KNOWLEDGE PORTAL ENGINEERING KNOWLEDGE
rising 60,000and
CIBSE’s Knowledge Portal, launched last year, is going from strength to strength, says Ewen Rose
more than 60,000 visitors from 151 countries. Visitors have downloaded more than 38,000 documents since CIBSE made its vast reservoir of technical information available to help
T
he jewel in CIBSE’s crown, the Knowledge Portal, has proved a tremendous success since its launch in late 2011. It has already received
members design projects, specify equipment and help deliver high-performance buildings. All CIBSE publications are available online
at the Portal, including its building services and lighting guides, commissioning codes, applications manuals and technical memoranda. They can be searched and cross-referenced
using dynamic search tools; entries can be browsed by title or identifi ed using text search. This free access has dramatically improved
the fl ow of valuable technical information to building services engineers. It has also cut costs for the Institution by reducing postal charges, and making it easier to revise and update documents. Best practice on all aspects of building services engineering is available. However, only one in three CIBSE members have so far registered to use the Portal – so two-thirds have still not taken advantage of this signifi cant member benefi t.
CIBSE members are given free access
to full texts as electronic (PDF) fi les, where available. There are also a number of CIBSE briefi ngs, bulletins and similar documents included in the Portal, while CIBSE books can be bought as hard copy with preferential prices for CIBSE members. Key titles from other leading publishers are also available to buy in hard copy, again with discounts available for members. Complimentary titles from
leading publishers can also be found. These are only available to buy in hard copy at present, but CIBSE members benefi t from preferential pricing. An up-to-date list of more
www.cibsejournal.com
than 3,000 British Standards relevant to building services engineers is included. Each entry is hot-linked to the BSI Shop website page, with more information on that standard and how to purchase it. CIBSE guides offer comprehensive technical guidance on key areas of building services engineering; technical memoranda (TMs) and application manuals (AMs) focus on specifi c areas, such as building energy metering or natural ventilation in non-domestic buildings, and again offer in-depth technical guidance. The knowledge series (KSs) publications offer accessible introductions and practical guidance on particular areas. The commissioning codes (CCs) present current standards of good commissioning practice and the lighting guides (LGs) give essential information for any lighting specialist. ‘I believe that when you become a member
of CIBSE you own all of the collective knowledge of other members – it’s yours,’ said CIBSE past president Andy Ford when announcing the development of the Portal last year. ‘You have paid to join and should not be expected to pay again when you want to gain access to your Institution’s bank of knowledge. Online tools now make that possible. ‘Knowledge is our greatest business asset
and our most saleable commodity. Building services engineers, lighting professionals and
When you become a member of CIBSE you own all of the collective knowledge of other members
façade specialists – CIBSE members – know things; things that are now more useful than ever. We know how to de-carbonise buildings. Governments want us to do it, and clients want to buy them – but few people really understand how to make low and zero carbon buildings.’ The availability of such a wide range of technical and practical guidance to the full building services community should make it easier to meet government and client targets for high-quality buildings. The Institution is now developing the next version of the Portal – version 1.1, aiming for launch later this year. KP2 will follow in 2013. CIBSE is keen for members’ input into the new versions so any knowledge gaps are identifi ed and plugged, and welcome any comments and suggestions for the Knowledge Portal itself. Members and others keen to help develop
the Portal should contact Nick Peake via
npeake@cibse.org
November 2012 CIBSE Journal 7
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