LibGuides: Geography, Environment and Planning: Technical Information

Maps

Digimap Ordnance Survey Data Collection This link opens in a new window
An Edina service offering Ordnance Survey maps and map data to UK Higher Education users. Allows users to view and print maps of locations within the UK: these maps can be overlaid with datasets such as aerial photos, lidar scans, and geological, environmental or demographic information. Maps can also be downloaded for use with GIS software. Registration info

Google Maps

Technical and regulatory information

Construction Information Service This link opens in a new window
Please use your University email address to register for an Accuris account so you can access Construction Information Service.

An index and summary of standards, regulatory and advisory documents for the UK construction industry plus their full-text images. Covers documents essential to the design and construction of buildings, construction management, contract documents, health and safety and design guidance. Also includes a direct link to the Building regulations, the Metric handbook and BS 5588, Fire precautions in buildings together with a link to NBS BRAD. Updated weekly.
isurv This link opens in a new window
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) guidance and practical commentary in the areas of building surveying, commercial property, construction, environment, planning, estate agency and valuation.
Designed to help professionals keep up to date with current practice, regulatory matters, legislation and Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) guidance. Homepage includes links to The Red Book, The Blue Book and SMM7. Updated fortnightly.

Legal information

Legal sources contain two broad types of information: legislation, which is the laws passed by a parliament; and case law, which describes the decisions made in the law courts and the reasoning and precedents used to make those judgements.

Westlaw UK This link opens in a new window
Database of UK and EU legislation and case law, plus commentary in the form of books and journal articles.
Includes comprehensive coverage of English law reports and selected transcripts of unreported cases and a case citator.
It provides the full text of a wide range of UK law journals.
It also contains the full database of the Legal Journals Index, which is an index to approximately 400 UK law journals.
Lexis Plus This link opens in a new window
Database of UK and EU legislation and case law, plus commentary in the form of books and journal articles.
Lexis Plus also gives access to information on the following practice areas: company and commercial; employment; family; financial services; litigation; personal injury; private client property; public sector; tax and accountancy, with many full text U.K. journals. Also included is a wide range of UK newspapers.
UK Legislation This link opens in a new window
UK legislation from medieval times to the present day. Do be aware that it includes older versions of laws alongside the current ones, so take care.
UK Parliamentary Papers This link opens in a new window
Legislation and documentation from the House of Commons and House of Lords.

Standards

Standards are documents that establish a common technical specification, so products and processes can work safely, reliably and consistently. Some standards provide a common terminology or set of symbols for a particular field, to make sure different organisations are talking about the same thing when they use a given term or symbol. Standards are very commonly used in all branches of building and construction.

Standards are published by a variety of different organisations, which often have a focus on a specific country or subject.

Standards do not have the force of law in themselves: however, laws and regulations will often require you to meet certain standards.

British Standards Online This link opens in a new window
From 19th December 2020, British Standards Online will require you to install a plug-in to read it standards. We will provide further details as we learn more.
Standards from the British Standards Institute, on a wide range of subjects.
The British Standards Institute adopt some standards from other international organisations, such as ISO or CEN: if you are looking for standards from these organisations, you may be able to find a copy on British Standards Online.
British Standards Online have recently started adding standards from other sources: we may not always have access to these; but we do have access to the British Standard Institute's own standards.
British standards are only applicable in the UK: however, some British standards have been adopted from standards produced by international bodies, such as ISO or CEN. Such standards will be indicated in their standard number - in the case of the previous example, BS ISO and BS EN respectively - and will be applicable outside the UK in the countries which belong to those bodies. Please note that the database can be searched either by standard number or by keyword, but not both: so if your search fails the first time, make sure that the right box is ticked under the search box.

BSI Education
A great starting point for finding out what British Standards are and how they are developed.

ASTM Compass This link opens in a new window
Standards from the ASTM, about materials and construction.