The information gap between contractors, framework providers and customers is the biggest barrier to ensuring compliance across the board, says the director of a leading built environment technology solution. Martin Ward of MiProject Solutions, which works with major contractors and frameworks to ensure compliance on digital frameworks, believes that the
By Aleš Špetič, CEO and co-founder of Klevio When you consider the design of modern buildings, you probably don’t think of the computer. The PC was invented in the 1970s as a way for workers to be more productive. It ended up changing the way that modern workplaces were designed. Miles
Energy Assets Utilities is playing a key role in ensuring that the 2,200 new homes planned for a major development in Wallyford, Scotland, will be at the leading edge of the digital revolution sweeping across the residential new build sector. With people’s increasing reliance on digital connectivity to support devices
A PMW Communications survey has revealed that the construction industry is rapidly moving away from traditional marketing in favour of digital platforms. The survey, conducted at the recent Construction Expo and UK Construction Week exhibition, asked participants to provide a list of construction companies’ marketing priorities. Digital platforms claimed the
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
The information gap between contractors, framework providers and customers is the biggest barrier to ensuring compliance across the board, says the director of a leading built environment technology solution. Martin Ward of MiProject Solutions, which works with major contractors and frameworks to ensure compliance on digital frameworks, believes that the key points raised by the Construction Playbook and the recent Mosey Report can only be addressed with the introduction of better digital tools. Ward will be one of the keynote speakers at the Built Environment Networking National Framework & Procurement Conference, where he will present on how to optimise performance through digital frameworks. Ward said: “The construction industry is currently in a critical phase of flux. The recent Mosey Report on the framework gold standard has shone a harsh light on the process side of framework management, most notably how processes can be made more efficient. “By the same token, the ambitious aims of the Construction Playbook around embracing collaboration and digital innovation are setting a high bar for frameworks to meet. “The obvious success of the Playbook is its ability to repurpose the meaning of value broader than capital cost. However, if the drivers of the playbook and enablers of the value toolkit are to flourish they will need a seismic shift in data and digital transformation. “To build certainty of outcomes, we have to establish the correct objectives and establish the aligned measures and capture the right data. “Compliance is crucial to the smooth running of frameworks, but the problem that the industry faces at the moment is that there is a real information gap between the contractor, the framework provider and the customer. “While this is a huge issue, it isn’t insurmountable. By introducing tools which capture, report and analyse outcomes throughout a project’s lifecycle, you create a golden thread which pulls everything together, ensuring more accurate governance from the customer through to the contractor and delivering a true value toolkit. “We look forward to the opportunity to talk through our digital solutions to overcome these common industry challenges.” A construction industry veteran with more than 20 years’ experience in the technology sector, Ward believes that measurability and accountability are going to be the key outcomes as frameworks become increasingly digitised. “Being able to evidence outcomes is a key tenant of the Construction Playbook. Future measures will not only need to be transparent, but they must in turn follow that golden thread back to the core object. “This will then lead to better understood and more tangible outcomes. It is impressive to say, for example, that a project has delivered £1m in social value, but if that money has gone towards apprentices and parks in an area where the key challenge is child poverty, is it really adding value where it is needed?” Addressing the opportunities that lay ahead for frameworks, Ward states that the key is going to be being agile and adaptable enough to meet the demands of a changing landscape. “Frameworks are competitive, and customers have more choice than ever, and customers will demand to be brought closer to the journey, to be able to feel their objectives being delivered. “The opportunity facing frameworks is simple – long-term relationships form the perfect platform to bring about change, work smarter, invest in the relationship and technology, and provide a smarter, slicker digital enabled journey. “We see frameworks adopting an eco-system of support and data capture technologies. However, it isn’t those tools that are related to project management or delivery that will be of most benefit, but rather those focussed on bridging the communication and information gap between customer, framework and contractor.” Martin Ward is leading Built Environment Networking National Framework & Procurement Conference’s ‘Best Practice Presentation’ at 1pm on Wednesday, 2 February. To register for the event, click here. For more information on MiProject Solutions, visit miprojectsolutions.com
By Aleš Špetič, CEO and co-founder of Klevio When you consider the design of modern buildings, you probably don’t think of the computer. The PC was invented in the 1970s as a way for workers to be more productive. It ended up changing the way that modern workplaces were designed. Miles of copper and fibre cable were strung throughout modern high rises. Extra outlets were installed to make sure that employees had a place to plug in. The open floor plan was added as the computers weren’t as loud as the typewriters they were replacing. Builders at the time were reacting to what customers wanted and what they showed us was a willingness to indulge in forward thinking. We all know what happened next, what we saw develop in the new offices filtered across into our homes as the PC was adopted by the consumer market, and with it came the copper and fibre cables. If the PC was invented to help people get their work done, modern buildings are designed to benefit residents and to help building managers work less. Designing for a digital world is no different now than it was back in the 1970s. Builders, architects, and developers need to look at the digital landscape and respond to what the customer requires. Digital is not going away Much like the PC at the time, the trend of all things digital is not going away. The vast majority of us carry the same computing power of those early PCs in our pockets. What the modern smartphone allows is access. Access to information and community, but it can also offer access to physical places too. Digital keys and live video displays help building managers and end-users alike. Digital keys allow businesses to manage and secure offices more efficiently. The modern workplace is portable and flexible. Just like in the design of an open floor office in the 70s, builders of today need to focus on the demands of their clients on building design. In order to attract tenants, you’ll need to provide a series of modern technologies. Mainly internet access, physical access using technology as a driver, and control over the buildings systems with remote access. The view from the top If you look at the Auto Industry, you’ll see a lot of future-proofing. Manufacturers, have moved to a digital-first footing. From prototype design to facility management, they operate in a digital version of all things physical. This drastically reduces the costs of building a physical model and testing it in a windtunnel. It also reduced costs by being able to idle certain aspects of the business from a computer. This Digital Twinning is a big trend and should be looked at as a model for modern building design. There are many things that need to go into modern design. Consumer demands focus mainly on a few key desires. Access to the space from a computer or mobile phone and confidence in the key replacement. Control of the space, such as turning off appliances and lights remotely, and finally allowing guest access to the property; or providing access to maintenance workers from a computer or phone. What people want now is time These are just a few examples of what the new generation is coming to expect, not only in the workplace or at home, but in virtually every industry they interact with. Streaming entertainment, online-only banking, e-commerce, and software driven Teslas, are all examples of industries that didn’t exist 10 years ago and only exist now because of consumer demand. In order to satisfy the needs of the modern consumer, your building design needs to have elements that are basically a requirement in 2019. If you’re able to design in a way that will help people save time, you are truly building for the future.
Energy Assets Utilities is playing a key role in ensuring that the 2,200 new homes planned for a major development in Wallyford, Scotland, will be at the leading edge of the digital revolution sweeping across the residential new build sector. With people’s increasing reliance on digital connectivity to support devices ranging from smart TVs, games consoles, and tablets to home security and energy control systems, superfast broadband is becoming a ‘must-have’ for home owners…and developers are responding. At Wallyford, Energy Assets Utilities has been responsible for laying the conventional gas, electricity, and water infrastructure up to the spine road running through the site, but is also leading on the roll-out of fibre-to-the-home. “The first few homes are now benefiting from superfast connectivity, with many hundreds more to follow to support lifestyles increasingly reliant on digital technology…and to connect to who knows what as we enter the era of the ‘Internet of Things’,” said Craig Topley, Energy Assets Group Managing Director (Construction). The Wallyford scheme is the largest multi-utility network design and construction project ever undertaken by EAU, with services now available not only for residential homes but also for a new primary school, currently being built, and potentially some commercial units. It’s all part of East Lothian Developments’ plans for a new community at St Clements Well, which stretches to the south, east and west of Wallyford. The construction project illustrates Energy Assets Utilities’s growing position as a leading provider of gas, electricity, water – and increasingly fibre cable – networks for residential and commercial schemes across Britain.
A PMW Communications survey has revealed that the construction industry is rapidly moving away from traditional marketing in favour of digital platforms. The survey, conducted at the recent Construction Expo and UK Construction Week exhibition, asked participants to provide a list of construction companies’ marketing priorities. Digital platforms claimed the top three spots in the list. “PMW is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, so we’re in a great place to see how marketing options have evolved and expanded. The results of the survey reflect the fact that technology has become integral to our daily lives, as we no longer rely fully on adverts in newspapers or magazines, instead choosing to Google, or look on a company’s website or social media platforms for the information we need. It’s therefore now vital for businesses to optimise SEO so they appear on the first page of online searches, or to be engaging with customers over Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn,” said Peter Sutton, Managing Director of PMW Communications. Delegates at the trade shows were given 10 tokens each, which represented 100% of their marketing budget in 10% denominations. Participants were then asked to place the tokens into six category boxes: social media, traditional advertising, brochures, PR and events, website, and digital advertising. Over 200 people participated in the survey, representing a number of different companies within in the construction industry. The top priority for delegates, with 24% of the vote, was to have a professional and informative website. Digital advertising came second with 20%, and social media completed a digital top three with 19%. Brochure design and PR and events were tied in fourth with a respectable 15%. Traditional advertising methods were the lowest priority picking up 7% of the vote. “Despite the expected growth in digital options, there is still a place for more traditional marketing activities in the construction industry. Creative PR is a really cost-effective way of reaching target audiences, and can offer excellent value in terms of ROI, and events give a company the chance to engage with potential customers in person, which is something the digital world can never replace. It’s difficult to predict what marketing options will be available to construction companies in the next 10 years, but in such a fast paced industry, we’re excited to find out,” Peter Sutton concluded.
