Aecom Ireland - Routes to a resilient tomorrow by H/Advisors Cicero

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Building a future-ready Ireland

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Forword Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Building a future-ready Ireland

Welcome to our 2021 Ireland Review. As a company, we are committed to the delivery of world-class buildings and infrastructure across the island of Ireland through innovation, best practice and collaboration. Following on from last year’s review which considered how our industry can build the foundations for future growth, this year we are focusing on resilience, partly in response to the enormous challenges that we have faced over the past twelve months. Never before has the need for resilience strategies been more acute. Now that we have surmounted many of the short-term hurdles that the pandemic originally presented, industry must remodel for agility if it is to be future-ready. Furthermore, the infrastructure we build needs to meet the increasingly unpredictable challenges of tomorrow.

Fortunately, clear growth strategies show us the way, yet much still needs to be done, particularly around mitigating our industry’s contributions to greenhouse gas emissions. We hope that you enjoy this year's read. In addition to the content published here, we shall be adding further insights over the coming months. All the articles examine ways in which industry can play its part in helping Ireland achieve its sustainable growth goals. Together, we can build a more resilient future for construction on the island of Ireland.

Executive summary

Rail can take us to a more sustainable future

Accelerating affordable housing

Collaborating for transformational change

What might a resilient island look like? Our experts have spoken to clients and analysed key data, trends and issues to generate insights to help industry meet the strategic challenges ahead.

With an affordable housing crisis in motion, how can we speed up the planning and delivery process?

When it comes to infrastructure-led programmes of major transformational change, an integrated approach is key to success.

Ireland leadership team

Embracing innovation to transform mental health care facilities

Paving the way for active travel

Creating a resilient and renewable power network

Industry spotlight

To best deliver the next generation of mental health facilities, we must embrace innovative approaches to patient care alongside a digital-led design ethos. The evidence is already emerging.

This year, our annual review examines the topic of resilience and how buildings and civil infrastructure can help meet increasingly unpredictable challenges and support sustainable growth across the island of Ireland. 2

Vital investment to modernise Ireland’s rail network will bring huge benefits for passengers, and an electrified and efficient network will tackle urban sprawl and contribute to decarbonisation goals.

How to successfully integrate active travel networks in densely populated urban areas.

Indicative building costs

Acknowledgements

We list our 2021 indicative building costs for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Ireland requires a stable supply of renewable energy. Investment in a range of strategic assets –—such as pumped-storage hydroelectricity — will help build this resilience.

Following a year of unprecedented challenges, we look at construction industry trends and performance in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in 2020, and what we can expect to see in 2021.

Learn about our contributors' expertise and experience plus contact details.

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Executive summary What might a resilient island of Ireland look like? To answer this question, our building and infrastructure experts have spoken to clients and analysed key data, trends and issues to generate insights to help industry meet the strategic challenges ahead.

The need for affordable housing is urgent, and this need will only increase as populations grow.

he island of Ireland has long suffered from sprawling cities and over-dependence on the private car. Transport planning experts Shane Dunny and Damien Lambert examine how a modernised rail network can reverse these trends by increasing capacity and frequency along existing networks to help steer growth in a new, compact and decarbonised direction. The need for affordable housing is urgent, and this need will only increase as populations grow. In his article on how to accelerate delivery, John O’Regan examines ways to overcome planning delays, viability challenges and barriers to implementation. Effective programme management — that embraces innovative methods, a collaborative approach and advocates for excellent data governance — is central to the delivery of the infrastructure mentioned above and can bring better outcomes, but only if there’s buy-in from all the people involved.

Experts Derval Cummins and Colm Tully discuss ways to establish a common operating culture, without which digital tools and processes cannot be used to their full potential. As always, in our industry spotlight commentary, we take stock of both Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland’s (ROI) economic and construction performance in 2020, predicting that in 2021, tender price inflation in NI will increase by 1–1.5 per cent and two per cent across ROI. And finally, we will be adding further insights over the coming months examining the next generation of healthcare facilities; how green, active travel can be encouraged; and how we can build a secure and sustainable energy infrastructure that can truly meet future demand. The journey towards a more resilient island of Ireland starts now.

1–1.5%

2021 tender price inflation predictions in Northern Ireland

2021 tender price inflation predictions across Republic of Ireland

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Rail can take us to a more sustainable future Vital investment to modernise the island of Ireland's rail network will bring huge benefits for passengers, and an electrified and efficient network will tackle urban sprawl and contribute to decarbonisation, say rail planning experts Shane Dunny and Damien Lambert.

All-island connectivity should excite us all, not least because it better connects our communities in a more sustainable, cleaner and greener way, but also because it opens up huge potential for our economy. Nichola Mallon, Infrastructure Minister, Northern Ireland

or decades, Irish cities have sprawled. A rising population needed new homes, but a lack of infrastructure and inconsistent planning led to developers frequently building out rather than up. As distances increased between work and home, commuters took to the car. Now, Project Ireland 2040 — the Irish Government’s overarching development framework — and other factors including recovery from coronavirus have created an opportunity to build something better and more sustainable. Within twenty years there will be an additional one million people living in the Republic of Ireland, and an additional two-thirds of a million people working in the country, so the

time for co-ordinated planning for transport, commercial developments and homes is now. Modernising the rail network will facilitate compact urban development and sustainable growth while also contributing to decarbonisation goals — all key Project Ireland 2040 priorities. This commitment is mirrored in Northern Ireland. Upon the announcement regarding the upcoming feasibility study into improving higher speed connectivity north-south, Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon was recently quoted as saying, “All-island connectivity should excite us all, not least because it better connects our communities in a more sustainable, cleaner and greener way, but also because it opens up huge potential for our economy.”

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Improved outcomes for passengers

Due to decades of underinvestment, the island of Ireland’s commuter rail network is no longer fit for purpose especially as demand continues to grow. Services can be crowded, irregular and unreliable. Project Ireland 2040’s National Development Plan allocation of more than €2 billion for rail over the next decade to overhaul the network should go some way towards resolving these problems. Central to these plans is increasing the frequency of trains. A turn-upand-go train service will mean that instead of having to check train times, commuters can arrive on the platform, confident they will depart within minutes. These developments will have major consequences for the areas around the train network, creating opportunities in both the residential and commercial property sectors. At present, the passenger capacity for heavy rail into Dublin City Centre is around 26,000 per hour. But with the planned upgrade through the DART+ programme — the upgrading of Dublin’s entire heavy rail system — 52,000 passengers will be able to travel per hour, hugely boosting the appeal of rail commuting.

“There has been a strong case for investment for a long time,” says Jim Meade, Chief Executive at Irish Rail. “The pandemic has undoubtedly shifted travel patterns, however this commitment from government to upgrade services demonstrates the central role that a modernised rail network has to play in helping Ireland grow sustainably. We need high-capacity links along existing corridors between areas identified for higher density employment and higher density residential developments — and now we are finally able to deliver.” On the basis of the planned investment, new residential developments are scheduled to be built close to stations. Combined with investment in DART+, these developments — in places such as Clonburris and Adamstown — will more than double the number of residents living with 1km of a high frequency DART service to over 600,000 people. The effects will be substantial, particularly in more deprived areas. Access to world-class transport will improve the job market, transforming opportunities for thousands of people.

The pandemic has undoubtedly shifted travel patterns, however this commitment from government to upgrade services demonstrates the central role that a modernised rail network has to play in helping Ireland grow sustainably. We need highcapacity links along existing corridors between areas identified for higher density employment and higher density residential developments — and now we are finally able to deliver.

Broombridge station, Dublin

Jim Meade, Chief Executive at Irish Rail 8

Heavy rail passenger capacity into Dublin City

Today

By 2035

passengers per hour

26,000

Building around the rail network

AECOM analysis shows that this improved rail network will support compact growth and encourage better use of land, and it can become a virtuous circle: by developing the potential of the network, the areas around the stations will be boosted. Landowners and developers can work together on infill development rather than greenfield sprawl and the opportunity exists to build attractive apartment blocks and allow commuters just a brief walk to a train station rather than a long drive to work. Co-operation between all the interested groups is not a given, but there are many examples around the world of improved rail networks significantly enhancing

52,000

the commercial and residential potential of an area. In Barcelona, for example, AECOM delivered on a large and complex high-speed link between Madrid and Figueras, just south of the French border. This project focused on the La Sagrera station area, with AECOM appointed to adapt and design the railway’s infrastructure so that it integrates fully with the existing urban environment. Most of the infrastructure will be hidden under covered slabs and new landscaped parkland that will reconnect several neighbourhoods — Sagrera, Sant Marti and Sant Andreu — that were previously divided by the railway. The plan will therefore bring extensive opportunities for residential and commercial development. 9

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

DART+ programme impacts

45,000

tonne reduction in greenhouse gas emissions due to reduction in rail CO2 emmissions due to modal shift and increased electrification of the rail fleet

56%

expected rail patronage increase one year after programme implementation (includes existing background growth trends)

It will be crucial to have a similar vision beyond Dublin if there is to be compact growth focused on the whole rail network. The cities of Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford have long term integrated strategies in place or under development that foresee a key role for rail.

57%

increase in residents located within 1km of a high frequency DART service

100%

increase in the capacity of the rail network in the Eastern region by 2028

Source: AECOM

Supporting growth in regional cities

In Ireland, it will be crucial to have a similar vision beyond Dublin if there is to be compact growth focused on the whole rail network. Project Ireland 2040 aims to ensure that 75 per cent of all population growth occurs outside the capital over the coming decades. The cities of Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford have long term integrated transport strategies in place or under development that foresee a key role for rail. “These possibilities must be integrated in-line with planned developments so that they align with population growth,” says Jim Meade. 10

“For example, Galway County Council wants to residentially develop the area around Oranmore station, which will in turn increase demand for rail services over time. In this way, rail can help reverse low-density settlement patterns.” In Northern Ireland, addressing regional imbalance is also a priority. Feasibility studies have been commissioned into several suggested improvements in the North West, including the introduction of half hourly services on the Derry-Belfast line as well as new halts and associated parkand-ride facilities in Strathfoyle, Eglinton/City of Derry Airport and Ballykelly.

Galway Bay

Cutting carbon emissions

Modernising the network will help meet environmental goals too. By shifting from diesel to electric trains, the carbon footprint of Ireland’s rail network will be substantially reduced. As commuting by train becomes a more appealing option, car travel should fall, which will cut emissions further. The pandemic has provided a huge shake-up of people’s habits, and in its aftermath, it will be important to ensure that commuters are nudged towards more environmentally-friendly travel. For example, tools such as AECOM’s workplace mobility as a service app My Mobility Hub can be used by organisations to implement policies to encourage and incentivise sustainable travel choices for work-related travel and beyond. A key element of promoting sustainable growth is ensuring that the improved trains are part of a wider network of green transport. Already, AECOM has advised on improving stations in Dublin, so that they are more user-friendly, attract more passengers, and fit seamlessly into the wider transport network. Modernising rail, as part of an integrated public transport system supported by walking and cycling facilities, will be a key part of meeting Project Ireland 2040’s goals on sustainable development, compact growth and the transition to a low-carbon society. And while recovery from coronavirus and a more active and mobile lifestyle is on everyone’s minds, we have the chance to embrace these changes to build a more resilient transport network more reflective of society’s future needs. If we can get all interested groups together and talking, we can build the network that an expanding, prosperous and more sustainable Ireland needs. 11

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

The delivery of affordable housing needs to be accelerated

Procurement and planning must be streamlined

Project Ireland 2040 Housing Supply Targets 25,000

homes per year by end of 2020

30-35,000

annually up to 2027

From the outset, the procurement process in the Republic of Ireland is complex and time-consuming. In the UK, established design team frameworks enable a streamlined procurement system for developing a brief, a business case or a feasibility study in a matter of weeks. In the Republic, that process can take months. The planning process itself can also be slow, expensive and risky. Whilst changes in planning legislation to allow major housing developments go directly to the planning appeals board has brought more definition to some elements, the changes have also led to a steep rise in demands for judicial review. Given that a judicial review can take two years to proceed, this can seriously frustrate the planning process. A Housing Task Force could resolve these issues, with a focus on project management, including both public and private sector team members.

In the Republic of Ireland, there are many different agencies involved in the development of a single affordable residential scheme (starting with local authorities, An Bord Pleanála, Irish Water, Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage), with each agency working to its own timescales, priorities and budgets. An empowered overarching Housing Task Force could focus on delivery and move blockers. In planning, it is vital to keep the process moving, resolving bottlenecks and ensuring that an application doesn’t get stuck on someone’s desk. At AECOM, we have seen plenty of instances where good project management has helped with large-scale planning applications and streamlined processes. In Burgess Hill in southern England, for example, we are the lead consultant on the Northern Arc project, a major development being promoted by Homes England, that will deliver up to 3,500 new homes.

Using our Masterplanning IE technology-based approach we achieved local authority approval for the masterplan and infrastructure delivery plan in under four months. Outline planning permission with a signed legal agreement was achieved in 16 months. This accelerated programme was made possible by stakeholder co-operation and the creation of a masterplan that was supported by the gathering of all the necessary technical evidence. For example, flood risk and drainage technical expertise was deployed from the very start of the project. This allowed sustainable drainage systems to be integrated into the masterplan, mitigating the impact of climate change on fluvial flooding. A problem that might have reared its head after months or even years of planning work was resolved from the outset.

The island of Ireland is facing an affordable housing crisis, but the economic restart after coronavirus means there is a chance to improve and speed up the planning and delivery process and link it to compact urban development and rail growth, says housing specialist John O'Regan.

oming out of the pandemic, Ireland’s housing crisis, north and south, cannot be ignored. Yes, the possibility that more people will work, more often, from home opens exciting possibilities for different types of living away from urban centres, but our key workers must still be able to get to their jobs from affordable homes near suitable transportation. And both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland have a critical lack of affordable housing. By March 2019, there were 37,859 applicants

on the social housing waiting list in Northern Ireland, of whom 26,387 were in “housing stress”. Resolving this is a key focus for the Northern Ireland government, with Belfast 2035 growth plans targeted at delivering 32,000 new homes. It is also a priority for the Irish government, with Project Ireland 2040 including plans to increase overall housing supply by 25,000 homes a year by the end of 2020, and then 30,000-35,000 annually up to 2027. It will not be easy for public bodies to overcome their struggles in delivering housing. But these

housing goals are a start, and by working closely with experienced project managers and using the full range of resources and consultants available, there is a way to achieve them. Moreover, a new approach to public transport and compact urban development could allow for housing to be better targeted in a joined-up approach that is badly needed. Project Ireland 2040 is demonstrating the right approach to rail and housing by aiming to secure over 50 per cent of future housing needs in existing built-up areas.

St Kevin’s, Cork by Reddy Architecture and AECOM Cost Management and Landscape Architecture on behalf of the Land Development Agency Image credit: © Reddy Architecture

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

In planning, it is vital to keep the process moving, resolving bottlenecks and ensuring that an application doesn’t get stuck on someone’s desk.

Vicinity map of the Northern Arc project in Burgess Hill in southern England where lead consultant AECOM achieved local authority approval for the masterplan in under four months

Managing viability issues

Southill Apartments, Limerick by ABK and AECOM Cost Management on behalf of Limerick City & County Image credit: © ABK

In both Northern Ireland and the Republic, there are issues around the financial viability of projects. Even with planning permission achieved, the projected cost of development can wipe out a positive return from potential sale or rental revenues. Less than 30 per cent of projects granted planning permission through the Strategic Housing Development planning route have commenced on site. Assessing viability has also been made more complex by the pandemic. Developers are having to work out whether more working from home is a long-term trend or whether people will return to the office within months. Making long-term decisions that will affect people for decades is a challenge when there are so many moving parts. An effective Housing Task Force would help address these viability issues. Either way, it is likely that some workers will embrace home offices, and there is also a growing awareness that daily long-distance commutes are not environmentally desirable. Essentially, developers have to find a way of creating financially viable new homes close to urban centres for keyworkers while also finding a way to accommodate people who are able to live further away from their workplace.

30%

Less than 30 per cent of projects granted planning permission through the Strategic Housing Development planning route have commenced on site.

One way of accelerating the delivery of affordable housing is to further explore the options for state-owned land that could be suited to quick development. This is advancing quickly with the establishment of the Land Development Agency in the Republic. The state land portfolio includes many sites with viability challenges. These range from utility infrastructure deficits to significant protected structures including historic health and defence buildings. At face value, the development of these sites may seem challenging, but when broader economic benefits as well as the carbon benefits of retrofit versus new build and the long-term cost of the ‘do nothing’ option are considered, the argument for development is compelling. The AECOM Economics team has developed models for taking a broader view on such developments.

Resolving obstacles to implementation

After planning and viability comes actual implementation, and there are major challenges facing the Irish construction marketplace today. The industry lacks the resilience and scale needed to invest in modern methods of construction that are cheaper and faster, and reduce the carbon footprint of developments.

Government support could aid such innovation, as without it, the implementation of major schemes is very difficult. For the construction industry to grow as required, the government needs to establish a pipeline of upcoming work for those prepared to invest in their methods and materials. The key priority must be to develop effective masterplans that accelerate and improve every element of property development, enabling smooth implementation of affordable housing developments. Affordable housing is too serious a problem to be allowed to drift on. The challenges faced by public bodies charged with delivering affordable housing are significant and public bodies often lack the expertise and experience to deliver the quantity of housing necessary in a relatively short period. But there are projects such as Burgess Hill that demonstrate a way forward, showing that the harnessing of the vast range of skills and resources available in the private sector can lead to effective collaboration and progress.

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Successful program management and the importance of building a culture of collaboration

There are three reasons why building an integrated culture is increasingly important Complexity:

Infrastructure programmes are growing in scale and complexity, a reflection of the increasingly complex world they inhabit. This means working with a vast range of organisations and people at local, regional, national and even global levels, many of them with competing interests. All the while you must take into account specific political, geographical, social, cultural, linguistic and economic climates — and that’s just within Ireland!

When it comes to infrastructure-led programs of major transformational change, establishing a shared operational culture is key. While the outcomes and vision must be clearly defined right at the start, AECOM’s Derval Cummins and Colm Tully propose also taking time to build desired behaviors from the bottom up.

hen people talk about programme management, they often focus on the processes rather than the people involved. But if you want a disparate group of people who aren’t used to working together to operate as one, the first step is establishing a culture of collaboration. Human-centred design is key for adopting technology that is right for the programme, rather than trying to retrofit a programme around some exciting new technology. A common operating culture should be the platform on which the technology is built. Digital tools and systems should

then be set up to process and share data from multiple sources in a single source of trustworthy, reliable, real-time information. The objective is to make it easier for designers, contractors and supply chain to collaborate. At AECOM, we deliver capital programmes of critical national and international importance in aviation, roads and highways, rail, water, ports, power, energy and environmental clean-up, and have been key in shaping many of the major infrastructure programmes and cities of today. That experience has taught us the importance of taking time to build a structure that brings the interests and actions of different stakeholders together right from the start.

Sustainability:

Human-centred design is key for adopting technology that is right for the programme, rather than trying to retrofit a programme around some exciting new technology. A common operating culture should be the platform on which the technology is built.

Unlike other types of programmes, capital programmes create infrastructure that will exist for a very long time. To be sustainable, programmes should be built to serve future as well as current generations, avoiding the need to expensively retrofit or rebuild. Endeavouring to provide intergenerational equity through sustainable planning, design and construction is vitally important. This could be as simple as leaving space for new walkways or carriageways, or envisioning cycle routes in the skies.

Technology:

At the same time, it’s important to keep pace with technological change. The objective should be to establish a connected system that brings consistency and value to an entire pipeline of work. From the very beginning, all the project information should be held in a common data environment (CDE) and kept up-to-date. Each team member across all disciplines should know how to navigate, store and collect data within the CDE, including contractors or supply chain at each phase of the project. To properly prepare the teams, we implement a structured ‘fast start’ mobilisation process, increasing the certainty of delivery on time and on budget. 17

Routes to a resilient tomorrow period of flux where technology and customer needs are constantly evolving. Flexibility is key and the Integrated Delivery Partner model provides flexibility in both capacity and capability of resource.

Ultimately, it is people who make programs work and success depends on getting the most out of them. The first step is to agree on a clear vision and define the project outcomes to create a compelling narrative that aligns strategies and actions, providing a platform for a ‘one team’ approach

5/ Sustainable accounting

Five lessons learnt While each programme requires a bespoke solution, we have distilled five lessons from our experience in Integrated Client Partner roles on major infrastructure programmes such as improving San Francisco’s water system (see case study, on pages 20 and 21).

1/ Narrative The first task should be to define the vision and program outcomes, informed by the client ethos, values and strategic objectives. This is turn will inform the scope of the capital program and its objectives. Creating a narrative to fit this will form a platform to develop the program and give it direction.

2/ Operational structure A connected step is identifying, categorising and engaging with the different stakeholders involved, with a view of establishing a ‘one team’ structure, where organisational badges are left at the door. The degree of control that the client requires is of course an important consideration when deciding on the most suitable structure, which should be shaped to suit. Due to complexity and duration of major infrastructure programmes, which often span over five to ten years, collaboration across the supply chain is paramount to ensure successfully delivery.

3/ Information management The effective use of virtual design tools such as BIM (Building Information Modelling) during the design and construction stages can help all parties efficiently manage huge amounts of information and develop knowledge. BIM also means that building or logistical issues can be resolved before getting to site — avoiding potentially expensive retrofits or rebuilds. BIM model data, stored in the non-proprietary COBie (Construction Operations Building Information Exchange) format, can then be integrated with the client’s asset management software allowing a seamless transition of information to the operations and maintenance (O&M) team. Managed well, data should flow freely between asset lifecycle phases through to O&M. Indeed, placing an emphasis on the O&M stage often leads to the gathering of better data early on which improves stakeholder interaction and engagement.

4/ Embracing ambiguity, uncertainty, dynamism and risk By their nature, major infrastructure programmes often require cultural and organisational transformational change which involves a degree of uncertainty and risk. Working in such an environment requires dynamism — which should be encouraged by the organisational set-up of a programme. Certainty will grow as the programme progresses, but even so, we are living in a

It’s increasingly clear that traditional approaches to business case planning are failing to fully quantify impacts and risks, particularly when it comes to socioeconomic and environmental considerations over the long-term. In addition to financial reporting, we should take account of other metrics such as carbon. Where possible, we recommend a ‘six capitals’ approach, putting a monetary value on manufacturing, human, social, intellectual, natural and financial capital. Once programme management was about seeking delivery of an objective through a collection of projects — with the knowledge that the end point was uncertain. With so many variables involved there was a recognition that achieving the desired objective could not be guaranteed. That was not necessarily a bad thing: the skilled programme manager would look to exceed expectations, where possible. Today, however, projects are all about certainty. Objectives need to be ultimately defined before anyone says yes; business tools offer ways to measure precisely all the known ingredients. All this achieves is constraining projects to what we can predict. That means many fall short. Ultimately, it is people who make programs work and success depends on getting the most out of them. The first step is to agree on a clear vision and define the project outcomes to create a compelling narrative that aligns strategies and actions, providing a platform for a ‘one team’ approach. Success relies on communicating the narrative to influence behaviors from the bottom up. In addition, to be sustainable more thought has to be given to the evolution of a programme, allowing for a range of possible future uses. Our integrated delivery model is designed to address the entire programme lifecycle, creating legacies for generations to come.

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Water System Improvement Programme (WSIP), San Francisco CASE STUDY

As Integrated Client Partner to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), we implemented a ‘one team’ approach to upgrading the 80-yearold Hetch Hetchy water system. This collaborative approach enabled WSIP to be delivered safely on time, on budget and with no disruption to the service for over 2.7 million customers in San Francisco and the Bay Area. As the programme construction manager, our team was responsible for overseeing and supporting the uniform and consistent application of the construction phase management plans, processes and procedures. As part of this we were responsible for delivering over 80 construction contracts spread over 290 km on an active public water supply system. This included construction contract administration, technical and quality assurance, cost and schedule control, supplier quality surveillance, risk management, formal partnering coordination, training and construction safety management. For the duration of the programme, we co-located with the SFPUC. With over 200 scheduled supply outages on a live water supply system serving 2.7 million customers, there was no room for error.

Maintaining communication, coordination and collaboration consistently across all processes and procedures was essential. Using Construction Management Information System (CMIS) software, our team maintained a detailed master programme schedule which was continuously updated from project inputs. We used this information to lead monthly coordination meetings between system operators and all regional and programme level management.

Construction contracts spread over

290km

on an active public water supply system

200+

scheduled supply outages yet no impact to water supply quality or reliability

2.8m

million customers served by live water supply system

Success was demonstrated by the following results at completion of construction: / No stoppages of construction work No claims litigated

/ Over 9,300,000 construction hours with zero fatalities and low reportable incidents below national average / No impact to water supply quality or reliability over 200 shutdowns / No public lawsuits or protests in an area known for activism / Numerous national awards and recognition for excellence.

Intake manifold for the Tesla UV disinfection plant which is capable of treating 315 million gallons of water per day Image credit: San Francisco Public Utilities Commission

‘One team’ approach to upgrading the 80-year-old Hetch Hetchy water system

Inside view of Bay Tunnel Image credit: of San Francisco Public Utilities Commission

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Embracing innovation to transform mental health care facilities

Innovative design methods are underpinning the delivery of these new secondary care facilities, where digital tools are leveraged to create award-winning environments that are both inclusive and nurturing, yet robust enough to ensure the safety of both patients and staff — a delicate balance to strike.

17.3%

More than one in six people in EU countries (17.3 per cent) have a mental health problem in any given year.

18.5% Awareness around the importance of good mental health is at an all-time high — but so is demand. To best deliver the next generation of mental health facilities, innovative approaches to patient care alongside a digital-led design ethos must be embraced. The evidence is already emerging, says healthcare architect Charles Stokes. 22

The figures for the island of Ireland show a marginally higher percentage (18.5 per cent).

e are witnessing a revolution in the way mental healthcare provision is delivered across the island of Ireland. New holistic care models, based around central tenets of therapy and recovery rather than isolation and institutionalisation, are informing the design and location of pioneering new facilities, helping to destigmatise mental health. Increasingly, innovative design methods are underpinning the delivery of these new secondary care facilities, where digital tools are leveraged to create awardwinning environments that are both inclusive and nurturing, yet robust enough to ensure the safety of both patients and staff — a delicate balance to strike. This article draws on our experience of delivering some of these new healthcare facilities — from acute services to forensic

mental care and children’s support units — to demonstrate how a digital-led approach can improve delivery, increase operational effectiveness and support the person-centred care model being rolled out across the island of Ireland.

The enormous costs of poor mental health

More than one in six people in EU countries (17.3 per cent) have a mental health problem in any given year — the figures for the island of Ireland show a marginally higher percentage (18.5 per cent). Coronavirus has added a further twist. Isolation and lack of access to formal and informal support during extended lockdown periods have been devastating for those with existing mental health issues, with some evidence from the UK pointing to an 8 per cent increase in cases as a direct result of the pandemic. Aside from the significant human and social costs (through reduction in quality of life, depression and pain

etc.), the wider economic costs are enormous — up to as much as four per cent of GDP across EU countries, or over €600 billion. In the Republic of Ireland, estimates suggest that costs amounted to 3.2 per cent of GDP in 2018. Recommendations set out in reviews by the National Health Service (NHS) and Health Service Executive (HSE) have paved the way for a radical step change in the way mental health care provision is delivered to try and minimise these costs. While there has been a steady if modest increase in overall gross non-capita mental health budgets in recent years, the current percentage allocation to mental health still falls short of recommended levels — and the number of beds per 100,000 across the island of Ireland is low in comparison to other EU countries (Figure 1). Demand for services is still acute, particularly in urban areas across the country (Figure 2).

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Figure 1: Psychiatric hospital beds per 100,000

Psychiatric hospital beds per 100,000

128.45*

Germany Romania

France

83 64

Portugal

36.5

Great Britain Northern Ireland Republic of Ireland

27 22 30

120

Source: UK and ROI figures (2020): https://www.mhcirl.ie/File/Acutebeds_report_Feb2020.pdf European figures (2018): https://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/

Figure 2: 2019 hospitalisation rates per 100,000 by Community Healthcare Organisation (CMO) and Health and Social Care Trust (HSC) areas in ROI and NI

150

New best practice is emerging

Health and Social Care Trust areas (NI) 48

Belfast

South Eastern 34.9

N S

Northern

Southern Western

28.6 Area 1

24.3 27.7

Area 2 Area 8 Area 7 Area 3

Area 9 Area 6

Area 5

Area 4

Community Health Organisation areas (ROI) Area 1 29.7 Area 2 43.3

Area 4 51.1 Area 7 48.5 Area 5 50.6

Area 8 42.7

Area 3 38.7 Area 6 59.6 Area 9 62.4

The Acute Mental Health Inpatient Centre at Belfast City Hospital designed by AECOM in collaboration with RPP Architects. Image credit: © Donal McCann

*2017

Risk assessment processes are an intrinsic part of mental health. Creating a secure environment for patients and staff is a critical requirement particularly in acute units — where patients can become distressed, disruptive and destructive with potential for selfharm, violence and even loss of life.

Changes in the delivery of mental health care provision have clear implications for how healthcare trusts manage, design and deliver their estates: this is where good design and technology step in. Risk assessment is a good example. Risk assessment processes are an intrinsic part of mental health. Creating a secure environment for patients and staff is a critical requirement particularly in acute units — where patients can become distressed, disruptive and destructive with potential for selfharm, violence and even loss of life. In the new intensive support unit for children in Glenmona in Belfast, where we needed to make the facilities as inclusive and homely as possible, we took a risk-based assessment approach to reduce the safety requirements while using cutting-edge design to ensure compliancy. In low and medium risk areas the proposed interior design means that safety and anti-ligature features can be more discretely placed, and design layouts promote line of sight limiting the amount of surface protection measures.

We took a similar approach at the Acute Mental Health Inpatient Centre — a recentlyopened state-of-the-art facility located in Belfast City Hospital designed in collaboration with RPP Architects. There, technology has been leveraged to minimise at risk situations for both patients and staff. Isolation controls can identify water misuse allowing staff to immediately shut off supply to patient rooms. Smart electrical design removes self-harm electrocution risk. Innovations around personal technology and sensors — applications of which continue to advance — complement the safety measures embedded within the physical building. At the Inpatient Centre in Belfast for example, radiofrequency identification (RFID) is integrated with the alarm systems enabling real-time patient and staff tracking. In case of emergency, immediate staff-assist and staff-attack response location information is communicated to site-wide display stations.

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Costing benefits

Costing the benefits of these systems needs to happen early. A socioeconomic cost benefit analysis is the best way to measure the impact of an improved environment and the reduced risk to staff and patients. Generally, the more area within the building, the greater the capital cost. However, designing solely to Health Building Note (HBN) guidance can potentially impact on the therapeutic environment within mental health facilities. Careful consideration must be given to incorporating daylighting, natural ventilation and single-loaded corridors which provide good levels of natural light and views out to external spaces. There are both positive and negative revenue and operational impacts of deviating from HBN guidance. This was demonstrated by a mental health trust who

decided to increase all its bedrooms with en-suites from 15m 2 (as per HBN guidance) to 23.5m 2. This enabled the trust to admit patients of all levels of mobility, resulting in never having to turn away a patient who required a larger room. This decision resulted in the trust achieving the optimum 85 per cent occupancy rate which, in turn, had a positive revenue impact. Conversely, if trusts choose to deviate from HBN guidance and drive areas too low, it can result in a smaller facility, with the same quantity of rooms, albeit smaller, and similar staffing level requirements. Smaller rooms can prevent disabled or obese patients from accessing the facility which can reduce the potential revenue that could be gained from a more flexible design approach.

85%

The optimum occupancy rate achieved by a mental health trust after increasing size of its bedrooms so that patients of all levels of mobility could be admitted.

Interior at Acute Mental Health Inpatient Centre, Belfast Image credit: © Donal McCann

A socioeconomic cost benefit analysis is the best way to measure the impact of an improved environment and the reduced risk to staff and patients.

The benefits of digital delivery

Garden space at the Acute Mental Health Inpatient Centre, Belfast Image credit: © Donal McCann

The best way to incorporate these enhancements is to design buildings digitally. This is happening in Scotland where we are working with Health Facilities Scotland (HFS) and NHSScotland (NHSS) to deliver on the Scottish Government’s Digital Health and Care Strategy. The first step was to embed Building Information Modelling (BIM), which allowed NHSS to then create a digital estates strategy. One of the key components of this is the digital twin — a shift from a deterministic to a more probabilistic, dynamic model. Via digital twinning, NHSS aims to link its physical assets (buildings and potentially end-users) to a digital representation, using data from sensors and analysing variables such as condition, efficiency and real-time status.

There are steps we can take now to make sure that the facilities we build today are ready for this shift to a digital built environment.

This connectivity coupled with data analytics will reform facilities’ levels of operational effectiveness, generate extra insights from the digital twin to help reshape and improve services, and support person-centred care. There are steps we can take now to make sure that the facilities we build today are ready for this shift to a digital built environment. At the children’s support centre in Glenmona, we developed next generation information solutions to mobilise the facility for a future where real-time data enables more effective patient and staff experiences and outcomes. For example, we aggregated and customised essential design datasets (such as equipment information, room data sheet contents and specifications) so that they are ready to be imported into the digital twin.

Using data to achieve parity of esteem for mental health

These facilities are at the vanguard of mental health care across the island of Ireland. Cutting edge design and technology is already improving the quality of patient care, and better protecting staff. Likewise, digital tools and processes are delivering the next generation of facilities efficiently, achieving value for money. It is important that this momentum is not lost. Collating data and user experience evidence is the next step. In combination with in-depth cost model knowledge, a strong case can be made for further investment, and another step can be taken along the road to achieving parity of esteem for mental health.

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Paving the way for active travel The pandemic has changed daily life in so many ways, and one consequence has been a shift in how people get around, with a sudden boom in cycling and walking. Now, say Nick Perrin and Joe Seymour, we have an opportunity to build on these changes for a greener and healthier future, but it’s going to take effort and planning.

t was one of the rare welcome surprises of 2020. Coronavirus restrictions have meant that cycling was up by 45 per cent in some places across the island of Ireland as people adopted more active forms of transport. Bicycle sales in 2020 increased by more than 30 per cent from the previous year new data shows, with the spike most likely related to coronavirus. After decades of automatically heading for the car, bus or train, people had to explore other options. And they leapt at the opportunity. This shift in behaviour seemed to get a big boost from lockdown but in fact has been gradually evolving for some years. Investment in rural greenways, such as the Waterford Greenway and the Middleton to Youghal Greenway, has paid dividends in drawing jobs and income to local areas. Moreover, the provision of safe alternative travel options is part of an expansion in sustainable alternatives to private car ownership, helping meet climate action objectives. However, integrating active travel networks in densely populated urban areas presents challenges that require continued investment, structural and educational reforms, and a combined approach by many interested parties to fully address.

Increased investment in active transport infrastructure

On investment, there has been a good start: in October 2020, the Republic of Ireland (ROI) designated €360 million for active travel infrastructure to support walking and cycling. This generous allocation is part of a wider shift away from traditional destinations such as complex interurban road schemes; out of the €3.5 billion given to the Department of Transport, €1 billion was allocated to public transport projects. The €360 million is a significant increase on previous commitments — and will contribute to the development of traffic-free greenways and local link projects which we are developing as part of our work with the dedicated Cycle Design Office (CDO). The CDO was set up in 2019 by the National Transport Authority (NTA) to design and pilot cycle projects throughout the Greater Dublin Area and regional cities that fall outside the remit of the 200km of cycle lines already being built through BusConnects, the landmark redesign of Dublin’s entire bus network. The increase in funding allocation will lead to a significant uptick in capacity and capability that should accelerate delivery, helping ROI meet its Project Ireland 2040 sustainable mobility goals.

30% Integrating active travel networks in densely populated urban areas presents challenges.

New data shows, bicycle sales in 2020 increased from the previous year with the spike most likely related to coronavirus.

€1bn

Out of €3.5bn given to ROI's Dept of Transport, €1bn was allocated to public transport projects.

Routes to a resilient tomorrow In Northern Ireland, the Department for Infrastructure has appointed a dedicated Walking and Cycling Champion with £20 million ringfenced funding for blue/ green infrastructure, promoting active travel and shaping places to live. Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon stated “In what has been a dark time for us, I want to seize the opportunity to make changes now to underpin a green recovery and improve public health now and for the future”. In doing so Minister Mallon announced the creation of the blue-green infrastructure fund to act as a catalyst for positive infrastructure and cultural change in the way that people live and travel. This resulted in an investment of £2.4 million in greenway projects across four council areas and £3.7 million in a range of interventions, including foot and cycle ways, pop-up cycle lanes, crossings and other cycle/ foot infrastructure and socialdistancing measures. Furthermore, in May 2020, the UK government announced a £2 billion package covering every region in the UK targeting cycling and walking, which demonstrates the importance of active travel within UK transport strategies. This funding stream could be targeted at developments like Belfast Streets Ahead, where AECOM has been assisting in the transformation of the physical environment of Belfast city centre. By designating car-free areas and creating multi-modal transportation systems, there is potential for further improvement of active transport options and how they link with public transport networks. Good planning will be needed to make the best use of the newly available resources, but used wisely, this investment will give opportunities to people across the island, encouraging a new approach to transport.

Focus on behavioural change and communicate the benefits

For these investments to truly have a resilient outcome, the public must continue to be informed about the advantages of active transport, as these projects require support from those who use the networks on a day-to-day basis. In London, for example, there has been a sizeable backlash against newly installed bicycle routes and the introduction of low traffic neighbourhoods, so it is vital to both communicate the logic behind these decisions and involve communities early on to get maximum buy-in. AECOM has been helping developers and authorities produce comprehensive business cases, which help demonstrate the advantages of proposals. For example, we are currently involved in the Meadows to George Street — Places to People project, the proposed restructuring of the traffic system and streets in central Edinburgh, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The scheme includes pedestrianised streets, high quality public realm and placemaking, creating new safe cycle routes and altering the flow of traffic and public transport. It’s a complex scheme that must strike a careful balance of needs for all users and impacts on wider networks, and requires a sensitive design approach which contributes to the historic and cultural value of the area. As such, we are engaging in extensive stakeholder engagement to develop a progressive street and roads design that will help Edinburgh Council achieve its vision to create place and people focused spaces and promote active transport in the heart of the city. Corporate buy-in is also vital, and employers can support active travel in a variety of ways. In the Docklands area of Dublin, for example, tech companies have installed 1,000 bike spaces as part of the new development. Many companies already recognise the advantages of active travel, with a survey by Transport for London showing that 72 per cent of businesses are planning to encourage employees to walk or cycle to work, or at least part way (68 per cent).

It is vital to both communicate the logic behind decisions and involve communities early on to get maximum buy-in. 31

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Co-operative and flexible approaches

A wide range of stakeholders will also have to work together to achieve sustainable mobility. AECOM has already developed these crucial relationships with public and private stakeholders, working on a range of projects varying from the €100,000 Cherrywood Greenway in County Dublin, which creates connectivity with existing cycle and pedestrian routes in the local area, to the £200m York Street Interchange in Belfast, which is addressing a major bottleneck on the strategic road network whilst accommodating non-motorised users through the junction. Minister Mallon has also taken the opportunity to pause the procurement of the 32

York Street Interchange project and we have been commissioned to identify enhancements to active travel provision and undertake a place-making study to maximise ambition for what can be delivered for communities, connectivity and the wider Living Places agenda from this important scheme. All these projects require effective multidisciplinary transportation teams, with technology acting as a crucial enabler. For example, we have been helping planners and developers use the latest technology such as AECOM’s virtual consultation tool that provides opportunities to capture under-represented viewpoints in the consultation process.

The past months have been challenging for everyone, but a silver lining may be a permanent change to transport across the island. At first, people shifted away from public transport partly from concern over coronavirus infection rates, and partly because capacity was substantially reduced, but they have rapidly discovered the appeal of the alternatives. This shift has coincided with major financial commitments to resilient and active transport from governments in both the north and south. Today, there is an opportunity to develop a range of exciting active travel schemes that will not only transform millions of lives for the better but also help the island of Ireland meet urgent net zero carbon goals. 33

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Increasing storage capacity is key to a resilient and renewable power network Ireland requires a stable supply of renewable energy to power homes and businesses in the future. Investment in a range of strategic assets — such as pumped-storage hydroelectricity — will help build this resilience, but only if policy and barriers to funding are addressed, say energy specialists David McKillen and Ian Gillies.

Turlough Hill Power Station, Wicklow, Ireland Pumped storage hydroelectric powerplant providing green energy for the region 34

49%

Amount of electricity produced from renewable sources in Northern Ireland in 2020.

43%

Renewable generation accounted for 43 per cent of all electricity consumed in Republic of Ireland in 2020.

t first glance, the figures are promising. The island of Ireland is increasing the amount of electricity produced from renewable sources. In the case of Northern Ireland (NI), that figure was 49 per cent, while in the Republic of Ireland (ROI), renewable generation (predominantly wind, along with small amounts of hydro, bio energy, ocean energy) accounted for 43 per cent of all electricity consumed, thus exceeding the 2020 EU target of 40 per cent. However, these statistics tell only part of the story. When we include transport and heat to assess overall energy use, the island of Ireland still has a long way to go to wean

itself off fossil fuels. For example, a report into ROI energy use estimates that over 93 per cent of energy for heat still comes from fossil fuels. The report noted that this was the main reason that the ROI isn’t making enough progress on overall renewable energy targets set by the EU. Both governments are seeking to address this gap in part by increasing the percentage of electricity from renewable sources to approximately 70 per cent by 2030. In the ROI for example, some 12GW of renewable energy capacity will be added, with a heavy reliance on wind power. The closure of peat and coal plants will accelerate the transition. Hitting these goals would ensure the island of Ireland is back on track to reach net zero by 2050, in line with the both EU and UK

government targets. To support this ambition however, changes are needed to the range of strategic energy assets currently available. The ROI may have the second highest share of wind generated electricity in the 28 EU countries, but wind power alone cannot decarbonise the electricity supply. Complementary methods such as pumped-storage hydroelectricity (PSH), which can overcome the intermittency and remoteness of many renewable sources, are needed but have been under-deployed to date. Moreover, government policy to attract investment has too often focused on short-term metrics, leading to shorter term solutions. Together these have created barriers to investment that need to be overcome.

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

The challenges

Renewable energy is not a panacea. First, generation is inherently intermittent — it is never always sunny or windy — so alternative power sources are needed to build reliability, and the storage of surplus power is vital to fill the gaps. Further, the geographic remoteness of renewable generation locations adds complexity to the management and control of power distribution. Second, energy demand from a technology-hungry society is only increasing and the data centre industry, for example, is desperate to secure lower-carbon power. Such technology companies would prefer stable grid supplies to local backup generation. Moreover, to continue to attract foreign investment and companies to the island, there needs to be more reassurance around a secure — as well as green — energy supply. Finally, other ways to tackle energy reliability have their shortcomings. As technology evolves, hydrogen fuel cells will likely be part of the mix, but they are still under commercial development and presently less efficient and more expensive than lithium-ion and other battery types, which have their own limitations due to short lifespan and current dependency on relatively rare metals.

The case for pumped-storage hydroelectricity

PSH is the only established technology that can store large quantities of energy. It helps tackle the issue of intermittency in renewable energy generation and can provide other grid stabilising services. PSH generally works by using excess renewable electricity to drive water up to a high-level storage reservoir (see Figure 1). When either the wind stops blowing or the sun is not shining, water is released downhill, via a tunnel, to power the electricity turbines and substation, ensuring a stable, dependable flow of energy over multi-hour duration. Compared to other storage technologies, PSH is currently the only viable technology capable of true bulk storage at utility-scale; storing large amounts of energy over the course of multiple hours, sometimes days. PSH also provides a broad range of other services that are extremely valuable to the grid. These include voltage regulation, frequency control through system inertia and short-term reserve, whereby more or less generation can be ordered for the grid, depending on short term fluctuations in supply and demand.

95%

PSH accounts for approximately 95 per cent of all official storage installations across the globe.

Compared to other storage technologies, PSH is currently the only viable technology capable of true bulk storage at utility-scale; storing large amounts of energy over the course of multiple hours, sometimes days.

Another plus is that these stations can store energy for long periods and convert it back to electricity in mere seconds. In summary, PSH can enable the grid to offset thousands of tonnes of CO2 emissions a year and provide long-term energy security. No wonder the US Department of Energy’s Global Storage Database reported in November 2020 that PSH accounts for approximately 95 per cent of all official storage installations across the globe. PSH is largely under-deployed in the UK and Ireland, though that situation is changing. There is only one active PSH scheme in Ireland: Turlough Hill, in the Wicklow Mountains (pictured on pages 34 and 35), although we are currently assisting with the development of two further PSH projects across the island, and three in Scotland. One of these projects, Red John — a 450MW scheme on the shores of Loch Ness — has just been given the green light by the Scottish government.

A different investment framework

There are several reasons for the current lack of PSH facilities in Ireland. The privatisation of energy companies led to the so-called “dash for gas” in the 1990s. Gas initially appealed to investors because it was cheap, but its use for baseload electricity generation needs to reduce markedly in line with net-zero ambitions. By comparison, a PSH facility, which may take up to six years to construct, requires significant capital investment — though it can eventually generate many millions in returns and last for over 70 years. However, these excellent returns are hard to access due to current electricity market legislation and the funding framework for longterm developments of a strategic nature such as PSH. As things stand, UK government policy allows only for relatively short Capacity Market contracts for example, which means that revenue visibility and

security over the asset lifespan is limited. PSH schemes take longer to pay back, though mechanisms — such as long-term cap-and-floor tariffs — are in place in other parts of the world to support longer-term investment of such critical strategic energy assets. Policy change is by nature challenging but better funding support mechanisms must be established to deliver investment into the right technologies, including strategic storage for the medium and long-term future of the island of Ireland. Commenting on the Scottish Red John scheme, Michael Matheson, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport echoed this sentiment, saying, “We continue to call on the UK government to take the urgent action required in reserved areas to provide investors with improved revenue certainty and unlock potentially significant investment in new pumped storage capacity in Scotland.”

There is precedence, however. Other strategic assets such as electrical interconnectors — physical links that allow electricity to flow across borders to the EU and Nordic electricity markets, sometimes via Great Britain — have been supported by a cap and floor regime. This is a combined approach that strikes a balance between commercial incentives and appropriate risk mitigation for project developers. PSH is a valid, long duration, utility-scale storage solution that has enormous potential within a new all-island energy system. To facilitate implementation of these critical storage asset projects and technologies however, urgent policy changes need to be made at the highest level. Once in place, PSH can not only help the energy sector maximise its contribution to ROI and UK carbon reduction targets, but also increase grid resilience so that the island of Ireland remains attractive to the data centre and similar industries, so that foreign investment continues to flow in.

Figure 1: How pumped-storage hydroelectricity works

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Industry spotlight 2021

Republic of Ireland

by Tomás Kelly, Director, Programme and Cost Consultancy, and Dr Catherine Murray, Associate Director, Economics

he Republic of Ireland’s economy has been one of the most resilient in Europe in 2020, despite the unprecedented disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Many sectors, including hospitality and retail, have undoubtedly suffered from the series of lockdowns, yet the broader economy has been cushioned by the strong performance of multinational pharmaceutical and technology companies based in the Republic, and as a result, gross domestic product has been estimated by The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) to have grown in 2020, significantly better than the 7.5 per cent average contraction expected across the European Union (EU). Looking at the construction sector specifically, although the first lockdown caused a severe downturn between March and May, there are signs of recovery, including a bounce back in housing completions in the third quarter, according to the Goodbody Analytics BER Housebuilding Tracker. Notwithstanding a deal being agreed in late December, Brexit will continue to be a source of uncertainty in 2021. The effects on supply chains and exports will not be as damaging as in other sectors, but construction demand is intrinsically linked to overall consumer demand and investment, and any major shock in the overall economy has the potential to slow demand and building activity. However, plans for significant public sector investment in transport, housing and infrastructure are likely to provide some insulation against any potential downturn. In this review, we will look in detail at the overall economic impact of the pandemic in 2020, the construction industry’s performance, where investment will come from in 2021, progress towards Project Ireland 2040, and cost and tender pricing.

The economic impact of coronavirus Coronavirus has been a severe shock to the normal functioning of most economies and the Republic of Ireland is no exception. We have seen some sectors temporarily cease trading and face an economic cliff-edge, while others have experienced increased demand, and the important role of multinational companies in the country has been demonstrated by the fact the downturn is expected to be far less severe than in the rest of Europe. Despite this, the unemployment rate is expected to exceed 12.5 per cent by the end of 2020, emphasising the ‘K’-shaped nature of the recovery, with certain sectors experiencing considerable growth while others struggle through a lengthy downturn. Coronavirus has also been a shock to government finances. The 27 per cent increase in spending in the second quarter of 2020, in comparison to the first quarter, indicates the extent of the government support that was put in place, as well as the increased expenditure on healthcare. Subsidies and social transfers increased by €4.7bn in the first half of 2020. A classical Keynesian cure is now being applied — spending out of a downturn and relying on public works to stimulate the economy. To the benefit of the construction sector, the government is proceeding with planned infrastructure investment, with the added imperative of building a low-carbon economy, as set out in the 2020 Programme for Government.

Public capital investment as percentage of national income in 2020

€20bn Estimated construction output in 2020

€23bn Projected construction output in 2021

c.€10.1bn Planned public capital expenditure in 2021

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Construction industry performance The construction industry was negatively affected by the first lockdown, when all but essential work halted between March and May. During this period, the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) — an indicator for construction activity in which a score of below 50 represents a monthly contraction — fell to just 4.5 in April and 19.9 in May, with approximately 86 per cent of construction employees at the time relying on state support to pay their wages.

While activity did recover somewhat when the economy opened again, the shutdown delayed project completions and paused or cancelled some starts. A partial rebound in activity is forecast for 2021, although any improvement ultimately depends on the course of the pandemic. The strength of this rebound will depend on factors such as the duration of the current lockdown, the timeline of the vaccine roll-out programme and the shape of the economic recovery, with the ‘K’-shaped scenario described above looking more likely.

Construction activity and investment by sector

Government, health and education Commercial Agriculture Industrial Other social

Launched in February 2018, one of the aims of Project Ireland 2040 is that the three regions of the country grow at broadly comparable rates and that 75 per cent of future population growth will be outside Dublin. Clearly, we are at a very early stage in implementing this plan and the length of project cycles will dictate a gradual pace of change. However Figure 2 below does illustrate the scale of the challenge ahead to develop a counterbalance to the highly populated Greater Dublin Area.

One consequence of coronavirus has been a reduced need for people to travel to Dublin and other urban centres due to home working, and this has raised the very real prospect that the pandemic could be a catalyst to renew rural locations — a key objective of Project Ireland 2040. To enable the strategy to be realised, increased government investment to address infrastructure deficits should be an increasing feature and will be needed in the coming years. Access to high-speed broadband and affordable housing will be key, and in the case of the latter, the Land Development Agency in conjunction with local authorities holds the key to opening up large land banks.

Figure 2: New dwelling completions

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Project Ireland 2040 pipeline projects and programmes as of December 2020 43% Eastern and Midlands

35% Southern

1200

2018 2019 2020*

Project locations

1000 23% Northern and Western

800 7% Design and planning

600

400

Project status

200

30% Strategic assessment and business case

15% Review/ completed 2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Eastern and Midland

Floor area of nonresidential new build and extensions granted planning permission ('000 sq m)

The impact of coronavirus poses fresh challenges, but the government remains committed to Project Ireland 2040 and its prioritising of infrastructure investment. Public investment is expected to reach four per cent of national income (GNI) in 2020, compared with the EU average in recent years of 2.6 per cent of GDP. The July stimulus package added €500 million in additional investment to accelerate capital works across all regions of the country. Public capital expenditure is now planned to increase in 2021 to more than €10.1bn, €2bn more than the original 2020 provision. Progress in delivery is being made across all the national strategic objectives, supported by legislative, institutional and organisational changes. The National Economic Plan currently being developed by the government will set the priorities for Ireland’s mid-term economic recovery from the current crisis. It will inform the review of the NDP 2018-27, and a revised 10-year plan will be published that looks out to 2030, also framed by new climate change legislation arising from the Climate Action Bill 2020.

Achieving regional balance

Southern

Figure 1: Breakdown of activity and the overall trend over the last ten years

and a positive development in assisting the industry plan capacity and skills. Thus, output from the recently-launched Review to Renew review of the National Development Plan (NDP) will be eagerly awaited by the construction sector. Private investment in sectors such as data centres as well as industrial, logistics and storage sites is continuing strongly. Yet for the most part, private sector capital investment in sectors such as commercial and hospitality, which has been strong in recent years, is likely to continue to drop in 2021. Retail investment, which has struggled in recent years to keep pace with other sectors, will continue to struggle in 2021.

Project Ireland 2040

Northern and Western

The square metre area of new buildings granted planning permission is a useful barometer of the activity by sector in general construction. Figure 1 illustrates the breakdown of activity and the overall trend in the non-residential sectors over the last ten years. Residential is by far the largest sector; floor area granted permission in a year is typically 100 to 170 per cent higher than the combined total of the other sectors. However, the economic viability of developments remains a challenge,

as illustrated by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland Real Cost of Housing Delivery report. While the 2021 Budget includes a significant increase in spend on housing, the sharp drop in house commencements after the coronavirus outbreak from April through to August 2020 inclusive will impact on output in 2021. State support for construction will also come from other sectors — government departments with double-digit percentage increases in their 2021 capital budgets include higher education, environment and transport. The 2021 Budget did not include a multi-year capital investment programme, which has been a feature of recent budgets

AECOM expects the final estimated value of construction output in 2020 to be circa €20bn.

In terms of the value of construction industry output, the Build 2020 report published by the government in July estimated output for the year would be in the region of €17.9bn. It forecast a partial recovery in private investment and overall output to around €23bn in 2021. We expect the final figures for 2020 will improve on this estimate to circa €20bn due to a further recovery in activity in the second half of the year.

0 48% Under construction

Source: Project Ireland 2040: Investment Projects and Programmes Tracker — December 2020

3000

6000

9000

12000

15000

Source: Central Statistics Office *2020 figures estimated by AECOM

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

2020 has seen additional costs and time being incurred due to the implementation of coronavirus work protection measures such as the CIF Standard Operating Procedures. The estimated additional cost and time impacts have varied from project to project, however it is anticipated that over the course of 2021, contractors will develop efficiencies and innovations to largely mitigate these measures. Construction and tender prices Consumer price inflation in ROI has been tracking at less than one per cent per annum since 2013 and the 2020 average for the year is likely to record price deflation. However, construction material prices have also maintained competitive levels of annual increases, with the Central Statistics Office (CSO) indicating cumulative price inflation of 7.25 per cent between January 2015 and September 2020. Labour costs in our industry have been governed by Sectoral Employment Orders (SEOs), however a court ruling in June 2020 cast doubt on the constitutionality of these orders. Notwithstanding this decision, the 2.7 per cent increase on 1st October 2020 as set down by the SEO proceeded while the ruling is being appealed to the Supreme Court.

19,500 Estimated residential completions in 2020

We estimate the combined impact of the above material and labour cost movements has been to increase average construction cost in 2020 by around one per cent. In terms of 2021, it is challenging to estimate cost inflation due to the uncertainty over Brexit and the potential impact it may have in terms of logistics and administration costs and currency fluctuations. At present we expect a marginally higher average rate of two per cent over the course of 2021. Tender price variation in the construction sector has always been more volatile than that of costs (which tender prices encompass), as companies respond to changing volumes of work and the outlook for the next 12–24 months. It is not surprising therefore, the rate of increase in tender prices recorded a sharp drop in 2020 as a result of the coronavirus outbreak and resulting restrictions impacting activity and confidence. The AECOM tender price index recorded an average increase of 1.5 per cent for 2020.

Predicted increase in tender prices in 2021

Notwithstanding the anticipated material price increases, with continued uncertainty surrounding both coronavirus and its impact on the economy and Brexit, we expect continued tender competitiveness and average tender price inflation of two per cent over the full year. This is a national average forecast and regional, sectoral and project scale and complexity factors may give rise to movements above and below this. Aside from the construction cost and tender price inflation changes described above, which reflect increases on a like-for-like basis, 2020 has also seen additional costs and time being incurred due to the implementation of coronavirus work protection measures such as the CIF Standard Operating Procedures. The estimated additional cost and time impacts have varied from project to project, however it is anticipated that over the course of 2021, contractors will develop efficiencies and innovations to largely mitigate these measures.

1.5%

Recorded average increase in AECOM tender price index for 2020

Northern Ireland

by Jody Wilkinson, Director, Project and Cost Consultancy, Northern Ireland and Dr Catherine Murray, Associate Director, Economics

he construction industry ends 2020 as a positive player in Northern Ireland’s (NI) economy, following the unprecedented disruption and uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Looking ahead to 2021, we believe the sector could continue to be one of the stronger performers, supported by the continued demand for housing and government backing for public sector capital projects. In this review, we examine in detail the impact of measures taken to control the pandemic on the sector in 2020, the outlook for investment in the year ahead, the still-buoyant housing market, tender prices, and Brexit.

The economic impact of coronavirus Like most of Europe, we saw Northern Ireland’s economy all but close overnight in March, with it slowly reopening towards the end of June. Construction was massively disrupted within the first six weeks, although thankfully sites were able to reopen, albeit in a limited way, from mid-April onwards. When restrictions on the wider economy were eased in the summer, pent-up demand for cars and household items gave the economy a much-needed boost, and this coupled with a travel ban which encouraged domestic spending, helped Northern Ireland post some strong growth figures throughout the summer months. Purchasing Managers’ Indexes (PMI) are economic indicators derived from ongoing surveys of the business community, capturing activity and sentiment from private sector firms. The headline seasonally adjusted Business Activity Index posted an unprecedented low of 8.3 in April before bouncing back to 54.5 in July (from the Ulster Bank’s PMI figures, where anything above 50 indicates growth). However, PMI figures for December showed an expected slowdown in the private sector to 46.8, marginally better than November’s 45.6, following the re-imposition of restrictions to slow the spread of the virus.

The economy as a whole in NI is projected to contract by 15 per cent over the course of 2020, which is marginally worse than the other regions of the UK. In the construction industry, output dropped by 30 per cent in the second quarter of 2020, according to Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), however recovery is under way. Construction was the strongest part of the economy in October, and the only sector to report growth in output and orders that month. New orders increased at the fastest rate for 56 months (admittedly from a very low base and driven by public sector investment), and if this is sustained over the coming months, then the sector could continue to outperform the rest of the economy over the next few quarters. Whilst the December PMI figures are indicating a smaller contraction in the private sector and we again stare down the barrel of another lockdown in the lead up to spring, we should be thankful that business and construction in particular is managing to adapt to the restrictions better than the first time around. So far, we have managed to avoid a lockdown within the industry and we better understand how to manage the practicalities of supply chain slowdowns, social distancing measures etc. However, whilst applying this learning to the current restrictions will be helpful it won’t in itself be enough to prevent activity being affected to some degree. The UK government has spent more than £200bn on supporting the economy through the job retention scheme and various business and self-employment grants. This scale of intervention has never been seen before, and the job retention scheme without doubt saved jobs in our industry at the point when activity was at an all-time low. Thankfully, the construction industry is no longer widely dependent on the scheme or using it at all. Anecdotally, we seem to have avoided significant redundancies among builders and contractors although there have been some redundancies in professional services organisations. Even then, it seems that some consultancies acted quickly to downsize but are now back into recruitment mode.

30%

Fall in construction output during the height of the pandemic

Construction was the strongest part of the economy in October, and the only sector to report growth in output. New orders increased at the fastest rate for 56 months.

Housing and public sector capital investment will likely be the key growth driver over the next few years. 43

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

2021 investment landscape

3.5%

Northern Ireland projected population growth by 2033

£7.1bn Investment over 30 years for public housing stock in Northern Ireland with £3 billion required over the next 11 years

Public sector

Private sector

The UK and Stormont governments, along with the local authorities, have been supportive of the sector with a continued push to get public sector capital projects underway with several new schools and leisure centres in the pipeline. This has no doubt been crucial in stabilising the industry after the severe downturn during the first periods of lockdown. As with many countries, the UK government is pursuing a Keynesian model of using state spending as a catalyst for broader economic recovery. It is noted however, that after promising discussions (and trials) last year on how best to procure public sector projects in a more financially sustainable way (for example by using the mean narrow average on pricing rather than automatically choosing the lowest-priced bid), unfortunately it seems that procurement is becoming a pinch point again. In our Construction Skills Project report, industry executives we spoke to frequently referred to a ‘race to the bottom’ and ‘lowest-cost options’, which inevitably impact the quality and level of creativity in these projects.

Private sector investment has inevitably slowed for reasons directly related to the economic damage caused by the pandemic, such as availability of finance and the commercial, retail and particularly hospitality sectors all having their revenue streams turned off overnight. Restrictions on demand look set to continue until the spring, and we are of the opinion that these sectors will continue to see reduced activity over the next 12 months. However, the longer-term outlook for the commercial, retail and hospitality sectors is that they will return to stable growth. Savvy investors with the ability to finance acquisitions may therefore view this period simply as a correction in the market — and an opportunity to bag a bargain or two. There will undoubtedly be changes, particularly in the traditional high street, but with imagination these high streets could find a new lease of life catering for artisan shops and accelerated buylocal trends. As we find our way out of the current crisis a doubling down on the efforts to reach a new zero carbon economy will play well to the strengths of these local and artisan retailers.

Housing The one constant in both public and private investment in Northern Ireland is the continued demand for housing. The population is growing with a projected increase of 3.5 per cent by 2033 and whilst NI has one of the youngest populations in the UK, it is projected to have more people over 65 than under 18 by 2028. Planning for this shift is necessary as the type of housing required will change with the needs of the population. It is well documented that the public housing stock in

Northern Ireland requires a £7.1bn investment over 30 years to ensure it remains decent. Some £3bn of this spending is required over the next 11 years. A shake-up of the NI Housing Executive was announced in November 2020, meaning the public housing authority will be able to borrow money and start building houses again for the first time in around 20 years. This will go some way to addressing the deficit in the standard of existing homes and to building additional ones. On the privately-owned side, residential sales have been bolstered by the UK government temporarily suspending stamp duty on sales up to the value of £500,000. This has resulted in the increased sales and modest price rises that we have seen since summer 2019 continuing to

date, despite the severe economic downturn. The stamp duty holiday is currently due to end in March 2021, so a rush of completions and sales are likely in the first quarter of 2021. We expect that after the stamp duty holiday ends, private sales will continue in positive territory particularly among first time buyers, for whom housing continues to be comparatively affordable in NI. This, coupled with extremely low interest rates and banks now being pushed to lend, will provide some certainty for the construction sector. In both public and private housing there is a deficit in the standard of insulation, renewable energy generation and storage and this retrofitting market will become more prominent over the next few years.

As the construction industry adjusted to social distancing requirements and returned to work, pent-up demand due to significant physical access issues pushed prices up again. We have noted uplifts in costs on projects that were already on site, particularly on internal labour-intensive projects where the number of operatives and trades able to work concurrently has been restricted. Brexit While the Brexit deal is far from perfect in many eyes, it is a deal that brings certainty for business with the introduction of a sea border between NI and Great Britain. There is a guarantee of no tariffs on goods moving between Great Britain and NI, as well as between the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and NI. Whilst in the short term there may be a period of adjustment, longer term it should help mitigate any significant cost increases in materials. It is also noted that any anticipated devaluation of the GBP has not happened, indicating Brexit costs are largely incorporated into foreign exchange rates, and/or the optimism of a post-Brexit UK economy. We will not be the first to note that the deal which leaves NI in the EU single market for goods may even present opportunity for NI to be in the sweet spot, benefitting from both the retained status in the trading zone along with any opportunity that arises from free trade agreements that the UK government can make in the wider global economy. How this will impact on construction will remain to be seen, but opportunities in manufacturing, transport and logistics will surely present themselves.

Tender prices outlook Over the last 12 months, tender prices have experienced a bumpy ride. AECOM noted modest inflation in the first quarter of 2020, largely in line with our expectations from last year. Then in the second quarter, we saw some price reductions as the reality of what the pandemic was doing to activity in the market became clear. As the construction industry adjusted to social distancing requirements and returned to work, pent-up demand due to significant physical access issues pushed prices up again. We have noted uplifts in costs on projects that were already on site, particularly on internal labour-intensive projects where the

Reduced labour costs

number of operatives and trades able to work concurrently has been restricted. As such The AECOM tender price index is noting a 1.5 per cent increase in tender costs over the last twelve months. As this pent-up demand unwinds, we expect to see reduced labour costs but an increase in materials prices largely down to increased demand globally and the short-term impact of adjusting supply chains to new trading regulations. It is expected that in Northern Ireland there will be modest increases in tender prices, likely to be in the region of 1–1.5 per cent over 2021.

Increased material prices

1.5%

Recorded average increase in AECOM tender price index in 2020

1%–1.5%

Predicted increase in tender prices in 2021

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Indicative building costs Indicative building costs

Indicative building costs

Northern Ireland

€ per square metre

Stg £ per square metre

Healthcare

Hospitals Primary care centres Nursing homes

2,800 – 5,500 2,250 – 2,800 2,350 – 3,050

2,350 – 4,200 1,850 – 2,300 1,850 – 2,200

Education

Primary schools Secondary schools Third level

1,490 – 1,800 1,490 – 1,800 2,250 – 4,500

1,550 – 1,875 1,550 – 1,925 1,750 – 2,350

Commercial Offices

Shell & core (Landlord fit-out) Owner occupier Offices fit-out Basic - Medium - High - Top

2,100 – 3,600 2,425 – 3,750 500 – 950 950 – 1,400 1,400 – 1,700 1,700 – 2,525

1,675 – 2,500 1,975 – 2,950 360 – 650 650 – 1,050 1,050 – 1,375 1,375 – 2,300

Shopping centres

Shell & core Mall Fit-out

1,100 – 1,850 2,100 – 3,700 1,300 – 2,150

1,000 – 1,650 1,700 – 2,950 900 – 2,000

Residential

Apartments Apartments (12 – 16 storey) Social housing Sheltered housing Student Accommodation Housing (suburban housing)

1,900 – 2,500 2,500 – 3,400 1,550 – 2,100 1,550 – 2,250 2,250 – 2,600 1,450 – 1,850

1,350 – 1,975 1,975 – 2,800 950 – 1,350 950 – 1,350 1,600 – 1,900 1,000 – 1,600

Industrial

Warehouse / factory shell Factory (basic) High spec factory Shell & core Fit-out

875 – 1,150 1,050 – 1,500 1,350 – 1,800 975 – 1,600

700 – 900 750 – 1,300 1,000 – 1,500 600 – 1,150

Leisure

Hotels

3 to 4 star 5 star Swimming pools 60% wet / 40% dry

2,100 – 3,050 3,050 – 4,500 2,525 – 3,200

1,850 – 2,800 2,900 – 4,400 2,000 – 2,900

Car Parks

Multi-storey Single basement Double basement

550 – 1,000 775 – 1,300 1,200 – 1,850

500 – 900 650 – 1,200 950 – 1,500

The figures quoted are for mid-range buildings in the Dublin and Belfast areas at January 2021 prices. It is possible that tenders will be received outside these ranges, dependent on a number of factors including scale, complexity and specification. Professional advice should be sought for specific projects. The AECOM indicative building costs should NOT be used for fire insurance valuations or for residual valuations for funding purposes.

If you require a valuation for fire insurance or more specific information, please contact AECOM.

Republic of Ireland

When considering building costs, you should check if costs include: -

Value added tax (at the applicable rate in each jurisdiction) Professional fees Inflation Fit-out Landlord fit-out/landlord credits Furniture Planning levies, fees and charges Demolition and disposal of any deleterious materials Abnormal ground conditions

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Acknowledgements We would like to thank all of our contributors involved with this publication.

Derval Cummins Director, Transportation

Derval leads our transportation advisory services across UK and ROI. With over 30 years’ global experience delivering innovative solutions to transport clients, her capability spans economic and financial analysis, governance, risk management, customer service, contracting, operations, planning and engineering. She is currently working on strategic schemes for the National Transport Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Irish Rail and Dublin Airport Authority. derval.cummins@aecom.com

John O’Regan Director

John is regional leader in ROI for all of AECOM’s disciplines associated with buildings and places. He leads a team of over 100 consultants, delivering projects nationally from teams in Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Cork. As a Chartered Quantity Surveyor and project manager, his experience ranges from commercial buildings for FDI clients, to large scale public sector and public private partnership projects. John is currently playing a leading role in the delivery of several large scale social and affordable housing projects. His specialist skills include establishing the appropriate conditions for project success and early stage strategic cost and procurement advice.

Colm Tully Regional Director, Infrastructure

Colm has over 15 years’ local and international experience in managing major complex infrastructure projects and programmes in the construction industry, with various delivery models. As a chartered quantity surveyor and infrastructure lead for the Republic of Ireland, he is responsible for growth, people and skills across AECOM’s programme, project and cost management (PPC) services within aviation, rail, highways, water and energy sectors. colm.tully@aecom.com

Jody Wilkinson Director, Project and Cost Management

Jody has 18 years’ experience delivering project and cost management services in many sectors including leisure, tourism, commercial and retail. He is commercially aware with a good appreciation of how effective project management can assist with budgetary constraints. Recent clients have included Belfast City Council, BBC, Belfast Metropolitan College and Northern Ireland Water. Jody is involved in our push to become a Net Zero Carbon business, a priority for AECOM. jody.wilkinson@aecom.com

john.o'regan@aecom.com

Shane Dunny Regional Director, Transportation

Damien Lambert Associate Director, Transportation

shane.dunny@aecom.com

damien.lambert@aecom.com

Shane leads AECOM’s transport planning team on the island of Ireland. As a Chartered Engineer he has over 16 years’ experience in developing numerous strategies, policies and projects for clients in addition to providing support in the planning and delivery of major transport infrastructure. Shane is highly motivated, creative and results orientated, and has worked on high profile projects throughout Ireland, UK, Australia and across Europe.

Damien is a highly experienced certified project manager and engineer with over 16 years’ experience. He has extensive background leading teams and supporting large organisations develop strategies, improve processes and deliver on capital investment. With a proven record of large-scale project delivery, he offers specific expertise in new technology introduction, design review, business case development and change management.

Dr Catherine Murray Associate Director, Economics

As an economist, Catherine brings critical assessment and systems-thinking approaches to her work, while retaining a strong research and analytical focus. She returned to Dublin after working in New Zealand as an economic expert for 14 years across both public and private sectors. She has recently completed labour market analysis for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, policy evaluation for the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, and advises Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Irish Water on project and programme appraisal and evaluation.

Tomás Kelly Director, Cost Management

As a chartered quantity surveyor, Tomás coordinates cost management service across our regional offices within ROI. Tomás heads up AECOM’s Irish Research Department which conducts internal research and projects commissioned by external bodies. His experience ranges from delivering health and education projects to commercial and industrial schemes, with clients including Health Service Executive, National University of Ireland Galway and the IDA. tomas.kelly@aecom.com

catherine.murray2@aecom.com

Routes to a resilient tomorrow

Charles Stokes Regional Director, Architecture

For over 20 years, Charles has specialised in the management, design and co-ordination of major development control plans and complex healthcare projects at various stages within the design process. His expertise spans a wide range of healthcare settings including acute, mental health, women and children and maternity facilities. He currently leads design teams responsible for the delivery of the New Childrens’ Hospital and the new Maternity Hospital, Belfast for Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. charles.stokes@aecom.com

Joe Seymour Head of Streets and Traffic, UK and Ireland

Joe has over 25 years’ experience as a transportation professional in both the public and private sector. He has particular expertise in traffic engineering, having been responsible for the design of over 1,000 kilometres of bus and cycle priority schemes and various urban improvement schemes in Europe, Middle East and Africa. His skills are across all stages in the development of these urban transportation schemes, from feasibility through to hand over. He currently leads AECOM’s streets team, which has 300 professionals located throughout the UK and Ireland mainly delivering sustainable transport projects for urban authorities.

Ian Gillies Director, Renewable Energy and Energy Transitions, UK and Ireland

Ian is a civil engineer by background and has worked on energy, energy storage and water supply projects around the world. He manages a team of engineers and scientists involved in diverse projects, from providing low carbon energy advice to industrial concerns, through to the deployment of carbon capture technology and design of renewable generation and energy storage infrastructure. ian.gillies@aecom.com

joseph.seymour@aecom.com

Nick Perrin Technical Director, Roads UK and Ireland

Nick has over 20 years’ experience of all stages of infrastructure project development and has delivered roads projects for a range of clients having worked across UK and Ireland. He has an extensive knowledge of road scheme feasibility studies, optioneering, design and construction and has gained an excellent appreciation for ever changing objectives and the competing demand of large project delivery. In his current role as District Sector Lead, Nick manages the performance of a variety of road projects across Ireland and Scotland, with an increasing focus on active modes.

David McKillen Technical Director, Dams and Reserviors, UK and Ireland

David manages teams across the UK&I covering all aspects of dam and reservoir engineering. He also leads teams covering general civil infrastructure, water and wastewater engineering construction and related planning and environmental impacts. As a member of the Supervising Panel of Engineers under the UK Reservoirs Act 1975 for over 20 years, he is currently involved in the safety management of over 95 reservoirs across Ireland. david.mckillen@aecom.com

nick.perrin@aecom.com

About AECOM AECOM is the world’s premier infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle — from planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, energy and the environment, our public- and privatesector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical expertise and innovation, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $13.2 billion in fiscal year 2020. See how we deliver what others can only imagine at aecom.com and @AECOM.

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