Knowledge base
The FIDIC Rainbow Suite: books and editions
Choosing the book costs more than any later Particular Conditions fix: it determines who designs, how work is valued, who carries ground risk and whether the project has an independent Engineer at all. This cluster is about choosing from the delivery model rather than from habit.
8 articles
What this section covers
- Red, Yellow and Silver Book: design, valuation and risk allocation.
- The Green Book for minor works and the Emerald Book for underground work.
- What changed from the 1999 edition to 2017, and what the 2022 reprints clarified.
- When turnkey is justified and when it manufactures a dispute during execution.
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Articles in this section
FIDIC vs NEC: how the two contract systems differ
FIDIC and NEC are the two main international construction contract families. A substantive comparison: philosophy, the role of the third party, change management, early warnings, disputes, and where each is used.
Red Book vs Yellow Book vs Silver Book: choosing the right FIDIC form
A comparison of Red, Yellow and Silver Book: design responsibility, contractor risk, pricing, EPC, design-build and re-measurement.
FIDIC 2022 Reprints: what to check in tenders and templates
A practical checklist for FIDIC 2022 Reprints: edition references, Contract Data, Particular Conditions, claims procedures and DAAB.
FIDIC Green Book 2021: when the Short Form really fits
How to use FIDIC Green Book 2021 without illusions: simple works, complexity risk, and choosing against Red or Yellow Book.
Silver Book (EPC): when turnkey is justified, and when it’s dangerous
EPC/Turnkey under the Silver Book gives the investor predictable price and time — but at the cost of shifting almost all risk onto the contractor. When this form works, and when it becomes a trap.
The FIDIC Rainbow Suite: how to choose the right book
Red, Yellow, Silver, Pink and the rest of the FIDIC books — how they differ, who carries design risk, and which form to choose for your project.
The Emerald Book: contracts for underground works and geo-risk
The Emerald Book is FIDIC’s form for tunnels and underground construction. How the Geotechnical Baseline Report fairly allocates geological risk.
FIDIC 1999 vs 2017: what changed
From 20 clauses to 21, from the DAB to the DAAB, a single claims procedure and a focus on avoiding disputes. The main differences between the first and second editions of the rainbow suite.