Guide to Using the RIBA Plan of Work 2013 - Other - Page 68
Guide to Using the RIBA Plan of Work 2013
carried out in both the old and the new environments. Design Quality Indicators
are another example of bringing objectivity to bear on aspects of Project
Outcomes and Project Performance and allowing trends or comparisons across
a number of projects to be made.
Successful Project Outcomes in certain areas may be the result of a number of
factors. For example, where teaching has improved in a new school (in line with
the Project Outcomes stated in the Project Brief), is this improvement a result of
the new environment, the quality of the new environment, the methods of a new
head teacher or a combination of all three?
How does the RIBA Plan of Work 2013 encourage
consideration of Project Outcomes?
There are four important activities in the RIBA Plan of Work 2013 that encourage
the use of Project Outcomes as well as ensuring that, once the desired outcomes
have been established, they are achieved.
Writing the Initial Project Brief
Developing Project Outcomes, as part of the briefing process during Stage 1, for
inclusion in the Initial Project Brief is a core RIBA Plan of Work 2013 requirement.
In determining the Project Outcomes it is essential to consider how they might
become obligations that are included in professional services contracts or in the
Building Contract. Whether they are contractual obligations or not will depend on
how easy it is to ascertain compliance once the building has been handed over.
For example, subjective topics, such as the quality of space, will be difficult to
enforce contractually. Conversely, stated environmental parameters may require
monitoring over a period of time before compliance can be determined.
Project Outcomes sit within three broad categories: environmental, economic and
social. They might be considered in the Initial Project Brief as follows:
• Environmental: the brief would set out the key energy performance targets to
be measured in the post-occupancy period once the seasonal commissioning
process has been completed. These measurements will be essential as we
move towards a lower carbon economy.
• Economic: as well as measuring the capital and operating costs of the
completed building, the costs of the building in use will be measured. These
costs might include direct staff or other costs associated with the operation of
the business.
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