Basic Biographical Details

Name: National Building Agency
Designation:  
Born: 1964
Died: 1982
Bio Notes: The National Building Agency was founded in 1964. It was a government sponsored technical, advisory and consultancy agency, whose Board of Directors were appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, acting jointly with the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales. All the Board members were concerned in one way or another with building, either as clients, professionals, contractors or material producers. In practice, the NBA operated as an independent consultancy; the majority of its income was derived from fees paid for its services, but a grant was received from DoE for advisory and research activities.

A non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee, the NBA had a total earned income of £2m for the year 1977/78, of which only 17% was grant-in-aid.

The objectives of the NBA were to encourage the introduction of more productive and efficient methods of building, including improved design, management and maintenance methods, and to help implement government policies in relation to both housing and the construction industry. The agency possessed a wide range of skills, employing architects, engineers, building surveyors, management consultants, information scientists, economists and quatity surveyors, and set out to achieve its objectives with studies and research projects undertaken for government departments, building clients, manufacturers, contractors and the professions.

The Scottish Division had a total staff of 64 and operated from offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle. Its role was specifically concerned with the promotion of quality and efficienty in the procurement, use and maintenance of buildings and their enviornment under the four broad headings of Building Performance, Building Process (particularly productivity), Management, Data and Information.

The government disbanded the NBA in 1982.

Employment and Training

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 9Ceri Rees Jenkins1960sAfter 1979Architect 
Item 2 of 9George Haslehurst Lawrence (sometimes misspelt George Hazelhurst Lawrence)1964  George Lawrence was the Chief Executive.
Item 3 of 9David Peter Ross19651967Senior Architect 
Item 4 of 9Alan Watsonc. 1965 Architect 
Item 5 of 9James Kenneth Diblec. 1965 Architect 
Item 6 of 9David Anderson Ferrierc. 1965 Architect 
Item 7 of 9Edwin BrodieMid 1960s Architect 
Item 8 of 9Brian Annable1970 *  Deputy Chief Executive
Item 9 of 9(Professor) Charles Calthorpe Robertson19771982DirectorExecutive Director

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 31967CLASP hostelDunoon ArgyllScotland 
Item 2 of 31967CLASP Hostel Programme, Highlands and Islands   ScotlandWith the SED
Item 3 of 3196880 HousesArbroath AngusScotland 

References

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Building9 February 1968  p141

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1Professor Charles Robertson's CVInformation sent from Professor Charles Robertson to Yvonne Hillyard, October 2010