A new survey suggests the engineers’ efforts to create energy-efficient buildings are going to waste because facility managers aren’t using logbooks.

London South Bank University and Building information system provider Zutec UK found that only half of facilities managers actually use building logbooks. Its second key finding was that 70% of building services designers and contractors feel that regulatory mechanisms do not ensure logbooks are available in relevant buildings.

Logbooks ensure that the building’s services are used to their optimum and therefore reduce the energy efficiency of the building if they are not used. The survey found that only 81% of facility managers and building owners know that logbooks are required under Part L2 Work in Existing Buildings while more than half of designers and contractors said less than 25% of their clients stipulate the provision of logbooks when undertaking works. 70% of those surveyed suggested a lack of legislation enforcing the use of logbooks was one of the reasons behind the logbooks collecting dust.

For more information on the report, log on to BSJ Online

Topics