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The classification system most widely used by the construction industry throughout the world is the CI/SfB. It has been in operation for more than 37 years and is the industry standard. This indexing manual for construction products and elements was developed by Alan Ray-Jones and David Clegg, SfB Agency UK and published by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The Indexing Manual was based on the original SfB (Samorbetskommiteen for Byggnadsfrsgor) from Sweden, in place for morethan 50 years (Maritz et al, 2005).

It can be used by small and large architectural firms or by quantity surveyors, engineers and contractors. Stakeholders/firms involved in the building industry vary

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considerably in their size and especially in working methods, which reflects this diversity of size and disciplines. That is why there is a need for an information classification system.

Every practitioner has a collection of incoming technical information and has to organise the project information he produces, to a reasonable standard at a reasonable cost. (CI/SfB, 1976:10)

It is a manual for project information coordination and it is used to sort out most office libraries and in production information in the UK. It can be used as a checklist for collection and storage of briefing information and outline technical specifications, which are useful in the initial cost plans for the approval building regulations. This provides a satisfactory means of structuring sets of detailed design drawings, working drawings and specifications. It also entails tables to represent the physical environment, elements, construction forms, materials and activities.

The management of general information usually involves the classification, filing, indexing and re-use of complete documents, not to use in one particular project but that can be used in any project and accessed by anyone. The CI/SfB can also be applicable in any office library as a classification system.

A simple framework for information versus a more detailed framework, resulted in the acknowledgement by the CI/SfB, which considered operating at varying levels of size and complexity:

The best general advice that can be given is always to use it in the simplest appropriate way, applying the smallest range of divisions which will identify information sufficiently for the purpose required. This will mean that some applications use it in greater depth than others. (CI/SfB, 1976:11)

It is a handbook for project information coordination and is used for the arrangement of most office libraries and for production information in the UK.

Subject headings that make up the system are given in tables covering: the physical environment, elements, constructions forms, materials and activities. Panels

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giving only the main headings introduce the detailed content of each section of the table. The amount of classification and coding should always be kept to a minimum.

The CI/SfB has its application in both Project Information and General Information. In terms of Project Information, a check list for collecting and arranging briefing information can be arranged according to Tables 0 and 1. After that, an outline technical specification can be drawn using Table 1, detailed design drawings and working drawings can be arranged according to Table 1 also, specifications are prepared by following Tables 1 and 2. This process can be of most importance in planning the design:

 Outline technical specification  Design sketch

 Initial cost plan

 Provisional list of drawings required  Provisional list of annotations for drawings

Production of drawings can then be carried out according to a simple drawing system:

“Structured”, “systematic” or “coordinated sets, on the other hand, aim to provide a complete and readily- understood framework for information, with separate drawings for defined subjects” (CI/SfB, 1976:132)

It suggests a division of information between drawings. They are to be subdivided by scale, from the overall view of the whole project which means a smaller scale to a larger scale (detailed drawings). The system consists basically o f three main series of drawings: Location of drawings (L series), showing the overall arrangement of the project and the geographically location of drawings; Assembly drawings (A series), showing in-situ assembly work which is not necessarily limited to one specific location, and Component drawings (C series), showing shop work, showing unfix components these drawings can often be re-used in other projects

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without much alteration. The drawing system can be used by any office according to their specific requirements and with simple use of Table 1. After the production of a coordinated set of drawings, and the initial cost planning, the calculation for the final cost is easier and more effective.

The management of general information usually involves the classification, filing, indexing and re-use of complete documents, not to use in one particular project but that can be used in any project and accessed by anyone. The CI/SfB is also applicable in any office library as a classification system.

The user must establish an order of priority, between buildings and elements and a rule that has to be followed in order to obtain consistency throughout the process of filing, storing and retrieval of general information. Using the same tables that are used to produce structured sets of drawings one can classify all relevant general information relevant to projects.

A problem with the use of the manual, when filing by the order of the tables 0-4, is that it goes from the particular to the general when it should be the exact opposite, following the average project process. On the other hand the system is very flexible and the order of the tables can be changed, meaning an inverted order can be used to show general before particular.

The classification of general information using the CI/SfB is in reality quite simple. Yet, the system was created before the existence and use of current technologies, including the simple use of a computer on a day-to-day basis when working in the construction and project process.

According to participants of this research project, this is the only system being considered in (some) universities in Portugal.

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