Online submissions
Building Research & Information (BRI) has introduced an online submission system. This should make it easier for authors to submit their manuscripts and for reviewers to access them. The score sheet for the reviewers has been altered to allow for a more discursive feedback. This will enhance our rigorous peer-review system and provide more structured feedback for authors. As always, the emphasis will firmly remain on quality. There will be gradual changes and continual improvement to the new online system over the coming year, based on user experiences. Detailed information on submissions can be found on the journal homepage, under ‘Authors and Submissions’, at: http://www.rbri.co.uk
Translation of abstracts
From January 2014, the long tradition of providing French translation of abstracts and keywords will cease. In its place, the journal's website will offer translations in over 60 languages – using machine-based translations. This acknowledges our wide international readership and will allow a much wider and more linguistically diverse group of readers to access the abstracts.
BRI book series
BRI will be also launching a book series. It has similar aims and scope to the journal and will explore the themes found in the special issues, but will allow for an even deeper discussion, together with more practical material. The emphasis of the book series is on improving the links and dialogues between research and practice. Potential authors should contact the Editor, Richard Lorch ([email protected]), to discuss their proposals.
BRI in the news
Increasingly, an emphasis is being placed on ‘impact factors’ for articles and for journals. BRI has done well in the latest round of Journal Citation Reports calculation of impact factors. The impact factor increased from 1.476 in 2011 to 1.989 in 2012, and the journal's standing in ‘Construction and Building Technology’ also increased to eight of out 57 – one form of recognition of the journal's leadership and high international standing. An important differentiation for BRI from other journals is that it is transdisciplinary, so its reach and standing in other fields beyond ‘Construction and Building Technology’ is also significant.
It is also important to remember that there is more to ‘impact’ than citations by other learned papers. The purpose of research is also to connect with a wider range of stakeholders and the users of research. As shown the selection of BRI articles below, our authors have been successful with a number of different wider forms of engagement and influencing outcomes. We congratulate the authors for these impacts and outcomes.
The BRI paper ‘Flame retardants in building insulation: a case for re-evaluating building codes’ by V. Babrauskas, D. Lucas, D. Eisenberg, V. Singla, M. Dedeo and A. Blum initiated a wide public discussion about the purpose of codes, the appropriate nature of tests for fire spread, as well as the potential health risks associated with particular chemical additives. It was profiled on various blogs (including Scientific American, Science Daily, Durability and Design, and Healthy Building Science) along with numerous radio and television programmes in North America. In terms of impact, this BRI article has led to proposed legislative changes that would change flammability standards for building insulation in California. This legislation is expected to pass in 2013. Another proposed change is to the International Residential Code – foam plastics that are placed behind a thermal barrier, concrete or masonry would no longer have to meet flame spread and smoke developed requirements and would no longer need to have flame retardants (http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09613218.2012.744533).
‘Introducing the prebound effect: the gap between performance and actual energy consumption’ by M. Sunikka-Blank and R. Galvin was featured on a German television documentary about the policy and practices for the thermal retrofits of homes (http://www.zdf.de/ZDFmediathek/beitrag/video/1957474/ZDFzoom-Daemmwahn-oder-Klimarettung%253F; http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09613218.2012.690952).
The special issue ‘New Professionalism’ (January 2013) was the topic of a public discussion organized by The Edge with BRI authors and institutional leaders (http://www.edgedebate.com/?p=1842). Events at various professional institutions are re-examining the questions of ethical responsibility and ‘collective conscious’, along with the potential policy and practical changes that institutions can make, which draw extensively on the content of the BRI special issue.
Forthcoming special issues
Understanding Energy and the Non-Domestic Building Stock: In Memory of Harry Bruhns
Resilience of the Built Environment
Energy Retrofits of Owner-Occupied Houses
Net Positive Design