The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) awarded George Holder from Costain and Alex Stephens from Bouygues UK the Sir Ian Dixon Scholarship (SID) to produce and present findings to benefit the construction industry, themselves, and their company. The scholarship was delivered in partnership with the Worshipful Company of Constructors and it is a £3,000 research fund that focuses on any area of construction management.
George Holder’s project approached innovation management which is a relatively new and yet vital concept for the construction industry. His research looked into the current use of innovation management standards and the role they play in improving the delivery of projects. What he found out was that standards are critical when creating an environment to support innovation and organisations can benefit from implementing them.
Alex Stephens chose to research how innovation led to the use of new technologies in the construction industry. He looked at the use of additive manufacturing technologies, such as the ones that build 3D objects by adding layer-upon-layer of material. The base of his research was literature reviews and case studies. His findings show that these technologies have the ability to produce complex geometries at a relatively low cost compared to conventional processes. These alternative methods are what the industry needs because of its more and more demanding construction programmes.
“These research projects reflect the changing landscape of construction as we learn to imagine, invent and implement new ways of working and building,” said Bob Heathfield, Past President of the CIOB and chair of the SID Scholarship Panel. “We need to continue, as an industry, to be forward thinking. We need to make space for new ideas and innovations to streamline our processes and improve the quality of the built environment.”
The Chartered Institute of Building is a worldwide professional body that represents construction and property professionals who work within the built environment. Its vocational and professional qualifications are a mark of the highest level of competence, providing assurance to clients procuring built assets.
