Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) meaning

In this issue: Building safety Planning Litigation Arbitration Daily and weekly news alerts Construction trackers Building safety RIBA announces formation of Belfast Group to standardise fire safety guidance The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), with institutes in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland, has unveiled the Belfast Group, a forum to harmonise fire and life-safety guidance across the five nations. Established following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report, it aims to ensure architects in all jurisdictions have equal access to relevant national regulations, standards and technical materials needed to design buildings meeting the highest fire and life protection standards. The Group will issue consistent guidance for construction professionals on fire safety requirements and procurement practices. See: LNB News 25/07/2025 51. BCIP calls for evidence on building control reform BCIP seeks evidence on England’s building control...

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has issued a new Building Regulations Principal Designer Professional Services Contract. This article reviews its contents and, in particular, how it addresses the newly imposed duties on Principal Designers under the Building Regulations 2010 (the Building Regulations), SI 2010/2214, Pt 2A. Suitability From the outset, the document explains when the contract should, and should not, be adopted. Although its primary purpose is to appoint a Principal Designer to meet obligations under Part 2A of the Building Regulations, it is equally framed for commissions on commercial projects of any scale, let under any procurement route—including design and build before novation—where construction works will proceed on either bespoke or standard form contracts. It is therefore not intended for domestic clients. The contract further identifies the business clients it is aimed at, which can include: charities religious organisations not-for-profit bodies...

This Practice Note sets out targeted guidance on exclusions and caps on liability applicable to consultant appointments. It should be considered alongside Practice Note: Limiting liability in construction contracts, which contains fuller detail. Why consultants seek to limit their liability Professional consultants delivering design and/or other professional services on construction schemes will typically hold professional indemnity (PI) insurance to protect them if they are sued for breaching a professional duty. Most professional appointments usually oblige consultants to procure and keep PI insurance in place. PI insurance safeguards not only the consultant, but also the employer, by ensuring there is a defined pot of funds, albeit from insurers, available to satisfy any claim against the consultant. For further detail on PI insurance, see Practice Note: Professional indemnity insurance in construction projects. However, PI cover is costly, and the limits purchased by many consultants are unlikely to meet every potential claim, particularly on major projects...

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Referral Notice After a Notice of Adjudication is issued and an adjudicator is appointed, the dispute must be put before the adjudicator in a formal manner. The Referral Notice is the written document that submits the dispute to the adjudicator. See Practice Note: Adjudication—the Referral Notice and Precedent: Referral Notice for an adjudication. Referring party The party initiating the adjudication of the dispute, ie the claimant. Rejoinder The responding party’s second submission in an adjudication, provided in answer to the Reply from the referring party. Relevant Event Under the JCT form of contract, an occurrence that entitles the contractor to an extension of time to finish the works. See Practice Notes: JCT contracts—time and JCT—interpreting the lists of Relevant Events and Relevant Matters...

ARCHIVED: This Practice Note has been archived and is not maintained. This Practice Note reviews the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Standard Agreement 2010, updated in 2012, together with the Standard Conditions of Appointment for an Architect 2010. That appointment form has been replaced by the RIBA Standard Professional Services Contract 2018 for Architectural Services—see: LNB News 30/11/2018 118 and Practice Note: RIBA Standard Professional Services Contract 2018 for Architectural Services—and later by the RIBA Standard Professional Services Contract 2020 for Architectural Services—see: LNB News 21/07/2020 73 and Practice Note: RIBA Standard Professional Services Contract 2020 for Architectural Services. 2010 suite of standard form appointments The 2010 RIBA suite consisted of the following agreements, each amended in 2012: Standard Agreement 2010: Architect Standard Agreement 2010: Consultant Concise Agreement 2010: Architect Domestic Project Agreement 2010: Architect Sub-Consultant Agreement 2010 Use of these forms was not confined to architects; other disciplines could be engaged under the Consultant and...

CONTRACT DETAILS M. Supplementary Rights This Contract comprises executed RIBA Standard Professional Services Contract 2020 (amended 2024), published by the Royal Institute of British Architects, subject to these changes: In every instance, directly after ‘on the terms attached hereto as Appendix’, delete words ‘provided such terms are substantially no more onerous than the above’...