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Welcome to the companion site for Building in the 21st Century
The subject matter and syllabi for students of the Built Environment has changed significantly over the recent past with a greater emphasis on health and safety, and environmental issues. Obviously there are many resources available on the Internet and various organisations however if like me you find your students presenting material they have downloaded, a quick change of font and the occasional clip art from Microsoft thrown in for good measure as their own work perhaps it is time to make a change.
The idea of these notes is to encourage students to look at the various topics in a holistic approach. Using simple calculations to solve problems and not purely during 'Analytical Methods', to look at PPE and risk assessment as part of the job. The notes are not in any way 'trying to teach grannies to suck eggs'.
The 'core' units of both National Award and National Certificate in construction are the same.
The pdf packs you'll find in the Teaching Resources section consist of a series of tasks have been set around specific scenarios involving all five core units. Obviously with limited space in the book I have concentrated on information that will be useful throughout a long study period or is difficult to find elsewhere. For example for health safety and welfare much of the syllabus can easily be found on official websites ensuring current information on statistics etc. However the student will address the task of risk assessment for the surveyors and setting up site as part of the integrated scenario.
The current programme assesses the student for unit 03 Construction Technology and Design and unit 12 Building Technology by means of a set integrated assignment (IVA). As the IVA will either change or be dropped both units have been included in the sheets to enable the student to assemble appropriate information.