Construction Manager April 2018

CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | APRIL 2018 | WWW.CONSTRUCTIONMANAGERMAGAZINE.COM

APRIL 2018 For members of the CIOB

PRESTON BUS STATION

BRUTALISM REBORN

THE RESTORATION OF PRESTON BUS STATION

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | APRIL 2018 CONTENTS

04/18

Switchboard +44 (0)20 7490 5595 Editor Will Mann 020 3865 1032 will.m@atompublishing.co.uk Deputy editor James Kenny 020 3865 1031 james.k@atompublishing.co.uk Production editor Sarah Cutforth Art editor Heather Rugeley Community editor Nicky Roger Redesign art director Mark Bergin Advertising manager Dave Smith 0203 865 1029 Key account manager Tom Peardon 0203 865 1030 Credit control Eva Rugeley Managing director Stephen Quirke

In this issue

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Circulation Net average 30,699 Audit period: July 2016 to June 2017 Subscriptions To subscribe or for enquiries, please contact: Subscription team Tel: 020 7490 5595 Or go online at: https://constructionmanager.isubscribe.co.uk Or write to us at the address below: Construction Manager Published for the Chartered Institute of Building by Atom Publishing, 3 Waterhouse Square, 138 Holborn, London EC1N 2SW Tel: +44 (0)20 7490 5595 firstname@atompublishing.co.uk Editorial advisory board Mark Beard FCIOB, Ann Bentley, Ian Eggers, Peter Caplehorn, Harvey Francis, Professor Jacqui Glass FCIOB, Paul Morrell, James Pellatt, Nick Raynsford, Richard Saxon, Andy von Bradsky, Phil Wade Construction Manager is published monthly by Atom Publishing. The contents of this magazine are copyright. Reproduction in part or in full is forbidden without permission of the editor. The opinions expressed by writers of signed articles (even with pseudonyms) and letters appearing in the magazine are those of their respective authors, and neither the CIOB, Atom Publishing nor Construction Manager is responsible for these opinions or statements. The editor will give careful consideration to material submitted – articles, photographs, drawings and so on – but does not undertake responsibility for damage or their safe return. Printed by The Wyndeham Group. All rights in the magazine, including copyright, content and design, are owned

by CIOB and/or Atom Publishing. ISSN 1360 3566

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Prelims 04 BIM and digital tech 06 New Homes Ombudsman 08 Retentions campaign 10 Mark Beard on procurement 12 Chris Blythe 13 Feedback

14 18 22 28 30 32 34 38 40 41 42

44 45 46 47 49 51

Experts BIM: Law and collaboration Sarah Fox on digital contracts Bonds or retentions?

Keep it clear in PCSAs Cash management Grove v S&T implications

52 54 62

Community New codes of practice Bright Futures Challenge Me and my project

Insight • Onsite Construction and plastics Preston Bus Station BIM: Survey results BIM: Experts on the past year BIM: Beyond Level 2 BIM: Modular benefits BIM: Bluebeam data sharing Cemex safety campaign Tackling vehicle pollution Zero tolerance on emissions Greening the fleet

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PRELIMS APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

04-13

Prelims THE LATEST NEWS, PEOPLE AND COMMENT

Bew: Clients should focus on “long-term outcomes”

Comment

Lowest cost culture blocking BIM Level 2 adoption, says Bew CM ANNUAL BIM SURVEY SHOWS LUKEWARM CLIENTS ARE STILL A BARRIER TO LEVEL 2 UPTAKE, THOUGH CONSTRUCTION’S CONFIDENCE IN THE TECHNOLOGY HAS IMPROVED

08 10 12 13 A conservative, lowest cost culture remains “a huge hurdle” for the industry to overcome if it is to successfully adopt BIM Level 2, according to digital construction tsar Mark Bew. The chairman of engineering consultancy PCSG, who was appointed chair of the UK government’s BIM Task Group, made his comments as CM published the results of its annual BIM survey which showed construction uptake of BIM Level 2 remains sluggish.

The research found that only 14% of clients mandate BIM Level 2 on all projects, down from 20% a year ago. However, 44% of construction firms now say they are confident about using the technology compared to just a third in 2017.

The proportion saying they had not used Level 2 BIM at all fell slightly from 38% to 34%.

Bew said he still has “many conversations across the industry telling me that embracing this new technology and making this vital transformation is too costly, too difficult, too time-consuming and fails to give the required return on investment”.

He added: “Too many clients across the construction sector drive forward on a lowest cost basis, focused on capex and opex rather than the need to invest in better long-term outcomes.”

Bew said that “the industry is still very much at the start of its digital transformation” but believes it has “come a long way”.

“We now see an industry not simply designing in 3D but actually embracing a new digital future in which data has value,” he said.

A strategic adviser for the UK’s Centre for Digital Built Britain in Cambridge, Bew urged the industry to “move away from the world of

CASH RETENTIONS MARK BEARD ON PROCUREMENT CHRIS BLYTHE FEEDBACK: VIEWS ON QUALITY BIM and towards a new and bigger world of data exploitation, information management, feedback and advanced analytics”.

The survey findings and Bew’s remarks chimed with the views of other leading industry BIM figures CM spoke to.

“BIM Level 2 is all about information management and how data is produced to improve the efficiency of both project delivery but more importantly asset operation,” said Edonis Jesus, BIM leader at Lendlease. “There is work to be done in terms of educating the industry – particularly clients – about the benefits of BIM Level 2, not only during a project delivery phase but especially about its benefits for the operational phase of assets.”

However, some reported increased awareness of BIM from clients. Garry Fannon, head of digital at Willmott Dixon Construction, said: “Knowledge and experience of digital construction from our customers is increasing.

If we can get our customers to establish their asset requirements, and digitally enable their FM and estate management teams, adoption will happen a lot more quickly.”

“Key to the adoption of BIM is getting the benefits properly understood and then linking them to an organisation’s business objectives,” said Malcolm Stagg, director of BIM and digital engineering, Skanska UK. “One of the barriers to adoption is a lack of understanding. Technical and complex language can be off-putting. It’s our job to demystify BIM, speaking in a language where we sell the benefits, answering the ‘what’s in it for me’ question.” ● BIM survey results and analysis, p22-30.

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | APRIL 2018 PRELIMS

For daily updates on the latest news, go to constructionmanagermagazine.com

Digital tech on the rise in work at height USE OF BIM, DRONES, VR FORECAST TO BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD Digital technology is set to play a growing role in planning and executing work at height, new research has revealed.

In a survey by CM and the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) of almost 500 construction professionals, more than two-thirds of respondents said they expected increased use of drones for surveys and highlevel access over the next three years, while nearly four in 10 predict more applications of robotics and remote task operation.

Almost half anticipate a greater role for eLearning, virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) for training.

Nationwide Platforms is set to become the first UK company to use VR for MEWP (mobile elevating work platform) courses, after investing in simulators to assist with training of operators of boom lifts and scissor lifts.

Peter Douglas, UK operations director of Nationwide Platforms, said: “We feel this technology bridges the gap between theory and practical training. The VR simulators will

Nationwide’s units feature a replica platform basket and control panel with VR headset and actuator motion base

allow operators to work through complex scenarios replicating real-life training hazards without the risk.”

The CM/IPAF survey also found that nearly 50% of respondents predict greater BIM use for work at height programming and risk assessments.

I PA F re ce n t l y s u p p l i e d fo u r o f i ts virtual MEWP models to the National BIM Library to be used in modelling projects:

mast climbing work platform; vertical lift; mobile telescopic boom; and mobile articulated boom.

IPAF CEO and managing director Tim Whiteman said: “By having MEWPs in the BIM library, we are making it as easy as possible for designers and contractors to know what to use and how to use it.” ● The IPAF Powered Access 2018 magazine is included with this month’s CM.

Lawyers need “greater understanding” of BIM – report A lack of understanding of legal considerations on BIM Level 2 has been highlighted in a report by two construction lawyers.

Overcoming the Legal and Contractual Barriers of BIM was written by May Winfield, senior legal counsel at ENGIE Services, and Sarah Rock, senior associate, at Gowling WLG.

Although only one reported case has involved BIM to date – Trant v Mott MacDonald – the authors said they had encountered “disputes resulting from incomplete or vague BIM documentation, [and] felt it was time to move things forward to support the legal side of BIM”.

Winfield and Rock said: “The construction industry’s perception is

that BIM knowledge and awareness within the legal community is not high. There is a clear need for greater understanding of the processes, BIM-specific contract terms and documents and improved collaboration.

“Our research showed an inconsistent approach to the application of the PAS 1192

standards, with some interviewees experiencing the ill effects of an overly zealous and rigid interpretation. Other participants, meanwhile, felt the suite was being used too flexibly.”

May and Rock have set up the BIM 4 Legal group, to improve BIM knowledge among lawyers.

BIM, collaboration and NEC4, p44.

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PRELIMS APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

“Our members strive for excellence in their work and we support any actions that aspire towards higher standards” Eddie Tuttle, CIOB

New Homes Ombudsman backed by 84% in CIOB poll CREATION OF THE ROLE COULD OFFER MORE SUPPORT FOR CONSUMERS AND IMPROVE BUILD QUALITY

New housing quality is under close scrutiny

There is strong support among construction professionals for the proposed New Homes Ombudsman, after a poll of Chartered Institute of Building members showed 84% back creation of the post.

The government is seeking views on consumer redress in the housing market in England, and is considering improvements to existing services, filling gaps in redress and the possibility of reconfiguring services to better serve consumers. Additionally, the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for excellence in the built environment is running an inquiry into the formation of a New Homes Ombudsman, which would have power to ensure buyers’ concerns about defects were effectively dealt with.

The CIOB, which is planning to respond to the government consultation, supports introducing a New Homes Ombudsman, which it believes would support consumers, improve build quality and enhance the reputation of the construction industry.

There are currently four different redress providers available for buyers of new homes: the housing ombudsman, the property ombudsman, ombudsman services and the property redress scheme.

However, the CIOB’s survey of over 200 members found that more than nine in 10 think there are problems with the current systems.

Almost four in 10 respondents to the survey had used the redress options available to new

home buyers, and more than half of these said it takes too long to get a complaint resolved, while 30% said decisions made were not enforced and 24% thought complaints were not handled fairly.

Eddie Tuttle, associate director for policy, research and public affairs at the CIOB, said: “Our members strive for excellence in their work and we support any actions that aspire towards higher standards and greater consistency across the construction of new homes.

“We will use the result from this poll in our submission to government, stating that current redress schemes require improvements.

“Our Royal Charter means that the public interest is at the heart of our service and we also believe the creation of a New Homes Ombudsman will not only lead to improvements in the quality of the new homes built, but it will provide consumers with an independent voice to report problems and get the support they need.”

Jo Churchill MP, former APPG chair, argued in a House of Commons debate in December 2017 that “gaps” in current redress systems could be addressed by the New Homes Ombudsman.

She added: “Your biggest purchase in your life has the least protection. If somebody told you that a 92% failure rate was what you would expect from your car, you wouldn’t buy it.”

Churchill was succeeded as chair of the APPG earlier this year by fellow Conservative MP Eddie Hughes.

The consultation ends on 16 April. ●

CIOB to set up ‘quality tracker’ with RIBA and RICS The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) is to establish a “tracker” tool to improve quality on construction projects, working with other professional bodies.

This follows the Institute’s call for evidence on quality (CM March), which found that 75% of construction professionals feel current quality management

systems are inadequate.

CIOB past-president Paul Nash joined Royal Institute of British Architects president Ben Derbyshire and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors president John Hughes to sign the ‘Building in Quality: Joint Memorandum of Understanding’.

As part of this agreement, the three bodies launched an

industry-wide consultation on “a chain of custody” for quality on construction projects, the quality risk tracker. The consultation runs until the end of June 2018, with the tracker set to be launched in October 2018.

The initiative aims to encourage better collaboration, improved procurement and raise the

quality of the built environment.

Nash said: “Successful projects depend on achieving the right balance between cost and quality and, as recent events have highlighted, as an industry we don’t always get that balance right. It’s for this reason that the ‘Building in Quality’ initiative is so important.”

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PRELIMS APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Mike Giles ECA

Comment

Fixing the system after Carillion THE CARILLION FALLOUT SHOWS THAT WE CANNOT TOLERATE ‘BUSINESS AS USUAL’ FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. THE ABOLITION OF THE OUTDATED APPROACH TO CASH RETENTIONS CAN ALLOW THE INDUSTRY TO BE AN ENGINE OF JOBS AND GROWTH FOR THE UK ECONOMY, SAYS MIKE GILES

Since the collapse of Carillion in January, long-running issues surrounding late payments and retentions have shot to the fore.

Withheld cash retentions made up a significant proportion of the huge amount Carillion owed to subcontractors when the company was liquidated. The practice has since been criticised by many across the political spectrum.

The Electrical Contractors Association (ECA) and the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) have been at the forefront of lobbying to reform the outdated construction industry approach to retentions.

We are currently calling on the government to introduce a system where retentions are held in trust, as part of a roadmap of reform that will lead to their eventual abolition.

In December last year, we brought together a coalition of over 20 professional bodies and trade associations to sign an open letter calling on government to legislate as soon as possible for a retentions trust scheme to be introduced.

We have since seen a remarkable amount of support; over 60 bodies now support our proposals for reform. Peter Aldous, Conservative MP for Waveney, is leading parliamentary activity to protect retentions (see box). He introduced a 10-minute rule bill into parliament in early January on placing retentions in trust, just days before Carillion went into liquidation.

The bill passed its first reading, without political opposition, and it has received mounting support, since Carillion’s collapse.

The bill has ensured that a growing crossparty group of MPs and peers now support reform in this key area, with representatives from the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Green Party, SNP and the DUP. Moving forward, ECA, along with the BESA and other members of the SEC Group, have agreed a five-point plan, which we have raised with senior politicians. This includes pressing for contractors to be paid directly through mechanisms such as project bank accounts, legislative and policy action to prevent late payment, and, as noted above, retentions being held in trust.

“Business as usual” is simply not an option moving forward. Our work with industry partners and government is intended to ensure that concrete steps are taken to improve the commercial environment for businesses, and protect the supply chain from future insolvencies. ● Mike Giles is head of communications and public affairs for ECA.

“We are currently calling on the government to introduce a system where retentions are held in trust, as part of a roadmap of reform that will lead to their eventual abolition”

Sixty trade bodies now back Aldous retentions bill WAVENEY MP PETER ALDOUS’S RETENTIONS BILL IS FINDING A GROUNDSWELL OF SUPPORT WITHIN THE INDUSTRY

Aldous: “Urgent need for reform” The number of construction trade organisations backing Peter Aldous’s retentions bill has climbed to 60. The Waveney MP is proposing cash retentions owed to the supply chain be held in trust.

Aldous introduced his bill on 9 January.

Six days later, the collapse of Carillion, which owed an estimated £800m at the time of its insolvency, started a groundswell of support for outlawing late and unfair payment.

Bodies supporting the bill include the Building Engineering Services Association, Chartered Association of Building Engineers, Electrical Contractors Association and the Specialist Engineering Contractors’ Group.

Aldous said: “This coalition of support shows the urgent need for reform and unity of industry following Carillion. Support covers so much of the industry that we now have a golden opportunity to change construction for the better. I hope government gets behind industry and this bill. We need action to protect SMEs before more millions are lost.”

The Aldous bill seeks to ensure payment retentions are protected in special ring-fenced deposit schemes, to minimise damage to the supply chain in the event of insolvencies.

The second reading of the bill is 27 April.

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PRELIMS APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Mark Beard Beard Construction

In the 1980s, as a procurement director, you would never get sacked for buying IBM. Similarly, today an estates director is on pretty safe ground going down the tried and trusted route of traditional tendering.

This may, on occasion, be the best way forward, particularly if tender information is well developed and the bidding contractors and wider supply chain are suitably enthused about the project. However, too often traditional tendering feels like the safe option – the IBM option – where process is more important than outcome.

If you sit on the board, and the estates director reports that he has scoured the market for contractors, received three quotes back, and lawyers have tweaked the contract to pass on a greater level of risk to the contractor, you may feel impressed by his effort to follow due process. As the estates director, you feel safe, as what you have done will stand up to scrutiny or, if all goes horribly wrong, an independent audit.

However, what the customer is actually trying to achieve often gets lost in the desire to be safe and be seen to follow process. Customer needs will obviously vary from project to project, but can often be summed up as: l A quality project at an affordable price, delivered on time l A final account that reflects the original tender l A project journey that is enjoyed by all parties l A contractor and supply chain that will put the customer’s project priorities on a par with or above their own priorities.

To achieve such outcomes, a customer and his consultants first need to fulfil their own responsibilities and enthuse the contracting community about the project. How hard the customer needs to work to enthuse contractors depends, in part on their own reputation and the type of project, but also on the state of the market. If Brexit leads to less immigrant labour and lower industry capacity, customers will have to redouble their efforts to enthuse contractors.

Comment

Project goals are more important than process THE CLIENT’S OBJECTIVES SHOULD BE TOP PRIORITY ON ANY PROJECT, BUT A DESIRE TO FOLLOW PROCUREMENT PROTOCOLS FREQUENTLY GETS IN THE WAY, SAYS MARK BEARD

“My hope is that consultants will increasingly ask their customers searching questions about the final outcomes they really want to achieve from the project”

At Beard, we have benefited from a number of customers working hard to create an attractive environment in traditionally tendered work, framework projects, negotiated and various two-stage opportunities. An example of this was a hybrid approach recently used by a smaller Oxford College for an £8m student accommodation project. Let’s call it “two-stage negotiation”.

The customer scoured the market and decided they wished to work with us, provided we could deliver their proposed new building for the set budget. By solely inviting Beard to bid for the work, they created a collaborative atmosphere from the start of the process. We then had eight weeks to confirm our approach, budget and project plan, which in this instance included fundamental redesign of building structure. Once this satisfied the client, we were given three months to complete the detailed design and contractors’ proposals.

Beard is now two months into this 16-month project and there will be many hurdles to overcome before we hand over the keys, but the customer has created a very collaborative working environment where its objectives are central to all that we, and our supply chain, are trying to achieve.

Securing this level of contractor goodwill and putting project priorities at the forefront of everyone’s thinking trumps “following due process” everyday. However, we will need to wait 14 months for a definitive answer.

My hope is that consultants will increasingly ask their customers searching questions about the final outcomes they really want to achieve from the project, what they want from their contractors and become a little more creative about how they procure their construction work – rather than continuing to follow the IBM route. ● Mark Beard is executive chairman of Beard Construction. ● Mark Beard will be appointed vice president of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) on 9 July 2018. He will become the 117th president of the CIOB in 2020.

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PRELIMS APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Chris Blythe

Chief executive CIOB

Life must be tough for housebuilders these days. Whether you are thinking about how to spend your £58m bonus or mothball a few sites until market conditions improve – it’s decisions, decisions, decisions.

One major housebuilder has decided it cannot build any more homes in the current climate because, among other things, the 4.5 times income multiple on mortgage borrowing has restricted the number of customers coming through. I suppose their solution would be to eliminate the income multiple limits.

Of course the other solution might be to bring the price of housing down in line with what can be afforded but that would mean a fall in revenue and a fall in profit. After all when you are making net profits in excess of 30%, it must be pretty addictive. Weaning yourself off the habit must come hard.

It makes you wonder therefore whether this is just part of a tactic to try and blackmail the government into using taxpayers money for more “Help to Buy” – otherwise known as the ”housebuilders extensive profit scheme.

High-risk housebuilding?

Margins of more than 30% are normally the product of get-rich-quick schemes or exceptional high-risk ventures. It is hard to see how housebuilding today is of such high risk that it demands such a premium.

It also leads into the questionable practices around leasehold as well. Why with 30%

Comment

Proper redress required for poor quality homes THE CONSULTATION ON A NEW HOMES OMBUDSMAN IS A CHANCE TO PUSH HOUSEBUILDERS TOWARDS BETTER BUILD STANDARDS – AND TOUGHER PENALTIES IF THEY DON’T COMPLY.

BY CHRIS BLYTHE

margins do you want to retain the freehold?

Answer: because you can and it makes the profit even greater.

It reminds me of an anecdote recently heard by a provider of senior living, justifying a ground rent because their clients are picky and demanding. “They look under every stone to be sure of what they are buying,” he complained. This perhaps reflects a lifetime of experience of the industry. If this

is going to be their last purchase, they want it to be right. Knowledgeable customers are such an inconvenience.

The current All Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment is investigating the position of a “new homes ombudsman” specifically to address the lack of consumer protection in the new homes market. The proposals from the CIOB include exemplary damages over and above the feeble amounts in the current codes and the requirement to buy back defective properties.

They may seem harsh but perhaps the only way to restore a balance between buyer and developer is to incentivise positive behaviour.

The publicity on the first forced buyback by a developer would be interesting.

While we all agree that homebuyers need to approach the business of buying a new home with as much scepticism as they can muster, it is hard to retain the scepticism under the assault of the marketing propositions from developers that are geared towards pushing buyers into making less-informed decisions than is good for them. These include reservation incentives and limited release of properties to generate quick decisions.

Perhaps it is time for the government to put the needs of homebuyers first. After all, homebuyers have the votes. If developers don’t want to build maybe the government should reallocate their land. Decisions, decision, decisions. ●

CIOB and Willmott Dixon launch Open Doors at Old Admiralty The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and Willmott Dixon kicked off March’s Open Doors week at the Old Admiralty Building in London, where the contractor is carrying out a major refurbishment.

The Grade II listed building on Horseguards Parade, which is being converted into the new home for the Department for Education (DfE),

once housed former prime minister Winston Churchill when he was First Lord of the Admiralty.

The Willmott Dixon project was opened to the public as part of Open Doors, a week-long programme which aims to promote construction and careers in the industry.

The event was attended by Willmott Dixon chief executive

Rick Willmott and CIOB figures including chief executive Chris Blythe and president Rebecca Thompson, a heritage specialist.

She said: “There are many connections between buildings, history and culture, and this Open Doors event helps us to understand that. Standing in what was once

Winston Churchill’s office, imagine some of the decisions that would have been made here.

“An appreciation of history is important for construction professionals and projects such as the Old Admiralty Building restoration can inspire future generations to join the industry.”

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | APRIL 2018 INSIGHT• ONSITE

Cash management for suppliers after Carillion’s collapse, p49

Feedback A selection of readers’ comments about news and issues in the industry from www.constructionmanagermagazine.com CM 01/03 Carillion collapse Ian Watts

I was disappointed with the extent of negativity towards the outsourcing sector in the wake of the Carillion failure.

Lord Adonis affirmed that there have been very many successful large contracts undertaken for government departments and this is a major sector of our industry.

It is usually the case that large contracts of this nature offer significant savings, principally in the efficiencies of the back-office operation and the removal of duplication.

Clearly, however, there are lessons to be learnt from Carillion’s demise. When letting large public contracts, there are government guidelines about the inclusion of SMEs in the supply chain, and a requirement for payment in 30 days. The question has to be asked of government departments why they did not take action when this contract requirement was not being upheld.

This does not mean that all large contracts are bad, but it does reveal once again that government departments are sometimes lacking in the commercial skills to manage these contracts in a way that can achieve the most successful outcome.

CM 01/03 QM inadequate, say 75% in CIOB survey Adam Sharp

A large portion of the problem is that those people who do undertake the correct checks, who do raise the awkward questions, who do act in a conscientious manner toward quality, are often viewed as troublemakers.

They rarely receive the support they deserve and that is required if the correct standards are to be met.

Everyone agrees that the industry culture needs to change; to my mind the change must be driven by clients as it is they who ultimately pay for substandard works and therefore they who, consciously or subconsciously, condone the completion of substandard works.

Ashraf Chaudhary

This article touched a nerve. There is a lack of respect for procedures and review with regard to quality. A lot of emphasis is made on the finish, and while superficial aspects of quality on a project are all and well good, there is little implementation of such management systems when it comes to structural work.

Anthony Carroll

Site managers spend 70% of their time looking at a laptop. With construction companies signed up for ISO 9001 quality management certification, this means site managers have to scan every health and safety document onto their laptop then load them onto whatever internal system they have in place.

Only if they are lucky enough to have an assistant site manager will they have time to walk the floors and check the standards of workmanship.

Eduard Szigeti

No matter how many site managers you have on a site, if the frontline worker is not motivated to work properly you will have defects and rework.

When you hand them over the job they need to receive detailed instructions about quality requirements and you must have regular discussions with them about how they will achieve this objective.

They must have pride in their work and receive appreciation for their work.

Sian Dunne

Health and safety has improved massively in the last 10 to 20 years through effective leadership in changing the culture of the industry. Quality doesn’t get the same emphasis and is more about ticking a box than actual standards on site being achieved.

The clerk of works position needs to be mandatory. Also, more emphasis has been placed on service quality in recent years rather than product quality. The two should go hand in hand – but if the client doesn’t have a clerk of works, then service quality is the only thing they “see”.

Michael Trevor Cutts

Employ enough qualified and correctly trained supervisors to monitor the trades deployed; designers and engineers should only need consultation when a supervisor cannot interpret the detail confidently.

Most of all, stop pressuring the site supervision and give them time to ensure the quality standards are met without compromise.

Gary Waterton

We focus too much on getting the job done quicker and quicker, and the quality of work has gone by the wayside.

Large sites are being run by one site manager due to saving costs, and now main contractors expect subcontractors to supervise their own work.

For more comments and updates on issues and events in the industry, updated daily with the latest news, go to

www.constructionmanagermagazine.com

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INSIGHT• ONSITE APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

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Insight • onsite TAKING AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT CURRENT ISSUES AND PROJECTS

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PRESTON BUS STATION BIM: SURVEY RESULTS BIM: VIEWS ON THE PAST YEAR BIM: MOVING ON FROM LEVEL 2 BIM: MODULAR SPEED BIM: BLUEBEAM DATA SHARING COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

HOW CAN CONSTRUCTION KICK ITS PLASTICS HABIT? THE GLOBAL PLASTICS BINGE IS WREAKING DEVASTATION UPON THE PLANET, SO WHAT MORE CAN CONSTRUCTION DO TO DRIVE DOWN PLASTIC WASTE AND PURSUE A MORE SUSTAINABLE MODEL FOR REUSE AND RECYCLING? STEPHEN COUSINS REPORTS

When prime minister Theresa May declared a “war on waste” in January, with a pledge to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042, many critics asked if it was a case of too little too late.

With around eight million tonnes of plastic pollution entering the oceans every year and plastic microparticles found in drinking water across five continents, it’s hard not to be pessimistic

Compressed plastic waste can take several centuries to decompose if it ends up in landfill

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about the impact on humans, animals and the environment.

Construction likes to pat itself on the back about its strong performance on waste, pointing to zero waste to landfill policies and the effective management of plastic waste streams, but the real picture is more opaque and, at times, concerning.

The sector still relies heavily on single-use packaging, principally plastic films, that are typically bundled up and incinerated at energy from waste plants.

Large quantities of plastic end up in general mixed waste and are impossible to recycle either because they cannot be identified or they are contaminated with other materials. Meanwhile, a failure to design new building components and materials for reuse or recycling threatens to leave a toxic plastic legacy for future generations.

Gillian Hobbs, director of resource efficiency at the Building Research Establishment (BRE), told CM: “From a site perspective we should be separating plastic sources into different material streams, even within the different polymer groups, because not all plastics are the same and not all can be recycled in the same way.

“And just because a product says it is recyclable doesn’t mean it can be recycled. There should be an emphasis on knowing what the material is, knowing that it hasn’t got contamination in it that will mess up the recycling process, and looking at how far it effectively has to travel to minimise the environmental impact of transportation.”

Plastic is lightweight, cheap, water resistant and flexible – making it something of a wonder material for construction. However, it is heavily reliant on fossil fuels for manufacture and its durability is paradoxically also

“We are seeing a general increase in plastic packaging, partly because more products are being manufactured offsite”

Kris Karslake, BAM Construct UK

its downfall: plastic that ends up in landfill is likely to take several centuries to decompose and some plastics release harmful chemicals into the soil, damaging water sources.

The issue has come to a head in recent months, particularly after China, a major importer of plastic waste from the UK, announced in January that it would ban the import of 24 grades of solid waste, including plastics, raising concerns that UK-based recycling plants will not be able to take up the strain.

According to the WRAP Plastics Market Situation Report for 2016, the UK construction and demolition sector was responsible for around 50,000 tonnes of plastic packaging waste in 2014 – well below the 1.53 million tonnes produced by the retail sector, but still significant.

Most plastic packaging is thin film, which is typically sent to waste transfer stations, where it is shredded, bundled up and shipped to energy-from-waste (EfW) plants to be burnt to produce refuse derived fuel.

Kris Karslake, sustainability manager at BAM Construct UK, says: “We are seeing a general increase in plastic packaging, partly because more products are being manufactured offsite, from air-handling units to entire classrooms, which need a lot of protection due to the high value of the products, compared to individual component parts.”

BAM is investigating the use of packaging materials that break down completely in the environment, such as a product formed from the root fibres of mushrooms that grow around organic waste, produced by US firm Ecovative.

“Anything biodegradable can go into an anaerobic digester, rather than an incinerator, which means much less environmental impact. It’s something

we are hopeful about for the future,” says Karslake.

According to Charlie Law, director of independent sustainability consultant Sustainable Construction Solutions, in general about 25% of skips that leave site during the construction phase are filled with disposable packaging, including cardboard, timber and plastic. He has been working with contractors including BAM and Kier to assess alternative packaging materials and to encourage them to work with supply chains in order to design out packaging waste.

Fit-out contractor ISG produced over 100 tonnes of plastic packaging waste in 2017 and is now trialling a returnable plastic crate, developed in collaboration with metal ceiling tile manufacturer SAS, on a project for a financial services client in London.

Throwaway industry?

Plastics facts and figures l 198,000 tonnes: the plastic waste from construction in Europe in 2016 l 85,000 tonnes: the amount that was mechanically recycled l 57,000 tonnes: the amount that went to an energy recovery facility l 50,000 tonnes: UK construction/ demolition packaging waste in 2014 l 55%: EU target for member states’ plastics packaging recycling by 2030 l 45%: the current UK recycling rate for plastics packaging, including construction

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ISG, which produced over 100 tonnes of plastic packaging waste in 2017, is now trialling the use of a returnable plastic crate

ISG used 47 of the foldable crates to transport different sizes and shapes of tile on the project, in the process removing the need for 4,200 wooden crates with plastic sheet wrapping.

The switch required extensive planning with the supply chain, explains Peter Kelly, head of sustainability for fit out and engineering services at ISG, and chair of the construction and demolition waste forum at the Chartered Institute of Waste Management (CIWM).

“We had to carefully work out the logistics to ensure the crates are palletised and returned,” he says. “SAS invested time and energy into creating the crates, working with the subcontractor installing the tiles and with our construction teams to ensure they understand the importance of what we trying to achieve and how to manage it.”

The trial proved successful and ISG is now looking to roll out the crate more widely across the business. “We really feel this could drive other manufacturers to change when they see the innovation that’s come from one of their rivals,” he adds.

Construction businesses across Europe produced 198,000 tonnes of plastic waste (excluding packaging) in 2016, 85,000 tonnes of which was mechanically recycled, giving a recycling rate of 43%, according to figures from PlasticsEurope. A further 57,000 tonnes went to energy recovery facilities, giving a recovery rate of 71.7%.

Only 6% of plastic coded as construction waste in the UK was sent to landfill in 2015, according to figures from the Environmental Agency’s national database. However, that’s not an accurate representation of overall waste arisings because large amounts of plastic also leave site as part the general mixedwaste stream.

“SAS worked with the subcontractor and with our teams to ensure they understand the importance of what we are trying to achieve” Peter Kelly, ISG

The BRE recently completed a project with the European Commission to evaluate best practice approaches to dealing with mixed waste, and in most member states it was impossible to find sufficient data on the proportion of specific materials.

Annual survey figures on demolition waste, put together by the National Federation of Demolition Contractors (NFDC), also fail to include separate figures on plastics. “Given the current government initiative it may be something we have to start looking at in more detail,” says NFDC chief executive Howard Button.

Mixed construction waste in the UK normally ends up at waste transfer stations, run by waste management firms like Powerday or Kiely Bros, for onward recycling or energy recovery.

Take-back schemes Such firms are committed to diverting waste from landfill, in part to avoid the high landfill tax of roughly £86 per tonne.

Many try to take advantage of product take-back schemes like Recofloor, set up by vinyl flooring manufacturers Altro and Polyflor, and Take Back, by carpet tile manufacturer Desso, which aim to channel plastics directly back into their manufacturing processes.

“As a general approach, the industry

needs to ensure products including composite materials can be easily broken down,” says Law. “For example, carpet manufacturers like Desso and Interface design carpets so that different layers, like the yarn and backing, can be peeled apart, recycled separately and made into new carpets.”

While many construction companies claim to recycle more than 90% of their waste, the actual figures, based on where waste delivered to transfer stations ends up, are likely much lower, claims Law: “Up to half of the waste leaving a materials recovery facility (MRF) [effectively another term for waste transfer station] will be sent for energy recovery. This is based on Environment Agency waste returns I have seen for a number of the larger MRFs handling construction waste over the last few years. Energy recovery is still classified as diversion from landfill, but it should not be classified as recycling.”

One challenge of recovering and then recycling plastics is the wide range of products, including acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyethylene and polyesters, plus other materials within each product. In addition, plastics may be contaminated with other construction waste – for example polystyrene used in floor slabs or as concrete formwork is notoriously difficult to separate.

An estimated 25% of skips that leave site during the construction phase are filled with disposable packaging

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Demolition contractors focus heavily on separating out different waste streams for recycling and energy recovery, to avoid having to pay landfill tax and tipping charges – the industry averages a 96% recycling rate – but sometimes the lack of information on specific materials works against the process.

“The co-mingling of different types of plastic does not help; it’s almost impossible to identify the type of plastic and the product as they don’t have product numbers,” says Button.

In an effort to make better use of problem plastics, Kier Environmental Services has developed a recycled replacement plywood hoarding made up of various polymers it collects from local authority and industrial and commercial clients.

The product is currently being trialled

by Kier’s construction businesses and can be reused several times before being recycled again. “It outperforms ply sheet at every level,” says Julian Tranter, managing director of Kier Environmental Services. “We are developing the further use of recyclates into construction products, for example the use of cellulose fibre as an insulator.”

Looking to the future, there are hopes that a shift towards a circular economy will eliminate the categorisation of plastic products and materials as waste

“Up to half of the waste leaving a material recovery facility will be sent for energy recovery. Energy recovery is classified as diversion from landfill, but should not be classified as recycling” Charlie Law, Sustainable Construction Solutions

and ensure they are able to sustain their value through reuse or recycling.

Exponents of the movement have envisioned a scenario whereby building products and systems, such as ceiling tiles, carpets, raised access flooring or cladding, are no longer bought outright but leased from manufacturers who reclaim them at end of life and reuse the components, or feed them back into production processes.

Circular principles ISG is about to sign up to the UK Green Building Council’s Circular Economy programme, a new two-year programme of research and testing set up to demystify the application of circular economic principles on real estate and construction projects.

“It’s really cutting edge and all about challenging traditional contractual solutions and procurement routes, and finding practical solutions,” says Kelly.

Meanwhile, the BRE is one of 15 partners from seven European countries exploring circular options for building materials through the Buildings As Material Banks programme (BAMB), which is currently running six pilots.

The project is exploring methods for recording the products that go into buildings and how they are assembled to optimise options for reuse and the lifetime extension of systems in buildings.

Hobbs comments: “We have been doing some analysis trying to work out the trade-off between including different types of material in a reusable specification versus a disposable specification.”

The project is also developing a new form of materials passports, intended to provide enhanced information on the composition of products and materials and their design attributes, which

Kier Environmental Services has developed a recycled replacement plywood hoarding

should make it easier to identify the best route for reuse or recycling.

If such data is tagged to objects in BIM models, including the supplier URL and details of its take-back scheme, it could provide a much more effective and transparent method of closing the loop.

Innovative solutions like these could soon come to the fore as countries worldwide attempt to stem the flow of toxic plastics for future generations. ● 17

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NEILY PEELIE

INSIGHT• ONSITE APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

A postcard from Preston: the bus station in the 1970s

A BRUTALIST REBIRTH IN PRESTON PRESTON BUS STATION, AN ICON OF BRUTALIST ARCHITECTURE, IS BEING RENOVATED BY LOCAL CONTRACTOR CONLON CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT JOHN PUTTICK. WILL MANN MEETS THE PROJECT TEAM DELIVERING THIS UNUSUAL HERITAGE PROJECT

Preston Bus Station is, to its many admirers, a masterpiece of brutalist architecture. Designed by Keith Ingham and Charles Wilson of BDP, engineered

by Ove Arup and Partners and built by John Laing, the building was completed in 1969. With its signature “scallop shell” facade, the smooth finishes the result of precast GRP mouldings, it is probably Preston’s most famous building. But it is not to everyone’s taste.

As recently as 2012, the bus station was earmarked for demolition by Preston City Council, before it was saved following a campaign led by, among others, the Twentieth Century Society. In 2013, it was awarded Grade II listed status – the third time it had been applied for – and ownership transferred to Lancashire County Council (LCC).

Since then, the local authority has been progressing a multi-phase, £24.3m redevelopment of the site. In 2015, following an international competition,

New York firm John Puttick Associates was appointed as architect for the scheme, which also includes an adjacent new-build youth zone.

But the renovation of the bus station is undoubtedly the centrepiece. The vast, 4,250 sq m building includes a double-height ground floor concourse, which is being substantially reconfigured, and nine levels of car parking above, edged by the scallops, all of which are being refurbished.

This £12.6m work package is being handled by local contractor Conlon Construction. It has the logistical challenge of keeping the bus station – used by 10,000 passengers daily – fully operational throughout the programme, as well as delivering the unusual heritage works.

“There are not many examples of brutalist repair work, so engagement with the Twentieth Century Society was very important in terms of

Conlon and concrete repairs contractor Makers devised a bespoke cantilevered cradle to access the scallops

understanding what was required,” explains John Puttick, who has since moved his practice base to Vauxhall, south London. “The project needed to deliver a contemporary bus station while being sensitive to the original design intent. Fortunately, much of that design intent remains relevant.”

LCC decided to follow an early contractor involvement (ECI) procurement route, bringing Conlon on board early. “The ECI phase allowed us to identify key trades and plan the renovation work,” says chairman Michael Conlon.

“It’s important for the council to have a 25-year warranty for the bus station, and the restoration methods and finishes which Conlon identified, in particular use of anti-carbonation paints and corrosion inhibitors, will allow that,” explains Andrew Barrow, project manager at LCC. Surveys of the structure were also carried out, and Barrow says that the structural condition of the bus station was “no worse than when it was built”.

The 18-month ECI phase started in January 2015 and ran through to June 2016. The concrete repairs programme commenced in September 2016.

Conlon appointed concrete repairs specialist Makers for the car park work.

“It’s fair to say the condition of the scallops was consistently inconsistent,” says Conlon. “We have used the Sika 614 mortar mix for the concrete repairs on both the scallops and the exterior columns.”

Accessing the scallops was not straightforward, because of their curved profile, and Conlon and Makers devised a bespoke cradle. “Using scaffolding, it cantilevers out from the edge of the car park level,” explains Conlon.

There are varying finishes across the different concrete elements. The

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Contractor (bus station restoration) Conlon Construction

M&E engineer Skelly & Couch Value (bus station restoration) £12.6m

Programme ECI phase ran from January 2015 to June 2016; Bus

station completes in summer 2018; Whole scheme completes in 2019

PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID MILLINGTON

Client Lancashire County Council Architect John Puttick Associates

“The project needed to deliver a contemporary bus station while being sensitive to the original design intent” John Puttick, John Puttick Associates

The distinctive scallop shell facade of the bus station has been restored and treated with anti-carbonation paint

scallops have been coated with an anticarbonation paint also used on the car park levels. For the exterior columns, where the finish is exposed aggregate, a clear glaze weatherproof coating (Sikagard 680S) was used.

“The Twentieth Century Society was more relaxed about the areas that had previously been painted, but was keen for the exposed aggregate look to be retained,” says Puttick.

The car park decks are staggered, and their condition varied. “Only levels 1 and 2, and 8 and 9 had bitumen surfaces, the others – though covered – were exposed to the elements,” says Conlon. “The deck on level 3 was the worst, because in winter, when vehicles were carrying salt from the roads, this was the first level without bitumen they would reach.

“Once Makers had broken out the concrete, and replaced the rebar, the concrete was patched, and coated with Triflex waterproof coating. The bitumen decks were also scabbled down, and patched, before being coated with Triflex, but we have not laid down new blacktop.”

The new surface will instead be finished with an anti-carbonation coating, and within the concrete reinforcement bar is an impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) system.

“The appointment by Conlon of a specialist called Corrosion Prevention 19

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10,000

The bus station had to remain operational while 10,000 passengers passed through daily

to deliver the ICCP was a key decision taken during the ECI phase,” says Barrow.

“The ICCP runs a light current through the rebar, which will if anything thicken the rebar rather than corrode it,” explains Conlon. “In some areas of the car park, where there is evidence of greater drilling into the concrete, this is where the corrosion was at its worst and extra protection was put in.”

The phasing and logistics management of the repairs has been “tricky”, Conlon explains. “For each deck we refurbished, we had to screen off the ramps to the adjoining decks, and then organise our working area so that we could always maintain access to the car park from both north and south ends.”

At ground level, the double-height concourse area is being modernised and brightened. This work has included stripping out a considerable amount of “clutter”, as Puttick puts it, such as

The service conduits are mostly concealed in a band running around the perimeter above the doors. The old bus pen barriers have been converted into curved wooden benches. The soffit has been cleaned and will appear brighter with the new uplighting

temporary buildings and old signage.

The entire facade is being replaced with new aluminium-framed double glazing, including new automatic doors.

“We had lengthy discussions with the Twentieth Century Society about replacing the existing sliding timber frame doors, which were 2.5m-wide, and required manual operation,” explains Puttick. “The doors were beautiful in their own way, but didn’t actually work either in a 1960s bus station or modern bus station.

“The bronze anodised finishes of the automated aluminium-framed replacements will be as close a match to the original iroko as possible. The visual effect is very similar.”

However, timber will feature on the new benches inside the bus station, recycled from the original interior. “The barriers separating the bus pens were made from timber panels, each around

4m long and 300mm wide,” explains Puttick. “As the pens are being removed from one side of the bus station, we have removed and restored these timber panels, and turned them on their side to become benches with curved corners.”

Restoration specialists were brought in for the white ceramic wall tiles and Pirelli rubber floor tiles. “Although the flooring makes the interior quite dark, we couldn’t touch it,” says Puttick.

Some tiles were replaced, explains Conlon, where subways had been closed off and those tiles could be recycled.

A new glass-and steel reception pod will face an open space which connects the two sides of the bus station. “The original bus station lacked a central focal point,” says Puttick. “The pod design is contemporary though the colour scheme matches the original.”

The new lighting will have a “big impact” on the concourse and interior, he adds: “Previously there was a lot of clumsily installed downlighting in the concrete soffit, which didn’t work very well. Engineer Skelly & Couch’s design has flipped it over, so that it now highlights the ribbed soffit.”

Skelly & Couch director Mark Maidment says: “When we examined early photos of the bus station, we think the original intent was uplighting, but we don’t think the fittings were powerful enough – the concrete soffit is quite dark.

“We design to CIBSE guidelines for light levels, but they will be 30% brighter here – the client said they receive complaints from older people, which may be partly due to the effect of the black flooring.”

The most powerful LED lights are linear fittings concealed in a shelf around the building’s perimeter, with others hidden in the coffers.

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Modernist methods The Twentieth Century Society’s campaign to preserve brutalist buildings

“It is important for our industry to appreciate this architecture; it’s our responsibility to preserve it for future generations” Michael Conlon, Conlon Construction

“We modelled the lighting first and did a mock-up on site with the electrical contractor to check it would work,” says Maidment. “The soffit has also been cleaned of the pollution from bus fumes that has accumulated over the years, so the LEDs will be illuminating a much brighter soffit.”

A significant challenge for Skelly & Couch, given the amount of exposed concrete in the building, was how and where to conceal the service runs.

“The new bus station has more technology now compared to when it was built – CCTV, PA and digital screens – so there was a lot of trunking,” explains Maidment. “However, there is a band which runs around the middle of the facade and includes back-lit boxes above the doors, and we were able to hide most of the conduits in there.”

Interior works included renovating toilets and retail units, with some

relocations of tenants at the bus station since 1972. “The sequencing, phasing and choreography has been a major challenge, but we have kept communicating with them throughout and they will end up with better properties as a result,” says Barrow.

Barrow says that “as many local people have told me they love what we’re doing, as those who have said they loathe it”, but is confident they will see a “big difference” once the scheme is finished.

Conlon Construction’s restoration work on the bus station is to complete in the summer. “It is important for our industry to appreciate this architecture; it’s our responsibility to preserve it for future generations,” adds Conlon.

The next phase of the redevelopment is the youth centre to the west – “a stepped design which responds to the massing of the bus station,” explains Puttick – followed by the new bus bays on the eastern apron, a new coach station at the southern end, western public realm space, replacing the bus bays on that side, and associated highways works.

“Although the number of bus bays will fall from 80 to 40, that still comfortably meets capacity, and the design has flexibility for expansion if necessary,” says Barrow.

The whole development is scheduled for completion in 2019. ●

The planned youth zone alongside the bus station

The Twentieth Century Society has fought an often frustrating crusade to gain recognition for brutalist architecture such as Preston Bus Station, which was only listed after the third application.

Clare Price is the society’s case officer working on the building, which she says has “national architectural and historic interest”. The organisation’s advice has proved helpful for construction professionals working on modernist restoration projects, which remain comparatively rare.

“The Preston Bus Station architect, John Puttick, was in touch immediately [after winning the design competition] to consult with us, and was keen for his solution to reflect the original design intent,” says Price.

Due to concerns from the society about the massing and location of the new youth zone building, its design was altered and moved further away from the listed bus station.

Price and the society’s director and concrete guru Catherine Croft also provided input on the concrete mixes required for the renovation.

“We are not generally in favour of using anti-carbonation paint on the concrete for heritage reasons,” Price adds, “but we recognised that Lancashire County Council needed assurances and guarantees for the work. We are happy that the exposed aggregate finish of the lower columns will be retained and visible because of the clear weatherproof coating.”

While the bus station’s renovation suggests a shift in sentiment towards brutalist architecture, the recent demolition of the Robin Hood Gardens estate in east London shows the society's work is far from done.

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BIM LEVEL 2 UPTAKE STILL SLOW, BUT AR AND AUTOMATION UP THE ANNUAL CONSTRUCTION MANAGER BIM SURVEY, IN CONJUNCTION WITH BIMPLUS, SHOWED SLUGGISH GROWTH IN BIM LEVEL 2 UPTAKE, BUT GROWING ENTHUSIASM FOR OTHER DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS DRONES AND VR. BY DENISE CHEVIN

New technologies like drones and virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) are making their mark across the sector as firms look to increase productivity and margins, according to the Construction Manager annual survey in conjunction with BIMplus.

The survey, now in its third year, also found the uptake of BIM Level 2 in projects showed incremental improvements rather than any great

step change, despite being mandated for nearly two years. Demand from clients continued to be patchy – with a worrying decline in demand from the private sector, where it is already very low.

For the first time this year, the survey asked respondents more widely about their use of new technologies and which would most impact performance over the next 10 years.

More than eight out of 10 said BIM would drive improvement in the industry in the next 10 years

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22%

said they had embedded the CIC BIM protocol (21%, 2017)

As a client, what are your requirements on BIM ?

2017

2018

He se “Just under half – 49% – said they used drones routinely, or were beginning to use them” Though the sector has a reputation for being slow to change, the results point to an industry very much in transition, with high numbers of the 365 respondents routinely using or beginning to use tablets, drones and AR. The indications bode well for the sector deal for construction with government, which is committing £170m for the industry’s digital transformation with an expected £250m match funding – details are to be published imminently.

For example: l Nearly four-fifths (77%) used tablets routinely or were beginning to use them l Just under half (49%) used drones routinely, or were beginning to use them l Nearly half (47%) said they were using augmented reality routinely or beginning to use it l And more than half (56%) said they were using design for manufacture and assembly routinely or were just beginning to use it.

High numbers of respondents were certain that new digital technologies would improve the performance of the industry in the next 10 years – with more than eight out of 10 (83%) saying BIM would drive improvement.

Three-quarters (75%) thought that design for manufacture and assembly would improve performance, with 3D printing (48%), VR/AR (59%),

autonomous site vehicles and plant and machinery (40%) and intelligent site robotics (39%) also thought likely to have a significant impact in driving improved performance over the next 10 years.

Uptake of BIM Level 2 Last year the industry was disappointed that the BIM mandate of April 2016 had not accelerated BIM take-up to the degree expected and cited the fact that clients were not demanding Level 2 BIM as a contractual requirement. This year there is a degree of improvement, with 41% of respondents reporting that clients were making Level 2 BIM mandatory on all of their projects or using it on many or some projects. In 2017, the figures were lower at just 36%.

The increase would appear to be coming from marginally higher demand in the public sector funded from outside central government. In 2018 16% of respondents claimed that half or more contracts from these clients had a BIM requirement, compared with 14% in 2017.

The survey points to a decline in demand for Level 2 BIM in the private sector. Of 2017’s respondents 13% saw a demand for Level 2 BIM on at least half their work in the private sector. The 2018 survey showed this has fallen to 11%.

Despite the marginal change in overall demand from clients, there was a more

n We ask for Level 2 BIM as a contractual requirement on 100% of our projects

n We ask for BIM, but our requirements will be below Level 2

n We ask for Level 2 BIM as a contractual requirement on most projects (over 50% by number or value)

n We ask for BIM, but our requirements will go beyond Level 2

n We ask for Level 2 BIM as a contractual requirement on some projects (under 50% by number or value)

n We do not make BIM a requirement on our projects, although teams are free to use it n Other

How many past and current projects has your organisation been involved in that use Level 2 BIM? 2017

2018

n None n 1 - 3 only n 4 - 10 n 10 or more

Thinking about your own BIM processes in general, how confident do you feel about delivering Level 2 BIM? 2017

2018

n Unsure n A measure of confidence n Confident 23

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33%

said they had embedded the PAS 1192-2 standard, compared with 28% in 2017

0%

100%

On projects you have worked on that used BIM, how would you describe the impact?

It saved time in pre-construction design It saved cost in pre-construction design It saved time in the construction phase It saved cost in the construction phase It helped cut the project's carbon footprint It promoted safety and regulatory compliance It created efficiencies in the hand-over phase

noticeable increase in the number of projects where respondents had used or were using Level 2 BIM, suggesting the drive to use the process was self driven, rather than client led.

Those who have used BIM on four or more projects rose from 30% in 2017 to 37% in 2018. One in three respondents (33%) said they had still not been involved with any projects using BIM, though in 2017 this had been nearly two-fifths (38%), and was up at 49% in 2016, the first year of the survey.

Growing confidence In 2017, 36% of respondents claimed to be unsure of how to deliver BIM Level 2, but this figure has now fallen to 30%.

Conversely, seven out of 10 respondents (70%) claim to be quite confident when delivering BIM, compared with 64% in 2017. The increase in the use of these tools in implementing BIM is

It created efficiencies in the operational phase

n We have not seen any evidence

It promoted collaboration and reduced 'silo' working

n We have seen some positive signs

It has improved our margins/fees/profits

n We have seen good results

reflected in the increase in confidence our respondents are feeling.

In terms of embedding the so-called eight pillars of BIM – the standards, procedures and protocols to fully implement Level 2 – there were incremental improvements across the board, the notable exceptions being the government soft landings and cyber security, where the figures showed a decline.

“One of the most positive changes is around fees and margins, where 35% said they had seen positive signs, compared with 29% in 2017”

Benefits of BIM As with the previous two years, there has been no epiphany in 2018 in terms of users’ experience of the benefits. Again, we asked respondents about the impact of BIM in a number of areas, including any benefits in saving time and cost and during pre-construction and the construction phase.

While there has been little change year-on-year in terms of respondents having seen good results, the dial has

at least moved from “no evidence of benefits” in favour of “seeing some positive signs”, with a few percentage points differences in each of the nine categories. One of the most positive changes is around fees and margins, where 35% said they had seen positive signs, compared with 29% in 2017.

Turning to the impacts of BIM on the industry as a whole, respondents were more positive. Only one in five thought

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12/03/2018 09:45

INSIGHT• ONSITE APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

21%

had embedded COBie in 2018, compared with 15% in 2017

Which, if any, of these technologies are being used in construction projects you are involved with?

0%

100% Tablets to access or record project information Drones Augmented/ Virtual reality

n Routinely n Just beginning to use n Not at all

Which of the following technologies/processes do you think will have significant impact in driving improved performance in the construction industry in the next five to 10 years?

Design for manufacture and assembly

0%

100% Design for manufacture and assembly Intelligent onsite robotics Building information modelling 3D printing Virtual/augmented reality

n Highly likely n Unsure n Highly unlikely

that BIM would add complexity without driving improvements, and more than half (57%) said BIM’s effectiveness in the design stage has already been proven.

Again, nearly half (48%) thought that BIM would help achieve better margins and or productivity, while 63% thought BIM would be a catalyst for better collaboration.

However, confidence has taken a knock in terms of BIM achieving wider industry targets. Only 16% thought it likely that it would reduce out-turn costs as set out in the 2011 Construction Strategy – where the plan for a BIM mandate was first set out. In 2017 this figure was 24%.

Also, just 22% thought BIM would shorten overall timescales of projects by 50% as set out in the Construction 2025 strategy, compared with 30% in 2017, while only 21% thought it was likely the industry would achieve Level 3 BIM by 2025, compared with 31% in 2017. ●

Autonomous site vehicles and plant machinery

The respondents and their work l Of the 365 respondents, 39 were clients in the public sector and 24 were private sector clients.

Thirty-four said they were project managers.

“Nearly half – 47% – said they were using augmented reality routinely or beginning to use it”

l Ninety-two – or 25% of respondents – worked for Tier 1 contractors with £100m plus turnover, while 25 worked for Tier 1 contractors with turnover below £100m and 15 for Tier 2 or Tier 3 specialist contractors. l Twenty-one were cost consultants and 106 – or 29% – design consultants, working in architecture or engineering. l The most popular sectors were commercial, including

offices, retail and leisure, where more than half (54%) of respondents said they were involved. More than a third (35%) worked in private residential and 21% in social housing, with a further 29% in school projects, while one in four (25%) were involved in higher or further education.

More than one in five (23%) said they were involved in health, and the same number in infrastructure projects. l In terms of size of projects and workloads, most were involved with large projects: 56% were involved in construction projects between £10m and £500m, 18% over £500m and 26% below £10m.

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INSIGHT• ONSITE/BIM APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

language can be off-putting. It’s our job to demystify BIM, speaking in a language where we sell the benefits, answering the “what’s in it for me?” question.

In construction, we don’t have rich data sets that are structured and validated – certainly not in the same way as some other industries. We need to find a way where we can invest in the right IT infrastructure that enables us to collect and interrogate data, improving how assets are built and maintained.

Key to the adoption of BIM is getting the benefits properly understood and linking them to an organisation’s business objectives. It will then be seen as a “must-have”, and be specified correctly in the contract. Then, it’s all about project set-up and making sure the expectations are fully understood by all parties. It’s then that the benefits of BIM will be truly realised.

SUBTLE CHANGES, SHIFTING PRIORITIES

“Data can answer questions we didn’t even know we had” Adam McCall, BIM consultancy lead, Arcadis

CM SPOKE TO A SELECTION OF BIM EXPERTS FROM ACROSS THE INDUSTRY TO ASSESS HOW USE OF THE TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS

“Technical and complex language can be off-putting – it’s our job to demystify BIM” Malcolm Stagg, director of BIM and digital engineering, Skanska UK

Progress towards the adoption of BIM is a continuing journey, industrywide. The expectations are increasing year-on-year, so if you don’t keep pace you go backwards.

The ability of organisations to deliver is now being verified, such as through the BSI BIM kitemark. That’s good news – it helps to drive up standards and provides reassurance to customers.

We’re embedding BIM and digital ways of working across our business, including with our supply chain partners.

That’s important in trying to make it our “business as usual” way of working.

One of the barriers to adoption is a lack of understanding. Technical and complex

Above: Lendlease’s Rathbone Square is an exemplar BIM project used to share lessons learnt

The biggest change I have seen over the last 12 months is the shift in people’s priority from compliance (BIM Level 2) to the importance of data.

However, what still eludes most projects is the question: what do we want the data for? It’s a question that doesn’t just have one answer.

Structuring the questions so projects can respond is difficult. There will be questions that need answering at every milestone and “sub-gate” for a project that all route back to business objective questions. This mapping is missing.

Too much data is as bad as not enough. Data that isn’t structured or validated is as bad as no data at all. It’s all waste and inefficiency.

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | APRIL 2018 INSIGHT• ONSITE/BIM

What I find most exciting about data is that it can answer questions we didn’t even know we had. It can give insights into analysing project data – as simple as time, cost and scope, or weather, asset performance and renewal patterns.

A positive I have experienced on a few projects is BIM enabling GIS. The two together are a powerful toolset.

The “where” and “what” are good partners and in combination they are more than the sum of their parts.

“Poor information management is costing asset owners a lot of money” Edonis Jesus, BIM leader, Lendlease

In the past 12 months, I have noticed that awareness of BIM and its adoption has continued to rise, however there is perhaps too great a focus on the technology and not enough on the data and information management.

BIM Level 2 is all about information management and how data is produced to improve the efficiency of both project delivery but, more importantly, asset operation. There is work to be done in educating the industry – particularly clients – about the benefits of BIM Level 2, not only during a project delivery phase but for the operational phase.

BIM Level 2 adoption can help asset owners reduce operational expenditure costs, which account for around 80% of costs through a building’s lifecycle.

Poor information management is costing asset owners a lot of money.

I often ask clients on refurbishment projects for past surveys or drawings and they don’t have them – they have been lost or were never recorded. Clients need to understand that data is an asset.

At Lendlease, we often run training sessions with clients and suppliers to

raise awareness of BIM, but more needs to be done by the entire industry.

It would be great for all companies to share more about lessons learnt on their BIM implementation journeys, as Lendlease has done with its exemplar BIM projects, including Elephant Park, the International Quarter and Rathbone Square in London.

I would like for BIM Level 2 to become “business as usual”, to enable the industry to move ahead on its digital transformation journey and start focusing on the interface of BIM with other technologies, such as the internet of things, artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain and plenty more.

“Some customers who had no BIM knowledge have had their eyes opened” Garry Fannon, head o f digital, Willmott Dixon Construction

If Wilmott Dixon were to describe the changes over the past 12 months, they would be described as subtle.

But subtle in a positive way.

Knowledge and experience of digital construction from our customers is increasing. We are seeing improvements in the quality of models from our experienced design consortium members and internal knowledge of what a good model looks like has increased.

Inexperienced modellers now probably stand out more and need assistance and support on quality assurance from our digital teams. We continue to support our supply chain partners to understand the opportunities.

Some benefits are starting to be delivered. We are getting better at checking data, delivering data and explaining the future value of data.

Above and top: BIM model of Skanska’s UK HQ; the company is embedding BIM across its business

Our most inspiring stories are of customers who initially had no BIM requirements but have had their eyes opened by our preconstruction teams.

Willmott Dixon is now an active member of the UK BIM Alliance. If we can get our customers to establish their asset requirements and digitally enable their FM teams, adoption will happen a lot more quickly.

“More and more clients are inquisitive about BIM functionality”

Melanie Dawson, head of BIM and digital construction, Graham

Over the past 12 months, we’ve noticed an increase in demand from clients requesting BIM as part of the tender process and as a condition of contract.

More and more of them are inquisitive about its functionality. Some require BIM Level 2 while others look to take parts from it that they believe will add value.

In response, we’ve kicked up a gear and continue to challenge ourselves, reflected in our dual BSI Kitemark certification – BIM Design and Construction (PAS 1192-2) and Asset Management (PAS 1192-3). The third-party accreditation gives our clients and the supply chain we work with confidence.

Our BIM portfolio continues to expand, with projects like the Baird & Anchor Hospitals on behalf of NHS Grampian, a 383-unit build-torent development on Liverpool’s waterfront, and the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London.

There remains much to be done.

Construction is often viewed as very traditional. Ultimately, I’d like to see that culture change, as embracing BIM and digital technology will only enhance the service offering to clients. ● 29

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INSIGHT• ONSITE/BIM APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

MOVING ON FROM BIM LEVEL 2 TOWARDS DIGITAL BUILT BRITAIN TWO YEARS ON FROM THE UK GOVERNMENT’S MANDATE TO MANDATE BIM USE IN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT, BIM TSAR MARK BEW ARGUES THAT CONSTRUCTION NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF DATA EXPLOITATION, INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND ANALYTICS

Based on the conversations that I have d a y i n d a y o u t a c ro s s t h e U K construction supply chain, it is clear that the industry is still very much at the start of its digital transformation.

Yet we have come a long way. As we approach the second anniversary of the government’s unprecedented April 2016 deadline to mandate the use of BIM in public sector procurement, sweeping change to embrace data is now highly visible throughout the sector.

The BIM Level 2 programme successfully started a conversation about data, as then chief construction adviser Paul Morrell advocated. This has now begun the slow process of moving industry away from a lowest cost mindset towards a new world of better outcomes.

Initially needing to be weaned off 2D drawings, we now see an industry not simply designing in 3D but actually embracing a new digital future in which data has value.

Simply observe the impact that the UK programme has created beyond our shores. Internationally, asset owners, designers and constructors are routinely using our methods and processes. In fact, there are now more metros being delivered around the world using UK standards than any other – an amazing achievement given the short time that the UK has been driving this project.

So what’s next? We need to continue the pressure and continue to grow capacity and scale massively if we wish to maintain our competitive position.

Driving the UK economy Recent work by the Digital Built Britain programme demonstrates the critical role the built environment plays in driving the whole of the UK’s economy, with a significant proportion of the £1,869bn annual GDP directly related to its performance. As we move towards BIM Level 3 and beyond, it is vital that our digital mindset continues to influence every aspect of the industry and that we create a Digital Built Britain.

The question is: what is stopping us? If the BIM Level 2 programme has been successful, then why do I still have so many conversations across the industry telling me that making this vital transformation is too costly, too difficult, too time-consuming and fails to give the

“As we move towards Level 3 and beyond, it is vital our digital mindset continues to influence every aspect of the industry” Mark Bew, Centre for Digital Built Britain

required return on investment? Why do we still see too many clients across the construction sector driving forward on a lowest-cost basis – focused on capex and opex rather than the need to invest in better long-term outcomes?

The answer of course is culture, and with such a conservative, low-margin, low-barrier-to-entry industry, changing this culture was always going to be a challenge. The status quo – the “we’ve always done it like this around here” – is still a huge hurdle to overcome.

However, help is at hand in the shape of investment in the new Centre for Digital Built Britain in Cambridge. This new body is a key plank in helping the industry to meet that challenge – it is central to ensuring that we have the capacity and skills to move on and continue to stay ahead.

The vision is to bring digital techniques and capabilities to the lifecycle of the built environment.

To move the current debate beyond technologies and towards new business models that will enable us to build assets more efficiently and understand how they are used by the public.

Making the process of transformation as simple as possible and removing complexities is key as the industry becomes accustomed to a new and rapidly changing world. That inevitably means embracing a new language to help industry to move away from the world of BIM and towards a new and bigger world of data exploitation, information management, feedback and advanced analytics. It is a new language we must learn if the industry is to accelerate its vital transformation today. ● Mark Bew is strategic adviser for the UK’s Centre for Digital Built Britain and is chairman of engineering consultancy PCSG.

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INSIGHT• ONSITE/BIM APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Client Surrey County Council Principal contractor McAvoy Group

Architect HBS Value £2.9m Programme 29 weeks

BIM visualisation showing the extension

BIM PROVIDES SPEEDY SPECIAL SCHOOL SOLUTION MODULAR SPECIALIST MCAVOY, WORKING AS PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR ON A SURREY SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOL EXTENSION, INTEGRATED BIM WITH ITS OFFSITE MANUFACTURING METHODS TO HELP DELIVER A RAPID SITE PROGRAMME

Integrating BIM with offsite manufacturing is seen an important step on construction’s digital journey – and a school extension project in Surrey demonstrates the potential benefits.

Modular specialist McAvoy, the principal contractor on the project, used BIM to address the complexities of an awkward sloping site, with gradient differences of 870mm.

The 910 sq m extension at West Hill School in Leatherhead, which caters for

The extension (the blue elements) connects to an existing modular classroom and the traditionally constructed school in the background

children with learning and additional needs, links the traditionally constructed main school building with an existing modular teaching block, and provides new classrooms, breakout rooms, a library and a first floor teacher training centre. It allows the school to change from secondary education provision to become a two-form entry primary school.

The £2.9m project had to be delivered on the constrained, sloping site while the school remained fully operational.

“Our offsite solution was engineered to accommodate significant height differences between the main building and the modular block,” explains David Clark, head of manufacturing and innovation at McAvoy Group, who heads up its BIM strategy and implementation.

“3D modelling was invaluable to inform the groundworks. Challenging ground conditions required complex piled foundations and a supporting steel frame,” he says. “Gradient differences were incorporated within corridors using a double-floor beam design and three ramped areas, which ensured the gradients were compliant with part M of the Building Regulations. This avoided the need for steps inside the building.”

Some 28 steel-framed modules were used, and 3D modelling aided installation, with workers referencing the models from tablets on site, Clark explains.

“The BIM models provided the whole supply chain with a better understanding of the building design and enabled them to better plan their elements of the build process,” he adds. “Clash detection between the structural and M&E elements was also invaluable.”

3D models and virtual reality also helped decision-making with stakeholders. “The school was able to see each room and experience the space,” he explains. “BIM gave teaching

“The BIM models provided the whole supply chain with a better understanding of the building design” David Clark, McAvoy Group

staff the opportunity to assess how the training centre could work located as a second storey over the new classroom block rather than as a freestanding building as originally envisaged.”

Though manufactured offsite, the extension accommodates bespoke design features to reflect the children’s needs.

These include wider corridors to help children with mobility issues, hygiene rooms with a hoist to assist children in wheelchairs, and special acoustics due to the school’s location under a flight path.

The digital techniques allowed streamlined co-ordination of workflows, which led to time savings against the overall programme, Clark says.

“The 28 modules were installed in just four days and we restricted working times to maintain access and accommodate the children’s arrival at and departure from school,” he adds.

The work programme was completed after less than eight months on site.

Giorgia diSarno, project manager at client Surrey County Council, says: “Offsite manufacturing allowed us to develop a bespoke building with the benefits of better quality control in a factory environment. It was essential to reduce time on site to avoid disruption to the school. A shorter construction period on site is hugely beneficial to any school but particularly to special needs children.” ●

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INSIGHT• ONSITE/BIM APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

83% 70%

84% 83%

“Today, digital documents and PDFs have replaced paper,” she adds, “which has introduced a new challenge: digital information management. So, our new goal is to leverage the success of Bluebeam Revu, our software, and provide a centralised platform for storing and sharing digital information.”

CM and Bluebeam have carried out a survey of construction professionals, to assess progress on information sharing and collaboration – and it shows there is still considerable work to be done.

Information is most commonly shared in the industry by email. Around 84% of survey respondents use email to share internal information, nearly 70% to share sensitive information with external partners, and 86% to share non-sensitive information with external partners, while 74% get instant access to information via email.

“That’s ok for some information,” says Reed. “But when you’re on site and using a smartphone, it’s hard to navigate to the most recent iteration of a document or a floorplan or an estimate. It’s absolutely vital to have a ‘single source of truth’. Different types of information require different types of sharing. But a single source of truth allows for the current version to be the one people are using and referencing, marking up and sharing.

“A simple file-share like Dropbox is a good start, but it doesn’t have the tools for effective administration, easy archiving, and quickly ascertaining who made which changes, and when. A single source of truth greatly reduces rework and delays due to confusion on the jobsite or in the planning and review phases.”

The survey results show that many professionals may misunderstand the goals of using software to aid collaboration, Reed notes.

“Some 83% of respondents use software to collaborate but interestingly nearly 50% say they don’t use the software to save money,” she says. “Collaboration and saving money should go hand in hand. Collaborating effectively means less rework , scheduling benefits, and greater buy-in from all parties.”

Some 83% of respondents said it was important or highly important to be able to work “whenever, wherever”. “Whether you’re at a desk or on the jobsite, or on vacation when an emergency comes up, it’s vital to have access to the most current information,” says Reed.

“Again, it’s about that single source of truth. Designers and construction managers will need different software from a foreman or planner. However, having universal software that allows for the sharing of information and realtime collaboration is a boon, because it unites people on all levels and in all phases of the construction process.

“Revu has become the industry standard for that, as a language that anybody can be fluent in.”

Key barriers to adoption of software for information sharing were considered to be cost (18%), management hesitancy (14%) and lack of support staff (11%).

Another 15% cited lack of knowledge of available solutions.

of responders use software to collaborate

WHEN IT’S GOOD TO SHARE JOINT RESEARCH BY CM AND SOFTWARE COMPANY BLUEBEAM SHOWS CONSTRUCTION STILL LAGS ON INFORMATION SHARING. SO WHAT SHOULD THE INDUSTRY BE DOING DIFFERENTLY, AND WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS?

With complex projects to deliver and extensive supply chains to manage, information sharing is crucial to the effective operation of construction companies. But few f irms have mastered it – yet.

Sasha Reed, vice president for industry advocacy at software house Bluebeam, explains. “Document control is a major challenge for construction firms,” she says. “The well-worn motorway of information sharing between project partners has been paved with paper.

This outdated business process has resulted in hours of rework and inflated project costs due to incorrect and outdated information sharing.”

When it began working with the construction industry, Bluebeam’s initial goal was to remove the paper and disrupt the status quo of information management, enabling construction customers to keep pace with modern project timelines, says Reed.

“Collaborating effectively means less rework and greater buy-in from all parties” Sasha Reed, Bluebeam

share sensitive info via email with external partners

of respondents share internal info via email

of respondents say they need to work “whenever, wherever”

83% of respondents said it was important to be able to work “whenever, wherever”

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20/03/2018 10:53

CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | APRIL 2018 INSIGHT• ONSITE/BIM

Bluebeam’s intuitive, PDF-based markup and collaboration solutions advance the way technical professionals work and manage projects digitally. Learn more at www.bluebeam.com/uk

Bluebeam’s Revu interface enables collaboration on blueprints for buildings

“There are solutions out there, such as Bluebeam, which are affordable, easy to use, and offer a host of free training resources including videos, to help everybody from field users to power users learn the software,” says Reed.

While 13% of respondents’ firms outsource CAD and BIM requirements, Reed believes it is still “critical” to interpret the drawings produced. “One easy solution is a PDF reader that can accommodate complicated drawings, and also allows the user to focus in on the areas that matter to them,” she says.

Bluebeam has worked with many construction companies to deliver significant cost and efficiency savings.

One customer, North American company PCL Construction, tracked the number of times a single submittal was downloaded, explains Reed.

“They discovered that nine individuals downloaded the same submittal 52 times,” she says. “Extrapolate

that duplication of effort across all submittals, RFIs or plan sets, and the minutes begin to add up to hours, creating lots of unnecessary rework.”

PCL Construction decided to link all its documents to the plan set and upload it into Studio (Bluebeam’s cloud-based collaboration platform included with Revu), centralising access to real-time information so project managers and engineers were getting the same information as the foremen in the field.

“Revu is allowing us to bring the industry together, and push the limits further,” says Patrick Goforth, project engineer at PCL. But the software is about more than just leveraging digital information. It’s also about providing a single platform for creating, sharing and managing digital information – and achieving considerable time savings.

Another Bluebeam customer, south London-based contractor Forcia, noted

Barriers to adoption of information sharing software 18% say budget is a factor 14% point to management hesitancy 15% cite lack of knowledge of available solutions 11% blame lack of support staff

a significant reduction in the time it took to create and transmit RFIs on a refurbishment project in London after moving from Microsoft Word to Revu.

Forcia used Revu to improve site-level communication by using PDF templates to assemble drawing information, specifications and field images. It was able to ask questions of the architect, engineer or owner, with responses archived in a single storage space.

“Industry-specific functionality like this provides a single platform for connecting the designer with the site manager,” says Reed. “Measuring their effectiveness in terms of time and money, Forcia was able to save on both with every project, which the company credits to the deployment of Revu.”

“Revu was made for our type of business and we were able to take that very intuitive software and get ahead of the game,” says Terry Crawford, construction director at Forcia. ● 35

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20/03/2018 10:52

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INSIGHT• ONSITE/COMMERCIAL VEHICLES APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Cemex is rolling out leaflets to spread the word

TAKING NO CHANCES ON PEDESTRIAN SAFETY CEMEX IS FOLLOWING UP ITS HIGHLY REGARDED CYCLIST SAFETY CAMPAIGN

BY LAUNCHING A SIMILAR INITIATIVE AIMED AT PEDESTRIANS

“Don’t Chance It…” is a new safety campaign aimed at pedestrians which is being spearheaded by Cemex. The building materials giant ran a successful cyclist safety campaign which started in 2009 and has made a significant impact on the safety of these road users – and it has similar goals for its latest initiative.

In the last 18 months, three Cemex drivers in London have been involved in fatalities involving elderly pedestrians.

Don’t walk: safety slogans are shown on Cemex vehicles

While all three were found to be non-culpable, Dave Hart, director of logistics at Cemex, says: “It’s been devastating for all concerned, including the drivers. On all three occasions the pedestrians stepped out in front of the truck in slow-moving traffic and assumed the driver could see them.”

As with its cyclist campaign, the new Cemex pedestrian campaign is taking an industry lead and aims to educate vulnerable road users about the dangers around heavy goods vehicles, such as blind spots, as well as highlighting key road safety messages.

But the audiences are bigger and more difficult to reach.

And the roads are busier than ever before. The Department of Transport reports an increase of 2.2% in 2016 compared to 2015, with over 323 billion miles driven on UK roads in 2016.

Pedestrians account for a quarter of all road fatalities – in London it’s a shocking 53%. In 2016 the numbers killed rose by 10% compared to 2015, the largest increase after motorcyclist fatalities.

Nearly a third of pedestrian fatalities involve people over the age of 60.

Launched on 1 January, the first step looked at how to spread the message.

With around 900 Cemex vehicles on the roads delivering aggregates, cement and readymix concrete, and covering around 39 million miles every year, the firm decided to make use of the considerable space on the sides of its vehicles.

The “Don’t Chance It…” message has been applied to aggregate tippers in London and the north west, with similar designs agreed for cement tankers and readymix trucks. It plans to roll this out further across its fleet.

As well as messages on trucks, a road safety leaflet is about to be printed and

“Drivers will undergo specific training related to this group of vulnerable road users” Dave Hart, Cemex

two videos produced. These highlight a number of other road safety messages, such as always using a crossing, ensuring that pedestrians are visible and keeping looking out and listening.

“The campaign has to start with the message ‘Don’t Chance It’ for pedestrians out and about crossing roads, using the different channels available to us – videos, leaflets and the trucks – but we also need to engage our drivers and, as with the cyclist safety campaign, the drivers will undergo specific training related to this group of vulnerable road users,” says Hart.

Camera systems and sensors “Our vehicles have additional safety features that will help them detect and hopefully see pedestrians – for example, camera systems, additional mirrors and sensors – but pedestrians have to play their part in staying safe,” he adds.

Investment will continue in the latest technology and vehicles to help ensure safer roads. One development has been the introduction of low-entry cabs for vehicles operating in urban areas.

“These vehicles come into their own in an urban environment where the increased visibility of around 90% plays a huge part in the safety of vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians,” says Hart. ●

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20/03/2018 13:08

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INSIGHT• ONSITE/COMMERCIAL VEHICLES APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

“It is essential for the industry to work together to implement clean air measures” Edward Hardy, CCS

TIME TO TACKLE CONSTRUCTION’S POLLUTION PROBLEM A NEW CAMPAIGN BY THE CONSIDERATE CONSTRUCTORS SCHEME AIMS TO ADDRESS THE POLLUTION PROBLEM CAUSED

BY CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY – AFTER AN INDUSTRY SURVEY FOUND THAT NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF WORKERS THOUGHT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH BEING DONE TO TACKLE THE ISSUE

Some 40,000 deaths a year are linked to air pollution in the UK, with more than £20bn lost to the economy due to related health problems. Construction, with its heavy reliance on road transport, not to mention site machinery, is a significant contributor. This pollution has grave implications – not only for the wider public, but also for construction workers who, through their outdoor work, are exposed to this poor quality air daily.

Now, a campaign by the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) is attempting to tackle the problem. It follows a survey of 600 UK and Ireland construction workers at the end of 2017, in which 84% of respondents expressed concern about air pollution in the industry, and nearly two-thirds (64%) said the industry is not doing enough to tackle this issue.

On a more positive note, 88% said the importance of minimising air pollution is being communicated to the workforce on their site, while 62% said their site has appropriate measures in place to address air pollution. Against that, 44% do not have a good or detailed understanding of air pollution.

Raising industry awareness “Construction activity is a significant contributor to air pollution and it is therefore essential for the industry to work together to implement clean air measures to collectively reduce our impact on air quality,” says Edward Hardy, chief executive of the CCS. “The important consideration is whether the industry is truly aware of the impact it is having, and what measures constructors can put in place to minimise pollutants produced through construction activity. Our survey showed that current awareness and understanding across the construction industry urgently needs addressing.”

CCS’s national campaign “Spotlight on…air pollution” wants to highlight how the industry can reduce air pollution through activities in and around construction sites. The organisation makes 18,000 monitoring visits to sites, companies and suppliers every year.

Practical resources hub The initiative offers a hub of practical resources on the CCS website, with guidance from organisations such as the Institute of Air Quality Management, Healthy Air Campaign and the Greater London Authority. Case studies from CCS-registered sites – including those operated by Canary Wharf Contractors, Mace, Morgan Sindall and Sir Robert McAlpine – show how contractors are addressing the problem.

For instance, Morgan Sindall runs a training module on efficient driving techniques, top tips for fuel efficiency and information on journey planning. Fleet driver performance is managed through a tracker system and each quarter the best are rewarded with a cash prize.

Canary Wharf Contractors is also encouraging “greener” driver behaviour, in particular targeting engine idling in areas near schools.

It is using hybrid engine technology fo r co n c re te d e l i ve r i e s o n t h e Newfoundland residential project on the Isle of Dogs, working with its suppliers Laing O’Rourke and Hanson.

The CCS has partnered with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) to produce posters which flag up the issue.

Professor Peter Hansford, chair of the ICE’s air quality task force, says: “This is a golden opportunity for the industry to up its game in relation to air quality around our construction sites and is a key driving force in helping to address this issue across the industry.” ●

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | APRIL 2018 INSIGHT• ONSITE/COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

Gary Sullivan Wilson James

UNSAFE WORKING IS NOT TOLERATED, SO WHY ARE EMISSIONS? POOR AIR QUALITY GENERATED BY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS CAUSES DEATH AND ILLNESS – IN THE SAME WAY AS UNSAFE WORKING. IT’S TIME THE INDUSTRY FOLLOWED THE ZERO TOLERANCE APPROACH TO POLLUTION THAT IT HAS ADOPTED FOR UNSAFE WORK PRACTICES.

BY GARY SULLIVAN

Attempts to legislate for clean air are not new. We had Smoke Abatement Acts in 1853 and 1856, then the Public Health (London) Act 1891 and more recently the City of London (Various Powers) Act of 1954, which influenced the Clean Air Act of 1968. Now it would be unfair to say these and more recent acts haven’t worked, as the air quality in London is clearly better than it was in the 19th century. But it is still poor. And recent attempts by politicians to address that are having limited impact.

Recently, London has introduced a congestion charge which is little more than a revenue-generation scheme and, while the latest European emissions standard for commercial vehicles – Level 6 – is a positive step in reducing particulates, it makes no significant reduction in CO2 emissions.

Moreover, as is the case with electric vehicles, additional equipment fitted

to engines increases weight and reduces payload. So, although we keep updating our fleets, it doesn’t do much to help those breathing in the fumes of city-centre traffic, and it all adds to the cost of goods.

Significant change usually comes from an epiphany. We now put our seat belts on as first nature and we don’t use asbestos any more. The big moment for construction was when we realised that setting targets to reduce fatalities implied that the industry thought some deaths were acceptable.

That one issue was at the heart of our safety improvement and the genesis for phrases like “zero tolerance” and “incident and injury-free”.

If it is unacceptable to have unsafe working practices – meaning that we plan all work to prevent injury or death – why do we still plan our construction projects with the knowledge that we will cause emissions, which will lead to illness and in some cases early death? Maybe the time has come to ban commercial vehicles and private cars from the most congested areas.

Now you might expect me to say that, as an advocate of construction consolidation centres. But when they offer the industry an opportunity to reduce truck journeys to city

centre sites by over 50%, why would construction firms not take it?

Surely this offers a better solution, given that it measurably improves air quality, reduces noise and congestion, and – most importantly – improves the life expectancy of all road users by a significant margin.

Leading best practice Polluted air will cause many people to have respiratory illness or in some cases, life-threatening conditions, and yet we as an industry do little or nothing to reduce this risk.

Compliance with legislation on cleaner vehicles is just that: compliance. We should be aiming to lead best practice and use all available means to improve air quality.

So, when planning your next construction project, don’t just think about your traffic or environmental impact assessments, don’t just think about what is good enough for a construction logistics plan to get a tick in the box – think about what will help the community stay healthy and make the air cleaner for future generations. ● Gary Sullivan is chairman of construction logistics contractor Wilson James.

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INSIGHT• ONSITE/COMMERCIAL VEHICLES APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Iveco’s new Stralis LNG engine delivers the same output as its diesel equivalent with reduced emissions

Shaun Stephenson Ryder UK

GREENING THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY FLEET AS ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION TIGHTENS, TRUCK AND VAN MANUFACTURERS WHICH SUPPLY THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY ARE EXPLORING GREENER OPTIONS. SHAUN STEPHENSON LOOKS AT THE ECO-TECHNOLOGY BEING TRIALLED

Given how much construction relies on road transport, recent environmental legislation is going to have a significant impact on the industry’s operations.

Low emission zones (LEZ) are now at the consultation stage in a number of UK cities and the government will ban all diesel vehicle engines from 2040. In response to these developments, the major commercial vehicle manufacturers are developing new eco-technology.

Some sectors of transport will see a greater short-term modal shift to alternative fuels – urban delivery for example – but the lessons learned will be passed on to all other transport sectors in time, including construction.

Ryder, a supplier of commercial vehicles to the sector for contract hire and rental, is waiting for delivery of the Iveco Daily Electric van, a 100% electric vehicle with zero emissions. The Daily Electric offers three payload options, with one, two or three batteries – more

“The Iveco Stralis LNG tractor unit recently completed the 1,347km from John O’Groats to Land’s End on a single fill”

batteries mean a lighter payload but enable longer range deliveries.

The recent payload lift of driver licensing and operator licensing – from 3,500kg to 4,250kg for alternative-fuelled vehicles – is significant as it negates some of the negative impacts of the weight penalty currently associated with battery technology in light commercials.

Mercedes-Benz will unveil a fully electric vehicle in the fourth quarter of this year. Ryder will look to trial one of these assets once they are available.

For greater distances, hybrid options are more attractive than electric-only, particularly diesel-electric. These vehicles use diesel power for longhaul runs on trunk roads, then switch to electric at city outskirts to meet the LEZ requirements. DAF is the latest manufacturer to explore this technology, unveiling a concept vehicle last year.

Reduced operating costs A greener form of hybrid is hydrogenelectric. In the USA, Ryder recently became distributor and maintenance provider for the Nikola One hydrogenelectric truck. Energy is supplied on the go by a hydrogen fuel cell, which has a range of 1,300km to 1,900km. The Nikola One’s appeal is reduced operating costs – the manufacturer estimates half that of a diesel vehicle – and zero emissions.

Gas is another alternative fuel system becoming more common, chiefly in the USA and continental Europe where the refuelling infrastructure is more extensive than in the UK. That said, gas vehicles can have a big range, negating the need for regular refills. The Iveco Stralis LNG (liquefied natural gas) tractor unit recently completed the 1,347km from John O’Groats to Land’s End on a single fill, pulling a laden trailer.

The Stralis LNG engine delivers the same output as its diesel equivalent and offers reduced emissions, quieter operation, fuel costs around a third lower than diesel, and an excellent power-to-weight ratio. Ryder is trialling the Stralis LNG with major customers. Other manufacturers have also announced gas vehicles.

Recovering kinetic energy Beyond engines, other technologies are contributing to the greening of commercial vehicles. Ryder has worked with partners, including Howdens Joinery and Imperial College London, to secure £2.2m of funding from Innovate UK for testing a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) for trailers.

With this technology, the tractor unit communicates with the trailer to manage the power boost provided by the trailer’s electrically motorised axle. During braking, the motor becomes a generator, recovering kinetic energy that would otherwise be lost as heat, and storing it in a bank of ultracapacitors. Given the stop-start nature of urban deliveries, this technology has significant potential.

Ryder is assessing this technology in operations and analysing the outputs.

Overall, the commercial vehicle sector has made great progress in cutting emissions. The most recent EU emissions regulations – Euro 6, introduced in 2014 – upped the game considerably, and recent tests show the technology used by Euro 6 vehicles has virtually eliminated particulates.

A s t h e te c h n o l o gy d e ve l o p s, eco-friendly commercial vehicles will allow the industry to make a significant contribution to cleaning up our air. ● Shaun Stephenson is director of engineering at commercial vehicle provider Ryder UK.

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20/03/2018 11:46

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EXPERTS APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

44-51

Experts KEEPING YOU IN THE KNOW ON LEGAL, TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL ISSUES

46 47 49 51

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF BONDS PRE-CONSTRUCTION PROBLEMS CASH MANAGEMENT PAYMENT PRACTICES RULING

Contracts

BIM, collaboration and NEC4 A RECENT BIM ALLIANCE REPORT HIGHLIGHTED THE LEGAL AND CONTRACTUAL BARRIERS TO BIM. CHRIS KIRBY-TURNER AND CHRIS WHITTINGTON EXAMINE HOW CONTRACT LAW CURRENTLY HANDLES BIM AND COLLABORATION

Collaboration seems to be prevalent in construction industry conversations at present.

Dame Judith Hackitt’s published reports on Grenfell Tower are littered with phrases such as “lack of coherent collaborative working” and “fragmentation in the flow of information”, while Carillion’s demise brought references to an adversarial and flawed procurement process. The need for better management of supply chain relationships and information has been cast into the spotlight again.

Will we see more collaborative working in future? If so, what commercial steps can help ensure success? Since Sir Michael Latham’s 1994 report, efforts have been made to bring parties closer to the elusive goal of “collaboration”, first through partnering, now through BIM. But fragmentation and disagreement remain.

A recent UK BIM Alliance report, Overcoming the Legal and Contractual Barriers of BIM, was researched and written by May Winfield, senior legal counsel at ENGIE Services, and Sarah

Rock, senior associate at Gowling WLG. They identify several challenges, including an evolving documentation framework, varying standards of information definition, and the need for better understanding of BIM by the legal profession.

Winfield and Rock say: “As BIM Level 2 grows in maturity and becomes increasingly a contractual requirement, this report reflects upon the need for better understanding by lawyers, whether through self-driven learning or coming together.”

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20/03/2018 11:33

CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | APRIL 2018 EXPERTS

Signs of the times

Chris Whittington Thomson Snell & Passmore

Most contracts make only light reference to BIM in their documentation, though most do now at least make reference to it. NEC4 arguably goes the furthest.

NEC3 was known for its use of plain English and the phrase “mutual trust and cooperation”.

The courts took the phrase’s whereabouts in the contract to give it a very broad meaning.

The phrase is now NEC4’s opening clause and there has been some debate as to whether the move reduces its importance.

Additionally, NEC4 now has an entire option within its framework dedicated to BIM. Option X10 contains guidance on ownership of the model (X10.6). It identifies liability in the event of a fault (X10.7). It also refers to the timescales and process for implementation and acceptance of the “Execution Plan”(X10.4).

NEC4 refers to BIM as “Information Modelling”, along with a number of other slight adjustments to accepted terms. The BIM Alliance report notes much support for NEC’s use of the BIM terminology, something other contracts have failed to achieve. But it also notes that standard contracts require reference to the CIC BIM Protocol, written in 2013. Since this was written, much has changed in the law and technology. Careful attention is therefore needed to ensure the contract and associated documents work together. It is rumoured that a new edition will be published soon, but there is little clarity on when that “soon” might be.

Add to this the need to be mindful of the various standards – including PAS 1192-1 to 6 and

Chris Kirby-Turner Thomson Snell & Passmore

“Contracts – and many lawyers – appear to be playing catch-up in an evolving world. The contract is just one aspect of a required change in culture” the planned ISO 19650. There is clear potential for confusion, and this is likely to be a significant growth area for disputes going forward.

There remain a number of legal concerns around BIM and collaboration (see box), though it appears contracts are moving in the right direction. The main forms all now refer to BIM. Those such as NEC4 and some others go some distance to incorporating the language of collaboration into the contract itself.

R e c e n t e v e n t s m i g h t a l s o l e a d to continued recognition of the need to reduce fragmentation. One route might be through a pro-actively managed contract. However, the contracts – and many lawyers – appear to be playing catch-up in an evolving world.

The contract is just one aspect of a required change in culture. As management writer Peter Drucker once observed: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Without cultural change, strategy can rarely be achieved. ● Chris Kirby-Turner is a partner and Chris Whittington a consultant at law firm Thomson Snell & Passmore.

Key legal concerns on BIM and collaboration l Information access: The only BIM issue so far to reach a court of law in England (Trant Engineering v Mott MacDonald). It makes sense to have absolute contractual clarity on who should access information and when access can be restricted. l Amendments: Amendments should be clear and there needs to be a clear understanding of their impact on other aspects of the contract. l Conflicts: There may be conflicts in wording of documentation. It’s important to be clear on

which document takes precedence. Careful amendments should ensure clarity in a dispute. l Grasp the nettle: The spirit of collaborative working must be balanced against ensuring you do not leave yourself open to a claim if conflicts occur. l Insurance: Cover needs to be correct. There is merit in exploring IPI if the parties think it suitable. l Understanding: It’s crucial to understand rights and obligations. Contracts must increasingly be utilised as a daily management tool.

How would electronic signatures and smart contracts impact on construction law? In the first of two articles, Sarah Fox considers the move towards digital contracts The 13th programme of law reform launched by the Law Commission in December 2017 includes two reviews which could help Britain lead the way in digital contracting: electronic signatures and smart contracts.

In construction, the vast majority of contracts are wet-signed: printed on paper and signed by pens. Although there are apps, online purchasing, and contracts created by email, the UK has no legislation that explicitly sets out that documents executed electronically are legally valid or how they should be witnessed.

I suspect this explicit sanction of e-signing would be a small nudge in the right direction.

Let’s assume the industry managed to move from hard copy wet-signed contracts to electronic e-signed contracts. After that, we could consider digital or even smart contracts.

Digital contracts are those created, negotiated, signed, and recorded digitally as part of a digital information solution. They would encompass the documents and data exchange required for BIM and other facets of project and contract management. They are displayed in a format humans can read, not just experts: they are supported by and populated with code but implemented by humans. One of the first steps in creating digital contracts is to create a human-readable contract.

The main causes of global construction disputes fall into two categories. First, not reading or understanding the contract.

Second, not implementing or using that contract, in other words, not executing the contract processes and provisions. Digital and smart contracts can only help with the second aspect if we get the first aspect right.

In my workshops, I rarely come across a single person who admits to having read and understood the contract most commonly used by their organisation. Instead we rely on a mixture of standard forms, emailed forms, business relationships and a sprinkling of luck.

Most of these work most of the time, but when disputes happen, businesses are unprepared for the complexity of the contract they signed.

Simple, readable contracts have several benefits. They lead to fewer disputes, as users can read, understand and use them. They create more trust, as anyone can spot unfair terms. And they encourage openness, in legal and information terms. Even if we never go digital, the industry would benefit from them.

Sarah Fox is a lawyer and founder of contracts business 500 Words

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20/03/2018 11:33

EXPERTS APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Stefan Berry Quigg Golden

The government recently ran a consultation on cash retentions in construction contracts and, anecdotal evidence suggests, there are plenty in the industry with fire in their bellies for reform. Judging by the research commissioned by the government in advance of the consultation, construction has good reason to be hot and bothered by retentions.

Key issues identified included: l A large proportion of contractors who use retentions have had their fingers burnt, losing retentions monies due to insolvency. This is of course particularly pertinent in the wake of Carillion’s collapse. l Payment of retentions are often conditional on performance of obligations under another contract, typically in subcontracts, linking the retentions to the main contract; and l Late and non-payment of retentions are significant issues for contractors, with this impacting approximately 70% of respondents to surveys.

As a result, the indication from the consultation paper is that the government’s response will be somewhere between promoting alternatives to retentions and making the practice illegal completely.

So, what are the alternatives to retentions – a practice which is over 100 years old, and is intended to provide security for defects and incentivising swift progress? One option put forward is a bonds system. This could be retention bonds or performance bonds – both carry advantages and disadvantages, and potentially increase costs for suppliers.

However, minimal consideration has been given to the potential legal implications.

Retentions are a relatively simple process. A percentage of the contract sum is withheld with half to be repaid on completion of the works and the other half when defects have been made good, generally as part of the final payment.

Retention clauses in the standard form contracts are relatively clear and well understood.

There are also standard terms and forms for bonds, including those of the Association of

Payments

Are bonds the ointment for ‘burnt fingers’ from retentions?

IF RETENTIONS ARE OUTLAWED, HOW MIGHT A BOND SYSTEM WORK – AS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY OF ENSURING CONTRACTORS COMPLETE THEIR OBLIGATIONS ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS? STEFAN BERRY LOOKS AT A RECENT CASE

“The sureties that issue bonds are unlikely to simply pay out upon the first request; some strong persuasion is generally necessary”

British Insurers (ABI) and the JCT. However, bonds are less well understood than retentions, even by the lawyers who draft and amend their terms. As with retentions, difficulty arises with insolvency. An example of this was the recent case of Ziggurat (Claremont Place) v HCC International Insurance Company [2017].

The Ziggurat case concerned the ABI model form of guarantee bond, with a clause added.

It aimed to ensure that damages payable under the bond included any sums or debts payable following the insolvency of the contract.

During the project, the contractor stopped work, which the client responded to with a notice of default followed by a notice of termination. Following the notice of termination, the contractor entered into a creditors’ voluntary agreement (CVA). The client then appointed another contractor to complete the works, and attempted to recover damages and make a claim under the bond.

Hindered and confused But the court decided that the bond did respond to the insolvency of the contract. The impression given by the judgement is that the amendment to the bond hindered and confused matters, and that the same conclusion might have been reached more efficiently without it. The project had used a JCT contract and following completion of the works, a balance had become due from the contractor, accounting for loss and damage suffered under the provisions dealing with termination. Non-payment of this balance by the contractor was a breach that the bond would ordinarily respond to, had there been no amendment.

Another notable point is that the client had to pursue a case against the bond provider.

This is a particularly important point. A bond provides the right to claim for the money, which is of course not the same as holding the money in an account, as with retentions.

The sureties that issue bonds are unlikely to simply pay out upon the first request; some strong persuasion is generally necessary.

From the perspective of both main contractors and subcontractors, bonds present another set of terms to be negotiated, particularly where the model form has been amended – and it is not always certain that the surety will provide a bond on those terms.

So, while changes to the current retentions practice seem likely – the construction industry needs to think very carefully before using bonds as an alternative. ● Stefan Berry is a junior associate at Quigg Golden.

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | APRIL 2018 EXPERTS

Karen Kirkham Bircham Dyson Bell

PCSAs

Almacantar v McAlpine: unclear pre-nup leads to messy divorce THE RECENT RULING ON ALMACANTAR V SIR ROBERT MCALPINE HIGHLIGHTED THE NEED FOR CLARITY IN PRE-CONSTRUCTION SERVICES AGREEMENTS. KAREN KIRKHAM EXPLAINS

Design and build (D&B) still seems to be the method of choice for commercial projects, and pre-construction services agreements (PCSAs) are increasingly popular.

There are advantages to such a two stage D&B. Developers can save time and fees working with the contractor, tapping into its supply chain, in-house and external designers, design management and programming expertise. The relationship, when it works, adds value, akin to a JV or partnering arrangement.

However, it can leave the developer over a barrel if the parties fall out. This is illustrated by this case, Almacantar v Sir Robert McAlpine, decided by Mrs Justice Jefford in the Technology and Construction Court (TCC) in February 2018.

Not unusually, this PCSA had an incentivisation clause whereby only a maximum of 50% of the pre-construction services fee was payable under the PCSA itself, with a 50% “balloon payment” payable only on first valuation under the main contract once executed.

Unfortunately, the parties never agreed contract terms. McAlpine, having been required to go “open book” on overheads and profit, decided it was not prepared to enter into a D&B contract, and would only accept construction management. The employer, Almacantar, appointed another D&B contractor, Multiplex – though whether it “terminated” McAlpine or the parties agreed a divorce was an issue.

McAlpine sat back until Multiplex’s contract was underway, then invoiced the employer for the balloon payment. It argued that this was payable under a main contract entered into for these works with any contractor. There was – contract draftsmen take note – no express provision to contradict this, so the TCC had to analyse the interaction between conflicting clauses.

As ever, the devil is in the detail. The PCSA provided at clause 5.5 that Almacantar was under no obligation to enter into contract and, if it did not, termination was “subject to” clause 16 governing payment. Under clause 12, Almacantar could terminate at will, and McAlpine upon employer breach, both upon written notice.

Under clause 21 the PCSA would automatically terminate if the deadline for entering a contract was passed. Under clause 16.4, on termination by either party, Almacantar was obliged to pay accrued fees up to termination plus “a fair and reasonable proportion of the next following instalment”. Almacantar argued that the termination at will provision had been invoked so that clause 16.4 limiting the payment was the sole applicable clause, and that it was clear the balloon payment was only intended to apply on signing a contract with McAlpine.

McAlpine argued that because the PCSA was terminated by written agreement rather than by either party serving notice under clause 16, clause 16.4 didn’t apply and limit their entitlement. Further, the PCSA did not expressly say that the contract had to be with McAlpine.

Potentially unfair Mrs Justice Jefford concluded that clause 16.4 applied to all terminations, including those by agreement. Any other interpretation would potentially have been unfair to McAlpine. It could not have been the intention of the parties, for example, that if the PCSA was terminated under clause 21 by effluxion of time, McAlpine would not be entitled to receive payment under clause 16.4.

Almacantar did not stand to receive a “windfall” by avoiding the balloon payment as “it would to a greater or lesser extent lose those benefits [for which it had paid McAlpine] and have to go back to the drawing board with another contractor”.

Mrs Justice Jefford applied a commercial, commonsense approach. However, it’s worth noting that the PCSA could, and should, have made the position clearer. The JCT publishes a form of PCSA, but without detailed template services or payment structure, which are for the parties to decide. Most are bespoke A lot may be at stake under a PCSA: it is important to spell out very clearly what the parties stand to gain or lose from the process succeeding or going abortive. ● Karen Kirkham is a partner and head of construction at Bircham Dyson Bell.

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | APRIL 2018 EXPERTS

Michael Woolley Hill Dickinson

Legal

Cash management – essential advice for vulnerable construction suppliers THE LIQUIDATION OF CARILLION HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF CASH RESOURCES IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. SUPPLIERS SHOULD BE REVIEWING THEIR CONTRACTS TO FIND OUT WHERE THEY STAND, SHOULD ONE OF THEIR MAJOR CONTRACTOR CLIENTS COLLAPSE. MICHAEL WOOLLEY EXPLAINS

The rapid collapse of Carillion offers a fresh reminder, if one were needed, of the importance of managing the cash resources of a construction business.

When any major contractor collapses, the situation creates a major headache for its clients, but it is “life-threatening” for those on the downstream side of the supply chain, such as subcontractors, consultants and suppliers.

What can they do?

If you are such a supplier, the first step is to review your contracts. They will be the starting point, both up and down the chain, for assessing what will happen. Let’s look at some of the key points.

Termination: As a matter of general law, the insolvency of a main contractor would not be a breach of contract or a ground for termination.

Many contracts deal with this specifically and may provide that termination is automatic or happens on the giving of notice. If the contract does not deal with it, failure to pay sums that are due by the final date for payment may be sufficient breach and grounds for termination.

Many parties will, however, have entered into contractual arrangements (commonly in warranties) prohibiting immediate termination so as to allow others (commonly funders and employers) to step in and take over the contract.

Suspension: As a supplier, you are likely to have a right, subject to notice, to suspend work because of non-payment. This may give you time to consider your position and your suppliers’.

Payment: It is unlikely a contractor going into liquidation will pay suppliers on time for work done prior. Insolvency represents an exception to the general rule under the Construction Act prohibiting “pay when paid” clauses. If the liquidated contractor does not pay, then, subject to the incorporation of suitable clauses and the giving of suitable notice, the supplier may not have to pay down the chain.

Ongoing work: In the event that the liquidator of a stricken contractor wishes to continue at least some of its contracts, that will require the support of subcontractors. There may be good commercial reasons to carry on with the subcontract (for example, risk of liability down

the chain). Care will need to be taken negotiating with the special managers appointed (in Carillion’s case, PWC) to ensure that payment for post-liquidation work will be made. The right to payment as an “expense of the liquidation” affords some priority over unsecured creditors but is not a guarantee of payment.

Insurance. Main contractors commonly take out all-risks insurance to protect parties, including subcontractors, from perils such as fire, flood and storm, and this provides a code for such risks. Going forwards, particular care will need to be taken to see that such cover remains in place. Other issues commonly arise in the circumstances of “up chain” liquidation.

These commonly relate to the “property” rights a supplier may have.

Retention of title: A supplier whose materials have not been paid for may be entitled to recover them. Construction has always been a difficult area in this respect – one of the reasons being the need to pass title up the chain in order to gain payment for unfixed materials (whether on or off site). One point to be alert for is the risk that materials not yet used in the project will become incorporated.

Intellectual property: Designers and design and build contractors may have intellectual property rights in their designs which may allow them to prevent use in circumstances where they have not been paid. Contracts and warranties, however, commonly give licences to other parties which will defeat a claim to prevent use. Some licences are conditional upon payment, some are not. Check your contract.

Claims: Claims for which Carillion was insured will likely continue to be dealt with by its insurers, though any excess owed by the liquidated contractor may be irrecoverable.

Contractual claims (as for delay or disruption) will either have to be agreed or proven and then may form part of a claim in the liquidation.

Set-off: In liquidation, where there are mutual debts, these are usually set off against each other.

Again, contract wording may have an effect. ● Michael Woolley is a partner at Hill Dickinson.

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20/03/2018 11:41

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | APRIL 2018 EXPERTS

Theresa Mohammed Trowers & Hamlins

Stephanie Geesink Trowers & Hamlins

Adjudications

Grove Developments v S&T: the end for ‘smash and grab’?

THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY AND CONSTRUCTION COURT JUDGEMENT SEEKS TO UNRAVEL THE FINDINGS OF AN EARLIER ISG CASE. THERESA MOHAMMED AND STEPHANIE GEESINK EXPLAIN The latest Technology and Construction Court (TCC) judgment, Grove Developments v S&T (UK) [2018], is set to stir up conversation around payment practices. The judgement handed down on 27 February seeks to unravel the findings in ISG Construction v Seevic College [2014] and the cases that followed. However, it is worth noting that S&T has obtained permission to appeal.

An earlier ISG case confirmed that where no valid payment or pay less notices had been served, it was taken that the employer agreed the value stated in the application. As such, the employer could not commence a subsequent adjudication requesting a determination of the “true value” of the application. This issue arose in the Grove Developments case, but the judge has sought to depart from the reasoning in ISG, begging the question – what now?

Dispute background S&T was engaged by way of a JCT Design and Build 2011 contract for the design and construction of a 613-bedroom Premier Inn hotel, including a pedestrian link bridge, at Heathrow Terminal 4.

In March 2017, S&T made an interim application for payment in the sum of around £14m. The difference between the parties had been significant for some time, and up to this point Grove had more often than not sought to pay less than the sum applied for.

In respect of the March 2017 application, which is the subject of this dispute, Grove had failed to issue a valid payment notice.

This meant that, following the ISG authority,

it was imperative that a valid pay less notice was issued should the employer wish to pay less than the sum applied for.

The dispute arose out of the validity of the pay less notice. Practitioners will be aware that pursuant to the JCT standard form and the Construction Act, a pay less notice must specify the sum due and the basis on which that sum had been calculated. The employer stated that the sum due was £0, and referred to a payment certificate sent previously to specify the basis on which that sum had been calculated; the payment certificate was not, itself, attached or sent with the pay less notice. It was the contractor’s position that this invalidated the pay less notice, as the notice itself did not specify the basis of the calculation.

S&T referred the dispute to adjudication, where the adjudicator found the pay less notice to be invalid.

While the adjudication was ongoing, the employer referred the same question on the validity of the pay less notice to the court, and

“It could mean the demise of ‘smash and grab’ and, instead, longer and more costly valuation adjudications taking place”

at the same time challenged the decision in ISG. The court held that: l The pay less notice was not deficient because it properly incorporated the calculation of the sum due by reference; and l If the employer had been liable to pay the sum stated to be due in the contractor’s interim application, on the assumption it would pay the sum in full, it would then be entitled to commence an adjudication (or other proceedings) to establish the sum actually due to the contractor in respect of the application (that is, the true value).

The second point is of particular relevance, because it contradicts the position taken with ISG and departs from the line of authority that has developed over the last three years.

Industry implications It is fair to say that when the ISG ruling was handed down it sent shockwaves around the industry and has prompted significant rigour as to pay less notices. However, one important factor addressed in this case is the assumption that employers will actually make payment before they counter adjudicate on value.

In our experience, the position before ISG was that paying parties did not pay and used the threat of a counter adjudication to muscle the unpaid party into a deal or would just adjudicate on value. As such, this judgement may make you question whether the payment notices required by the Construction Act have any teeth and whether this could be a regressive step.

It will be interesting to see how the industry reacts, and how adjudicators or judges will view this in subsequent decisions. This, of course, remains a first instance decision, like ISG and the cases after it, so there remains some scope to distinguish between the two. It could mean the demise of “smash and grab” and, instead, longer and more costly valuation adjudications taking place. In any event, it will undoubtedly remain a dispute hot topic for some time. ● Theresa Mohammed is a partner and Stephanie Geesink is an associate at Trowers & Hamlins.

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COMMUNITY APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

52-63

Community WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL BODY

Knowledge

CIOB publishes new codes of practice DISCOUNT AVAILABLE FOR MEMBERS ON PURCHASE OF REVISED BEST PRACTICE

52 53 54 62 63

The CIOB has released new versions of two of its codes of practice. A new best practice guide sets a new standard for time management in building and civil engineering projects and also newly published is Code of Estimating Practice.

First published in 2010, the Guide to Good Practice in the Management of Time in Major Projects was an integral part of the CIOB’s strategy to provide standards, education, training and accreditation in time management.

The latest edition, published on 26th February emphasises dynamic, strategic time modelling as the way to manage time and cost in major projects.

“On major projects the failure strategically to manage time so often proves disastrous, not just for the contractor but also for the client, its consultants, and for the rest of the supply chain,” says Keith Pickavance, author and past president of the CIOB. “This Guide is a step-by-step illustration of how the parties can work collaboratively to meet this challenge using traditional project procurement routes or the most advanced BIM, from the adoption of a workable timemanagement strategy through to the day to day detail of risk management, using a predictive time model.”

The publication includes new materials, such as a chapter distinguishing

NEW CODES OF PRACTICE THINK CONSTRUCTION BRIGHT FUTURES CHALLENGE ME AND MY PROJECT MEMBER BENEFITS the principal features of the dynamic time model and its development throughout the life of a project, from inception to completion. It also includes new appendices covering m a tte rs s u c h a s co m p l ex i t y i n construction and engineering projects, productivity guides and a number of case studies.

The new version of Code of Estimating Practice published on 9 March is co-authored by CIOB past president Roger Flanagan from Reading University. ● For more information and to purchase this latest publications, visit Wiley. Please note that members receive a 20% discount off this purchase.

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | APRIL 2018 COMMUNITY

Resource

Community is edited by Nicky Roger nicky@atompublishing.co.uk

JCT 2016 Design & Build for Contractors is the topic of a new course

Learning

Get to grips with contracts with new CIOB Academy courses TWO NEW CLASSES ON CONTRACT ISSUES TAKE PLACE THIS MONTH The CIOB Academy is staging two new courses this month for those keen on building their contract knowledge.

The ability to administer the terms of a contract is a fundamental part of any construction project as most contractors experience contractual difficulties and issues at some time or another. Contractors need the knowledge and skills related to contract provisions and record keeping in relation to the scope of the project, and the client’s key drivers. They also need to know how the provisions of the building contract apply to a given project.

Contract Administration & Awareness for Contractors is a one day course designed to simplify those contractual issues, make them understandable and accessible for the staff of the contractor, and to provide best practice in contract administration NOVUS

NOVUS marks anniversary with year of celebration THE NETWORKING INITIATIVE CELEBRATES 10 YEARS

for any given project. The course will use JCT contracts as a back drop, however, the good practices discussed are industry standard and the principles can be applied to most other forms of contract.

JCT 2016 Design & Build for Contractors is another one day classroom course designed to provide detailed knowledge of employer requirements, contractual risks, the rules for valuing changes, and the obligations you are under during contract delays. You will also cover loss and expense recovery, and dispute resolution and avoidance.

Both classes are led by Tony Ward FCIOB from Award Consulting Ltd. Tony is a fellow of RCIS, CIOB and member of CIArb with over 30 years experience as a Surveyor and Contract Consultant.

He is the founder and managing director of Award Consulting Ltd and enthusiastic and experienced trainer in contractual matters.

The Contract administration course takes place on 5 April and 26 June in London. The JCT course takes place in London on 11 April. Both courses cost £295+VAT. ● For more details and to book visit / www.ciobacademy.org This year marks the 10 year anniversary for Novus - the CIOB initiative the fosters the networking and career development of young people in construction. The landmark will be celebrated through various activities across the course of the year based around the theme of ‘giving young construction professionals a voice’.

Novus members both past and present will be given the opportunity to take part in these

COOL TECH SHOWS INNOVATION AT WORK This year’s International Construction Management Day took place during British Science Week in early March and to celebrate the day the CIOB collated some of the best innovations in the industry to raise awareness of how science is being applied to construction.

Pioneering technology and projects highlight how ‘cool’ construction can be: everything from robotics, drones to 3D printing demonstrated the diversity of roles and projects in construction.

The theme linked with the Think Construction campaign (see right).

celebrations - given a platform to express their views on hot topics within the industry and a voice to make a difference within the industry.

The Novus UK & Ireland Challenge is taking place in Scotland this year which will form part of the celebrations.

Think Construction makes most of careers weeks MEMBERS OUT PROMOTING CONSTRUCTION TO SCHOOLS The CIOB’s Think Construction campaign was in full force for National Careers Week and Apprenticeships Week which both took place in March.

Think Construction is a resource that helps members with school outreach sessions and many members during the weeks were promoting the range of careers in construction and the various routes into the industry.

The pack has been inspired by enquiries and feedback from members looking for resources. The content has been shaped by research carried out with young people to understand their perceptions of the industry as well as input from teachers and industry advisors.

The pack includes planning tools, interactive sessions suggestions, video case studies showing inspiring stories, digital games, minecraft lessons, presentation templates as well as other useful resources such as webinar, vlogs and an Instagram channel. More will be added in time.

Julia Allen MCIOB is actively working on delivering the ThinkConstruction initiative in local schools and acadmies across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

“I am passionate about raising the profile of the construction industry and believe that there is a wide range of interesting and varied careers of which many students have no knowledge.

It is an extremely rewarding and worthwhile initiatve creating the opportunity to talk to students about their future career choices to inspire the next generation of construction professionals.”

To learn more and download the resource head online to www.ciob.org/campaigns/ think-construction

To keep up to date on plans follow CIOB Novus on Twitter @ CIOBNovus and the Novus page of the CIOB website.

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COMMUNITY APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Competition

Teams battle it out in Novus Bright Futures Challenge 2018 WARDIAN HOSTS STUDENT SHOWDOWN

The CIOB London, Southern, and Eastern regions ran the annual Novus Bright Futures Challenge 2018 in February which sees winning college and university teams from regional heats gather for a grand final.

The BFSC was established to give built environment students the opportunity to showcase their talent and enthusiasm for the industry.

Scotland

Book now for Scotland CIOB Annual Dinner Sport and media stars head up annual event

Above: Ballymore's The Wardian in Canary Wharf was the subject and venue for the competition

The regional competition consisted of three different rounds of tasks including building a bridge, producing a presentation to encourage young students to pursue a career in the built environment, and a general construction knowledge quiz. For the bridge build the teams were provided with a variety of materials such as, straws, string, paperclips, pieces of paper, and empty bottles – the teams then had to construct a bridge that had a minimum 30cm span, was 30cm tall, and 10 cm wide. It also had to hold weight and be water and wind resistant.

The final of the Challenge took place at the Ballymore site, The Wardian in Canary Wharf. The top eight performing teams from the three regional rounds were invited to attend,: Team LSBU from LSBU, MKC from MidKent College, Architectulize from LSBU, KU1 from Kingston University, Team RSME from Brompton Barracks Chatham, Volkers from Nottingham Trent University, Southampton International from Southampton Solent University, and the team from University of Brighton.

In the final, each of the teams were lead on a site visit by the Ballymore team around the Wardian. They were then given time to put together a presentation based on their choice of two questions about the site.

The CIOB in Scotland annual dinner will take place on 20 April 2018 at Doubletree by Hilton Glasgow.

Supported and sponsored

by Contract Scotland Ltd and Competence Matters, the guest speaker will be football referee John Rowbotham with broadcaster and journalist Nicky Marr as host. There will be some surprise warm

Teams could choose to discuss offsite manufacturing or façade and the issues surrounding each. At the end of their allotted time, teams made a 10 minute presentation to a panel of five industry judges. Judges scored teams on the following: team work, content, creativity, presentation skills, and innovation/technology. Novus mentors observed and encouraged the teams throughout the process.

All of the teams did extremely well but team Volkers took home the top spot, with the University of Brighton coming second, and Team RSME coming a very respectable third and only narrowly beating KU1. The Outstanding Student prize went to Elizabeth Lecorgne from Volkers.

The top three scoring teams received medals, certificates, and gift vouchers. The overall winner also received a trophy and work placement opportunity from Ballymore.

The Challenge Final sponsors were Hays Recruitment and Ballymore with Sirio D’Aleo from Ballymore assisting in organising, planning and running the event. Judges were: Ballymore's Terry Arnold, Andrew Cromwell and Mark Mannerson as well as Micheal Butcher, London Hub vice chair, Gerard Hayes from John Sisk and Son Ltd and the London Hub Committee. ●

up entertainment to get the evening off with a bang.

The popular fun Casino will take place once again from 11pm until 1am for even more networking opportunity.

For more information, prices and to book contact lmkay@ciob.org.uk or visit https://events.ciob.org/ ehome/200174901

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | APRIL 2018 COMMUNITY

Midlands

Getting to the hub of things

Left to right: Sharon Dempster – Best overall CMP student, Maurice Johnston – Chair of CITB NI, Gerard Graham - Chair of CIOB Belfast Hub, Roger Gillespie Managing Director of Training LMS and Barry Neilson – Chief Executive of CITB NI.

Northern Ireland

Female member beats 300 others to top performance award SUCCESS AT CIOB ANNUAL LECTURE AND PRESENTATION OF AWARDS Sharon Dempster, a bid coordinator a t Fa r ra n s C o n s t r u c t i o n , w a s presented with the Best Overall Performance Award at the recent CIOB Annual Lecture and Awards in Northern Ireland. Dempster won for her outstanding results in the CMP programme in 2017, achieving the highest marks from throughout 300 candidates worldwide.

The annual lecture, which was

delivered by Peter Reavey and Garry Farmer from GRAHAM-BAM Healthcare Partnership, focused on the construction of the £85m Ulster Hospital Phase B2 Inpatient Ward Block, which was awarded the overall winner at the CEF/Specify Construction Excellence Awards 2017.

With over 80 people in attendance, certificates were then awarded to candidates who successfully passed their CIOB examinations last year through QTAS and Training LMS training organisations. Certificates w e re a l s o a w a rd e d to h i g h e s t performing GCSE and NVQ students. ●

If you're interested in supervisory or management level qualifications through the CIOB email NWebbleyO’Gorman@ciob.org.uk.

Scotland

Grenfell one year On NATALIE OXFORD

EVENT EXPLORES LESSONS LEARNED

CIOB Scotland is staging a seminar on 23 May to look at lessons learned from Grenfell. The seminar will cover all aspects of the review and the role of the construction industry going forward.

Key speakers and topics are: • Neil Kelly, MacRoberts LLP: 'Grenfell: A Lawyer's Perspective' • Davie McGown, director of prevention and protection: 'Grenfell: A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Perspective'

• Kevin Stewart MSP: 'Grenfell: A Government's Perspective' • Chris Needham Bennett and Paul Walker from Needhams 1834: 'Just Forget It' • Ben Bradford, chief executive of BB7 Ltd: 'The Importance of Fire Safety Information'. ● To book visit: https://events.ciob. org/200177342

MEMBERS GATHER TO TALK CIOB ISSUES

MEMBER VIPS NEEDED TO PROMOTE NOVUS CIOB Scotland is looking for MCIOB/ FCIOB members who would be willing to be part of a 'bank' of VIPS. VIPs would be invited to attend 1-2 Novus events per year specifically to network with young professionals and share their experience. It offers the opportunity to tive somethign back to the industry and help burture its future.

If you are interested send a message to express your commitment to be included in the bank with a short paragraph on your career to date to Lynne McKay at lmckay@ciob. org.uk

The Midlands Hubs (Bedford, Birmingham, Northampton and Nottingham) held a combined knowledge sharing evening at Twycross Zoo, recently, with Terry Watts CIOB MD attending to update Novus and Hub committee members on the CIOB strategy for the coming year.

Each of the Hubs presented on a topic that they felt reflected best practice within their Hub. The topics covered included: providing excellent CPD; supporting the member journey locally; employer engagement through committee members; and working with schools using the Think Construction pack.

Novus discussed the recruit targets used to increase their numbers and the importance of signing up as STEM ambassadors.

The Think Construction topic produced a lot of debate and showed the strength of feeling among members of the importance of representing the construction industry to young people and inspiring them to find a career in it.

After a networking break, Terry gave a presentation about the issues within the industry and how the CIOB is adapting to change.

Terry answered questions from the floor covering issues around women in construction, the role of CBCs can play in achieving CIOB goals and a discussion about what CIOB can do to support the need for change within the construction industry in relation to the collapse of Carillion.

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Margaret Conway: Constructed a brand new 100,000 sq ft turnkey city centre office for Belfast City Council within tight space and budget constraints.

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19/03/2018 18:10

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WITH A BUILDING. Be part of something extraordinary.

Sponsor the Construction Manager of the Year Awards 2018: www.cmya.co.uk

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19/03/2018 18:10 15/03/2018 13:25:06

COMMUNITY APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

North West

First night out for networking students COLLABORATENW HOSTS SOCIAL EVENT

Northern Ireland

Local hero and business leader speaks at Belfast dinner IOD DIRECTOR GENERAL LEADS STELLAR EVENT

The CIOB Belfast Hub held its annual dinner at the Hilton Hotel in Belfast at the end of February.

Over 215 construction professionals from the public and private sectors attended, which was one of the largest CIOB events in Belfast in recent years.

Guests included the winners from the annual awards held in January (see p55).

Speakers at the event included Gerard Graham, chair of the CIOB Belfast Hub, Terry Watts, managing

director of the CIOB and Belfast-born Stephen Martin, director general of the Institute of Directors, one of the most influential positions in UK business.

Highlights of the night included a presentation to Margaret Conway from McAleer & Rushe – overall winner of the coveted CIOB Construction Manager of The Year Award, as well as a feature presentation to Ulster University for its contribution to the construction industry. ●

Above: Key speakers and guests at the annual dinner in Belfast

March saw the inaugural Collaborate NW Built Environment Social for early career professionals.

Held in Manchester city centre, the event aimed to bring together students of built environment subjects and new industry entrants from across the North West in order to highlight the benefits of networking and engaging with wider industry organisations.

Despite the extreme weather, the event was attended by over 100 individuals which is testament to the appetite for such gatherings.

The CollaborateNW organising group comprised representatives from the CIOB .

Loretta Lipworth, event lead and Chair for NAWIC North-West region, explains “Since benefitting from CPD and networking opportunities whilst making my own career change into construction two years ago, I’ve been keen to pay it forward and provide opportunities for other new entrants.

So when a number of attendees at a recent NAWIC event expressed an interest in doing the same, we decided to make it happen and kick things off with a social.”

The group is eager to follow up with a CPD event later this year, again focussed on early career professionals. Look out for the hashtag #CollaborateNW or email nawicnw@nawic.co.uk ●

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | APRIL 2018 COMMUNITY

Obituary

Rex Sydney Reynolds MCIOB and holder of The Institute of Clerk of Works Lifetime Achievement Award Members

Meet a member KAREN FAIRHURST, CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, MORGAN SINDALL AND WINNER OF A CMYA AWARD

Which project are you most proud of?

My first scheme as a project manager was at St Hilda’s Church of England School in Liverpool and I was very proud to have been involved in and influence the scheme from concept to completion. I have been very lucky to work on a variety of schemes from hospitals, to university science and residential buildings, to sports stadiums with historic façade retention, leisure centres and schools. Every project brings its own challenges and opportunities to grow and develop your skillset.

What has surprised you most about working in construction?

How enjoyable it is! I love the fact that we create something with tangible results that has a positive impact on communities. Every day is different, in construction you’re constantly learning and there’s great variety in roles and the people you work with. It’s a real team effort but you’re able to provide influence throughout the process.

As a woman in construction what are the challenges you have faced? Do you feel the industry does enough to change attitudes and encourage more women?

I think it’s sometimes the case that as women we feel that we have to prove ourselves and our abilities to be accepted

as capable, whereas a male colleague may automatically be perceived as able to do the job. However it has been my experience that I’m afforded equal respect by both male and female colleagues. As soon as people realise you are knowledgeable on the subject any predetermined biased is normally eradicated!

Improvements are being made but I don’t think the industry is doing enough to raise awareness and encourage more women into the wide variety of roles available. It’s important to raise awareness for people who perceive the industry as only outdoor or manual work – there is a role for everyone!

How would you like to see construction promoted to younger people, particularly females?

The industry is making big steps to improve its engagement with schools, educating children about the opportunities available, different routes into the industry and promote that it’s a great career option for both genders. Schemes such as the STEM Ambassadors are great tools that enable schools to also engage with industries and get support.

What one thing would you change about the industry?

One area thatcould easily be improved is designing PPE clothing to fit women better! ●

NEW NOVUS LAUNCH A new NOVUS group is launching in Edinburgh with a launch party taking place on 17 May at The Corn Exchange in Dalkeith with an evening of casino fun, networking and food and drink.

Novus is now celebrating its 10th year (see page 53).

Novus Groups exist ot prepare young people to be the next construction leaders, developing young professionals and providing peer support form their student dsay through to coproate membership Contact ndrake@ ciob.org.uk

Rex Reynolds passed away peacefully on 30 January 2018, just two weeks short of his 90th Birthday.

Rex began work in farming at age 14 but quickly realised farming was not for him and that his future lay in bulding. Eventually Rex enrolled for a six year bricklaying apprenticeship, and went on to teach bricklaying for a further five years.

Around 1950 Rex started studying for the Institute of Clerk of Works exams, being admitted in 1954 at age 26, making him the youngest candidate ever to be become a member. By 1960 he had become a qualified bricklayer, stonemason, contract foreman and area building manager for City of Bath Council, In 1968 he was appointed President of the Institute of Clerk of Works, the youngest candidate to attain this position, Rex’s career included overseeing the construction of several Fire Stations, tower blocks and residential estates, headquarter buildings, hospitals and even a Mosque.

In 1970 Rex achieved another personal goal by acquiring his own building company: Reynolds and Hawkins. During his lifetime, Rex was the president, chair and member of many distinguished organisations including the CIOB. In 1979 he was made a Member of the Worshipful Livery Company of Glovers and granted the Freedom of the City of London. In 2014, after 60 years of service, Rex was presented with The Institute of Clerk of Works Lifetime Achievement Award .

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Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow The CIOB Academy delivers high quality education and training for the construction industry.

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If you have experience in construction but lack an Honours degree level qualification, our Chartered Membership Programme is your springboard to MCIOB.

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Skills development

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COMMUNITY APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Soldiering on HOW ROYAL ENGINEERS ARE BATTLING THE INHOSPITABLE FALKLANDS FOR PROJECT VICTORY

Project Anemoi is a huge Royal Engineer task to replace former RAF accommodation at the top of three mountains on the Falkland Islands. The project provides a unique, rewarding and trade intensive opportunity for the Royal Engineers. They have had to endure persistently minus temperatures – even the winter snow only made way for spring’s moderate four degrees.

The project is now in its penultimate phase with complex and concurrent works at three independent remote locations separated by huge distances that require construction materials and tools to be shipped by land, sea and air.

The project has had to account for the Falkland Islands factor: everything from movements of sheep on ferries slowing logistics, to helicopters being cancelled by weather. Bar aggregate, all construction equipment and tools must be shipped out from the UK which can

Project Anemoi – named after the collective term for the Greek Gods of the four directional winds

take nine weeks, so it is no good finding that material is missing from the design or stores list. Also, solutions that work in the UK may not be satisfactory in the austere mountain top locations in the Falklands, with moisture able to penetrate the smallest of gaps, incessant high winds and highly variable temperatures.

The wear and tear on the equipment is relentless with rough uneven roads.

With over 160 vehicles, six troops worth of issue tools and three troops worth of specialist tools, effective and proactive G4 is vital – as well as having to account for them, and reconfigure for onwards movement around the Falklands. The ME Resources Specialists are a crucial element of the project, dealing with up to 400 shipping containers and thousands of items.

In addition to the usual project construction challenges, coordinating and supporting the additional (but highly appreciated) workforces from 32 Engineer Regiment and 21 Engineer Regiment tested SHQ for a few months.

There is also the persistent challenge of losing competent personnel due to assignments and promotion. This is particularly important due to additional civilian accreditation being required for fire certification, ductwork installation and plumbing works. The deployment of

Solutions that work in the UK may not be satisfactory in the austere mountain top locations in the Falklands additional Clerk of Works from across the Corps who have conducted design assurance to iron out conflicts and design problems, has been vital.

With the arrival of fairer weather the sites made progress with external works such as landscaping and door remediation. Byron Heights is now the lead site with much of the ductwork in place, full height walls built and ceiling installed over the future bedrooms. The future looks bright at Mount Kent with the concreting gang working with a local concrete contractor to lay a fibre reinforced over-slab in place of the previous screed floor. Mount Alice is close behind with works progressing well.

Completion is expected by October 2018 when it will be handed over to 36 Engineer Regiment who will be deconstructing the existing accommodation. ●

DAVID IN LISBURN

Member project

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CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | APRIL 2018 COMMUNITY

Membership affiliations Membership of the CIOB brings with it many benefits, including exclusive access to discounts and special deals on products and services that could enhance your professional development, help your business or boost your earning power

The Construction Information Service (CIS) gives access to current regulations, standards, advice and news for the construction industry. Updated daily, it contains over 26,000 documents from over 500 publishers, including British Standards and CIOB documents.

For a free trial email CustomerCare@ ihsmarkit.com or call 01344 328 300

Free2Move Lease UK has over 60,000 cars we offer multi-marque vehicle solutions. You can select models combining low CO2 emissions, taxation and innovative equipment; reduce fuel consumption; improve safety and reduce risk.

Visit www.peugeot-contract-hire. co.uk/index.php/ciob

CHASE DE VERE HELPS INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES LAY FOUNDATIONS OF A SUCCESSFUL FINANCIAL FUTURE - AS LEADING INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISERS AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CONSULTANCIES. Individual Members As we go through our lives and our careers, our needs and priorities change – and so too should our financial plans.

Being aware of which stage of life you are at will help you anticipate your future financial needs, and give you the opportunity to position yourself better for the future.

With expert advice on savings and investments, contingency planning, pensions and retirement, we help individuals make sound financial planning decisions.

Company Members From benefits strategies to employee engagement and financial education, we’ve helped thousands of businesses get the most out of their benefits spend as well as attract and retain quality employees.

For a free, initial consultation for CIOB members Telephone: 0203 1422507; email:ciob@chasedevere.co.uk Visit: www.chasedevere.co.uk/building-futurestogether.aspx

Elecosoft develops construction management software that’s relied on by many CIOB members. We can identify the best solutions for your projects. View this recording of a webinar: https://tinyurl.com/yaefd99h which demonstrates how to achieve live, mobile progress updating from any site. www.elecosoft.com

THE CIOB AND ITN PRODUCTIONS ARE PRODUCING A NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS-STYLE PROGRAMME EXPLORING THE ROLE OF THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AND THE IMPACT BUILDINGS HAVE ON LIVES TODAY, AND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. ‘Building a Legacy’ will bring to life how buildings are not just bricks and glass, but places we learn, develop, make memories, connect with loved ones and continuously inspire us. The construction manager role is integral to this and 'Building a Legacy’ will show the extraordinary care and attention a construction manager invests in a project and how their role often becomes a labour of love. The programme will look at the people, innovations, technology and next generation that are behind the buildings changing the quality of people’s lives.

The news-style piece will be anchored by Natasha Kaplinsky to combine interviews and reports with sponsored editorial profiles from leading organisations.

‘Building a Legacy’ will premiere in October and form part of an extensive communications campaign featuring CIOB members, industry partners, government partners, as well as relevant journalists, writers and bloggers.

To participate in the programme, please contact Nathan Wilson at ITN Productions, on 0207 430 4815 or Nathan.

Wilson@itn.co.uk.

Conker are construction-grade rugged phones and tablets perfect for project planners, project managers, contracts managers and site managers. They help increase productivity, reduce disputes, speed up cash flow and make jobs a lot easier. CONKER is compatible with Aconex, ViewPoint, GenieBelt and Elecosoft. Call 01279 295800.

You can be confident in our ability to arrange the right insurance at the right price. We’ll take the time to understand your business requirements to ensure that you, your employees, contractors, your site and equipment is protected. Call 0330 102 6158 or visit www.premierline.co.uk/ ciob-insurance.html?mc=CIOB#

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TO ADVERTISE YOUR POSITIONS ON THESE PAGES, CONTACT TARIQ MOORE ON T: 020 3475 6813 Tariqm@media-shed.co.uk CLASSIFIED

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RECRUITMENT

Contract Manager £Negotiable | London Based in Romford, we are a small, long-established (1959) family business with several ongoing projects in around East Anglia, both residential and commercial (healthcare).

The work is varied and the successful applicant will be involved in all aspects of the development process from design to occupation and ongoing warranty/maintenance. Although we are a small firm, we undertake the vast majority of design work in-house on our BIM system.

We are looking for a good, sensible, industrious, honest contract manager to work in our office and we hope to find someone with much of the following non-extensive skill set:

l Preparation of “builder’s” BOQs (Appropriate software needed and applicant would be party to selection process). l Tender analysis and order placement for materials and sub-contractors. l Negotiations with statutory authorities. l Reconciliations. l Normal IT skills and familiarity with word, confidence with Excel (not just data entry!).

l Good telephone manner and the ability to negotiate. l A “do it today” mentality. l Some relevant site experience along the way. l Tidy approach to work. l Happy to “muck in” with what needs doing. l Confidence to work autonomously. l Preparation of H&S documentation. l HONESTY. l Remuneration package by negotiation

Tel: 01708 7437967 | Web: jdhomes.co.uk | Email: marcel@jdhomes.co.uk

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l Expand your knowledge online l Stay up to date with the latest techniques and technology l 100s of free CPD articles available

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INSIGHT• ONSITE APRIL 2018 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

SPORTING CHANCE IN THE VALLEYS The new pitch is covered by a semitranslucent membrane offering diffused natural light

CONSTRUCTING A £15M EXTENSION TO A WELSH UNIVERSITY SPORTS COMPLEX HAD TO OVERCOME COST PRESSURES AND THE UNEXPECTED DISCOVERING OF MINE WORKINGS BENEATH THE SITE. JAMES KENNY REPORTS

One of the biggest providers of higher education sports courses in the UK, the University of South Wales (USW), is currently investing £15m in new hi-tech facilities for its students.

The Sport Park II near Treforest, Pontypridd will include a state-of-the-art indoor sports facility with full-size 3G pitch for both football and rugby, specialist centre for strength and conditioning, changing rooms, teaching rooms, and offices. In total, the extension adds almost 900 sq m of extra space.

The scheme was procured through the Scape Group National Framework, with Kier appointed as main contractor, the design being handled by Atkins and Pick Everard acting as project managers and quantity surveyors.

The project has had to overcome unexpected ground conditions during its early stages and cost pressures, as Mike Petersen, director at Pick Everard’s Cardiff office, explains.

“With the project being for a university, we were under a tight deadline for time and a strict budget, but one of the unforeseen things we encountered, which maybe should have been

expected being in Wales, was the discovery of mine workings on the site,” he says.

Work began in March 2016. The discovery of the historic mine workings required significant additional groundworks to prepare the site for the main construction works.

Petersen says: “To reduce the delay caused by the discovery of mine workings, we developed a separate enabling works package, to secure and level the site and distribute arising earthworks, while designs for the new building were being developed.”

“To reduce the delay caused by the discovery of mine workings, we developed a separate enabling works package” Mike Petersen, Pick Everard

Significant additional groundworks were needed

The project also faced financial pressure to achieve the quality required by the university, leading to a revised solution by Pick Everard.

“Working with the university, we identified a major cost saving of £900,000 from the omission of an additional changing room,” Petersen says. “We also saved £200,000 from specification changes including replacement of areas of curtain walling with cladding, and the selection of an alternative cladding material with similar aesthetic qualities and performance.”

The new pitch is covered by a semi translucent toughened PVC membrane, tensioned over a steel structure. The fabric diffuses natural light, limiting the need for the artificial lighting.

The new facility has strong environmental credentials, using sustainable urban drainage systems as well as low-energy heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting.

The park will help USW maintain its position as the largest provider of football coaching degrees in Europe. It partners with 30 Premier League and English Football League clubs.

The project completed in early 2018. ●

The facility adds 900 sq m of space

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