Let's start at the beginning...
For over 50 years, NBS has helped architects produce their specifications and connect them with manufacturers. From published volumes to a market-leading digital platform, follow our journey from the start.
When the Economic Development Committee for Building decided to finance a feasibility study in 1967, it gave rise to the idea for the National Building Specification. The study revealed a critical need to enhance the technical content, language, and organisation of specifications.
1970
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) promised to assist with the creation of NBS in 1969. As a result of the challenging work, National Building Specification Limited, also known as NBS, was founded in 1970.
Drafts of the NBS's major sections were distributed to businesses, enterprises, and public sector organisations for review and discussion between December 1971 and August 1972. These organisations included research organisations, institutes, federations, and alliances. They all contributed to the standard document's development, and NBS would not be where it is today without this early body of work.
1973-1983
Like with any business, our first decade was one of learning and innovation. The way specifications were created had been revolutionised by NBS, and the bound documents were introduced to rave reviews. It also witnessed the introduction of our legendary product, RIBA Product Selector, whose legacy continues to this day. Both innovations realised the concept of bridging the information gap between specifiers, assisting in relationship building and facilitating information sharing.
The first printed set of the National Building Specification, consisting of four volumes, was released by NBS. The volumes modernised the approach to specification and were the first of their kind.
The NBS presents architects, structural engineers, and quantity surveyors with a unique opportunity to re-appraise and develop their specification practice. The benefits will come to them and to the industry as a whole in the form of better and more efficient buildings. I strongly recommend its use.
Sir Robert Matthews, CBE, FRIBA, Chairman of NBS Ltd.Republishing the publication annually would be difficult to justify on technical grounds, as the changes would not be significant enough to warrant a new edition and would disrupt the process of assimilation and adoption into general practice. Instead, a bi-annual distribution was decided upon and in 1975, NBS Subscription Services was created and NBS specification was reissued.
The Specification documentation was undergoing changes including multiple updates and new sections, which was enough to make NBS masterminds consider a more effective course of action. In order to offer subscribers periodical updates or modifications, NBS created NBS Binders in 1976.
The product moved from printed volumes to a master folder with removable sections. Periodic updates were sent out, enabling the addition or replacement of pages with fresh content, ensuring the customers always worked with the most up-to-date information.
NBS was one of the first businesses to invest in a magnetic card typewriter. It featured an electronic memory which could store up to 8000 typewritten characters substantially enhancing our ability to update NBS Binders quickly and removing the possibility of human error.
The age of the computer had arrived. While they were too expensive for the average home user, NBS acquired our first dedicated word processor, a bulky, floor-standing monster, and the transition of transforming NBS from paper to digital specification began.
1980
The first manufacturer product directory of its kind, RIBA Product Selector, was well-known in the construction industry. In its 40-year history, it evolved from a physical printed directory of thousands of building items that could be found on every architect's shelf to an online database used by millions. Now retired in name, RIBA Product Selector lives on in NBS Source.
For the first time, Master Disk made it possible for subscribers to purchase NBS on disc, which eliminated the need for specification writers and typists to start each specification from scratch by allowing them to use pre-written specifications that were already on their computer. It was the first version of easily accessible word processing files to be released on the market.
1983-1993
During the 1980s and early 1990s It was necessary to assimilate and apply an ever-increasing amount of technical information. In response to this rising demand and the sharp decline in the price of buying a computer NBS introduced a number of ground-breaking digital products. This decade also saw NBS beginning to formally educate the industry through Specification Workshops.
NBS began its incredibly popular training programmes with Specification Workshops in the 1980s. These two days of intense sessions helped users enhance the presentation and professionalism of their specifications through lectures and hands-on activities. Today, NBS continues to educate the market through the NBS Academy.
The Common Arrangement of Work Sections (CAWS), introduced in 1987, quickly rose to prominence in the UK. In 1988, the NBS Binders were republished to follow this new classification structure.
In a significant year for NBS, shortly after the introduction of Microsoft Windows in 1985, NBS started considering how to make NBS more accessible. Specification Manager, which was introduced in 1989, was created to provide specifiers with electronic versions of the NBS Libraries and guidance as opposed to the paper copies that were previously distributed.
It is thought to be the first commercially accessible piece of software for the AEC sector running on Windows 3. Among its numerous functions, it allows users to create project specifications, add relevant work sections, and view clause guidance.
1990
1993-2003
The decade approaching the millennium was when NBS started pushing digital innovation. Architectural practices were changing the way they designed buildings, rows of drawing boards were being replaced by desktop computers, and NBS was at the forefront of that trend.
Continuing professional development (CPD) is mandatory for RIBA Chartered Members to keep their membership. To support architects with their educational needs, developed in partnership with the RIBA, NBS launched the RIBA CPD Providers Network. A resource for architects to connect with Providers of RIBA approved CPD to enhance their learning. Today, over 85% of RIBA Chartered Members and 75% of non-members are familiar with the RIBA CPD Providers Network and prefer it to any other CPD series*. *source: RIBA CPD Report 2022
Uniclass was developed to supersede CI/SfB which was last revised in 1976, and rather than reinventing the wheel, the authors brought together various existing systems as well as adapting from other sources to produce a series of unified tables that are familiar and well tested. Today Uniclass has been through many revisions and so trusted is Uniclass, that it is now the only accepted classification system for some Government departments.
NBS has continued to develop Uniclass and has recently improved the searchability and usability of Uniclass in 2022, search the tables here.
In the mid-nineties, NBS was approached by the Landscape Institute and the Horticultural Trades Association, who spearheaded a major initiative to improve the quality of soft landscaping. High-quality landscape work was also in demand. NBS created NBS Landscape as a result.
NBS Landscape was more suited to landscape architects and enabled them to satisfy the demand for higher levels of documentation. The NBS Landscape content has continued to be maintained and developed and is now available as a content set of NBS Chorus.
NBS Plus, the second major product for manufacturers, debuted in 1998. NBS Plus was a directory of structured construction product information that was positioned against clauses in NBS Specification manager, simplifying the process of product specification. The principles of NBS Plus continue today through, NBS Source which has built on the original features and capabilities by being accessible within NBS Chorus.
A pivotal year for NBS. In 1999, for the first time, electronic subscribers outnumbered paper-based subscriptions. Indicating a clear demand for NBS to integrate into architects and specifiers' digital workflow.
2000
Investment in people and technology saw the NBS team grow exponentially. So much so, the millennium year saw NBS outgrow its home of 20 years and move to a new larger building, the Old Post Office, which remains our home today. Positioned on St Nicholas Street on the fringe of the much-publicised Grainger Town Development, this impressive building was designed by Architect James Williams in 1872 and opened as the 'New Post Office' in 1876. See it on Google Maps here
We are all looking forward to a bright future and hope our time here will be as enjoyable and productive as the years we spent at Mansion House Chambers. With such an inspiring setting as this there should be no end to creativity and bright ideas coming out of NBS!
Extract: nb (NBS Update 25)A predecessor of NBS Chorus Small Works. The NBS Scheduler software allowed specifiers to develop a schedule of work service for small-scale and renovated projects without a need for bills of quantities.
NBS Contract Administrator was launched, a tool that provides an efficient platform to administer JCT and SBCC contracts. The product contains electronic copies of the official RIBA Contract Administration Forms for use with the Standard, Intermediate, Minor Works and Design and Build contracts.
2003-2013
This decade was exceptionally busy for NBS with major changes in the industry, numerous ground-breaking product launches and the continuing rise of social media. This decade saw the formal recognition of BIM, and a completely new way of designing buildings.
The NBS Specification Manager software was finally discontinued after 16 years of service as NBS launched its new premium specification platform. The new software had improved revisions features, drop down suggested values to help with specification development and connected to the internet to help ensure subscribers always had the latest software and content from NBS.
Whilst BIM as a process was being established, the NBS Research found an industry awash with different opinions on what BIM actually was, and what change it could mean for the architecture and construction industries.
What came was the NBS BIM Report, that tracks BIM adoption, trends and key industry insights. The BIM Report celebrated its 10th birthday in 2020, and has now been superseded by The Digital Construction Report. Download the latest report
In 2011, the content for NBS Binders reached 10,000 pages of A4 at 8pt double-sided, single-line spacing. Although Binders was still a well-liked product, its bulk made it too big to use effectively. Meanwhile, NBS was quietly developing a new product that would forever alter the specification landscape.
Years of research and development went into NBS Create to design a new specification tool that saved specifiers time and money by ensuring all relevant documentation works together intelligently throughout the entire project timeline, from outline specifications, to performance specifications to record specifications. It was the first tool of its time, and revolutionary for Architects and Specifiers.
Launched in 2011, the NBS National BIM Library is the construction industry's free-to-use resource of NBS standard BIM content. It is one of the most trusted BIM libraries thanks to all objects authored to the internationally recognised NBS BIM Object Standard.
This means users can select and use BIM objects with confidence, knowing that they are working with objects that are in the right format, contain all correct information and are compatible with all platforms that they work across. The NBS National BIM Library is still available today, having been moved across to NBS Source in 2023 to create a single source for product information.
2013-2023
For NBS, the last ten years have been completely transformative. The requirement for high-quality, easily accessible product information has been further exacerbated by significant developments in both the building sector and society at large. NBS responded to these requests once again by introducing its new cloud-based systems.
The BIM Toolkit was a free resource that launched in April 2015 and completed the definition of Level 2 BIM. It included a new version of Uniclass, BIM development guides and a digital plan of work tool that adhered to the PAS 1192 family of standards. The platform was created and maintained by NBS for more than six years before being repositioned within the NBS website and within the new Uniclass website in 2022. Find a Uniclass code
In a playful bid to help users engage and increase the update of BIM. The Periodic Table of BIM, one of NBS's most iconic campaigns to date, was introduced. Taking inspiration from the traditional periodic table of elements, it was a visual guide to the key terms and concepts you're likely to encounter along the road towards BIM implementation.
The table was designed to be a useful reference, ideal to print out and stick on a wall or share digitally, but some may remember the Periodic Table of BIM was also printed on mugs, which were incredibly popular -some of which are still in use and appreciated today.
The renovation of our head office in Newcastle upon Tyne got under way in March 2016. The Old Post Office was a hive of activity during the year-long project as numerous construction specialists laboured together to complete the £5.8 million renovation.
Without a doubt, the finished product is something to be proud of. Find out more from architectural practice JDDK in our Old Post Office case study.
For almost a century, the Old Post Office, at St Nicholas Street, was at the heart of Newcastle's city centre - a major employer, handling parcels and letters and facilitating money orders and telegrams, for residents and businesses alike. NBS ran a campaign in the local paper inviting people to donate items to an exhibit in our Gallery space that was open to the public as part of an exclusive.
All the exhibits have been donated by members of the public and former employees such as Elsie and Alan Vardy, both 90, from Felling, who met at a dance at The Old Post Office, St Nicholas Street, Newcastle in 1942.
NBS Chorus, our most innovative specification platform to date, was introduced in 2018 by NBS.
Cloud-based, it was built with collaboration in mind, allowing multiple users to create and/or update specifications anywhere, on any device, all the while keeping the specification and digital model in sync. Today, NBS Chorus is the leading construction specification platform with over 3,600 practices, and 31,000 users.
The first cloud-based platform, NBS Chorus, our most innovative specification platform to date, was introduced in 2018 by NBS.
RIBA and LDC, the private equity arm of Lloyds Banking Group, agreed a partnership to support the future growth of NBS. The move was the first step away from RIBA's ownership, and supported by LDC, NBS expanded our presence internationally, opening new permanent bases in both Australia and Canada.
2020
We see NBS Chorus as the future of specification and see true value for anyone who wants to come on this journey with us
Richard Waterhouse, CEO at NBS in 2018The success of NBS Chorus inspired our team to improve our offering for manufacturers and suppliers. The usage of BIM has significantly increased over the past ten years, and there has never been more demand for high-quality construction product data. In response, we created a brand-new offering called NBS Source that combines the best elements of our three primary manufacturer products, RIBA Product Selector, NBS Plus, and NBS National BIM Library.
The platform provides producers and specifiers with a single source of product information as well as enhanced product information that feeds into the concept of the Golden Thread of information. With collaborations with Autodesk, Nementschek, Bentley Systems and many other companies, NBS Source seamlessly synchronises with NBS Chorus and the digital model. Go to Source
We will never forget 2020, not only for the much-anticipated NBS Source debut, but also for the global pandemic that shook us all. To help our customers adjust to working from home, keep our users engaged, and share expertise to provide them CPD, NBS expanded its digital events and webinar programme. The programme is still highly successful, with over 160 webinars and events delivered to date. Check out our events
NBS entered the next phase of its development as it joined the Byggfakta Group, a leading data and software provider to the Global European construction industry. The move continues to help support NBS' ambitions of growth into new markets and territories, with a parent company that shares the same values and aspirations.
In 2021, NBS and our sister company Glenigan, announced a collaboration to offer manufacturers in the sector an enhanced proposition. The move aligns two robust, and highly powerful data-sets, which map project activity across the construction timeline. The blend of NBS' detailed specification and product information and Glenigan's extensive project information offers manufacturers a powerful set of insights, which can help them to increase their exposure and improve the way they target their products.
This partnership represents a milestone for NBS, Glenigan and the wider Byggfakta Group. It's a new bond between our businesses which will give manufacturers even greater exposure to construction projects
Colin Smith, Executive Chairman, NBSUniclass is used by people and practices all over the world. In 2021 NBS looked at how we could support adoption even further and developed a new intuitive and user-friendly tool with improved accessibility to support increasing Uniclass adoption levels. Find a Uniclass code
NBS has been awarded Carbon Neutral status achieving well over a 50% reduction in its operational emissions since 2019.
The accomplishment, which requires a vigorous assessment, recognises the company's efforts to reduce its own carbon footprint whilst aiding the wider sector in shifting towards more sustainable outcomes. Awarded by third party assessor, 'Centre for Assessment', The Carbon Neutrality status recognises NBS' 2021 UK operations as being carbon neutral aligned to 'PAS 2060: 2014 - Specification for the demonstration of carbon neutrality'. NBS has also pledged a commitment to ongoing carbon neutrality throughout 2022 and beyond. Find out more
To achieve Carbon Neutrality status is a significant milestone for NBS. Our achievement is a symbol of our ambitions to improve and educate the sector on the importance of carbon reduction
Russell Haworth, Byggfakta Group UK CEO, 2022Our colleagues are the heart and soul of NBS. We employ over 200 people across the UK, Canada and Australia, who have helped shape the business and are key to our success. In 2022 we looked at improving our office spaces even further, to help build our culture in a post pandemic workplace. We invested in health and wellbeing, including new gym space, health and wellness services and improved our social spaces. Plus lots, lots more to help our colleagues feel valued, and supported. Join us
NBS has a track record of innovation, and as long as we are operational we will continue to produce market-leading global solutions for the construction industry on its journey of digital transformation. That's not all, our technical leaders will continue to provide the tools and resources to help our customers and the industry as a whole continue on this journey together.
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