Built Environment - Volatile Vocabulary

"The built environment sector is one of the largest in the UK economy; employing over 3 million people.

With a diverse range of skills, education, experiences, and behaviours it is no wonder that different parts of the built environment may use different terms to describe the same concepts.

Some of these may be:

• Spelling variations (such as ""kerb"" and ""curb"");

• Synonyms (such as ""dealwood"" and ""softwood"");

• Homographs (such as the term ""Catwalk"" which means both ""Walkway"" and ""Gangway"");

• Colloquialisms (such as ""Sparky"" for an electrician); or

• Abbreviations (such as ""HVAC"" for heating, ventilation and air conditioning)

As such, the built environment can be seen as being divided by a common language. Such a division can result in confusion and miscommunication. Research by the Get it Right Initiative shows that some of the most significant root causes for errors include poorly communicated design information and ineffective communication between team members."

Read more HERE.