Building Industry Reform

TheGrenfell Fire Disaster in 2017 has resulted in the commissioning of an Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety in the UK, and new legislation is presently being implemented throughout the Construction Industry that will have serious consequences for stakeholders, and while we have our own legislation here in Ireland, there is a great need for change to an ailing industry that has been slow to accept modernisation down the years.

However, change is on the way with IPD, which is Integrated Project Delivery, and facilitator BIM, Building Information Modelling, together with the introduction of BS EN ISO 19650 code of practice, access to architectural, engineering and construction information as early as possible, this is essential for IPD to succeed.

BIM is fundamental to the way the project is set up and managed and ensures that appropriate information is available in a suitable format so that better decisions can be made during the design, construction and operation of the building throughout its entire lifecycle.

Client and designer exclusive participation during pre tender stage results in lots of design issues, building clashes, contract variations, etc. not becoming evident until contractors come on board, and then total bedlam ensues, and with programme deadlines looking dubious, this can lead to the instigation of a claims process, that sometimes ends in court proceedings, altogether not the ideal formula for a successful project.

Collaboration is essential to identify all stakeholders that would include a large number of diverse discipline with an Independent Assigned Certification and Quality Control process as early as possible, and then by introducing the people, practices, business structures and systems collaboratively that would reduce embodiment and waste, optimise efficiency in Design, Fabrication & Construction, these reforms will introduce innovation and efficiency which eventually will result in a successful outcome.

It is essential that the client’s team establish the broad principles of collaborative practices as early as possible so it can be included in the tendering documentation. This ensures it will be discussed in detail at the consultant team meetings, specialist contractor meetings and start-up meetings.

Good organisational working practices might include:

• Clear lines of communication and authority.

• Protocols for dissemination of information.

• Collaborative competent teamwork in procurement.

• Regular workshops.

• Problem processes based on solutions, and not blame.

• Continuous benchmarks, assessments, feedback and adaptations.

At this stage, and with positive input from all stakeholders exhibiting good leadership and collaborative qualities, together with the Client being fully guided by a Sustainable framework and ESG reporting standards with the Design Team, and with BIM having identified and resolved clashes and design issues, the way is clear to get the building underway, well not quite!

The construction industry’s perceived problems of being ‘ineffective’, ‘fragmented’, ‘adversarial’ and ‘incapable of delivering for its customers’, in effect requiring change to greater partnership and teamwork. Contractors using outdated and replicated site malpractices and attitudes, and with hierarchical and antediluvian style of management with unnecessary overtime and out of normal hours unsupervised working being the norm, which in turn made the site inspection process redundant, and that meant a deterioration in standards especially where special access was required and sometimes contravened the basic health and safety rules as well as causing mental health issues with a total disregard for human wellbeing, and this has been in the system for years, so the time has long passed for contractors to refocus and adopt new ideas and work practices.

The habitual practice of overtime and weekend working that has dogged the building industry for so long has got to cease and with the introduction of collaborative measures, this can be achieved with weekend working being the exception to the rule, and not the norm.

The big challenge is to create reform that might include compulsory education syllabuses at required levels for all sectors including Specialists that would eliminate the bad attitudes, mismanagement systems, bad workmanship and all other malpractices that are so common on our sites.

The following is an extract from clause 11 of UK Manufacturers Code for Construction Product Information “A manufacturer must have in place a robust training programme (for new and existing personnel) to ensure that anyone conveying product information is competent to the level of knowledge required for their role.”

Supply chain tutoring from manufacturers would be essential to ensure good data is part of the curriculum and with certification guaranteed to personnel completing the course, this might be a good starting point. A follow up schedule of retraining and upskilling would be essential for the ongoing learning programme.

This would create a constant supply of certified personnel with the knowledge to attain higher standards that creates a framework to enable people to meet the challenges they face.

The time has now arrived for this major overhaul of the building industry, and already we are seeing leaders from BIM digital sectors stepping up to the plate in order to create this new forum and bring the building industry into the 21st century.

Organisational Resilience which is every company’s ambition and is supported by the positive experiences that have been accumulated, so with a very clear purpose and a method of how to achieve that purpose, one is able to translate those ideas based on the learning experiences. It is about consistency in one’s purpose but having flexibility in achieving it.

This reform is probably one of the biggest challenges that our Construction Industry will have to overcome in modern times, however there are people out there already leading from the front, so the onus is on the rest to follow. This will eventually lead to higher productivity, more profitability, cleaner environment and improved social and mental wellbeing in society, Sustainability that guarantees the present and future generations a better environment.

And now we have come to the sector that has been the ‘fly in the ointment’ for decades and still is up to the present day, and without targeting specific trades, it is common knowledge across the Construction Industry that there is a massive shortage of competent people, and more to the point little has been done by successive governments generation after generation to remedy this dilemma.

If we are serious about diversification, and at the same time solving the current labour crisis, there is a ‘crying out’ for some sort of promotional exercise at national level at all Secondary Schools and IT Colleges to attract boys and girls to look at their future in our building industry, especially since the days of dirty and unhealthy environments of toxic diesel fuelled air compressors with their noisy jackhammers long gone, working on a building site nowadays is exciting and much more attractive financially than your mundane office position.

So with the introduction of BIM which provides an integrated, interactive and virtual approach to underpin design, construction and operation of buildings, there is an urgent requirement for a National Training Centre where students can access a programme of their choice and gain certification on its completion. Most of these learning programmes can be achieved through part time and virtual attendance schedules, we have seen from the Oireachtas Report where government grants having been made available for retrofitting schemes only to find a large percentage are under performing through incompetent installation, so presently, there is a massive demand across the industry for competent certified personnel.

Finally, Global Warming and ESG features with tree planting and other Sustainable promotions are all positives from the corporate sector, however coalface activities that would include early collaboration with all stakeholders including the Tenant and Fitout Contractor to ensure Health & Safety and Fire Regulations are strictly in compliance.

Summary

This is a great opportunity for all stakeholders to play their part in helping the Construction Industry reinvent itself by reducing emissions with modern methods, diversification, education, collaboration and most importantly successful digitalisation transition to guarantee SUSTAINABILITY for present and future generations.