimed at client representatives such as RIBA Client Design Advisors but we would be keen to hear from practices as well. Please email completed forms to: research@inst.riba.org |

 

 

Better Designed Buildings: Improving the Valuation of Intangibles

This completed project was supported by the DTI under the Partners in Innovation programme, with partners as listed.

Whilst the construction industry knows a lot about measuring costs, far less is known about how to quantify the intangible benefits associated with design quality. Better valuation methods have the potential to release investment into the built environment, bringing with it higher design quality and better outcomes.

June 2005

Eclipse Research Consultants, CABE, RICS, CIC, BIFM, DTI

Brief Report|

Full report available from s.macmillan@btconnect.com|

RIBA Journal Practice Pages, August 2005.

 

 

Be/n CRISP Value Task Group Report

The Value Task Group's mission was to communicate a strategy by which the built environment industry can add value to customers and society by shaping and delivering a sustainable environment and high quality of life.

This report sets out a programme of short and medium term research needs that will deepen understanding and support further development of these drivers. It seeks to identify a research agenda and to contribute to the building and maintaining of a community of inquiry and innovation in practice -ranging across practitioners, policy makers and academics- to broaden conceptions of value in decision making about the built environment.

March 2005

 

 

Capturing the Value of Design

The RIBA has long been championing the real value that good design creates, but being able to quantify the arguments for clients and other non designers has always been difficult. Sebastian Macmillan—chair of the RIBA research committee—identified six types of value that help articulate the arguments: Exchange, Use, Image, Social, Environmental and Cultural value.

Oct 2006.

Funded by CABE and published in the 'Value Handbook' by Sebastian Macmillan.

 

 

Corporate Social Responsibility in Building Procurement

Project by BRE, CIRIA, Constructing Excellence, English Partnerships, IoD, RICS, SBS Federation of small businesses, SEEDA, Gerald Eve
Free booklet Thinking Business Space|

 

 

Feedback Portfolio

Project by Bill Bordass, Andrew Derbyshire, NHS Estates, Building Use Studies, DLE, CIC, RMJM, Defence Estates, Transco, Mowlem, Be, Hoare Lea, Buro Happold, DTI and user group with Penoyre & Prasad, Arup, Feilden Clegg Bradley and others
The Feedback Portfolio: Feedback Techniques from Usable Buildings|

 

 

Glazing Risks - Code of Practice

Project by the BRE
  

 

 

Good Practice Guide: Safer Surfaces to Walk on - Reducing the Risk of Slipping

Project by the HSE and CIRIA

Free sample|

Full report to purchase from CIRIA|

 

 

An Institutional Analysis of Research in the UK Higher Education Sector

The main objective of this research project is to investigate to what extent innovation and excellence in research in architecture in the UK higher education sector has been influenced by institutional factors, what these factors are, the nature of their influence and what can be recommended for an improved institutional context.

The research also provides an overview of architectural research across the UK. A companion report is available which contains the findings from a study covering all the Scottish schools of architecture.

Oct 2004

Paul Jenkins, Leslie Forsyth and Harry Smith

Full report |(under 'Reports')

 

 

Managing Value Delivery in Design

Project by Loughborough Univ., Sheppard Robson, ICE, CABE, CIBSE, Broadgate Estates, BAA, DLE, Be

Value in Design|

RIBA Journal Practice Pages: May, June, July 2005

 

 

Real Budget for Research, The

This is a joint study undertaken by CABE and nCRISP, addressing key questions about the current state of research funding into the built environment. Who is setting the agenda for research in construction and design? Who is funding this research? And how much funding is there?

The study makes a number of recommendations to encourage more effective use of the funding that exists, the development of a shared understanding of common research agendas, and steps to develop a more robust argument for enhancing the funding for built environment research.

Nov 2004

CABE and nCRISP

Report available on the CABE website|

 

 

Research Reading List

This reading list of architecture and built environment research is not meant to be a comprehensive and definitive bibliography, but a selection of relevant writings that will be regularly reviewed and updated. Inclusion in the list does not signify endorsement or agreement with the authors.
RIBApedia| under 'reading lists'

 

 

Shape and Size of the UK Architectural Market, The

MBA Thesis at Imperial College London
 

 

 

Standards for the Repair of Buildings Following Flooding

Report by CIRIA, BRE Scotland

Building Research & Information (BRI) is a leading international refereed journal focussed on buildings and their supporting systems. Unique to BRI is a focus on a holistic, transdisciplinary approach to buildings and the complexity of issues involving the built environment with other systems over the course of their life: planning, briefing, design, construction, occupation and use, property exchange and evaluation, maintenance, alteration and end of life.

Building Research & Information
RIBA members are entitled to a generous discount when subscribing to Building Research & Information: £60 per year (instead of a normal personal subscription of £335). Subscription enquires can be emailed to Ginny Smith at ginny.smith@tandf.co.uk|. Individuals should mention that they are RIBA members to receive the discount.