Specialist databases give you access to articles, technical reports, professional guidance and information to support your studies. The best databases for information on the topic of the built environment are:

• British Standards Online 

Current, historic, and draft British Standards, technical handbooks, codes of practice, specifications for products.

• Access Engineering

  Search or browse for information from engineering handbooks and textbooks. 

• Architects' Journal Buildings Library

  Search or browse the AJ Buildings Library free collections of photographs and drawings of architectural projects.

• BCIS Online

  Search for information on the cost of building and construction projects.

• British Standards Online Library

  Search or browse for full-text access to British Standards and other international standards.

• Construction Information Service

  Legislation, standards, guidelines and regulations for architects and the building and construction industry.

• DCP Online

  An online reference tool to guide and support decision making on planning applications, appeals and processes.

• Digimap

  Twelve collections providing maps and map data of Great Britain. Data is available to download, for use with appropriate software such as geographical information systems (GIS) or computer-aided design (CAD), to print or to view online.

• Estates Gazette Radius

  News, analysis, videos and podcasts on industrial, leisure, office, residential and retail real estate and property

• RICS isurv

  Search or browse for cases, checklists, guidance, standards and templates from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

• Specify-It

  Product and supplier catalogues for the building and construction industry. View more for access instructions.

• Sustainable Development Goals Online

  Search or browse more than 12,000 sources, including book chapters, journal articles, videos and case studies, centred around each of the seventeen goals United Nations sustainable development goals.

• UWE Construction of Houses

  Browse for information, including images and videos, on building construction and history from contractors, manufacturers, surveyors and trade organisations.

For details of other useful resources and further information visit the Built Environment Subject Guide

If you would like help using any of these resources you can book a tutorial with James Dean, the liaison librarian for the Built Environment. You can also get instant help 24/7 via our Chat with a Librarian service. Just click the button on the left hand side of this page.