New standard form novation agreements and collateral warranties developed

Professor Sarah Lupton from the Welsh School of Architecture has been instrumental in the development of a new suite of industry standard documents published by the Construction Industry Council (CIC).

The support of Cardiff University has been acknowledged in the new suite of industry standard novation agreements and collateral warranties published by the CIC. The suite was drafted by its Liability Panel under the direction of Professor Sarah Lupton, Personal Chair at the Welsh School of Architecture and CIC Liability Champion.

The Liability Panel is one of CIC’s longest running committees. The panel has 20 members consisting of representatives from CIC’s membership, the legal professions and specialist insurers. Members of the main Liability Panel meet five times a year and in addition to the main committee, there are also smaller sub-groups which are set up to enable the Liability Panel to provide a rapid response to a fast moving area.

Professor Lupton said:

‘It was exciting to work with a multi-discipline team, including expert consultants, lawyers and insurers drawn from the liability panel. The novation ab initio agreement is a completely new form, and we hope its introduction will help to standardise arrangements across the industry, and avoid the need for multiple ad-hoc documents. The panel also liaised with the RIBA to ensure compatibility with its new professional service contracts, and is grateful for its support in this venture.’

Professor Lupton directs the Welsh School of Architecture’s Master of Design Administration, a programme which examines the administration of the design process and the management and legal aspects of procurement. She also directs the Postgraduate Diploma in Architecture: Professional Practice (RIBA Part 3).