A-Z Databases: Construction Information Service

Go to the Databases A-Z list and select 'Construction Information Service'.

The first page that you access will have "IHS Markit" at the top: under "Access your individual products" / "The Construction Information Service - CIS" click on the blue button marked "view product".

If you are prompted to log in please use your UWS staff/student details.

This will take you into the CIS homepage.

The Construction Information Service contains over 25,000 documents relating to the construction industry from a wide range of sources.  These include:

• Industry related standards
• NBS building regulations
• Technical guidance documentation
• Industry reports
• Access to the Architect's Journal

Access to content from the Steel Construction Institute, the Concrete Society and the SCI Blue Book is also included.

CIS offers a Quick/Basic search option at the top of the homepage.

Select keywords and/or phrases to describe what you want to look for and type these into the search box provided. If you want to search for a phrase, such as energy efficiency, for example, then you must click on the "Exact phrase" option underneath the Search box.

To the right of the Search box you will see "Search options".  Use this to further refine your search by searching in subscribed content only, or searching within the full-text of documents (or you may wish to disable this feature).

Search results are listed in order of Relevance but this can be changed if required (if you sort by Date then the most recent matches will display first).

The Advanced Search option allows more flexibility on where to search for keywords and/or phrases.  For example, it is possible to restrict searching to a particular field, such as Full-Text, Title or Abstract only.  You can also specify content from a specific Publisher or look within a particular Series.

• Boolean searching is supported:
  • AND narrows results. All connected terms must be included in the results (e.g. "listed buildings" AND restoration).
  • OR broadens results. Either connected term can be included in the results (e.g. "listed buildings" OR "heritage buildings").
  • NOT narrows results. The second term must be excluded from the results (e.g. "listed buildings" NOT restoration).
• Wildcard searching:  an asterisk (*) can be used to represent one or more characters (e.g. legislat* will find the terms legislate, legislation and legislating).

Searches can also be limited by date so that only information published within a specified time period is included in the search results e.g. 2010 - 2021.

Although UWS Library subscribes to most of the content within CIS you may find information that is not available via our subscription.

Depending on the type of information that you require it may be possible to request an Inter-Library Loan.

Further information and guidance on using the Construction Information Service is available from the CIS website.

• You may wish to set up a personal account within the Construction Information Service.  This is called "My CIS".  Please note that while this allows you to access additional features of the database (listed below) it does not give you access to additional full-text content to which UWS Library does not subscribe!
• Additional features include:
  • Receive document alerts online or by email
  • Save recent searches
  • Create project folders to store links to favourite documents

Free registration is required:  at the top right hand corner of the homepage click on "Account - My CIS" followed by "Sign in to My CIS".  

Accessibility Statement

This work in this guide is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.