AUTOMATING THE TENDERING PROCESS: REAPING THE REWARDS

Whilst the construction industry is increasingly embracing digital transformation, untapped potential in leveraging technology to simplify manual processes and mitigate risks remains. One critical area is the tender process, a pivotal yet challenging task that can make or break a construction project, says Simon Herod, International Team Lead at EstimateOne.

Fu ndamentally, a well-executed tendering process sets the stage for remarkable outcomes, while any missteps can endanger the entire construction journey, leading to significant financial losses and subpar results. Digital technology can help contractors and subcontractors jump the many hurdles faced during the tendering process, enhancing efficiency and mitigating risk.

L et me take the opportunity to explore exactly how digital technology can remedy many of the age-old headaches associated with project tendering.

S implifying through technology

Tendering has come a long way since the turn of the millennium. Gone are the days of printing thousands of documents and endless envelopes like it’s the ’90s. Although services like email and Dropbox made parts of the process easier, let’s be honest, these systems were not built with the quirks of the construction industry in mind. In the last decade, cloud-based platforms have emerged, giving contractors the power to streamline tasks and achieve more precise results.

C rucially, contractors can use these systems to create, submit and manage bids electronically. It’s a game changer for subcontractors, too, as these collaborative networks make it a whole lot easier to keep documents safe, work together and track quote progress in real time.

S o you see, from the outset, transitioning to digital technology instantly simplifies the tendering process, delivering a more efficient and secure approach. It’s as straightforward as that.

E xpanding visibility and strengthening the supply chain

Taking a deeper dive, the latest digital platforms also allow you to upload your preferred subcontractors and suppliers but also provide access to a pool of new potential partners.

L abour shortages can significantly impact construction projects, with the industry averaging a 22% understaffing rate and an average lead time of almost four months to find suitable candidates1. In an industry grappling with supply chain challenges, contractors often face limited visibility during the tendering phase.

D ifficulties arise when searching for suitable subcontractors or suppliers, determining their availability and obtaining accurate pricing information. Fortunately, platforms, like

EstimateOne, enable you to leverage trusted subcontractors from previous tenders, expanding your options.

B y tapping into networks of subcontractors and suppliers through digital technology, contractors can source and build a reliable supply chain of workers. This approach ensures smoother operations and minimises potential disruptions throughout the project.

Communication and collaboration

W hile Excel might be an accountant’s best friend, it’s unlikely they are dealing with five to six addenda on their balance sheets. In the competitive world of construction tendering, solid communication between stakeholders is crucial for success.

T his is where digital technology comes into play, facilitating seamless communication, document sharing and real-time updates. If the quoting process is overly complex or confusing for subcontractors, it can deter them from participating, potentially reducing your chances of winning the work.

A s responses to your tender pour in, digital platforms enable you and your team to monitor and track them in real time. Unlike the risks associated with email threads or telephone streams, where different versions of documents may be bouncing back and forth, digitalisation ensures that outdated tenders are automatically superseded. All stakeholders involved are notified of the latest versions, ensuring everyone is on the same page and mitigating the risk of receiving prices based on outdated information. This eliminates the possibility of double handling and makes miscommunication virtually impossible.

More time for winning work

T ime is of the essence during the construction tendering phase, and delays can lead to missed opportunities or increased costs. In just a few clicks, contractors can automate send outs and expedite the process with the creation of trade packages, sending out hundreds of inquiries to subcontractors, significantly reducing effort and time spent.

Ultimately, digitising your processes means it’s never been easier to make sure the right documents end up in the right hands.

FOOTNOTE: 1www.search.co.uk/insights-advice www.estimateone.co.uk

DESIGNING FOR ALL: THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUSIVE DESIGN IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Here, Keith Lovelace, Managing Director and Owner at Ideas – a company with a design focus founded in inclusive design for built environments – delves into the significance of inclusive design within the built environment.

Ba ck in the early ‘80s, I studied ‘Design for Industry’ at Newcastle upon Tyne Polytechnic, now Northumbria University. As part of the course, we were introduced to the matter of ‘human engineering’ – a design process that focuses on people and human interaction from the outset of a project. In short, it relates to ergonomics and human factors – a topic with a broad scope and can include the sciences of anatomy, anthropometry, applied physiology, psychology, sociology, engineering, industrial design and systems design.

A s an industrial designer of nearly 40 years, I’ve noticed within the design community and many public sector and private enterprises that combined operational, business and human benefits are rarely considered. At best, they’re used as a retrospective tool for reviewing things when they go wrong.

And yet, the idea of ‘ergonomics’ isn’t new. It’s been used as a marketing buzzword since the late ‘80s to inform consumers that a product or service has been designed with human consideration

IDEAS and is safe, comfortable and efficient. We’ve all heard of the ergonomic chair, footrest, keyboard and mouse and assume they’ve undergone a design process that includes user participation, research, prototyping and testing. Although ergonomics is still an important matter, there’s a new design language being advocated in the public sector, private enterprises and not-forprofit organisations, and it’s all about inclusive design.

I nclusive design can be considered a design methodology that considers human diversity relating to the usability of the built environment, products and services. It’s not about disability but rather the diversity of ability, age and gender.

O ne of the drivers for achieving accessibility and inclusivity is meeting the legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010. The act recognises that “we all have more than one of the nine protected characteristics”. These are detailed in the act as: age; disability; gender; reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex and sexual orientation. However, anecdotal evidence suggests there’s still a lack of awareness regarding the legal obligations of organisations, small and large, who are responsible for commissioning built environments, products and services as well as those responsible for designing, specifying, managing and procuring buildings, products and services.

W hen talking about inclusive design, accessibility and the built environment in relation to ‘disability’ or different abilities of people (including their families and carers, an ageing population or even parents with buggies), it sometimes seems that the conversation is about an abstract theme and, at worse, someone else’s problem.

H owever, change is happening. Some companies, such as Network Rail, are creating guidance manuals that outline the benefits of adopting an inclusive design strategy relating to the accessibility of spaces, but also the importance of customer satisfaction, commercial benefits, and legal obligations.

T here are also a series of British Standards that cover factors to consider when designing for the built environment to help make spaces inclusive for everyone:

B S 7000-6:2005 Design management systems. Managing inclusive design.

B S 8300-2:2018 Design of an accessible and inclusive built environment. Buildings – code of practice.

PAS 6463 Design for the mind –Neurodiversity and the built environment.

To help ascertain any potential negative impacts on those with characteristics protected by the Equality Act, but also to identify positive improvements, a diversity impact assessment (DIA) can also be conducted.

A DIA is, in effect, a documented process of ‘observation’ and research to recognise the needs of people and uncover problems and opportunities requiring solutions. It also includes consultations with local community groups, local authorities, business groups and staff at an early stage of a project.

H owever, these are quite often forgotten at the beginning of the project, and disappointments arise due to a disconnect between the design of the building and the products installed.

A ny space that includes some form of physical touchpoint where people interact with one another or their surroundings should feature designs and products that have been well defined from the outset. This includes the consideration and integration of any technological applications. A humancentred approach is, therefore, essential as it helps to provide a framework that ensures people are at the heart of the design process. It also adopts some of the early stage involvement of the DIA process, the difference being that a human-centred design approach is about creating solutions that help improve people’s lives and their experience and make spaces inclusive.

A chieving good design, therefore, requires an understanding of designing for people. Furthermore, it must be better than what came before. This requires collaborative working between end users, the community and other stakeholders, as it allows for a deeper understanding of the needs and requirements of those using the product or space.

I ’m often reminded by architects that products shouldn’t be the design remit of the architect but rather the realm of a product designer with an in-depth knowledge of human engineering, materials and manufacturing processes, technology integration, commercial, operational, maintenance and sustainability. Nonetheless, the product designer is regularly overlooked in favour of traditional procurement processes and design disciplines, as well as an armslength approach where ‘lowest price’ beats ‘value’.

O verall, inclusive design focuses on the diversity of people and how this informs design decisions. It can also include a wider set of design parameters associated with products or service development, manufacture, sustainability, social value, usability, operations, maintenance and the circular economy.

H opefully, ‘inclusive design’ won’t end up being another buzzword. It needs to be all embracing and include environmental, sustainability, commercial, operational, customer and staff satisfaction, and to meet legislative requirements.

Creating and developing inclusive design solutions shouldn’t be considered as just a way to appease the procurement process or a marketing sound bite but as a meaningful adoption of a design philosophy that will improve people’s lives. These solutions need to be a holistic approach and not just centred on the building but also the products and services that form part of the built environment.

Meeting Homeowner Trends With Statement Glazing

Victoria Brocklesby, COO at aluminium window and door specialist Origin, explores the trends that are driving current homeowner demands and offers advice on how these can be achieved with the clever use of statement glazing.

The way British families live is changing. A home’s footprint now has to work harder to accommodate the rise of home working and an increased number of adult children living with their parents. Coupled with this, properties are now 20% smaller than they were in the 1970s, meaning families have less space to play with than ever before.

I t’s no wonder that homeowners’ demands are changing when it comes to their living spaces. So, what are the key trends to be aware of, and how can architects factor this into their designs?

1 . The death of open-plan living

The number of adult children living with their parents in England and Wales rose by 13.6% between 2011 and 2021 to nearly 3.8 million, with around one in every 4.5 families now living with an adult child at home. So, with fewer and fewer young adults flying the nest, many families are finding themselves in the unusual position of needing more space, rather than less, as they get older.

A s a result, the open-plan layouts that were coveted for so many years are falling out of favour as they are no longer practical for millions of households. According to RIBA, a quarter of homeowners want to reconfigure their homes to better suit their current needs, with one in 10 keen to divide their living space to separate work and leisure time and allow multiple generations to cohabit comfortably.

W hile the traditional approach of adding solid walls or screens may seem like the obvious solution, it often leads to smaller, dimly-lit rooms and complex floorplans with wasted areas. Our own research has revealed that homeowners who lack natural light in their homes are three times more likely to perceive their living environment as detrimental to their mental wellbeing. So, it’s crucial to find a division method that doesn’t block the flow of light.

G lazed walls and doors are a great solution, enabling architects to design broken-plan layouts that provide separate, functional living areas while maintaining ample natural light in all living spaces. The Origin Internal Door (OI-30) is a stylish way to achieve this. Made from premiumgrade aluminium, the internal doors create private, separate living areas when closed or can be opened to connect rooms, allowing them to feel open and seamless. Available either as a single door, a French door or a fixed screen, it can be fully customised with multiple options for glazing bar configurations, handle styles and colours.

2 . The heart of the home

T he kitchen, a timeless hub of family homes throughout Britain, retains its central role. Data from Howdens revealed that 51% of families still consider the kitchen ‘the heart of the home’, with 41% saying it’s where they spend most of their time. So, it’s only logical that homeowners want this space to be as attractive and functional as possible.

P lus, with rising inflation continuing to impact household budgets, the kitchen is increasingly transforming into a space for not just cooking and dining but also socialising, as individuals opt for staying in rather than venturing out.

B i-folding doors are a great way to enhance a kitchen and improve entertaining spaces. These doors not only maximise the influx of natural light into the room but also seamlessly connect the interior and exterior, establishing an ideal setting for get togethers.

O pting for bi-folding doors that are crafted from aluminium means future homeowners will benefit from both practicality and style. Aluminium is innately strong yet lightweight, allowing for ultraslim frames and ensuring the doors are easy to operate. Opting for bespoke aluminium doors allows architects to choose the exact colour and style, including the hardware, to match the aesthetic of the property.

3 . Working spaces are here to stay

A s remote and hybrid work arrangements become a permanent fixture in many businesses across the UK, the makeshift home offices hastily put together during the pandemic are no longer suitable. Unsurprisingly, a recent study by RIBA indicates that nearly 20% of homeowners would like their own dedicated home office.

For properties that don’t naturally offer this space, internal glazing presents an excellent solution. By combining glass doors and walls with a corner post, it’s possible to create an entirely new room that can be effectively utilised as a home office. To ensure enhanced privacy during working hours, Origin’s Internal Door offers the flexibility to incorporate various types of glazing, including reeded, frosted as well as clear glass.

4. Supporting sustainability and energy bills

A s energy costs continue to soar and Brits become more conscious of their personal carbon footprints, homeowners are placing increasing significance on thermal efficiency. Consequently, architects face mounting pressure to recommend products that not only meet but surpass thermal efficiency targets to keep homes as sustainable as possible and minimise energy bills.

W hen evaluating options for doors and windows for a project, look for suppliers who have made significant investments in product innovation to ensure that doors deliver optimal thermal performance while maintaining style and usability. For instance, doors incorporating polyamide thermal break barriers between the interior and exterior profiles tend to offer significantly lower U-values, even when paired with double glazing.

F ind out more about how Origin’s range of aluminium door and window systems could enhance your next project via the website below.

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