CONSTRUCTION PLUS AND BUILDING INFORMATION WAREHOUSE, COMPLETE E-BUSINESS SOLUTION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY BUILDING INFORMATION WAREHOUSE

30 November 2000

Construction Plus, Emap's market-leading B2B construction industry internet business, has entered a strategic partnership with Building Information Warehouse ("BIW"), Britain's leading provider of construction project collaboration software, to supply users with advanced project collaboration solutions, via the web.

As part of the agreement, Construction Plus' nearly 50,000 specialist users will have access to BIW's Project Information Channel, a supply chain integration product focused on the architecture, engineering and construction sector. BIW's systems are used by a growing number of key construction clients, including J. Sainsbury plc, Manchester Airport and Crest Homes.

The strategic partnership brings closer the ideal of a single integrated end-to-end solution for the UK construction industry, which accounts for almost 10% of GDP. Construction Plus boasts the construction industry's richest and deepest online knowledge centre and its landmark trading alliances with two of the country's leading builders merchants, Wolseley Centers and Travis Perkins, means specification and purchasing via the Internet is now possible.

BIW's Project Information Channel has been in development since 1995 in partnership with the UK government and several major construction industry clients, professionals and contractors. Designed to support the practices of firms working in the UK's construction industry, its fast and efficient software generates major cost savings and is easily and uniquely accessed via the internet over conventional UK telephone lines. The service is currently being used on more than 130 building projects by 2600 users from over 450 different construction businesses.

As well as concentrating internet traffic around the two companies' websites the deal is expected to be revenue positive for both parties.

Marketing Director for Construction Plus, Ross Sturley comments:

"This alliance allows - for the first time - construction professionals to use a project collaboration tool which not only has all the news information, knowledge databases and archives they need, but also allows them to complete the time-consuming process of product specification online, and integrate it into their project management and communication system."

Managing Director of Construction Plus, Simon Middelboe comments:

"The industry is crying out for an integrated solution to its project management, specification and procurement processes. This partnership establishes a virtual office where the industry can come to work, and find all the information and management tools it needs. It will establish Construction Intelligence as the industry's online specification tool of choice."

Chief Executive of Building Information Warehouse, Colin Smith adds:

"This alliance provides us with a strengthened opportunity to develop and promote the virtues of web-based supply chain integration technology, as well as offering significant benefits to clients of both BIW and Construction Plus. We will continue to work closely with Construction Plus and our other strategic partners as we strive towards our objective of making the Project Information Channel become the de-facto standard for the management of construction projects within the UK."

Notes for Editors:

• Construction Plus - http://www.ConstructionPlus.co.uk - Construction Plus was launched in January 2000 and is already the most-visited construction Internet site in the UK. It features six differently focused information portals, and three e-commerce businesses, servicing all sectors of the UK construction industry. Construction Plus is backed by Emap's extensive portfolio of construction media, including the Architects' Journal, Construction News, New Civil Engineer, Interbuild, and Glenigan.
• Construction Intelligence - http://www.ConstructionIntelligence.com - Construction Intelligence is a smart specification and procurement tool. It is a huge, detailed, online database of construction products. Users search by manufacturer or product type, and then drill down into the key attributes of products they select using smartsearchTM, Construction Intelligence's revolutionary search refining tool. Delivery is enabled by partnerships with the leading builders' merchants.
• Emap Digital, announced in November 1999, has responsibility for Emap plc's digital assets globally, and seeks to create extensive new e-commerce revenue streams. Emap has an asset base of extremely strong brands, loyal high value customers and differentiated content in both B2C and B2B, and 57 revenue generating web sites (33 in the UK, 19 in the US, 3 in France and 2 in Oceania) attracting more than 2.8 million unique visitors a month. In March, Emap Digital was formed into a separate division drawing together Emap's established Internet presence in one focused organisation.
• Building Information Warehouse Ltd - http://www.theBIW.com - BIW is an application service provider (ASP) offering a range of internet-based supply chain integration services to the global AEC (architectural, engineering and construction) community. BIW deploys, hosts and manages access to its software applications from a centrally managed facility. BIW's core application, the Project Information Channel, is designed to streamline the exchange of information between all members of the construction process, and to create a secure structured data archive for the future facilities management of the built environment. Current clients include retailer J Sainsbury, Marks & Spencer and Manchester Airport. Total users exceed 2600 from over 450 businesses.
• BIW's main impetus was overcoming the huge inefficiencies of projects procured in the traditional manner; the Project Information Channel (PIC) manages information throughout all stages of a client's construction project, from initial concepts through to operation and maintenance. The PIC does not require any specialist software expertise or training and is delivered securely and quickly over standard UK telecom systems. Users of the service do not have to load any applications software onto their computer, and all project drawings and documents can be viewed and commented on without the need for the software that was used to create them. Driving the business forward is an experienced management team used to running businesses that deliver industry-strength IT solutions to the construction industry.
• BIW recently agreed to provide its technology platform to the Mercadium trading hub whose backers include Pilkington, BPB, Gesys, Glauser International, Aggregate Industries and Alfred McAlpine. Various construction consultants also act as BIW's solution partners, embedding the Project Information Channel within the services that they offer to their own clients: Gleeds, a 1,000 strong international firm of construction consultants, is a notable example.