The Fog is Lifting!

2013 may go down as the year when BIM came of age and was accepted as the future of the construction industry. Through 2013 there was considerable debate and discussion about standards, protocols and definitions. This debate is needed and has all been very positive. However the challenge for those embracing change and operating in the sector, is how to continue to deliver projects in an environment of evolving thinking. As an example, the digital plan of work was launched last year and the RIBA updated its plan of work to align with this new structure. After a consultation period the RIBA finally settled on new stages using numbers not letters and stages more aligned to contemporary construction and procurement. During the period of change construction continued and projects were started. Several clients adopted the new stages however as the consultation developed there was confusion as several stages did not align. The Level of definition also evolved through 2013. As the AIA definition was used on live projects it became clear that it provided insufficient detail to deliver a project. Several of us have grappled with this during 2013 to find an approach and definition with the appropriate level of detail. We also have the ongoing debate about Uniclass 2 against CAWS which ebbs and flows. We mustn’t forget the debate regarding how New Rules of Measurement will align with Uniclass 2. For organisations who are working on live projects the evolving nature of these standards is a hazard. However if you are to be at the leading edge of new thinking it has to be accepted that this is an occupational hazard. The alternative is to wait until everything has settled down and is agreed before embracing change. This is a cautious approach but if you want to make a difference you have to accept some confusion and help to find the right solution. It is not dissimilar to the cautious IT manager who does not implement new software until the first service pack has been released. At space group we want to be the first to benefit from new thinking so always use new software as soon as it is released. Our IT Director is keen to point out the risk but we believe it’s a risk we have to take. During 2013 the evolving nature of BIM has made the delivery of some projects a challenge and at times may have been a concern to early adopter clients. As we move into 2014 I see the fog starting to lift and standards starting to formalise. There are still gaps and discussions and debate to be had however there is now greater clarity than we have had for some time. We now options and formats which can be selected at the outset of a project to suit specific needs. We also have experience from past projects as to what works and what doesn’t. At BIM Technologies we have launch B.T14 which is our suite of documents which we will use as our control across all projects. All previous standards and documents have been archived so all new projects start with a consistent base line. These standards can and will be adjusted for specific projects but we now review the changes and discuss the reasons for them. For example B.T14 adopts the new digital plan of work to define work stages. Some client may feel the original plan of work is more appropriate so we are able to document and implement this change and communicate across the team. As these standards are increasingly standardised the early adopters must remember to quantify the value which we have theorised about for over the past few years. We must measure and report outputs so we are able to repay the trust those early adopter clients who committed to BIM. 2014 will be the year when BIM becomes embedded into construction. There will be two types of company. There will be those who invest and who will move forward and those who decide not to. Those who decide not to will fall behind and will find it increasingly difficult to complete.

The changing face of retail...

Being part of the construction industry we know how hard the recession has been.

There are not many industries which have been as hard hit as construction but retail must be a contender. Not only has it been effected by reduced spending but also the way people shop has changed dramatically.

This change in spending is having an impact on all forms if retail, be it high street or out of town. 

As people increase the level of online shopping the supermarkets are left with an growing amount of unused out of town square footage which is not generating turnover or profit. Their smaller local shops are growing but these deliver a smaller profit per square foot.

The non food retail sector has similar if not greater challenges. We have already seen the demise of the traditional bookstore and record shop as people have either bought books and music  online or converted to downloads. 

Book stores and music shops  still exist but now they have moved to a more specialist offer.

Clothing and electrical goods are now being effected by the growth of online trade. With lower overheads the online store can offer a  lower price for the same product.

So where doses this leave retail in the future. I think the out of town mall faces one of the biggest challenges. The retail offer will reduce  and these malls will become a destination or leisure venue. Restaurants, cinemas and coffee shops will be interspersed with specialist shops.

The out if town retail park faces the biggest challenge. Big shed shopping does have low costs but it has to compete with the Internet on price.

The real opportunity is in the high street as shoppers change their habits. Shopping has become far more local, specialist and social. Families will carry out their large shopping on line but this will be supplemented with fresh and specialist produce such as meat and vegetables. The mass produced produce will be used but will be enhanced by specialist offers

The social aspects of the high street will continue to grow. We will have even more coffee shops, bars and restaurants where people can meet. This mix will attract people throughout the day and night making the high street the centre of the community.

We have come full circle from where we were 30 years ago where the corner shop played a central role in the community.

While the high streets prosper we will see decline and change out of town. Retailers will try new ideas and concepts to adapt their existing space. We are already seeing Tesco adding restaurants and coffee shops to their stores however I am not convinced that these will provide a long term alternative to the high street community.

Education, Education, Education.

You might remember this battle cry from Tony Blair when he was elected in 1997. 

I read a really disturbing article in the Sunday Times this week which I think will have a huge impact on the future of the United Kingdom and that of our children.

On Wednesday this week the OECD ( Organisation for Economic Co operation and Development) will publish its global survey of 65 countries regarding educational standards. What this report will say is that the UK has made no progress from where it stood 4 years ago. 

It may surprise many that the UK are 25th placed for reading, 28th for maths and 16th for science. The counties who are leading are China, South Korea and Singapore. All countries who already have thriving economies and are developing an exceptional workforce for the future.

The UK is sitting behind Estonia and Poland.

The Labour governemnt did spend billions on education as well a many new school buildings however clearly this has had no impact on outcomes.

There is an arrogance in the UK which goes back to the days of the British Empire. We believe we are better than everyone  else in the world. It's a very similar situation to the English football team. Every time there is a world cup we truly believe we can win when in reality we don't even get to the qualifying rounds.

It is similar when we compete on the global stage. Not only can we not compete with those a the top of the league such  as China or South Korea they also have excellent education which will only make them stronger in the future.

In the decades ahead the gap will continue to grow and we struggle to be competitive in a global market. Our young people are ill prepared and unaware of the world they coete within. 

I am worried for my children's generation but even more so for our children's children. My generation has benefitted  from the last and have been supported by a fantastic welfare system. Unfortunately we have spent the money and we can no longer afford to provide the level of support we are used to.

What we must do is become a global power again and that can only be achieved by developing an education system which produce the best minds on the planet.

I don't see this as something to score political points over as it is too important. What I do know is what the previous government tried has failed. The league tables are evidence enough.

The issues are not only financial but also cultural.

In the UK it is forbidden to criticise  nurses or teachers. Teachers must take note of where we area in the league tables and accept it's not good enough. 

If we were a football club,we are languishing in the lower divisions and not improving. In football we would sack the manager and invest in training and coaching. If we are going to change something we need to change something.

Parents also have to take responsibility and need to invest time in their children and support schools.

This is so important as we all must play our part. The previous government thought the answer lay in new buildings. Clearly spending billions is not enough. What we need is lots of incremental change. Government, parents and teaches all need accept its not good enough.

We mist get away from blame and accept our system is not good enough and has to improve. We have to accept we may upset some people along the way but I believe this is a price worth paying as without change the future looks bleak for future generations in non league football.

Here we go again?

The construction industry has a habit of sticking to what it has always done. 

The term contracting suggests that there is a legal agreement in place and that a relationship falls between the commencement and completion of this agreement. This may be over simplifying things but I believe it is this project and contract approach which is at the root of the lack of innovation across our industry.

As we head toward the end of 2013, those working in London are thinking boom times are here again. This confidence is having a ripple effect and is starting to effect the regions also

While in recession there has been an opportunity for discussion and debate as to how we could do things differently. Building Information Modelling has been the biggest development and discussion over the last 5 years.

BIM started off in the states as the reference term for the federating of 3D geometry. However, and particularly in the UK, it has become a collective movement for the improvement of the construction industry with the focus being on a single language which can be shared openly.

Many small to medium sized companies have invested and developed skills which can take the industry forward. However the laws of the jungle come into force when capital expenditure increases and confidence grows. 

The main contractors now have projects  and cash flowing through their accounts once again. They have projects  which have to be serviced. The quick answer is to recruit skills and talent from the companies who have invested in lean times. The lure of high salaries and company cars from the prelim pot is often overwhelming for the cash starved construction newcomer.

Whilst this is to be expected  and is the law of the jungle, the down side is we become project orientated as an industry once again and don't look beyond the current project or the potential for continual improvement. 

There are exceptions however who give hope for the future. Laing O Rouke are an excellent example of a business who have invested in the future, through the development of  processes and people. Their commitment to a high tech concrete factory and its technology alone has to be admired. They have continually invested in their young people and truly nurture talent.

Unfortunately in the recession margins have been slashed and their precence in the UK has reduced. I hope that clients will look at the long term value that the investment Laing O Rouke make can have on the wider industry and employment.

The only way we will achieve our 2025 vision is to take a long term view and to invest in our young talent. I hope the large contractors will take some of their profits  from an improving market and invest it wisely in the future so we can develop new intelligent methods of working.

BIM in Education.

I have to get something off my chest this morning!

I read an article in building earlier which quoted a number of universities and their approach to BIM. When reading these articles I couldn't help but feel that these education establishments were still thinking in a traditional outdated way. They were looking to bolt on BIM and Revit to what they already do.

I believe BIM started as one thing and has developed into something far more significant. For me, in the UK, it is now the name given to a movement to get the construction industry to talk with a single language rather than working in independent silos.

The importance of this single language is critical to improvements across the industry and without it we will not achieve the objectives set out in Vision 2025. Whether it's an architecture school or an engineering department they should be talking about the single language and the importance and benefits it can bring to the core of their teaching.Without this we are perpetuating professions focussed on their own outputs.

The universities need to teach the ethos and skills of their discipline but must also make reference to a common industry language and vision.

Once students have understood the common language and their own discipline they may also start to want to master the tools available to them. These may include Revit, Tekla, Archicad etc. I do think it would be helpful if the universities demonstrated the range of tools  available to help them design and deliver.

In my day we had to master parallel motion drawing boards  and rotoring pens. The options available today are far greater.

It was  also apparent that BIMCampus was not referred to. In a 12 week programme we are helping undergraduates to understand the common language as well as some basic training in software tools. The difference this few weeks makes between being employable  and not is significant.

I think the balance between academic learning and vocational training needs to be re balanced. Many courses are no longer appropriate and should be more of a mix between classroom and on the job training.

If we are to achieve our 2025 vision our educational approach needs to be fundamentally changed. These courses should support industry and outputs and work closely to provide students with the skills and attitude needed in construction.

The Power of Procurement

Whilst in many industries over the last 30 years it has been technology which has had the greatest impact on progress and development, in construction a range of approaches to procurement have driven our delivery methods and product..

Procurement across construction is driven by a lack of trust across all parties from client to contractor, contractor to design team and contractor to subcontractor.

In the majority of cases this lack of trust is well founded with construction having a reputation aligned with used car sales men. We like to play our cards close to our chest and ideally get one over in the party at the other side of the contract. This is usually driven by cost or service. We get ourselves wrapped up in what we are doing or not doing rather than focussing on service and product improvement.

The contractural position is usually focussed on risk and who will be responsible . The design and build procurment process was developed several years ago as a response to clients concerns around the level of risk they were exposed to in what was a very unpredictable process. Detailed traditional contracts such as JCT were used which put the onus on the client to provide clarity and accuracy in their requirements.

This type of contract expects the design to be completes and correct. As buildings became more complex this became an increasing challenge. AT this point design and build was born and this risk was passed to the main contractor.

What this did was develop a generation of s designers and engineers who were very good at front end design with reduced skills in the delivery to completion.

The gap has been the area of contention ever since. This is the undefined risk which is ultimately a gamble between contractor and client. In good times a contractor can win big. When work is scarce the contractor loses as he increases his apatite for risk.

We now have technology which means there is no reason for a design not to be fully developed before procurement and construction. We can now achieve far greater surety in delivery to reduce risk. This moves our industry away from one based on a gamble to a one which is far more predictable allowing investment and development.

Recently I visited Mace offices in London and was shown their Business School. This is a fantastic initiative where Mace work with their supply chain to develop the Mace way together. The subcontractors have to invest in this development which has been controversial across the industry.

To me businesses which are willing to invest should be those who benefit in the long run. I hope in the years ahead procurment plays far less a role in our industry and we are able to improve our reputation for a quality and predictability

Looking beyond BIM

No one who has anything to do with the construction industry can have failed to acknowledge the increased interest in Building Information Modelling over the past few years. Since Paul Morrell made his announcement that the Government would be mandating BIM on all projects by 2016 we have been on a BIM rollercoaster.

 

This hiatus has turned the industry upside down and has changed the dynamic in so many areas. BIM is not just the clever software which helps the architect look at his designs in 3D. It impacts on every part of the industry from clients through to designers and building operators.

 

We all know that construction has traditionally been one of least technological industries for many years. We have continued to use tried and tested methods which main contractors know and are comfortable with. Much of this is driven by the placement of risk which is largely driven by procurement routes. That is whole blog in its own right so I won’t go there.

 

Whilst BIM is bringing new software and techniques to the industry by default it is bringing other changes to our industry.

 

It wasn’t too many years ago when I would go on a construction site and there would be no IT at all. BIM has been embraced by a new generation who have joined the industry. This generation of 20 and 30 somethings have grown up with IT and embrace social media.

 

The uptake in the use and understanding of BIM has been accelerated through the sharing ofknowledge on twitter and blogs. The UKBIMcrew is a twitter community which has been instrumental in pushing new thinking and sharing knowledge openly.

 

This generation are the future of our industry. We can now share information quickly and openly across social networks. The new generation are far from scared of technology, they positively embrace it.

 

In less than ten years the construction industry has gone from being an industry which has been scared of technology and new ideas to one which is positively looking to innovate.

 

In the short term there will be tension. Technology is no substitute for experience and it is this experience which the new generation lack. There is no shortcut to experience and it can only be gathered through time.

 

Due to recession we have lost lots of experience and knowledge as people have taken up new roles in new industries or retired completely.

 

This will have an effect in the short term but also provides an opportunity for new generations to progress quickly and drive change. The young techies need to understand that experience is of huge value and the experienced hands need to believe there are new ways of thinking about construction in a changing world. If we can bring both sides together the UK construction industry has the opportunity to reach its potential.

 

Technology and the internet will go much further than just the use of BIM to design and operate assets. Social media is not to be underestimated and will impact upon the whole building lifecycle. A community is already established online and it is growing by the day.

 

As mentioned above this community is keen to share knowledge and experience in a way previous generations are not familiar with. Information relating to products is no longer obtained from the physical libraries of the past.

 

Specifiers, contractors and clients now get their information from the internet via a search. This means search engine optimisation is critical. Not only can a product be found online but its cost can easily be found and compared.

 

In the future it is likely product performance and reliability will be highlighted in a very similar way to trip advisor. Customers and users will be able to provide real time feedback on the performance of their favourite air handling unit or door closer!

 

E commerce will also become commonplace allowing buying to be carried out online with deliveries going direct to the construction site from manufacturer. Only a few years ago online shopping was the exception not the rule however Amazon is now one of the biggest retailers in the world. An Amazonfor construction is not unrealistic.

 

So whilst many may be tired of BIM as a concept, be aware that BIM is a disguise for a completerevolution in construction. BIM is driving change and forcing the industry to adapt and change to new technologies. This change is being pushed by a new generation of construction professionals who are passionate about their industry and making it better.

 

We have never experienced a more challenging period as now however I believe at the same time ourindustry has never been better placed to lead the global market in construction.