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Tom Harper writes:

If you are competing for work and having to demonstrate your innovation and best practice under “value” then here are some ideas:

Not only are you going to have to address the pointers below, but you’ll need to do something extra against each one to put yourself ahead of the competition:

 1. Join a regional Constructing Excellence club – click here to see our website links to your local club. This costs next to nothing and demonstrates you are supporting  the improvement agenda. Having joined, then do actually attend events! These vary from intellectual debate to social events – great for networking and you will see opportunities to improve your company.

2. Click here to read through the different pages on our website  – there are plenty of ways into the sort of information that’s useful for you – for example, via the different types of organisations listed on our front page.

3. Have you got staff, possibly young members of staff, who are studying something interesting? Perhaps they have an untapped passion for recycling or low carbon. Get them to explore how they might develop ideas and do something a bit special for sustainability, health and safety, lean construction etc. We have come across a number of people recently who work for companies and are doing interesting research as part of their studies.

4. You may have a project that would make a good case study. You can contact our colleague  Christos Vidalakis for advice. Even if we cannot take that idea on, you can still make use of our standard case study format.

5. Enter for a South West Built Environment award. It never ceases to amaze us why so many people hang back from doing this. It costs absolutely nothing except a few hours to put together an entry, using our much simplified process. Although you’ve just missed this year’s deadline, you could start to get ready for next year’s Awards. If you enter, you might at least receive a short listing which means a mention for your company at the awards dinner itself. Constructing Excellence award winners at a regional level go forward to the national CE finals for free!

6. Support industry campaigns and do something to help. For example, you can join the Working Well Together Campaign. Click here to see the WWT website. 
If you have a health and safety professional in your organisation we in the region are always asking for help on specific initiatives, to train small builders for example. This is something extra you can note down in your prequalification.

7. If you have some spare budget, think about working with us. For example, we are always looking for sponsors for our pioneering films for clients and others in our industry. This is a great way to get your company name up before clients and have something to be proud of as you help to drive the improvement agenda forward. You can even show the film at tender interviews!

8. Make sure you cover the basics. It is OK having great ideas and innovations but you also need to demonstrate compliance in areas such as health and safety under such schemes as CHAS. Click here to see the Safety Schemes in Procurement website for details of schemes who have signed up to a common standard.  

9. Be prepared to work collaboratively with others to develop ideas. This is a key theme of Constructing Excellence. A good idea will often only be hatched or realised by different organisations or roles working together.

10. It is easy to become cynical but this industry is full of people who want to change things for the better. We at CESW FF aim to act as an honest broker for change. If you have a positive idea or a concern about the industry we promise to always listen and provide some thoughts on how that might be realised.

Christos Vidalakis reports on the Keynote Address by Paul Morrell, Chief Construction Advisor

Paul Morrell began by highlighting the need for two way communication between industry and government.

In facilitating these discussions, the role of associations such as the Construction Clients Board, Department of Business Innovation and Skills, the Strategic Forum for Construction, Constructing Excellence and Construction Products Association is certainly important. However, there is a requirement for clear and effective communication; otherwise the industry runs the danger of turning into the Tower of Babel. Thus, the quality of communication is a key determinant of the success of any industry plan to address current challenges.

Paul identified the main challenges facing the industry at the moment as:

•  low carbon construction 
•  procurement

Carbon reduction, in particular, has created an immense opportunity for the whole industry.

To achieve this there is a need for a detailed plan which will facilitate change across the industry’s supply chains. Construction could look at approaches adopted in other industries such as the New Automotive Innovation and Growth Team (NAIGT), an initiative launched in April 2008 to address the innovation and growth challenges that the automotive industry faces.

The carbon footprint from construction is related to the following activities: Design - Product manufacturing - Transport - Site assembly - Use - Refurbish/demolish. Particular attention has to be paid to minimising carbon emissions in use, since improvements in this area have high potential and major impact.

The barriers to meeting the sustainability challenge were also identified as:

•  scepticism about low carbon
•  complexity of the sustainability issue
•  fragmentation
•  lack of data
•  lack of repetition/standardisation
•  lack of international competition

Addressing the sustainability challenge is having a massive effect on the construction industry, affecting many aspects of construction activity including, amongst others:

•  new homes
•  existing housing stock
•  sustainable energy sources
•  sustainable transport

It therefore also represents a massive opportunity for the whole supply chain. To successfully address the sustainability issue, clients need to raise the bar even higher whilst being assisted by first tier contractors acting as the supply chain integrators.

As a source of further information The UK Low carbon Transition Plan was suggested, a report which identifies construction as a key underpinning sector in achieving the required emission cuts , and plots how the UK will meet the 2020 emissions targets.

If you want more information on the Low Carbon Construction Innovation and Growth Team click here to visit the BIS website.

Filming for the first ever DVD to guide construction clients through the CDM regulations took place in Bath mid February, with BANES, AECOM, Devon County Council and APS.  The film also includes interviews with  the Health and Safety Executive,  and the Construction Clients Group. Some cold but thankfully bright sunny weather ensured some stunning footage around iconic Bath.

Filming also took place at Writhlington School and Camerton Primary School near Radstock. Further footage was collected in the Roman Baths Museum where alterations are in progress to improve visitor attractions.
  

The film features clients talking about the need for a clear vision for the project, picking the right team, planning and communication, and ensuring the right resources. Industry experts also pitch in to give guidance.Watch this space for purchase details when the film is completed early summer. They are perfect for local authorities to brief schools and also for any other organisation coming to grips with with the role of the client.

Major responsibilities for the client lie within the CDM 2007 regulations and clients take them on by default when they are not enacted. Hence there is a major need for easily accessible clear communications on this subject.