BSRIA has produced new guidance to help with creating building log books and user guides.
The complexity of modern buildings demands that users have a greater understanding of how to operate buildings to achieve the optimum benefits and cost savings.

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 to capture the working knowledge from the engineers to pass on to other users of the building.

The guidance comprises information on how to write both a building manual and a user guide. 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 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 provides templates and detailed worked examples. These provide building information compilers and building operators with a standard method of capturing information. BSRIA say 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

The book is priced at £60 to non-members and £30 to BSRIA members. For more information visit the bookshop: www.bsria.co.uk/bookshop