Foreword
First developed in 1963, for half a century the RIBA Plan of Work has been the definitive UK model for the building design and construction process, also exercising significant influence on an international stage. The RIBA Plan of Work has been a bedrock document for the architects’ profession and the construction industry, providing a shared framework for the organisation and management of building projects that is widely used as both a process map and a management tool, and providing important work stage reference points used in a multitude of contractual and appointment documents and best practice guidance. It has been amended and updated over time to reflect developments in design team organisation, changes in regulatory regimes and innovations in procurement arrangements, although these changes have generally been incremental and reactive to changing circumstances rather than strategically driven. The RIBA Plan of Work 2013 builds on this fantastically valuable heritage and represents the most comprehensive review and development of the RIBA Plan of Work to be undertaken since its inception. It reflects the very best principles in contemporary architectural project and design management, and demonstrates the commitment of the RIBA to undertaking continuous improvement of its core guidance and to providing strategic leadership at a time of rapid change in the construction industry.
Through its Construction Strategy, the UK Government has identified the need for a construction industry which is better integrated and more efficient and which enshrines principles of sustainability as a matter of course. By developing a new generation RIBA Plan of Work that incorporates sustainable design principles, provides the infrastructure to support Building Information Modelling (BIM), promotes integrated working between project team members, including the construction team, and provides the flexibility to match procurement approaches to client needs, the RIBA seeks to make an important contribution to this transformation of the construction sector in the UK; one which we feel will also have great relevance in the international arena. Developed alongside this Overview, the RIBA Plan of Work 2013 Online is an easy to customise electronic document that can be adapted to the specific needs of any practice, team or project. Traditional and non-traditional procurement models are both accommodated in this edition, which has been designed to meet the needs of businesses and projects of every size and degree of complexity. Whether your work is predominantly focused on small domestic projects or larger projects, the RIBA Plan of Work 2013 is an essential component in practice management and a product I am happy to endorse and promote on behalf of the RIBA. Angela Brady RIBA President
The RIBA Plan of Work 2013 is endorsed by the following organisations:
Construction Industry Council
Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologies
Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland
Royal Society of Architects in Wales
Royal Society of Ulster Architects
Š RIBA 2013. Editor: Dale Sinclair. Published by RIBA, 66 Portland Place, London, W1B 1AD. ISBN 978 1 85946 519 6 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the copyright owner. While every effort has been made to check the accuracy and quality of the information given in this publication, neither the Editor nor the Publisher accept any responsibility for the subsequent use of this information, for any errors or omissions that it may contain, or for any misunderstandings arising from it.