Uniclass: unified classification for the construction industry

Uniclass is a new classification scheme for the construction industry. It is intended for organising library materials and for structuring product literature and project information. It incorporates both CAWS (Common Arrangement of Work Sections for building works) and EPIC (Electronic Product Information Co-operation), a new system for structuring product data and product literature.

The Construction Industry Project Information Committee (CPIC), representing the four major sponsor organisations (the Construction Confederation, the Royal Institute of British Architects, The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers), and the Department of the Environment Construction Sponsorship Directorate were responsible for commissioning and steering the project, which was developed by NBS on behalf of CPIC.

Uniclass comprises 15 tables, each of which represents a different broad facet of construction information. Each table can be used as a "stand alone" table for the classification of a particular type of information, but, in addition, terms from different tables can be combined to classify complex subjects.

A

Form of information

This table is useful for organising reference material in libraries, and also, when using combined codes, for denoting the medium in which information is published.

B

Subject disciplines

This table is useful where it is appropriate to organise information according to subject discipline.

C

Management

This table is intended for classifying project information according to the stage in the lifecycle of a project in which the information is generated.

D

Facilities

This table classifies construction works according to the user activity (or purpose) which they are intended to serve.

E

Construction entities

This table classifies construction entities according to physical form/basic function.

F

Spaces

This table classifies spaces according to a number of different characteristics including their location, scale, and degree of enclosure, but not according to user activity.

G

Elements for buildings

This table classifies major physical parts of buildings and can be used for organising both design and cost information.

H

Elements for civil engineering works

This table classifies major physical parts of civil engineering works; its primary use is for cost analysis.

J

Work sections for buildings

This table is based on CAWS and is used for organising information in specifications and bills of quantities, and for classifying information on particular types of construction operation.

K

Work sections for civil engineering works

This table is based on CESMM3 and has similar uses to those of Table J.

L

Construction products

This table is used for classifying trade literature and design/technical information relating to construction products.

M

Construction aids

This table is for classifying trade literature and technical information relating to plant and equipment used for aiding construction operations.

N

Properties and characteristics

This table is used for classifying information on subjects related to properties and characteristics, for the arrangement of information in technical documents and as a qualifier to codes form other tables.

P

Materials

This table is for classifying different kinds of material, and also for adding as a qualifier to codes from other tables, especially Table L.

Q

Universal Decimal Classification (UDC)

This table indicates how UDC can be used to classify subjects not covered elsewhere in the Uniclass system. Only the main headings of UDC are given.