BSRIA’s new guide is now available to purchase at www.bsria.co.uk/goto/buildnonmem . Under Building Regulations, new buildings require some form of log book. BSRIA recommends the delivery team compile a Building Manual and Building User Guide. These will also satisfy the Building user information BREEAM credit. Although not compulsory, the completion of these documents is also recommended for existing buildings.

The Building Manual is intended to be an operator’s guide to the building and will capture the building’s design and operation needs. It is a single document that can be used to capture all future building changes and annual summaries of energy use and maintenance work. The Building User Guide provides the occupants with a simple, quick and easy guide to the everyday functions of the building. These guides are intended to enable the most efficient and effective use of buildings.

BSRIA’s new guide contains easy-to-use templates and detailed worked examples. These provide building information compilers and building operators with a standard method of capturing information. The Building Manual and Building User Guide will be invaluable as an easy-to-use reference tool for:

-       bridging the knowledge gap between building occupants, users and operators and the

design concepts;

-       staff training and induction to ensure familiarity with the building;

-       in-house and contracted staff needing to quickly access technical information;

-       the consideration of refurbishments or rearrangements to work spaces.

---