What RIBA ENTERPRISES LTD does

RIBA Enterprises Ltd operates the NBS (National Building Specification) platform as a UK-based subsidiary within the Hubexo group (legal entity Hubexo North UK Ltd, headquartered in Newcastle upon Tyne). NBS provides cloud-based software and information services for the construction industry, with core products including NBS Chorus (an intelligent specification platform enabling real-time collaboration across organizations), NBS Source (a construction product information platform combining the NBS BIM Library, NBS Plus, and Product Selector), NBS LCA (a lifecycle carbon assessment platform), the Construction Information Service (CIS) for standards and regulations, NBS Schumann for specification consultancy, and the Uniclass classification system maintained and updated by NBS. The platform also supports Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows, coordinating specifications with information-rich 3D models.

The business serves four primary user segments — architects, engineers, construction specifiers, and building product manufacturers — across the UK, Canada, and Australia, supported by a global reseller partner network. Named enterprise customers include architecture and engineering firms HOK, Arup, AECOM, Mott MacDonald, BDP, Ryder Architecture, Woods Bagot, and Maber Architecture, alongside manufacturer clients 3M, Assa Abloy, Kingspan, Hilti, and Formica. At scale, the platform reports 275,000+ active users across 4,500+ companies, with 68,000+ specifications created and 32,000+ new projects in 2024, and 30,000+ manufacturer products and 19,000+ guidance and standards documents in its content libraries.

NBS operates a recurring subscription revenue model across multiple streams — NBS Chorus subscriptions, NBS Source manufacturer product listings, NBS LCA subscriptions, and CIS content access — supplemented by professional services through NBS Schumann. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales (via 'Book a demo' CTAs), self-serve cloud platform subscriptions, and a global reseller partner network. Core technology integrations with Autodesk, Graphisoft, Vectorworks, Viewpoint, Asite, Newforma, and SolidCAD embed NBS into the dominant BIM and construction project management toolchains. The firmographic employee count of 12 for RIBA Enterprises Ltd almost certainly reflects only the UK legal entity within the wider Hubexo group, which owns the operating business.

Name

RIBA ENTERPRISES LTD

Legal name

Hubexo North UK Ltd

Website

https://ribaenterprises.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RIBA Enterprises Ltd operates the NBS cloud platform within the Hubexo group, providing construction specification software, BIM integration, product information, lifecycle carbon assessment, and the Uniclass classification system to architects, engineers, specifiers, and building product manufacturers across the UK, Canada, and Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Specification Software

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

akta.pro primary industry

Emissions Factors, LCA & Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Platforms (EUABAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Benchmarking, Ratings & Stakeholder Reporting Portals (Scorecards, Dashboards) (EUABAEAJ), Supply Chain (Scope 3) Emissions & Supplier Engagement Platforms (EUABAEAE)

Keywords

• Construction specification software
• BIM object library
• Building product information
• Embodied carbon assessment
• Construction classification system

Headquarters

HQ city

Newcastle upon Tyne

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. NBS Chorus Subscriptions: Subscription-based access to intelligent construction specification platform with range of subscription tiers and plans.
2. NBS Source Product Listings: Building product manufacturers pay to list their products on the platform for visibility to architects, specifiers, and engineers.
3. NBS LCA Subscriptions: Lifecycle carbon assessment platform with flexible subscription options.
4. NBS Schumann Consultancy: Specification writing and consultancy services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

RIBA Enterprises Ltd operates the NBS platform, a cloud-based SaaS suite for construction specification management. Its core products are NBS Chorus (real-time collaborative specification writing), NBS Source (centralised manufacturer product information and BIM library), and NBS LCA (lifecycle carbon assessment), complemented by the Construction Information Service (CIS), Uniclass classification, BIM tools, NBS Schumann consultancy, and NBS Academy training. The platform is sold to architects, engineers, specifiers and construction product manufacturers on subscription and listing models.

Product overview

NBS operates as a multi-product integrated platform for construction information, comprising NBS Chorus as the core cloud-based specification management platform, complemented by NBS LCA for lifecycle carbon assessment, NBS Source for product information aggregation, the Construction Information Service (CIS) for standards and regulations, NBS Schumann for specification consultancy, Uniclass for industry classification, BIM tools for 3D modelling coordination, and NBS Academy for training services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NBS Chorus: Intelligent construction specification platform in the cloud for real-time collaboration across organisations and locations.
• NBS Source
• NBS LCA
• NBS Schumann
• Uniclass
• BIM
• Construction Information Service (CIS)

Products and services

• NBS Chorus Cloud-based intelligent construction specification platform enabling real-time collaboration on specifications across organisations and locations, with multi-discipline content libraries and a range of subscription plans.
• NBS LCA Lifecycle carbon assessment platform built for everyday construction projects, enabling users to measure and manage embodied carbon with flexible subscription plans.
• NBS Source Construction product information platform that brings together NBS BIM Library, NBS Plus and Product Selector into a single source for manufacturer product data, used by specifiers and building product manufacturers.
• Construction Information Service (CIS) Comprehensive online collection of construction-related standards, regulations, technical advice and articles, providing construction professionals with authoritative reference material.
• NBS Schumann Specification writing and consultancy service from NBS providing expert assistance with construction specifications for clients who need professional support.
• Uniclass Dynamic and unified classification system for the construction industry covering all sectors, maintained and updated by NBS, used to organise construction information consistently.
• BIM (Building Information Modelling) Building Information Modelling tools enabling the development of information-rich 3D models that are fully coordinated with linked NBS specification information for architects and engineers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 275,000+ users on platform
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AutodeskcoreTechnology or IntegrationNBS Partner - major BIM and design technology integration partner for construction specification coordination
• SolidCADminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNBS Partner - Canadian reseller and technology partner for NBS products
• Global Reseller PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNBS works with reseller partners across the globe to deliver NBS products and services locally

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• One Click LCA: Emerging player specializing in lifecycle carbon assessment and embodied carbon tools for buildings and infrastructure. Directly comparable to NBS LCA as a SaaS carbon platform targeting the same regulatory-driven sustainability use case.
• Newforma: Emerging player in AEC information and project collaboration software serving architects, engineers, and contractors. A current NBS integration partner, it competes for the same project information management workflow that anchors NBS Chorus.

Direct peers

• Bluebeam (Nemetschek Group): Direct peer for construction specification, markup, and review workflows targeting the same architects, engineers, and contractors. Highly comparable to NBS Chorus as a subscription-based specification and document collaboration tool within the AEC design phase.
• Graphisoft (ArchiCAD): Direct peer BIM authoring tool for architects and a current NBS integration partner. Comparable because it competes for the same architect/specifier seat and benefits from integrating NBS's specification content directly into its modelling environment.
• RIB Software (Schneider Electric): Direct peer providing construction SaaS (iTWO platform) for specification, estimating, and project management. Highly comparable to NBS given overlapping construction specification and BIM-driven workflows, especially in EMEA markets.

Broad incumbents

• Procore: Broad incumbent construction management platform serving general contractors, owners, and specialty trades. Comparable to NBS as an enterprise SaaS layer sitting across construction project information, though it focuses downstream of NBS's design-phase specification niche.
• Autodesk Construction Cloud: Broad incumbent AEC/BIM platform spanning design, construction, and operations. Comparable to NBS because it competes for the same specifier and BIM-coordinator workflow and is already a Core NBS integration partner with the structural capability to absorb specification features natively.
• Oracle Aconex: Broad incumbent construction collaboration and information management platform used on large infrastructure and commercial projects. Comparable to NBS Source/CIS for centralizing construction information and connecting project participants.
• Bentley Systems: Broad incumbent infrastructure engineering software provider with iTwin and OpenSpecs-adjacent capabilities. Comparable to NBS in targeting AEC firms needing digital specification and asset information across large infrastructure and building projects.
• Trimble Viewpoint: Broad incumbent ERP and project management software for construction firms. Already an NBS technology partner, it competes for the same construction information budget and increasingly integrates specification data into project workflows.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/riba-enterprises-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RIBA ENTERPRISES LTD