Construction Manager Jul/Aug 2016

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MODERN SLAVERY

Breaking the chains Tackling modern slavery in construction

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Agenda

July-Aug 16

News and views 04

Skanska plans Battersea robots

Preferred bidder says technology will be ready in nine months.

06 Low carbon cement first

World’s biggest low carbon cement factory to open in UK. 10 CIOB members’ forum in Hong Kong Looking ahead to this year’s event .

Plus Chris Blythe on why businesses need to learn from past mistakes.

12 Feedback

Letters, comments and readers’ views on whether construction is doing enough to tackle cyber crime.

Features 16

18

24

28

30

34

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Profile: Paul Nash The CIOB’s new president talks about the changing industry and its role in providing a lead on ethics.

Construction’s forced labour A hard-hitting CIOB report puts the spotlight on slavery in international construction and identifies ways contractors can help stamp it out.

Down to earth CM’s groundworks and infrastructure special kicks off with a look at the role of BIM in the sector.

Smart asset management Innovative digital technology is increasingly used to manage and monitor vital infrastructure.

How low can you go?

London councils step up campaign against ‘iceberg’ basements Ground control BAM Nuttall meets the challenge of clearing a large and complex site in the heart of London’s Nine Elms.

CPD: CSCS SmartCards Techniques for using electronic card systems for greater onsite safety and efficient file-keeping.

Project of the month Balfour Beatty’s No.1 Palace Street apartments in central London.

Construction professional 36

37

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40

Mind the gender pay gap

Soon larger firms will have to publish pay gap details – and face the recruitment consequences.

BIM bytes A study shows that implementing BIM need not disrupt contract and procurement arrangements.

Keeping contractors posted on pay Underpaid EU posted workers can now pass their claim up the supply chain under new regulations.

Get the credits you deserve Construction companies are missing out on millions of pounds that could be gained through R&D tax credits.

+ Contact

48-59 All the latest news and reports from CIOB members and branches

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Take the test on this issue’s CPD topic on CSCS SmartCards and additional topics at

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News

Skanska plans robots for next Battersea phase Technology developed with Innovate UK funding will be ready to go in nine months “We are preferred bidder and, if appointed, we want the advanced robot techniques ready to go” Sam Stacey, Skanska

Skanska is planning to use robotic technology on the construction of Battersea Power Station’s next phase.

The contractor received a £700,000 grant from Innovate UK to develop robots last summer, and head of innovation Sam Stacey (above) told CM the technology would be ready for use on a project in nine months.

“We are preferred bidder on Battersea Power Station Phase Two and, if appointed, we want the advanced robot techniques ready to go,” he said.

Stacey estimated that the construction of “utility cupboards”, which house M&E components for individual apartments, could be delivered 20 times quicker using robots than by in situ methods. He said Skanska’s Slough-based flying factories (CM, October 2015) had cut construction times for the cupboards by 65%.

“On Battersea Phase One, we built 300 of the cupboards in situ due to site constraints and 440 off site, so we could compare how the two methods compared,” Stacey said.

“The offsite-manufactured cupboards took 18 man-hours to build, compared to 42 hours for those constructed on site.

They were also 44% cheaper, including factory overheads, and had 73% fewer defects,” he added. “But by using robots in the factories, we reckon we can reduce man-hours required for building the cupboards to just two hours.”

Stacey explained: “That is based on a simulation, using a BIM model, of two robots assembling a cupboard, which we developed with our partners ABB and Tekla.”

Skanska is also exploring uses for robotic technology elsewhere, which could soon appear on a UK construction site. In Norway, it is working with hightech start up nLink to develop mobile robots for drilling and fixing soffits.

“The robot sits on a tracked MEWP [mobile elevating work platform] so it can move into the right position on site and be elevated to the required height,” Stacey said. “The robot’s arm then extends to perform the drilling and fixing operation. It has been used in Norway, and proved cost effective, providing speed and accuracy and safety gains. We are currently analysing its potential productivity benefits.”

Additionally, Skanska has been working with ABB to develop a robot for setting out rebar cages in Sweden.

“The idea is to set up manufacturing cells near big civil engineering projects where robots would build large reinforcement cages that would be lifted into position on site,” Stacey explained. “We are piloting this at present, and estimate the technology could be 20 times quicker than manual assembly of the rebar.”

Caterpillar targets HS2 after agreeing drone deal Caterpillar is planning a major push on drone technology for major UK infrastructure projects.

The world’s biggest construction equipment manufacturer has agreed a strategic partnership with drone outfit Redbird, which specialises in acquisition and analysis of aerial data collected by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

“Caterpillar is positioning itself to play a big role on infrastructure projects such as HS2,” a spokesman for Finning, Cat’s UK dealer, told CM. “It sees the drone technology tying together the whole production journey on a civil engineering site. The drones will be used for everything from measuring quantities of materials, to optimising haul roads, to real-time mapping of

earthworks operations and linking up with machine control technology.”

The US equipment giant has already begun discussions with leading UK construction companies about the potential for UAVs, the spokesman added.

Caterpillar is also pushing drones in the quarrying sector (pictured right). At June’s Hillhead quarrying exhibition, it demonstrated the technology’s ability to measure stockpiles of aggregates.

Emmanuel de Maistre, CEO of Redbird, said its UAV solutions had been developed with companies in the USA. “This collaboration with Caterpillar will bring tangible benefits to construction sites and quarries, helping customers work faster and safer,” he said.

Caterpillar drone technology is already being used to measure aggregates stockpiles

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News

NIC chair blames government “ideology” for housing crisis... ...as communities secretary blocks affordable homes scheme House building levels will not rise above their present paltry level unless the Tory government changes its ideological opposition to the state acting as a developer, the chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) has warned.

Lord Adonis said that housing delivery will not accelerate “beyond the current 120,000 to 150,000 a year until the state gets actively involved” and local authorities are given powers to build new homes.

His comments coincide with the government blocking a planning application by Ipswich Borough Council to build affordable homes, due to a lack of private-for-sale units. The local authority said it was “astonished” by the decision.

Adonis, speaking at June’s Construction Productivity Forum, told delegates that the government “hasn’t really cracked” the housing problem.

“We hit a post-war peak of 430,000 homes in 1967 which was the year Milton Keynes was designated a new town,” he said, adding that this showed what was achievable when the state took an active role.

“At a national level, the government needs to start planning new towns, and at a local level, allow councils to become developers and use public land for new homes – but it hasn’t done that for ideological reasons,” argued Adonis.

“There is a huge amount of public land that local authorities could develop for housing – a third of central London is state-owned – and there is significant scope for estate redevelopment.”

The government’s rejection of Ipswich’s affordable homes plans will add fuel to the debate on the role the state should take in housing delivery.

The council’s planning application to build 68 houses for affordable rent, 24

“There is a huge amount of public land that local authorities could develop for housing” Lord Adonis, National Infrastructure Commission

for shared ownership and two specialist homes for social rent was called in by the government in January 2015.

Communities secretary Greg Clark turned down the application last month despite the recommendation of an independent planning inspector in September 2015 that the homes should go ahead.

In his decision letter, Clark said “a single cluster of 94 affordable units would conflict with the objective to achieve developments in which the affordable units are truly integrated into the market housing... to create inclusive and mixed communities.”

Labour council leader David Ellesmere said: “The secretary of state has blocked the application on the grounds that the development should contain more homes for sale. This is an astonishing decision.

I cannot think of another case in the country where a planning application has been turned down because the housing wasn’t expensive enough.”

World’s biggest low carbon cement plant to open in UK Carbon emissions from geopolymer cement are a quarter of those from Portland cement

“Banah UK is the first company to produce commercially available geopolymer cement in large quantities” Andrew McIntosh, director, Banah UK

The world’s first large scale production plant for an innovative low carbon cement will open in the UK this August.

The factory in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, will produce around 200,000 tonnes per year of banahCEM, a two-part geopolymer cement, based on a calcined clay.

Reduced firing temperatures during manufacture mean the material produces around 80% fewer carbon emissions than r egular Portland cement, and it requires 60% fewer virgin raw materials to fabricate, according to the firm behind the product, Banah UK. The production plant is currently being commissioned, and will employ 26 people, and supply to third party manufacturers of construction products, including concretes.

“Banah UK is the first company to produce commercially available geopolymer cement in large quantities,” said Andrew McIntosh, director of R&D at Banah UK. Geopolymer cements, also known as alkaliactivated cements, fall into two categories:

some, like banahCEM, use processed raw geological materials; others incorporate industrial byproducts, such as fly ash from coal fired power stations or ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) from steel production.

Raw materials are used due to dwindling resources of fly ash and GBBS in Europe and competition for supply from the Portland cement industry, which uses them as supplementary cementitious materials, says Banah UK. The energy expended during material extraction is easily offset by savings during manufacture, McIntosh told CM: “There is no limestone being converted into calcium oxide and therefore releasing CO2, the temperatures involved are much lower than those required for cement, so massive savings are made in carbon emissions.

“The amount of CO2 emitted during manufacture of one tonne of Portland cement is typically just under 800 kg. By contrast, producing one tonne of banahCEM solids results in around 200 kg of emissions.”

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CIOB News

CIOB launches toolkit to tackle modern slavery New research highlights abuses migrant workers suffer in construction supply chain

Following on from the release of its campaign document last year, Modern Slavery: The dark side of construction, the CIOB is gearing up to launch a new study or ”toolkit“, titled Building A Fairer System: Tackling modern slavery in construction supply chains (see p18-22).

It aims to investigate the root causes of modern slavery, looking particularly at labour and materials supply, where worker abuses often occur.

The report is particularly apt as, since its introduction in March 2015, the Modern Slavery Act has been galvanising the industry and making companies more aware for the need for better practice and monitoring of their supply chain.

Speaking about the report, UK antislavery commissioner Kevin Hyland said that as supply chains have become globalised, and demand for cheap products and cheaper labour has continued to increase, the risk of slavery in supply chains – in the UK and internationally – has become much greater.

He said this cannot be accepted as “business as usual” for contemporary society and it is up to governments, citizens and businesses to work to

ensure that the economy is not based on a model that allows exploitation.

Hyland added: “We need to shift away from profit being viewed as the sole measure of success. No profit margin should be worth a human life. We must look at success through a longer-term lens of sustainable growth, and the ethical treatment of workers is central to this.”

The report is divided into two sections, which look at the two root causes for modern slavery, namely recruitment of

Migrant workers in Qatar: the CIOB is highlighting the need for ethical practices to be embedded in labour and materials supply chains

labour and procurement of materials.

With regards to labour, the report principally looks at how workers from developing nations become trapped and end up working on prestigious projects, such as 2022 World Cup stadiums in Qatar.

It also looks at how corruption plays a major part, starting in the country of origin, where workers pay exorbitant recruitment fees to get a job. On arrival in the country of work, labourers are heavily in debt and vulnerable to exploitation.

Looking at the problems from the materials side, it investigates weaknesses in procurement systems and how all parties need to take more responsibility.

The report recommends more robust on worker welfare into their criteria.

The report contains several case studies that show companies who have implemented good practice changes to shore up their supply chain, or who have discovered problems and been able to rectify and improve standards.

The CIOB study also explains that many industries are now making serious efforts to improve the transparency of their supply chain, as well as pledging to eradicate illegal recruitment fees – so it is vital construction is not left behind.

“No profit margin should be worth a human life” Kevin Hyland, UK anti-slavery commissioner

CIOB addresses commercial skills with new training Training on boosting commercial awareness is the first in a series of courses planned by the CIOB this autumn.

Running on 13 September at the CIOB’s London office, Commercial Awareness for Construction will address both technical and behavioural skills.

The course aims to boost technical and professional confidence, as employers increasingly look for employees with established skills.

The following month, from 12-13 October, Construction Project Management: Meeting the Code of Practice will cover the overall area of

project management and how construction relies on balancing the key constraints of time, quality and cost in the context of building functionality. The industry’s requirements for sustainability are also addressed.

This course has been designed to suit both those new to project management and employees wishing to develop their knowledge of the role and enhance their contribution to projects.

For information on further courses, visit www.ciob.org/training

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CIOB News

Chris Blythe Pursuing profit at any cost does business – and society – no favours

CIOB members head to Hong Kong for forum The CIOB is gearing up to host its annual members’ forum in Hong Kong from 10-15 July. It will also feature the final of the institute’s third Global Student Challenge.

This year’s event, which will see the induction of incoming president Paul Nash (see profile, p16-17), will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Hong Kong. It aims to bring together leading construction professionals from across the globe to represent the interests of all members.

The five-day forum will also provide delegates with a number of activities in order to develop strategy, build working relationships and plan the future of the institute.

Among other events that will take place is the final of the third CIOB Global Student Challenge. The challenge is an online interactive game in which each team of four students runs a “virtual” construction company in a simulated environment using MERIT software – the name of which stands for Management Enterprise Risk Innovation and Teamwork.

The six teams to reach the finals this year are: Cali Construction (Glasgow Caledonian University), BRE Team 4 (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University), Oath Keeper (Chongqing University), Prestige Worldwide (University of Cape

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Town), Bond Agents (Bond University) and AGBA (Deakin University).

The forum will be topped off by the CIOB presidential dinner, attended by officers, trustees and members of the institute as well as other senior industry professionals.

It provides an opportunity to hear the president’s inaugural speech and his ideas for the year ahead, as well as to connect with some of the top influencers in global construction. http://membersforum.ciob.org

CIOB boosts its membership by 3,000 in a year The CIOB is attracting some of its largest numbers in years with more than 3,000 new members joining over the last 12 months. A further 140 are on their way to corporate membership, according to the Institute’s 2015 annual review.

The newly released publication focuses on a number of initiatives launched over the last year as well as putting firm plans in place for the future.

Among the highlights of 2015 were the release of prominent reports over the course of the year.

Modern Slavery: The dark side of construction, Migration in the UK Construction Industry and The Value of Professionalism received acclaim from both members and the public.

In December last year the institute relocated its London representative office to Kingsway, as a precursor to the CIOB Academy being based there as a home for CIOB training and other activity.

New rules for the Chartered Building Companies

and Chartered Building Consultancies schemes were also designed by the industry and implemented.

These new rules have strengthened the scheme – raising its overall standards and ensuring that the CBC scheme is a kitemark of excellence and a corporate membership scheme of choice.

Speaking about the year as a whole, current president Chris Chivers said: “The Institute should never just reflect on its past but must be very much about the future, and during 2015 the Institute did just that by carrying out extensive work to set a course to 2020 and beyond.

“Implementation of the 2020 Strategic Plan has begun and you will see early signs of this through the relaunch of the CBC schemes and the introduction of the Academy.”

A full copy of the Annual Review can be downloaded here: www.ciob.org/annual-review

Why is it that every now and then business does its best to give itself a bad reputation? Currently there are parliamentary enquiries into Sports Direct and BHS, and uncertainty around the future of steel-making in Wales.

Politicians pontificating are nothing new, in fact it would be a worry if they didn’t. As one would expect, the pontification is inversely proportional to what they know on the subject. But it does not take a massive intellect to know when something is not right.

I am sure the deal around BHS was all perfectly legal. The lawyers would have had their fair share of fees to ensure this was the case. But the motives around the deal are questionable. The losers are thousands of employees, not just those who lost jobs but those who will see their pensions severely diminished.

There is a case to be argued that successive pensions legislation has made it increasingly difficult for employers to continue to support pension schemes.

This, along with tax raids – notably by former prime minister Gordon Brown – has meant schemes increasingly entered into deficit and are finding it hard to get out. It is worth reminding ourselves that the architect of the big change in legislation was Robert Maxwell, another wellknown businessman of his day.

The attraction of selling a business for £1 just to unload £600m of liability is irresistible. The purchaser perhaps thinks they can make a few million for a couple of years then pass it on again. It is like pass the parcel, until the game stops.

It is reminiscent of the Lehman Brothers crash where suspect mortgage assets got parcelled up and passed from one institution to another – transformed from junk status to AAA in the great money market laundry.

This type of behaviour offends our sense of fairness. These instances erode trust in those who engage in these practices, those who facilitate them and those who say something must be done, then do nothing. I wonder whether anyone round the table at the BHS deal gave a thought to the consequences.

Business is not just about making the most profit. It should be about a fair return. One can cut back so much that you lose sight of what you have become.

I recall the story of a car firm boss showing a union boss the robots working in his factory – triumphantly saying he would not be collecting union dues from them. You are right, said the union guy, but I don’t think any of those robots are going to be buying your cars either.

I wonder how many construction workers can afford to buy the houses they are building today?

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Views

Rooting out modern slavery from construction

Feedback

MIGRANT WORKERS ARE PART of construction's DNA. In the UK and abroad, they have made up a substantial chunk of the industry's labour force for as far back as most people can remember, and probably will for the foreseeable future.

But recently, concerns have grown about the treatment of these workers who underpin the delivery of major construction projects around the globe.

Amnesty International's report in March this year, The Ugly Side Of The Beautiful Game: Exploitation of migrant workers on a 2022 World Cup site, pointed an accusing finger at football's world governing body FIFA and the Qatari authorities planning the tournament.

The human rights charity accused them of ongoing indifference towards systemic abuse and “appalling treatment” of migrant labour working on stadiums that will host the competition.

Against this backdrop, the CIOB, which previously highlighted the issue of modern slavery at its 2014 members’ forum in Qatar, has produced a new study – or toolkit – which aims to root out the exploitation of migrant workers in the construction supply chain.

Building A Fairer System: Tackling modern slavery in construction supply chains investigates the root causes of modern slavery, looking particularly at labour and materials supply, where worker abuses often occur. It also highlights examples of good practice.

“Global trends towards outsourcing and the deepening of complex supply chains makes it easier for worker abuses

Keeping women in the industry

to be ignored or remain hidden,” says the study's author, construction journalist Emma Crates.

“And while much media focus and criticism has been directed toward the Arab world, it must be noted that exploitation can be found in many regions, including those that pride themselves on superior human rights records, including Europe and North America.”

Some companies have taken their heads out of the sand and decided to do something about the problem.

Paving supplier Marshalls was shocked at the “blatant” maltreatment of workers in quarries in the Indian state of Rajasthan, where it sourced sandstone.

Children as young as six were employed.

Marshalls has since introduced stricter controls into its supply chain and is working with UNICEF to create a regulatory framework to eliminate child labour in the quarrying industry.

It is to the great credit of Marshalls that it acknowledged there was a problem, and took decisive action.

Not all construction companies may be comfortable taking a close look at their supply chains, particularly in today's global industry – but it is becoming an issue that is hard to ignore.

As the institute's new president Paul Nash says (see interview, p16-17): “In today's globalised industry, being a construction professional is very different to 20 years ago.”

Tim Jones MCIOB, via website The issue of women in the industry is a huge challenge (Industry must do more to keep women in construction, online). Schools, universities, professional bodies, industry bodies, careers advisers and government need to work together to make it happen.

Sadly, in my 30-year career I've not seen much evidence of this.

Brendon Leigh, via website Tell me why would the average man wish to do himself out of a job, which often supports a family, by encouraging women into construction? At the very least women often force the wages down. This is the real world, not some taxpayer-funded utopia.

Kim, via website Brendon Leigh has a lot to answer for!

This is exactly the misogynistic stereotype we hope people are moving away from…

I am the breadwinner of our household. Why would I "do myself out of a job" when I'm the one who pays the mortgage and bills?

Alison Duncan, via website Entry to the industry can be initially offputting for women due to the lack of other women. The industry is changing so fast (BIM, new forms of contract, legislation) that trying to catch up after maternity breaks can feel like a mountain to climb.

Lack of flexibility or financial penalisation for part-time working can be an issue when women are trying to do justice to family life and return to an earlier role.

Will Mann, acting editor

More Construction Manager online and on Twitter Our twice-weekly newsletters give you breaking news and online-only content, including more coverage of skills shortages and the carbon agenda, and fresh perspectives on the week’s news. Sign up at www.constructionmanagermagazine.com.

For news from CM and other sources as it happens, join our 9,000+ Twitter followers @CMnewsandviews.

John Eynon, via website Thinking about diversity and inclusion, our industry woefully lags behind everyone else like some recalcitrant child.

The limp-wristed response from our institutes on moving forward on this collectively is disgraceful, as is the lack of leadership from our industry worthies.

If these issues are not addressed, once the boomers have retired there will be no industry left. The writing is on the wall here.

As a white professional male in his early

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Vox pop Is the construction industry doing enough to combat cyber crime?

Andrew Avanessian Vice-president at endpoint security software firm Avecto Construction companies represent an extremely lucrative target for cyber crime – they hold vast amounts of sensitive customer and employee data and are often seen as leverage to access other companies in their supply chains. Despite this, many continue to rely on reactive solutions rather than proactive cyber defences.

Naïve employees are the obvious target for those looking to access the corporate system – used to receiving a lot of emails and opening attachments quickly, they are likely to fall for malicious phishing scams.

Although the technology to protect against these scams is relatively simple to implement, many companies only look to invest in this following an attack.

Nick Gibbons Partner at insurance and risk law firm BLM Many in the sector still see cyber risk as primarily a personal data risk despite the EU’s new Cyber Security Directive, which addresses every type of risk. This is of significant concern because a cyber attack on infrastructure may result in devastating physical damage, personal injury and fatalities, rather than simply financial loss.

60s I am your typical industry stereotype.

If we have to take positive action to even up the playing field for a while then so be it.

Identify the real bonuses Richard Watkins, via website Incentives seem to outgrow true performance values in our society (£600m Persimmon bonus scheme criticised by investors, online). More of this money should be set aside to offer affordable housing rather than award this level of "bonus ".

Drone is a high-flyer Michael Leftwich ICIOB, via website A drone has been introduced as part of our building condition surveys for two months and has proved invaluable (Mitie introduces drone surveys for high-rise buildings, online).

The money spent on equipment has been covered many times when compared with

Each business needs to ask whether it has implemented organisational measures in addition to technical security. These include: appointing a cyber risk manager; checking the security of suppliers and advisers; and creating a risk management plan for each type of cyber incident.

Justin Harrington Partner at law firm Blake Morgan From a legal point of view, cyber security is rapidly moving up the agenda with the introduction of the new EU General Data Protection Regulation.

This will introduce mandatory reporting for any organisation that has suffered a security breach – it will be compelled to report the attack to the information commissioner wherever there is a risk that client or personal data may have been compromised.

There will also be a duty to advise any third parties whose data may be affected.

Failure to do so carries a fine of up to £20m or 4% of the company’s worldwide turnover. It is likely that businesses will need to comply with this regulation to continue to trade in Europe, regardless of the outcome of the EU referendum.

This may also lead to increased litigation as third parties seek legal redress. Businesses will need to ensure not only that their systems are

Data protection: Construction firms are an easy target for cyber criminals

Neil Hampson

"They need to make cyber crime a board issue rather than a technology issue" Neil Hampson, PWC

the cost of scaffolding. Its use also removes working at height issues.

Only the four members of staff that are qualified remote pilots use the equipment.

We need long-term change Ian Heptinstall, via website Single projects can achieve Lord Adonis's "need to do it faster, better and cheaper"

PwC’s UK cyber security practice leader Companies need to understand the risks they are facing and from whom – the most likely threats will involve financial crime, nation states and hactivists. They need to understand what information they hold and who has access to it.

Companies also should be investing in technology, but more importantly in awareness, assurance and monitoring of activity. They need to practise their response in a crisis scenario.

They need to make cyber crime a board issue rather than a technology issue - it's all about developing an appropriate risk posture.

(Lord Adonis raps construction's ‘shortterm' culture, online). But it will require the industry to ditch the traditional approaches to contracts and selection, and plan and manage execution using methods proved to reduce waste.

These changes could be adopted today and deliver benefits on a single project. The only catch is it would require a change from how the industry works today.

CDM is just confusing clients Stephen Bourne, via website I find that many domestic clients do not know what CDM is (CDM changes are still causing confusion, online) and that clients do not want additional expense for a principal designer (PD) role.

CDM on domestic projects for someone who needs to extend their house has thrown a spanner in the works. It is all confusing, not well thought out, and more red tape.

as safe as possible, but that they are prepared to defend themselves if the worst should happen.

Put workers’ safety first Contact us Do you have an opinion on any of this month’s articles? Email: constructionmanager@atom publishing.co.uk

Dennis Lawler, via website What an awful waste of a young mans life, (Latest death fine shows impact of new sentencing regime, online). Plant yards are notorious for poor traffic management – fuelling points are nearly always placed on the access route used by all vehicles.

I hope the family remember that the Lighthouse Club is available if required.

CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | JULY/AUGUST 2016 | 13

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20/06/2016 14:51

NO JOB TOO BIG

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20/06/2016 16:19

Feature Profile

VIEW FROM THE TOP

With spells at several top consultants, new CIOB president Paul Nash aims to bring influence and authority to the role. James Kenny reports

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Feature Profile

AT A TIME WHEN the CIOB is taking a more active lobbying role – notably through its recent productivity report – it makes absolute sense that its new president has spent much of his construction career working with leading clients.

Paul Nash is a director in Turner & Townsend’s London office, specialising in the commercial development sector, and his working life has included spells at other top consultants such as Davis Langdon, Sweett Group and EC Harris.

But he began his 34-year career when he joined contractor Leonard Fairclough (which became Amec) at 18 as an indentured management trainee.

“Growing up I never thought about construction; I wanted to join the Navy,” he says. “But I managed to secure a place on the management trainee scheme at Fairclough and I haven’t looked back.”

Nash moved on to another contractor, HBG (later BAM), but was keen to gain a wider perspective of the industry and began a masters degree in project management at the University of Reading. From then on, he would work for consultants.

“From the contractor side, I was seeing just one point of view of a project – but I was curious and wanted to be involved from the earliest stages and understand the roles of all parties,” he explains.

Nash believes his experience of working with clients and his rounded view of construction will serve him well in the presidency, with the CIOB positioning itself to become a more influential voice at the top of the industry.

The report on productivity is one example. Chiming with chancellor George Osborne’s own concerns about the issue, the study raised family concerns around construction’s flawed business model which keeps margins low and discourages companies from investment in skills or equipment. But perhaps more significantly, it highlighted the wider, positive impacts construction can make to society – for example, better insulated homes making people healthier – which are not counted when the industry’s productivity is measured.

“It’s very important that, as a professional body, we promote these kinds of issues with the government,” Nash says. “Over the past few years, the CIOB has produced a lot of research on

topics that are key to policymakers. What is interesting is that we are now getting approached more regularly by government for our input, which is a sign that we must be moving in the right direction.”

Besides contributing to the productivity report, Nash is also involved with drafting the Institute’s new Code of Practice for Programme & Portfolio Management, informed by his experience working with big consultancies.

The skills issue is a perennial concern for the industry’s professional bodies – the Construction Industry Training Board forecasts that another 230,000 jobs will be needed by 2020 – and Nash is no exception in seeing it as an important issue. But he feels that the growth of digital technology means that career opportunities in construction are changing and potentially becoming more appealing.

“It has been estimated that 65% of children entering primary school today will end up in jobs that don’t exist yet,” he says. “The emergence of ‘big data’, and its use in planning and maintaining the built environment, the government’s Smart Cities agenda – this is going to attract a new type of person to the industry. Graduates who do degrees like statistics will be important to our industry in the future.”

Recently, the CIOB has not been afraid to tackle controversial topics, producing a study on corruption three years ago, and this month addressing modern slavery (see p18-22). Nash worked with the policy team on the report.

“Ethics needs to be one of our priorities,” he says. “It is a changing industry, a global industry with a complicated supply chain, and being a construction professional today is very different to 20 years ago.”

Nash reflects on one of his former companies, Sweett Group, which earlier this year was sentenced under the Bribery Act for payments a subsidiary made to an influential Arab executive.

“I want to believe that most organisations don’t start out being corrupt but somewhere along the way, and through lack of checks and education, standards can drop,” he says. “It is important we set and maintain standards in the construction that we would expect from the rest of society.” CM

“It is a changing industry, a global industry… and being a construction professional is very different to 20 years ago” Paul Nash, CIOB president

Paul Nash CV Age: 52 2013 – present:

Turner & Townsend, director, London, commercial development, hotels and leisure 2012 – 2013:

Davis Langdon Aecom, director, Europe, commercial and hospitality 2004 – 2012:

Sweett Group, director, board director and head of project management of Sweett UK; global head of hospitality and leisure 2002 – 2004:

EC Harris, partner, Europe and Middle East, hotels and leisure 1998 - 2002:

Citex, director, project management 1993 - 1998:

HBG (BAM), project manager 1988 - 1993:

Kyle Stewart, project surveyor 1982 - 1988:

Fairclough Building (Amec), management trainee and project surveyor Interests:

Football coaching, travel Personal life:

Lives in Buckinghamshire and is married with two children CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | JULY/AUGUST 2016 | 17

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Feature Slavery

BREAKING THE CHAINS Slavery in construction is an issue some in the industry would prefer not to acknowledge. But it is a very real problem.

A new CIOB report lifts the lid on how migrant workers are treated in the construction supply chain – and presents some solutions. James Kenny explains

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Feature Slavery

Common abuses of migrant workers Unfair payment practices

FOR THE EURO 2016 tournament now under way in France, most host cities have given their football stadiums a spectacular revamp. There have been no construction controversies. But that isn’t the case with another major football tournament happening in six years’ time: the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

In March this year, in its report The Ugly Side of the Beautiful Game: Exploitation of migrant workers on a 2022 World Cup site, human rights charity Amnesty International directly accused football’s world governing body FIFA and the Qatari authorities of ongoing indifference towards the systemic abuse and “appalling treatment” of migrant workers working on the venues that will host the competition.

The abuse and ill-treatment of migrant construction workers in some countries is seen as a form of modern slavery. To throw a spotlight on this, the CIOB has produced a new study which includes detailed guidance for construction companies that may – unknowingly – use exploited migrant workers in their supply chains.

The study, or toolkit, is titled Building a Fairer System: Tackling modern slavery in construction supply chains. The report aims to investigate the root causes of modern slavery, looking particularly at labour and materials supply – where worker abuses often occur. It also highlights examples of good practice.

“Unfortunately, in modern industry, slavery is present in many sectors, whether through mining, raw material production, manufacturing, contracted

“Construction is particularly susceptible to cases of forced labour as the use of migrant workers has become a key element” Emma Crates, report author

services or agency supplied labour,” says the study’s author, construction journalist Emma Crates.

“Global trends towards outsourcing and the deepening of complex supply chains make it easier for such abuses to be ignored or remain hidden. And while much media focus and criticism has been directed toward the Arab world, it must be noted that exploitation can be found in many regions, including those that pride themselves on superior human rights records, including Europe and North America.”

Practices that can occur – and are covered in the report – range from unfair contracts, long working hours and awful accommodation right up to restriction of movement, inability to resign and the threat of violence.

“The construction industry is particularly susceptible to cases of forced labour as the use of migrant workers has become a key element for many companies, particularly when bidding for or working in large infrastructure projects abroad,” says Crates. “Without attracting skilled and unskilled talent from other regions, many organisations would struggle to complete these building schemes.”

For the workers themselves, there can be a huge benefit financially to securing work on these projects. Many of those employed work abroad as a means of feeding and educating their families – and of climbing out of poverty.

And, at a national level, the economic importance of exporting labour is huge. >

l Non-payment or late payment of wages. l Employers not recognising all the hours worked. l Illegal deductions. l Some employers will delay payment for months or even years, leaving the workers literally starving, yet too frightened to complain.

Inappropriate accommodation l Cramped, unsanitary, crowded conditions, often far from site and requiring long commutes.

Long working hours l Workers forced to work in unsafe conditions and very long shifts. l Agents may force them to work on multiple locations taking on more than one job.

Restriction of movement l Workers have passports removed and are unable to leave the country or seek alternative work.

Extra charges l Accommodation is far from food outlets so that workers must pay for expensive canteen food. l Deductions for food are made from wages, though workers were promised inclusive food and accommodation.

Unfair contracts l Contracts are not in the labourers’ native language and they do not understand what they are signing.

Despite this, the contract may be declared “legal” by employers and the courts.

Threat of violence l Frequent threats of violence can leave workers fearful and frightened to speak out.

Lack of representation l Workers are unable to organise or form unions. They have no platform to raise issues with the client or main contractor.

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Feature Slavery

“In Nepal a foreign worker permit can involve up to six stages of verification.

Each presents an opportunity to extract a bribe ” Emma Crates, report author

> Migrant workers from Bangladesh, for example, sent home more than $10bn (£7bn) in 2009 – 12 times greater than the sum the country received in foreign direct investment and six times more than the foreign aid it received that year.

But a reasonable question is: with such large numbers of migrant workers being employed, why are they continuing to be exploited?

“The transparency and complexity of the supply chain is usually the cause,” says Crates. “While the top level and first few tiers of a company and its affiliates may be well run and monitored, problems usually arise further down, among subcontractors and other levels of the supply chain.”

She adds: “While any respectable company will tell you they have policies and procedures in place to protect workers,

the complexity of the procurement process provides ample opportunity to look away from issues that are too remote – or too embedded – to tackle.”

But now, construction and other industries face not only public pressure but also governmental scrutiny – in the form of the Modern Slavery Act, which became law in March 2015 and applies to all large firms carrying out business in the UK, regardless of where they are registered.

The Act introduces two main offences: the first relating to slavery, servitude or forced labour, and the second to “human trafficking”, which is defined as arranging or facilitating the travel of another person with a view to that person being exploited – irrespective of whether that person consents to travel.

In addition, section 54, also known as the Transparency in Supply Chains (TISC) clause, introduces an obligation on commercial organisations with annual turnover of more than £36m to prepare a “slavery and human trafficking statement” each financial year. This requires them to state the steps – if any – that have been taken to ensure that slavery and human trafficking are not taking place in any of the organisation’s supply chains or in any part of its business.

The construction site may be where exploited workers end up, but it is seldom the place where exploitation starts, Crates

asserts. “Although much of the focus of abuse has been in the Gulf region, in order to root out the problem, investigations must start at the beginning where workers are recruited,” she says.

In 2015, 1.7 million migrants were working in Qatar – 90% of the total workforce. Predominantly they came from South Asian countries such as Nepal, a country where, according to a “conservative estimate” from the World Bank in 2010, corruption in foreign employment was running at more than $194.7m (£135.8m) a year.

“In that country, obtaining a foreign worker permit can involve up to six discrete stages of verification and pre-approval,” says Crates. “Each step presents an opportunity to extract a bribe or corrupt payment.”

This is where the controversial “recruitment fee” usually comes in (see box, p21). Workers pay an initial sum to a labour broker or other intermediary, then have their passport retained or find themselves beholden in some other way.

“They become effectively bonded,” says Crates, “and bondage is an indicator of forced labour, regardless of subsequent conditions at the work site.”

The issue of forced labour in the construction supply chain is unlikely to diminish without proper action. But, with the eyes of the world focused on >

Top: Stadium under construction in Doha for the 2022 football World Cup Right: South Asian labourers working at a construction site in Doha, Qatar 20 | JULY/AUGUST 2016 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

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Feature Slavery

CH2M: creating a worker welfare policy across a vast global business CH2M is a huge global organisation employing 25,000 people, working in over 50 countries. This includes parts of the world where worker rights is an increasingly controversial topic. Recently, CH2M has acted as a technical consultant for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and provided initial programme management services to the host committee.

Senior vice-president Theresa Loar says that, as the company has expanded its portfolio in the Middle East and Gulf, it has tried to identify new ways to apply international best practices on worker welfare.

“As advisers to our clients, we do not directly employ contractors or labourers, but we have started to explore how we can make a difference not just within individual programmes and the region, but worldwide,” she explains.

To start this programme, CH2M employed the services of ethical labour expert Verité, an NGO that helps multinationals develop and uphold fair and safe employment practices within their supply chains. After a comprehensive operational review, Verité recommended that CH2M develop a global policy on worker welfare.

Twelve departments were identified that would be directly affected by the new policy, including procurement, legal, human resources, risk and health and safety. A policy task force was set up, formed by a representative from each of the departments.

After 15 months of intensive work with Verité, in March 2015, CH2M’s global worker welfare policy was signed off by chief executive Jacqueline Hinman. The policy covers issues including fair worker recruitment and payment practices, as well as accommodation and living standards.

For services CH2M is procuring for its own use, initial changes include a new

“Introducing worker welfare into our standard training, rather than as a standalone topic, is a good way of building it into everything we do” Theresa Loar, CH2M

screening process and prequalification questionnaire. At the beginning of every contract, suppliers’ worker welfare policies are evaluated and verified. CH2M also regularly visits sites to ensure that worker accommodation is up to standard.

Worker welfare issues have been woven into existing training courses.

Last year 19,000 employees took CH2M’s online ethics programme, which included a segment on the new worker welfare policy.

“Introducing worker welfare into our standard training packages, rather than treating it as a standalone topic, is a good way of keeping this issue live within the company, and building it into everything we do,” Loar says.

More targeted in-depth training is being introduced for employees in influential roles such as procurement, health and safety and project management.

The company is also exploring technology-driven ways of capturing feedback from workers on their living and working conditions via mobile phones.

CH2M wants to share its knowledge and experience. “We have created models and frameworks that could be adapted by other companies working in the built environment,” Loar says. “We also realise that we can’t act alone.

Collaboration is essential if we are to move forward as an industry.”

She says the lesson from CH2M’s journey is that internal change must be led from the top of an organisation. “It took more than a year for us to develop our global worker welfare policy, and this involved intensive collaboration between 12 departments and our NGO partner Verité,” Loar explains. “Having so many functions collaborating together would have been impossible without the support and sponsorship of our CEO and head of operations.”

The recruitment fee The recruitment of workers is where the seeds of slavery are sown. Although big companies use established recruitment agencies in capital cities of countries such as Bangladesh, India, Nepal and the Philippines, they rely heavily on unregistered networks in rural towns and villages, the informal nature of which can lead to corruption and exploitation.

From the beginning, the worker is often misled as to the level of wages that he will be paid. He will be charged a “recruitment fee” that is far higher than the actual costs and could also exceed the legal limit imposed by his government. If the countries have various layers of bureaucracy then it is more likely that the worker will be exploited at each level and be forced to pay.

Often workers will take the job out of desperate economic circumstances. They may sell possessions or get money from a loan shark to pay the fee.

Having paid the agent, the worker is now vulnerable. He may be duped into signing a contract that he does not understand, meaning he is

effectively trapped by the system before he has left his home country.

Industries are starting to recognise that recruitment fees are often the core root of the forced labour problem and new initiatives are being launched to combat this.

The Leadership Group for Responsible Recruitment was set up in May this year.

Convened by the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB), the aim of this international cross-industry initiative is to eradicate recruitment fees from supply chains within the next decade.

Founding companies, which include Coca-Cola, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, IKEA and Unilever, are promoting the Employer Pays Principle, which specifies that employers, rather than employees, should pay recruitment costs.

The group is urging that the principle is embedded within industry codes of conduct and company policies in every sector.

Eradicating illegal recruitment fees from supply chains should be a priority for clients and Tier 1 organisations, says the CIOB report.

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Feature Slavery

Worker welfare action points

Workers in a sandstone quarry, Rajasthan

Immediate: l Ensure that money is paid directly into bank accounts. l All staff, including agency workers, should have a written contract. l Provide a safe storage area for passports and anonymous phone lines for workers to report abuse. l Pay all recruitment costs. The actual costs of recruitment would be considerably cheaper than those paid by the workers.

Medium term: l Educate staff about modern slavery. Implement tailored training and support for each level of the business l Use independent parties to interview labourers. Ensure that the interviews are carried out in confidence, away from the worksite and without the participation of management l Build up trust. Many migrant workers may lie about paying recruitment fees because they are desperate not to lose their jobs. Try to be open and do not necessarily believe the first answer that they give on arrival.

Longer term: l Map out your supply chain. Investigate the relationships between agencies and suppliers. l Encourage the establishment of ethical recruitment agencies. Change contracts to introduce harsher penalties and termination clauses if suppliers do not comply with policy. l Lobby governments. Argue for investment in more inspectors to enforce compliance of workers’ rights and recognition of the right of workers to organise and join trade unions in countries where it is currently illegal. > the Qatar 2022 tournament, there is a chance for the construction industry to effect change – and do so on a grand scale, and in a spotlight.

“By improving the conditions for workers in Qatar and in preparations for the World Cup, construction can set out a guideline for future large projects,” says Crates. “Construction companies can learn the right way to monitor their supply chains and make sure all their workers, no matter where in the supply chain, are treated humanely and properly.” CM USEFUL CONTACTS Amnesty International www.amnesty.org Constructing Excellence in Qatar www.constructingexcellence.qa Ethical Innovations www.ethicalinnovations.ch Institute for Human Rights and Business www.ihrb.org Stop the Traffik www.stopthetraffik.org Supply Chain Sustainability School www.supplychainschool.co.uk Verité www.verite.org VisiChain www.visi-chain.com

Marshalls: streamlining supply chains in manufacturing to protect children and migrant workers Paving supplier Marshalls sources its stone products from quarries and manufacturing plants in countries such as India, China and Vietnam.

In 2005, group marketing director Chris Harrop visited suppliers in Rajasthan, in western India. He was keen to get a better understanding of sandstone production, but did not explain the purpose of his visit. As a result he was given access to a wide range of the production facilities.

Harrop was shocked at the levels of exploitation he witnessed. Children as young as six were working in the quarries and manufacturing plants. They were living in squalid conditions, and were regularly being exposed to high levels of noise, dust and vibration, as well as dangerous activities.

With their parents working – even when sick or injured – many children were labouring not only due to poverty, but because there was no one to care for them off site. They had no access to education.

“What struck me was that this was so blatant,” Harrop says. “Locally it was seen as a normal and accepted practice.

“The scale of the challenge was immense. We realised that the only way forward was to bring in experts and to start working collaboratively.”

The company, unaware of any existing industry initiatives to tackle such problems, sought out best practice in other sectors. That same year, it joined the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), an international alliance of companies, trade

unions and NGOs, which was originally founded by British retailers.

Marshalls adopted the ETI Base Code.

This code of labour practice is based on International Labour Organisation (ILO) principles and covers areas such as child and bonded labour, living wages, health and safety, discrimination and inhumane treatment.

The company introduced a range of activities to support the supplier and the wider community, including: l Integrating systems. Marshalls now shares a common enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with stone shippers. l Helping the supplier establish a well-run human resources department. l Forming a long-term partnership with a local NGO to deliver child education, health camps, workers rights education. l Raising awareness of social insurance with workers, and providing seed funding for a scheme which became selfsustaining after three years.

In 2007, Marshalls launched a campaign to highlight child labour and to help consumers make informed product choices. It published a booklet, The Truth about Indian Sandstone, and has since worked with UNICEF, piloting the charity’s Children’s Rights and Business Principles assessment framework, and funding research on child labour in Rajasthan.

The findings will be used to create a regulatory framework to eliminate child labour in the quarrying industry.

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Technical Groundworks + Infrastructure

Breaking new ground

How is BIM changing practice within the piling and ground engineering sector?

Will Mann talks to the contractors and consultants using the technology Above: Tunnelling on the Victoria Station Upgrade in London has progressed twice as quickly thanks to BIM, compared to similar schemes

BY ITS NATURE, ground engineering is one

of the most challenging sectors of the construction industry. Finding ways to visualise and map unknown obstacles that lie beneath the ground is complicated and time consuming, designing and planning construction projects around them even more so.

But BIM may be changing that. One of the biggest infrastructure projects to use the technology to date, and an exemplar for BIM in the sector, is the £700m Victoria Station Upgrade (VSU) in central London (see box p25).

The scheme includes construction of a 400m tunnel between ticket halls. “BIM

“We can improve productivity by 10% using BIM simply through better processes” Alasdair Henderson, BAM Ritchies

has enabled us to double production rates on the project,” says Taylor Woodrow project manager Craig Prangley.

“Compared with similar tunnel jobs in the past, tunnel construction would typically proceed at a metre a day; here we have achieved two metres,” he says.

Alasdair Henderson, chairman of the Federation of Piling Specialists (FPS) and a divisional director of geotechnics specialist BAM Ritchies, is similarly enthusiastic about BIM’s potential for the sector.

“We can improve productivity by 10% using BIM simply through better processes – capturing as-built data on tablets, feeding information about piles, ground anchors, grouted injections and so on into the model saves the need for checking and reanalysing the information manually,” he says.

“And that’s not factoring all the benefits from using a 3D model to help upfront planning. BIM allows a more structured

approach because all existing asset data can be combined with new information, such as from borehole investigations, in one model.”

This has been an important factor on the VSU scheme. Consultant Mott MacDonald is another member of the project team, and geotechnical engineer Alan Willoner feels that an important advantage of BIM is that it “provides better clarity about the spatial position of the known data”.

He elaborates: “3D ground models are not necessarily more accurate than the original 2D sections as they are reliant on the same data. However, bringing all of this already existing data and information into one ‘geo-referenced’ environment allows the data to be better understood.”

Willoner believes that Level 2 BIM is most likely to add value on “complex grouting schemes, such as jet grouting, or compensation grouting” in urban environments.

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Technical Groundworks + Infrastructure

BIM model of the Victoria Station Upgrade

n Existing n Upgrade

Victoria Station Upgrade: An exemplar BIM infrastructure project The Victoria Station Upgrade (VSU) project in central London provides perhaps the best example to date of how BIM can be used in ground engineering.

This £700m scheme (above) is delivered by a BAM NuttallTaylor Woodrow (BNTW) joint venture and includes a new and an enlarged ticket hall, plus 400m of connecting tunnels between the two, 7m below ground level.

It is a complex project on a congested site, crisscrossed by pipelines, sewers, and power and communications cables, with tube tunnels and the culverted River Tyburn close by.

London Underground pushed for the use of BIM as far back as 2006 when planning the project, believing it would be near impossible without a 3D record of existing and third-party assets.

This drew on “as built“ records, plus data from laser surveys.

Additionally, BNTW excavated and removed all services in the ground, surveyed their condition, and put them back – adding data about the services to the model. Information from trial drill holes was also added.

“This got around the problem of a lack of visibility underground,” explains Taylor Woodrow project manager Craig Prangley. “We were having to work under Tube tunnels and the Victoria Palace Theatre, and the BIM model allowed us to drill with confidence.”

BIM was also used to co-ordinate the design of 2,500 jet grout columns, injected to stabilise the water-bearing river terrace gravels on the site and

create an impermeable barrier to the new station box. These are raked in numerous directions, because of the complexity of the existing infrastructure. The position and orientation of every drill string is uniquely identified in the BIM model.

“As the job progressed, all the as-built data on the grout columns was fed back into the model, and this helped us understand where the gaps were between the columns when we started the tunnel,” says Prangley.

“The result is that the tunnel construction productivity has doubled – compared with similar tunnel jobs at Tottenham Court Road and King’s Cross stations, where we would typically proceed at a metre a day; here we have achieved two metres,” he says.

The model has also helped with clash detection among structural, architectural and building services packages, and saved time on the structural design recalculations; when changes were made to the position of openings in structural slabs, the model calculated new load paths and regenerated the reinforcement design with minimal rework.

The project has even been extended to 5D and 6D BIM. Quantities of materials have been calculated, giving visibility to the cost impacts of design changes. Post-completion, the model will provide London Underground with an accurate record of assets, to manage the station throughout its life.

Above and inset: Compensation grouting on the Keller-BAM Ritchies Crossrail projects at Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street has used real-time monitoring

Phil Hines, group managing director at Bachy Soletanche, says: “If you are working in a congested area, where there are a lot of underground obstructions, it is essential to have a 3D model to avoid hitting services and existing foundations.

“We have been using 3D models to plan grouting for 20 years. But the difference with BIM is it allows us to share and make better use of data to enhance our operations.”

With piling, use of BIM may prove trickier, according to Willoner.

“It is difficult to say what value can be added in the majority of UK piling jobs, as ground variability is generally high and often requires manual verification of pile lengths.

“There may be opportunities for BIM to improve productivity in piling schemes where the design of ultimate compressive resistance is determined directly from ground test results, rather than by calculation. This has been a common approach in other countries such as Holland,” he says. > CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | JULY/AUGUST 2016 | 25

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Technical Groundworks + Infrastructure

> The next steps in exploiting BIM technology for ground engineers may involve greater use of the models in real time.

“We are using real-time monitoring for compensation grouting on our Crossrail contracts at Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street, in joint venture with Keller,” says Henderson. The monitoring is provided by Keller subsidiary Getec, and was originally developed in Germany.

Prangley says monitoring ground movements in a real time environment would have been beneficial on the VSU scheme. “We were only 2.7m away from the Victoria Palace Theatre and it would have helped if we could monitor vibration and noise levels in real time,” he says.

“We had automated text messages to notify our engineers when they were above a certain level, but obviously the future would be to automate and link that into the BIM model.

“We never really exploited the model’s possiblities in real time – we would still take drawings off the model and print out for our site engineers in 2D,” Prangley adds. “We need to give our site engineers the technology so that they can see the model as the project progresses in real time, on tablets.”

Another advance Prangley predicts is greater automation of plant, again in a real-time environment, a view shared by others in the sector (see box, right).

Other future developments are likely to include greater use of 5D and 6D BIM.

At VSU, this is already happening to a degree, where quantities for materials are being drawn off the BIM model, and its asset information will be used by London Underground to plan the long-term management of the station.

The use of digital sensors, to provide information about asset performance, will also become more commonplace on infrastructure projects, according to Henderson. (See also, “Infrastructure gets smart“, p28-30).

“On BAM Ritchies’ Loch Arklet Dam project in Stirlingshire, which is a fairly conventional ground anchoring job, we have installed barcodes in the tops of the anchors which provides vital information about when it was bored, installed, grouted – and will be incredibly valuable for the asset manager,” he explains.

But despite all these advances, ground engineers often face blockages to using BIM further up the supply chain.

When working as subcontractors, they report limited interest in BIM among main contractors.

“There is a high degree of BIM awareness among FPS members, but based on BAM Ritchies’ experience, we are seeing less than 20% of tenders calling for BIM use,” says Henderson.

Hines says the same is true of Bachy Soletanche’s experience. “There is a lot of talk,” he says. “But not many main contractors want to interface with us on a high-level BIM model. Rarely do we supply information into a common model.”

“We need to collaborate better and BIM presents an opportunity for us do this,” says Henderson. “There is huge operational skill among FPS members, but too often we see what we do or what we can do replicated at tier one level.”

Getting past that obstacle may prove to be harder than learning how to use the BIM technology. CM

Below left: BIM has helped plan construction on the complex and congested Victoria station site Below: Use of BIM to plan jet grouting at Victoria station

Digital rigs? The potential for automation in ground engineering plant

As CM reported last month, digital technology is beginning to emerge in earthmoving equipment, to automate the digging process – so why not in piling and grouting rigs too?

Based on his experience using BIM at Victoria Station, Taylor Woodrow project manager Craig Prangley believes automating the use of ground engineering plant will become more commonplace.

“We took data from the BIM model to orientate grouting masts at the correct angle, but we did it manually,” he explains.

“But now we would probably send data from the model to the rig, and use GPS technology to align the masts.”

Alasdair Henderson of the FPS also envisages greater automation. “By comparison with another sector, we operate quarry drilling rigs which are fully robotised,” he says.

“They have fuel consumption of just 50% of the levels of manually operated rigs. They also have a longer consumable life.

Because they are automated, the driller can focus more on the specification and outcome rather than how the drill is performing.

“Use of BIM and digital technology with piling and grouting equipment could yield similar big savings on fuel, plant wear and tear and all-round productivity and efficiency. The fuel consumption, the torque level and the feed pressures could all be pre-programmed.”

Mott MacDonald geotechnical engineer Peter Fair says: “In terms of plant movement, BIM technology can certainly assist with the planning and movement of the rigs. With the transfer of data and common data formats becoming more prevalent, then the position and depths of piles could be uploaded onto the machine direct from the design files, reducing time and potential human error.”

“There may be some instances where ground conditions are sufficiently uniform for the full automation of rigs in the future, particularly for friction piles.”

They will be the exception, Fair thinks: “It is unlikely that piling in UK will move towards full automation of rigs as ground variability between known data points generally requires experienced judgement on site.”

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Technical Groundworks + Infrastructure

Infrastructure gets smart Infrastructure projects are increasingly using sophisticated digital technology to improve long-term asset management. Stephen Cousins examines the emerging technologies at the forefront of ‘smart infrastructure’

Sensors on pavers can record details about the quality of the installation, from the materials to the weather conditions

“In future there will be increased monitoring of assets like roads or bridges: using data from sensors makes maintenance more predictive and intelligent” James Abdool, Arcadis

RAPID URBAN MIGRATION means that, by 2030, roughly five billion people will live in cities worldwide. Concerns over the associated demands on utilities, water and transport infrastructure have resulted in a drive to “smartify” cities, by installing networks of sensors able to monitor and manage the performance of assets.

Embedding sensors into infrastructure such as bridges, tunnels, roads and utilities can give these assets the ability to sense, or even respond to, problems as they develop, directing their own maintenance to reduce downtime and provide greater operational efficiency.

This nascent technology has incredible potential, says James Abdool, head of digital experience at infrastructure consultancy Arcadis: “In future there will be increased monitoring of assets like roads or bridges: using data from sensors makes maintenance more predictive and intelligent and less reactive. If you have the knowledge well ahead of time you can plan maintenance works for a time that causes least disruption.”

Through trial installations at four Crossrail sites, the Cambridge Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction (CCSI) has been experimenting with using fibre-optic sensors to monitor the health of concrete structures.

Fibre-optic sensors in cable were fixed into diaphragm wall reinforcement cages as they were lowered into deep trenches in the ground. The cables effectively act as a continuous strain gauge, able to measure microstrain over lengths of up to 10km.

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Technical Groundworks + Infrastructure

Data from the sensors has provided completely new insights into the behaviour of shaft linings and retaining walls during construction, according to CCSI. The technology will continue to provide information on the performance of the structures throughout their design life.

A similar monitoring technology, using a “sensing skin” of metal paint connected to electrodes in concrete, has been developed by researchers from North Carolina State University and the University of Eastern Finland (see panel right).

The power of connection Connecting sensors, or other devices, to a communications backbone, such as the internet, can enable real-time data analysis and intercommunication between previously siloed systems.

Internet of Things (IoT) networks typically incorporate groups of nodes that integrate sensing capabilities with wireless communication chips, data processing and a power supply. The technology offers significant benefits – particularly the speed of deployment due to the lack of cabling.

Tech giant Siemens has developed an IoT-based system that uses streetlightmounted radar to detect when vehicles are parked illegally and automatically alert the authorities over the internet. The same technology, paired with a smartphone app, can tell drivers where parking spaces are available, even sensing the size of the gap to check it is big enough.

Other technologies promise to improve the efficiency of how cities are run.

Dutch waste management firm Rova has implemented a platform that integrates IoT data, GPS data, smart devices and radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags to predict when waste bins are ready to be picked up. The software is able to calculate, in real time, the best possible route to drive through the city, resulting in a more efficient service and reduced CO2 emissions.

Thinking big Sensor technologies are capable of producing vast amounts of data which, when combined and interrogated in different ways, can provide a greater >

Smart skin protection An innovative ‘sensing skin’ can monitor concrete defects in vital infrastructure such as nuclear power plants

A smart ‘sensing skin’ for concrete could one day be used as an early warning system to spot defects in vital infrastructure such as nuclear power plants and bridges.

Developed by a team of researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of Eastern Finland, the electrically conductive paint is applied over electrodes embedded in concrete around the perimeter of structures.

A computer monitors the skin’s conductivity when small currents are passed through pairs of electrodes, cycling through a number of possible electrode combinations. Any decrease in conductivity indicates the structure has been cracked or damaged.

Dr Mohammad Pour-Ghaz, an assistant professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering at North Carolina State and coauthor of a paper describing the work, tells CM: “We ‘image’ the skin’s conductivity distribution – very similar to x-ray imaging, but instead of x-ray we use a very small

Tarmac’s highways employees work with the firm’s bespoke data capture system

electric current, in the order of a few micro to milliamps. When the cracks happen, the conductivity goes to zero and we can capture them. The method is called electrical impedance tomography (EIT).”

According to researchers, the sensing skin can be used for a range of structures, but the impetus for the work was to help ensure the integrity of critical infrastructure such as nuclear waste storage facilities.

The idea is to identify problems early so they can be addressed before they deteriorate – allowing public safety measures to be implemented.

The paint could be applied to new or existing structures and incorporate any number of conductive materials, making it relatively inexpensive, say researchers. A set of algorithms have been developed to register damage and determine where it has occurred.

Plans are afoot to prove the lab-based technology will work on real-world structures, and a new multi-modal sensing technology is being developed.

“We are very excited about this research,” says Dr PourGhaz. “We have received very good reviews for it and hoping to receive acceptance and publication in an international journal in the next couple of months.”

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Technical Groundworks + Infrastructure

> understanding of infrastructure, opening up new options to streamline operation and maintenance.

A pioneer of the so-called “big data” approach is the Milton Keynes smart city testbed MK:Smart. Here the central MK Data Hub, created by the Open University and BT, collects and integrates data from energy, transport and water networks, along with weather and pollution data and crowd-sourced data from social media and mobile applications.

The analytics hub “mashes up” different data points and runs “use cases” to identify potential new applications.

One application already developed is the Community Action Platform for Energy (CAPE), which combines satellite data and high-resolution satellite imagery, mapped against other sources, such as buildings’ energy performance certificates (EPCs), to identify properties that are thermally inefficient or those with the potential to generate solar energy.

MK:Smart is also exploring the use of data from sensors that measure water saturation in soil for flood prevention or flood management.

Big data has not yet fully entered the highways sector’s lexicon, but there is great scope to embrace its principles, says Neil Pattinson, head of optimisation at Tarmac Contracting. “There is the possibility to collect and analyse data, not just on the condition and material composition of our roads, but also on the regular ‘interventions’ highways contractors make to the local and strategic road networks,” he explains.

“Traffic flow information can be drawn from satnav applications and even from sensors built into the road surface to add extra granularity.”

Tarmac has developed a bespoke process combining data capture and advanced analysis during its road surfacing projects. Sensors on paving and compaction equipment collect data on the laying process, including the quality of installation, materials used and ambient weather conditions. This is combined with GPS location data, and material and ticket data from its SAP business management system, to generate an electronic laying and compaction record for every load.

This dataset is uploaded to a system that gives clients real-time access to the laying and compaction record for each

“Every footstep has a unique ID. Link it to people’s smartphones and it gets really exciting” Laurence Kemball-Cook, Pavegen

Step change The company behind a smart paving tile that captures energy from footfall has added data functionality so it can track location and perform heat mapping

Pavegen’s new V3 pavement tile generates power from footfall and has integrated sensors for data collection

Pavegen became a crowdfunding success story last year when it won more than £2m of investment, through the website Crowdcube, to develop its product, which has already been installed in around 100 projects worldwide.

The money was channelled into R&D to develop a more efficient tile, known as V3. The new design is triangular in shape, rather than square, and can capture up to 20 times more kinetic energy from footsteps than its predecessor. It also collects real-time data on factors such as heat, footfall traffic and energy.

The technology can connect to smartphones and allocate steps to consumer “accounts” so in the future businesses will be able to reward pedestrians for helping provide power, perhaps by giving money off purchases, or by donating to third world countries.

location and job. Analytical tools enable them to monitor and interrogate this data to inform their asset management plan.

“It’s an exciting and evolving development that can not only improve laying quality but, critically, help clients develop evidence-based asset management plans based on a detailed understanding of their roads,” says Pattinson.

If big data analysis and smart sensors are set to become the enablers of smart infrastructure then several barriers must first be overcome. “The technologies currently tend to come into play during

Pavegen’s founder, entrepreneur Laurence Kemball-Cook, tells CM: “We have a data and energy proposition we are really excited about. We can provide a granular look at how people move, which is really important for the smart city of the future, because every footstep has a unique ID. Link it to people’s smartphones – with their permission – and it gets really exciting because you can know who a person is and where and when they are going somewhere.”

Pavegen tiles have historically been used to provide power for lighting, and the new tile connects to a bespoke highspec LED matrix, using 90% efficient drivers, to ensure footfall can be relied on as the only source of renewable energy.

One of the first installations of V3 will be at the Westfield shopping centre in Stratford, east London. Contracts are also in place for installations at Dupont Circle in Washington DC and Oxford Street in London, where 200 generators will be installed for clients including Transport for London.

the construction phase, but involving consultants earlier in design could help identify more applications for construction and operation,” says Arcadis’ Abdool. Many smart infrastructure technologies focus on new build, but retrofitting systems to existing assets is more sustainable and could help the sector evolve much faster.

In addition, the cost of smart communications such as fibre optics and wireless IoT nodes must come down if they are to become a viable alternative to traditional connectivity solutions. If these obstacles can be overcome, the smart city of the future might not be far away. CM

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Technical Groundworks + Infrastructure

ALAMY

Basement battle

rights, and therefore without the need for planning permission.”

Other councils following Westminster’s example include Camden, Islington and Kensington & Chelsea. Among the new restrictions, basements will not be allowed to occupy more than 50% of the area occupied by the property’s garden, must have 1m of soil depth above the top, be limited to a single storey, and demonstrate that they have taken into account the site’s ground, drainage and water conditions.

These restrictions may well enter national planning policy, with communities minister Baroness Williams promising the House of Lords “a review of the planning law and the regulations which relate to basement developments” in April.

Perched groundwater problems But will all of this stem the mega basement tide? Structural engineer Walsh works on “half a dozen” basement impact assessments each year, so director Andy Stanford is familiar with the planning issues involved.

“The biggest technical problem for the basement construction is usually groundwater,” he says. “There is a lot of ‘perched’ groundwater in the capital which would add 1,485 sq m of living space and sits on a basin of London clay. This is found involve digging 8.5m below the property. in bands of terraced gravels, particularly Gareth Hooper, CEO of planning close to the Thames. That is where the consultant DPP, says: “Planning regulations feasibility comes into question. If perched are principally focused on what you can groundwater is present, the basement see, and from a public perspective, construction can cause settlement, which underground construction is not visible. So could then impact on adjoining properties. construction of basements is considered “But usually, there is a bespoke solution ‘permitted development rights’. which will involve dewatering the site, “But of course, these basements add a and sealing off the groundwater. huge additional amount of floorspace, and “Other problems are to do with the may have an impact on surrounding subterranean infrastructure of Victorian structures and drainage. You could literally London – there are often tunnels or be undermining other people’s properties.” service trenches which can be affected Councils are now fighting back. by the basement construction.”

Westminster policy executive Hamza However, Stanford says that “because Omaar says the local authority has revised of the money involved, it is rare that you its policy “to halt an underground epidemic will say ‘no, the basement won’t work’”. of mega-basements across central London”.

He is not convinced the tighter planning He says: “Alongside new policies to regulations will have much impact. limit the size and depth of basement “Currently, most basements rejected by construction, the council is set to confirm planners ultimately go through on appeal,” an Article 4 direction to insist that all he says. “The London boroughs have had applications for basements to residential to cave in to political pressure and make homes be considered through the the planning hurdles higher, but it’s hard council’s planning process. Currently, to see them stopping the basements many basement extensions can be being built. With these projects, money done under permitted development is no object to the client.” CM

London’s planning authorities are trying to crack down on an “underground epidemic” of iceberg basements with tighter regulations. But will they have any impact? By Will Mann SOCIETY HAS ALWAYS been fascinated with the homes of the rich and famous, and recently that has extended to a new phenomenon – “iceberg“ basements.

These cavernous structures are being built beneath London’s wealthiest postcodes in growing numbers, with Above: Victorian 31 approved in Westminster last year. structures and drainage In March, plans for one of the capital’s can complicate work on London sites largest basements yet (pictured below) Below: 1,485 sq m were submitted to Kensington & Chelsea of extra living space would be added by this Council by an investment banker. The Holland Park basement extension to the house in Holland Park

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20/06/2016 17:18

Technical Groundworks + Infrastructure

Cleaning up at Nine Elms

BAM Nuttall is delivering a vast site cleanup in the heart of one of London’s biggest regeneration zones. James Kenny explains

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Technical Groundworks + Infrastructure

CLEARING ANY SITE can be difficult, but when it is located in the middle of one of the largest regeneration areas in London this brings up its own unique challenges.

BAM Nuttall has the remediation contract for the former South London Mail Centre in Nine Elms. Awarded in May last year, BAM’s contract is to clean up the site ahead of its redevelopment.

This includes site clearance, demolition of the remaining post office facilities, removal of below-ground obstructions, remediation including onsite soil and water treatment, and bulk earthworks.

Utility diversions to maintain supply to the Royal Mail delivery building are also in the contract.

“BAM has a strong track record on large urban remediation sites, from working at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and also the King’s Cross Goods Yard sites, which has helped prepare us for the scenarios here,” says Dominic Scholey, agent for BAM Nuttall on the South London Mail Centre project.

The 6 ha site had been used by Royal Mail since the 1970s, and prior to that was part of the Nine Elms gasworks, built in the latter part of the 19th century.

Now valued at more than £600m, the site will be redeveloped with up to 1,870 high-rise homes, a primary school and 2.5 ha of public space.

The size of the excavation for the contract is 160,000 cu m. Some 97% of fill material is being processed from

Main picture: The vast Nine Elms development site is a patchwork of former buildings and utilities Inset: The site is fringed by new housing, requiring careful liaison

“Space is at a premium, so there has been considerable planning …It is not just a cut and fill job, it is more like a jigsaw puzzle” Dominic Scholey, BAM Nuttall

site excavation. This includes crushing and screening of concrete and bio remediation of contaminated soils.

“Space is at a premium, so there has been considerable planning for such an extensive earthworks operation while separating out hazardous material from the old gasworks,” says Scholey.

“It is not just a cut and fill job, it is more like a jigsaw puzzle.”

The site clearance included discovery of two large-diameter Thames Water pipes running beneath the area to be excavated.

As Scholey says: “The greatest challenge was understanding how the pipe would react with the removal of the material above due to the mix of construction materials used over time to maintain the sewer. The sewer comprised cast iron/brickwork and concrete at various sections along the length of the run. We needed to engage geotechnical experts in order to determine the rate of upward movement of the pipeline due to the London clay lying beneath.

“This resulted in a change in methodology of excavation to ensure no cracks formed due to upward movement,” he adds.

Material has to be carefully tracked as part of the remediation verification process. For this process, BAM has been using the PODfather.

Scholey explains: “PODfather is an online tool that we use with PalmPilots, which tracks material movement via GPS around the site. It provides live updates on which materials are being moved where, in what volumes, and details of hazardous materials.”

With this location, another challenge that the project faced was dealing with the surrounding projects and changing local community. The whole Nine Elms area is undergoing around a £15bn makeover, so inevitably there are other contractors working nearby, as well as residents living in, or moving into, the new developments.

Scholey says they have kept an open dialogue with the council and local residents through a fortnightly newsletter and have also set up an “odour committee’‘ to check if any of the hazardous materials become an issue for local residents.

He says the project is on track to complete in August this year. CM CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | JULY/AUGUST 2016 | 35

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Construction Professional

Will gender pay gap regs embarrass co Construction’s dire record on employing women is likely to be exposed again when regulations on gender pay gap reporting come into effect later this year. Stuart Neilson explains THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY has a problem

attracting women, and that may be about to get worse.

On 6 October, new legislation comes into effect that will require all employers with more than 250 employees to publish, on an annual basis, information about their gender pay gap.

Employers will have to make their first pay gap calculation in April 2017, and then publish this information by no later than April 2018. They will also need to take into account bonus payments. This means their calculations need to include any bonuses paid between 1 May 2016 and 30 April 2017.

It is quite likely that publishing this information will embarrass many construction companies.

The fact that construction is a maledominated industry and has struggled for quite some time to attract females to join is hardly front page news.

As Construction Manager reported in May, the number of women in construction has dropped by 17% in the last 10 years, compared to a 6.5% drop for all workers in the industry. In a speech in January 2015, government minister Nicky Morgan highlighted the fact that only

12% of the construction workforce were female, and that the UK had the lowest proportion of female engineers in Europe.

The gender pay gap in construction is reported by the government to be 22.8% – higher than the national average of 19%.

Other surveys suggest the gap, particularly among older workers, may be much higher.

So, against that background, will a requirement to produce gender pay gap information on an annual basis make any difference? There are grounds for believing that the answer is “yes”.

Businesses will be required to publish: l an overall gender pay gap figure based on both mean and median average hourly pay; l the number of men and women in each of four pay bands; and l information on the gender bonus gap and information on the proportion of men and women who received a bonus in the same 12-month period.

The information must be published annually, starting no later than April 2018, and it must be publicly available.

What this will do for the first time is give accurate information from the larger employers in the construction industry on their overall gender pay gap, the gender

What do I need to know about What is auto enrolment, and why should construction companies care?

Auto enrolment is designed to ensure that workers are registered on a staff pension plan. The legislation aims to provide vital financial safeguards for every qualifying employee’s retirement.

Well intentioned as it is, this is often difficult to implement – particularly for construction firms, which often employ a mix of direct staff and contractors that is likely to fluctuate according to the number and size of projects that the company is working on at any time.

Implementing auto enrolment

Auto-enrolment obligations kick in from next April for many companies – so these firms have little time to get their houses in order.

When do firms implement auto enrolment?

An employer’s “staging date” is based on data about the company’s PAYE system held by HMRC at 1 April 2012. The timeframe in which a company has to implement auto enrolment depends on the size of its workforce and whether or not it uses the PAYE system.

If the business does not use PAYE, the staging date is 1 April 2017; if it does and has fewer than 30 employees, the exact date will

depend on its PAYE reference number. With 30+ employees, the staging date depends on the first year that PAYE tax was payable.

For the 2012/2013 tax year, this is 1 May 2017; for the 2013/2014 tax year, this is 1 July 2017; for 2014/2015, it’s 1 August 2017; and for 2015/2016 it will be 1 October 2017.

The official Pensions Regulator website can calculate the precise date.

What problems can implementation cause?

Auto enrolment requires that every employee has their circumstances – age, salary, tenure – assessed. This can be quite labour-intensive.

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BIM bytes: A new spotlight on procurement and contracts

ss construction? pay gap related to bonuses and, finally, the proportion of men and women in the higher pay bands – probably highlighting that, for most businesses, men continue to dominate the higher pay bands.

Although there is no sanction for failure to comply, what is likely to happen is that businesses who do not comply will be named and shamed.

Those companies that do comply are likely to be the subject of comparisons in league tables that will be compiled by the press and interested parties. Where businesses want to attract the best talent, both male and female, it will be highly damaging to have their name featured at the bottom of such a league table, or alternatively in a table of businesses who have failed to comply with their obligation to report.

The legislation gives businesses the opportunity to publish a narrative to explain the gender pay gap figures.

Internally within these businesses there will be an increased impetus to explain

“Where businesses want to attract the best talent, male or female, it will be highly damaging to have their name featured at the bottom of a league table” If a company hires a large number of temporary employees for specific projects, this problem can increase in magnitude – unless an agency is used, in which case it will technically act as the “employer”. But the company will still need to implement an auto-enrolment scheme for any staff employed directly.

What are the penalties or fines for non-compliance?

If a company fails to implement auto enrolment, it will be charged a fixed one-off fine of £400, regardless of total staff or company size. Persistent non-compliance may result in additional

exactly what steps are being taken to address the problem. Boards will look to their HR departments for a year-on-year improvement in order to give them a “positive story”.

In summary, the advent of this legislation, despite the lack of formal sanctions, is likely to lead to greater transparency and increased accountability, leading to positive action to both encourage more women into construction and to reduce the pay gap.

Stuart Neilson is a partner and employment law expert at Pinsent Masons.

daily fines, which will vary based on the size of the company.

If a firm directly employs 5-49 people, it can pay £500 for every day where all employees are not fully enrolled. For a company that employs 50-249, this increases to £2,500. If it employs 250-499, it doubles to £5,000. And if the total staff exceed 500, the fine doubles again to £10,000.

After six months of non-compliance, a company may face criminal prosecution.

Bill Monty is an independent financial adviser, specialising in auto enrolment, with Sable.

On 6 May, King’s College London issued a draft report called Enabling BIM through Procurement and Contracts, backed by the Association of Consultant Architects and the Society of Construction Law. The launch is the culmination of 16 months’ research by the BIM Research Group, led by King’s Professor David Mosey.

The research and report comprise the most detailed investigation into current UK procurement processes for projects using BIM and contract treatment of the adoption of BIM. And, most importantly, they give a clear indication as to how particular implementation might improve project success.

While the draft report is clearly complimentary to the CIC BIM Protocol – particularly acknowledging that it has “forged a path in tackling contractual issues relevant to BIM” and acknowledging its widespread adoption – there is also a clear demand for the standard document to be updated.

Of key import to the interviewees was that the impact of BIM should not unnecessarily shift the ordinary risk allocations in their usual contracting relationships – the “commercial norms”, as the draft report describes them.

The research suggests that the CIC BIM Protocol goes further than necessary in removing responsibility from consultants in response to a perceived additional risk placed on consultants by the introduction of BIM.

In order to maintain those commercial norms in the consultant appointments and construction contracts, the report concludes with some detail about an alternative to the bilateral protocols entered into by the client with each of the parties, suggesting the structure for a standalone contractual multi-party protocol signed up to by all of the project team.

Also discussed is the variety of ways in which the projects reviewed were procured; the impression again is that the respondents did not want to see their normal procurement processes disrupted as a result of the inclusion of BIM. However, it suggests that existing evidence of greater project success moving away from single-stage tendering is magnified by BIM. The significance of the project team’s involvement in the pre-construction phase would suggest that the savings and efficiencies cited as having been achieved through two-stage procurement might be replicable.

The report therefore provides some guidance that might be used both as evidence that fundamental contractual risk allocation does not need to be changed in order to incorporate BIM – but also as evidence that might provide an impetus to change the way in which project teams are procured.

Tim Willis is a consultant in Trowers & Hamlins’ dispute resolution and litigation department.

BIM best practice Read new case studies from around the country demonstrating BIM best practice from Balfour Beatty, BAM, Galliford Try, Kier, Costain and many more. Go to the awardwinning BIM+ website: www.bimplus.co.uk

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Construction Professional

Posted worker poser for contractors The new Posted Workers Regulations could see a hike in the wage bills of construction companies that use overseas labour. Claire Holland explains CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES which have

large numbers of overseas workers on their sites may want to take note of the new Posted Workers Regulations – they could cause salary costs to spiral upwards.

Introduced last month, the regulations implement the European Commission’s Posted Workers Directive. This provides that workers who are posted by their employers to perform temporary work in other member states should enjoy the same protection of the minimum employment rights and working conditions available to other workers employed in the host country.

These include maximum work periods, minimum paid holidays, minimum rates of pay and overtime, as well as health and safety and hygiene at work and non-discrimination provisions.

What this means for employers The main impact of the regulations for the construction industry is the introduction of a subcontracting liability.

A construction worker posted to the UK can make a claim to an employment tribunal against the contractor or subcontractor immediately above their employer if their employer has failed to pay them the national minimum wage (NMW).

Key points l Posted workers are employees sent by their employer to work in another EU state on a temporary basis, not EU mobile workers who travel to seek work. l The construction sector accounts for 43.7% of the total number of postings within the EU. l Posted workers can claim for a shortfall in wages from the contractor or subcontractor immediately above their employer in the chain. l Contractors can offer a defence against claims if they can prove sufficient due diligence. l The government is to publish guidance on the appropriate level of due diligence.

“A worker posted to the UK can claim against the contractor or subcontractor immediately above their employer”

The posted worker will be able to choose whether to pursue the contractor or employer for unpaid wages up to the level of the NMW in an employment tribunal. The contractor’s liability would be limited to the balance of the NMW due. When the worker’s contractual rate of pay is above the NMW, any claim for a shortfall in wages would have to be made against the worker’s immediate employer in an employment tribunal or civil court.

If a worker chooses to bring a claim for deducted wages against the contractor immediately above their employer, they must do so within three months from the deduction, or last deduction if there has been a series. The right is also subject to the ACAS early conciliation procedure.

Should the claim be successful, an employment tribunal must make a declaration and order the contractor to pay the worker the shortfall in wages. The tribunal may also order the contractor to pay the worker additional compensation for any financial loss sustained because of the deduction.

Claiming from a contractor But why would a posted worker try to claim from a contractor further up the supply chain rather than from their own employer?

It may be that the worker’s employer is based outside the UK so this may make it more difficult to bring and enforce a claim against them. Also, a worker may pursue a claim against the contractor if they have not made any progress with a claim against their own employer – for example, if the employer has disappeared or gone into liquidation.

In addition, the UK contractor may be a larger organisation with a more established profile than the employer and consequently may be more likely to pay the outstanding sums to the worker.

Having said that, a posted worker who makes a claim against a contractor will still be able to make a complaint to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)

for enforcement of the NMW against their employer. And this route may be preferable and more cost effective, as it will not incur the legal costs, time or tribunal fees of pursuing a claim in an employment tribunal.

The Posted Workers Regulations acknowledge the extra burden they may place on contractors, and allow a defence against such claims where a contractor can prove it undertook appropriate due diligence to ensure its subcontractor would pay the worker the correct wage.

The government has said it will publish guidance setting out what due diligence might be appropriate. The guidance will avoid setting the bar too high, so that smaller firms find it difficult to comply, but is likely to shift on a case-by-case basis.

Complex supply chains Many UK construction companies now have large and complex supply chains that employ overseas workers, directly or indirectly. These contractors will need to review their processes to ensure that appropriate due diligence is carried out before engaging subcontractors which employ posted workers. What level of due diligence is required will be clearer once the government’s guidance is published.

Contractors should also seek warranties and indemnities in any subcontracting arrangement to guard against any financial liabilities arising from the regulations, particularly if there is limited opportunity to carry out due diligence before entering into the contract.

It is worth noting, though, that any provision in a contract of employment or other agreement which attempts to exclude or limit the operation of the regulations, or prevent a worker from bringing a claim under the regulations, will be void. This does not apply to COT3 agreements (settlements of employment tribunal claims through ACAS).

Claire Holland is a senior associate at law firm Foot Anstey.

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How to get credit where it’s due for R&D Construction companies could save themselves millions of pounds through the R&D tax credit scheme – if only they knew how the system worked. Garry Hague explains What is the R&D tax credit scheme?

The research and development (R&D) tax credit scheme was introduced by the government in 2000 for SMEs and in 2002 for large companies. The SME scheme is for limited companies with fewer than 500 employees, and either annual sales no greater than €100m (£79m) or a gross balance sheet not exceeding €86m (£68m). Companies that fall outside these criteria are classified as “large” companies.

The scheme enables UK limited companies to gain tax relief for R&D work which can either reduce their tax bill or provide a cash sum. It aims to encourage greater spending on R&D work to promote innovation and improve competitiveness.

The claim should include details of: l What exactly has been developed; l What were the technical uncertainties and what was the advance made in technology or science; l Who was involved and what their contribution was; l Eligible costs; l The tax value of the claim.

Why may construction firms be unaware of the scheme?

Many firms that successfully apply for tax credits through the scheme are carrying out practical work; it is not just about people in white coats working in laboratories. Construction companies are overcoming technical challenges on a day-to-day basis, and much of this work may qualify for R&D tax credits.

How much can be claimed?

There is no limit on what can be claimed, providing that the claims are in line with HMRC requirements and the associated Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) guidelines.

According to the latest HMRC statistics, for 2013/14, £1.75bn of support was claimed under the scheme. However, the construction sector represented only around 2% of claims made.

The bulk of the claims made for R&D tax credits are under the SME scheme where companies can benefit from, on average, a £50,000 reduction in their corporation tax with a cash credit.

The scheme is retrospective, allowing claims to be made for work undertaken over the prior two years.

“Under the SME scheme companies can benefit from, on average, a £50,000 reduction in corporation tax with a cash credit”

The categories of expenditure which qualify for relief include: payroll costs for staff involved in R&D work; subcontract and consultancy costs; materials costs; and utility costs.

How does the application process work?

The company needs to submit a claim to HMRC which includes an analysis of its R&D costs in line with HMRC requirements and the associated BIS guidelines, along with supporting tax computations and a tax return. This should be supported by a technical report which details the R&D work undertaken and how it meets the criteria and requirements of the scheme.

What construction activities are covered by the scheme?

Companies that are improving, adapting or developing products or processes, and are tackling “technological uncertainty”, are likely to qualify. Subcontract and consultancy services related to advancing the state of knowledge or technology, where there is technical uncertainty, are also likely to qualify.

Construction-related activities that may qualify include: l Development of new construction methods; l Advances in design and engineering; l Use of new or unique materials; l Development of sustainable, energy efficient and low-carbon technologies; l Advances in the investigation and treatment of contamination and reclamation of land; l Ground engineering techniques to allow construction in sensitive areas or overcome unusual ground conditions; l Technical research, testing and feasibility studies; l IT and software developments; l Process development, including business systems development.

Is there any restriction on how funds claimed are spent?

No. Construction companies which have successfully qualified for tax refunds through the scheme often invest in further R&D activity, though the funds can be channelled into any area of the business.

Garry Hague is a director at R and D Tax Specialists.

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21/06/2016 12:35

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Continuing Professional Development CSCS SmartCards • SmartCards allow on-the-spot checking of credentials and qualifications • Fraudulent activity and fake cards can be tracked • Additional information such as training history can be added

How CSCS SmartCards create smarter sites Many construction projects still use paper-based systems for checking workers’ credentials. CSCS SmartCards provide a more efficient way of managing site staff, as Alan O’Neile explains MANAGING CONSTRUCTION WORKERS on site can be challenging. With different cards for more than 400 occupations, it is important for site managers and supervisors to not only check that people are who they say they are, but also that they have the right qualifications and the right card for the job they do on site.

And yet, despite the availability of new technology, many sites still use paperbased filing to capture workers’ details.

In a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) survey of 1,180 site-based staff around the UK, 69% of respondents said they were still checking cards using a paper-based system, with only 6% using “smart” technology.

This process is not only inefficient and time consuming, but requires

a significant amount of dedicated administrative resource to process the information and keep it up to date.

The survey also revealed that while 86% of cardholders had their cards checked, only 43% were checked to see if they were actually qualified to do the job. This lax approach raises questions not only about the qualifications of workers on these projects, but also about their health and safety credentials. Not thoroughly checking the qualifications of site workers puts the safety of others at risk and harms the reputation of the industry when accidents occur.

CSCS SmartCards provide a solution to these potential pitfalls. The cards allow site managers and supervisors to quickly access all relevant information about the

between the microchip and the card reading device are securely encrypted.

There is no capacity to modify the core data on CSCS cards. The only way SmartCards can be updated is via the CSCS database.

CPD

How SmartCards work The microchip on a CSCS SmartCard contains the same information that is printed on the card.

When a card is read electronically it links with a secure website containing the CSCS database. All data transfers

cardholder, including photo, qualifications and the date the card expires.

Electronic card checks take no more than a few seconds, eliminating the need for paper records or waiting on the phone while the CSCS helpdesk checks a card’s validity. The information on the CSCS SmartCard can be saved onto a spreadsheet or secure database, removing the time wasted on scanning or photocopying cards.

Checking cards electronically saves site management valuable time – and money.

But the CSCS SmartCard is capable of much more than simply confirming the holder’s identification, qualifications and health and safety test. The card can be enabled to access any database, with the appropriate permissions, giving site supervisors and managers access to a wealth of additional information.

Worker records on in-house training databases can be updated in real time.

Whenever a card is read, site managers and supervisors can view the training

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21/06/2016 14:10

Continuing Professional Development CSCS SmartCards

On the cards: a worker’s training history can be accessed on site by a simple touch to the back of a tablet

“Electronic card checks take no more than a few seconds, eliminating the need for paper records or waiting on the phone” already received, see when it expires and also update the record with any additional training given (see SkillSight case study box, p46). The SmartCards also help with managing site inductions and toolbox talks.

It is essential that everyone working on construction sites is fully briefed on

their roles and responsibilities and how to minimise health and safety risks. But sometimes workers are unsure which inductions and tool box talks they have received, so site managers and supervisors err on the side of caution and deliver them to all workers entering their sites.

What is CSCS? The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) was established in 1995, with the principal objective of providing the construction industry with a means to certify that individuals working on construction sites have the required training and qualifications for the type of work they carry out.

The scheme keeps a database of people working in construction who have achieved, or are committed to achieving, a recognised constructionrelated qualification. To obtain a CSCS card an applicant must either have a recognised qualification (generally an NVQ) or be working towards one.

Construction workers with appropriate construction-related qualifications are issued with a CSCS card confirming their identity and qualifications and that the holder has met the necessary health and safety requirements for their occupation.

The scheme is widely used on the majority of UK construction sites. There are over 1.5 million CSCS cardholders, with an additional 500,000 cards issued through recognised partner schemes that carry the CSCS logo.

This can result in duplication of training and unnecessary time off­site, leading to decreased productivity and increased costs throughout the supply chain.

By using the CSCS card to record inductions and toolbox talks, there is no need for tick sheets or manual data input. >

How to read a CSCS card electronically

A worker touches in to gain access to a site area

Reading a CSCS SmartCard electronically is straightforward.

Site managers and supervisors who prefer to work from PCs can just download the free Go Smart software from the CSCS website and purchase an inexpensive card reader.

Inserting the CSCS card into the reader brings up the information about the worker on the PC screen. If connected to the internet, the data can also be validated online against the CSCS database. Managers and

supervisors can then choose to print the information or store it electronically on a secure database.

Smartphones or tablets can also be used to read CSCS cards.

A free Go Smart app is available to download from Google Play or the Windows Store and the cards work in the same way as with PCs and card readers: holding the cards to the back of the phone or tablet brings up the information about the worker on the screen.

Note that when using a tablet device or smartphone it is important to ensure the near field communications (NFC) setting is activated.

Apple has introduced NFC capability to its latest iPhones but has not yet permitted third parties such as CSCS to create an app capable of reading SmartCards.

For the time being, therefore, it is not possible to check the cards with an iPhone. As soon as this feature is available, CSCS will introduce an app.

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Continuing Professional Development CSCS SmartCards

> Simply swipe attendees’ cards and their records are automatically updated.

Willmott Dixon has estimated that each person working on its sites was inducted between four and 20 times per year. The time lost by site managers giving duplicate inductions, across all the contractor’s sites, added up to over £1.2m of unnecessary costs.

SmartCards can also be used with an access control system to provide site managers and supervisors with attendance data, including who was on site, when, where and for how long. This can assist with subcontractor payments, project cost centre allocation and an evacuation list in case of an emergency.

BAM Nuttall used CSCS SmartCards for access control on its London Underground Tottenham Court Road site and calculated an annual cost saving of £51,000.

Preventing fraud Reading CSCS cards electronically is not just about saving time and money otherwise spent on recording data. It is also about improving the process of card checking so that no one with a fraudulently obtained or expired card is allowed on a construction site.

The dangers of construction card fraud have been highlighted by national media, which has demonstrated how valuable electronic card checks can be.

Last year a BBC Newsnight undercover investigation and a subsequent BBC Fake Britain programme identified two types of fraudulent activity where individuals obtained CSCS cards illegally.

Newsnight showed fraudulent activity at some industry-approved test centres delivering construction training, where candidates were using fraudulently obtained examinations to acquire cards.

The BBC’s Fake Britain programme highlighted how easy it is to purchase fake CSCS cards on the black market.

The cards are made to a high standard and site managers and supervisors struggle to spot a fake by simply carrying out a visual inspection.

While the number of people, cards and qualifications involved is relatively small, this type of fraudulent activity has the potential to undermine legitimate employees and harms the reputation of the industry. Workers using fake cards are not qualified to do their job and

Right: Staff access details at Barratt’s Aldgate Place site in the City of London – the firm estimates the technology can save 500 man-hours a year

“BAM Nuttall used CSCS SmartCards for access control on a site and calculated an annual cost saving of £51,000”

Homebuilders forecast big efficiency savings with SmartCards Top housebuilders are predicting huge time savings for site-based staff after the Home Builders Federation (HBF) launched a web-based application to improve the accuracy and speed of verifying workers’ CSCS SmartCards.

HBF’s director of external affairs John Slaughter says: “HBF members have undertaken audits of CSCS cards on their sites for some time. Although it’s a vital process to check that site workers have the correct qualifications to carry out their jobs, it has been timeconsuming and relied on manual data entry. Through a successful trial, this new service has already shown that it not only significantly reduces the time taken to record the information but also improves the accuracy of reporting too.”

Phil Evans, grants and funding manager at Barratt, and Clare Horton, trainee programmes manager at Redrow, provided industry input and feedback to ensure the system meets the requirements of homebuilders.

Evans says: “We have calculated that this tool will save us around 500 working man-days per year by enabling site managers to swipe CSCS cards with a USB pen. This captures all the information needed and automatically enters it into our own systems with no input required from admin staff.”

cannot demonstrate the required level of health and safety awareness that is needed to work safely on a UK construction site.

It is important that site managers and supervisors are able to trust the card certification schemes carrying the CSCS logo. This was one of CSCS’s primary objectives when introducing the electronic SmartCard in 2010.

When checking CSCS cards, managers and supervisors should be checking if they are valid, authentic and whether the holder has the correct qualifications for the job they do. Reading a CSCS card electronically is the most effective way to ensure a card’s validity and to make sure that only those workers who are appropriately qualified are allowed on to construction sites.

Horton says: “During the trial our site managers couldn’t believe how simple and fast this system makes recording CSCS details. And now that we can rely completely on the accuracy of the information recorded, we can use it for a range of management reports that weren’t previously possible.”

When a fake card is checked by a card reader, tablet device or smartphone it will be obvious that the card is not authentic as nothing will show up on the screen.

If fraudulent activity is confirmed at examination centres, CSCS has the ability to cancel all cards suspected of being obtained fraudulently. This will show up on the screen as “cancelled“ the next time the card is read electronically.

Obtaining a CSCS card fraudulently can constitute a criminal act and puts the safety of workers at risk. It is hoped the issues highlighted by the BBC have raised awareness of card fraud and encouraged site managers and supervisors to tackle this problem by reading the cards electronically.

With digital CSCS cards offering so many efficiency gains, not to mention >

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21/06/2016 14:10

Checking CSCS cards electronically saves valuable time and money

Electronic card checks take no more ƚŚĂŶ Ă ĨĞǁ ƐĞĐŽŶĚƐ͕ ĞůŝŵŝŶĂƟŶŐ ƚŚĞ need for paper records. ^ŝƚĞ ŵĂŶĂŐĞƌƐ ĐĂŶ ƋƵŝĐŬůLJ ĂĐĐĞƐƐ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ƐƚŽƌĞĚ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ĐĂƌĚ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ĐĂƌĚŚŽůĚĞƌ͛Ɛ ƉŚŽƚŽ͕ ƋƵĂůŝĮĐĂƟŽŶƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ĚĂƚĞ ƚŚĞ card expires.

Check qualifications

Check identity

Manage training records

Tackle fraud

Time & attendance recording

Access control

Get your free guide: ǁǁǁ͘ĐƐĐƐ͘ƵŬ͘ĐŽŵͬƐŵĂƌƚĐĂƌĚ

Continuing Professional Development CSCS SmartCards

SkillSight helps O’Brien manage training records SkillSight is a skills management system that can be used with CSCS SmartCards to create a powerful business tool. It allows site managers and supervisors to add additional information – such as training, qualifications, site inductions and toolbox talks – to the CSCS card.

All this information can then be edited and kept up to date online.

Updates made to a worker’s training record will be visible the next time the card is read electronically.

SkillSight was developed by one of CSCS’s IT partners, Reference Point, a specialist software solutions company with more than 20 years’ experience working in the construction industry. Reference Point worked with Warwickshire civils firm O’Brien Contractors to introduce SkillSight to manage the company’s training and qualifications records.

With a varied workforce, O’Brien had found it increasingly complicated and time consuming to manage training requirements, ensuring qualifications stayed up to date and recording this information in a meaningful way.

The contractor had up to 180 staff employed on site at any given time, and training coordinator Kelly Davis had to record thousands of inductions and qualifications on Excel spreadsheets.

Additionally, she had to keep track of workers’ qualifications and their expiry dates, booking them on to appropriate courses to ensure they stayed accredited.

Davis says: “By implementing SkillSight in conjunction with the CSCS

“If fraudulent activity is confirmed at examination centres, CSCS has the ability to cancel all cards suspected of being obtained fraudulently” > time and cost savings, it is surprising that only a small percentage of sites have adopted electronic card checks.

The number of construction site managers and supervisors with first-hand

cards, O’Brien can improve the way we manage health and safety records and ensure all staff attend the necessary training courses. SkillSight has made managing our training records much easier, quicker and more accurate.”

SkillSight also caught the attention of Build UK, the largest contractor trade body in UK construction. Its training manager, Sarah Wicks, says: “The information contained on a CSCS card means contractors can ensure any individual they employ on a construction site has the skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their work in a way that secures the health and safety of themselves and others.

“The SkillSight system allows you to add additional information – such as training, site inductions and toolbox talks – to the CSCS card. So when the operative presents their card on site the employer has visibility of the most up-to-date information. This is key for sites that are managing a mobile and often sub-contracted workforce.”

SkillSight is free, available 24/7, and registration is straightforward.

To find out more visit: www.referencepoint.co.uk

CPD online.

Your new home for learning.

The CIOB has a dedicated CPD portal on the Construction Manager website, featuring CPD modules from the magazine, as well as study topics from a wide range of industry experts. To complete the questionnaire below, and access the free CPD content, go to: www.constructionmanagermagazine.com/cpd

CPD test paper CSCS SmartCards

1. What was one of CSCS’s primary objectives for introducing the SmartCard in 2010? l To increase contractors’ costs l To ensure card certification schemes that bear the CSCS logo can be trusted l To track how workers move around the country l To allow firms to modify the core data on the CSCS card 2. What is not a recognised benefit of the technology? l Immediate identification of fraudulent cards l Easily accessible record of workplace training l Saving time and money on administration l Ability to make electronic payments

experience of reading CSCS cards electronically is low.

But, as digital technology becomes widespread across the construction industry, let’s hope that more construction companies become aware of the productivity and safety gains possible from electronic card checks. CM Alan O’Neile is communications and public affairs manager at CSCS. www.cscs.uk.com

3. What is not a standard method of reading a CSCS card? l Inserting it into a dedicated card reader l Touching it on the back of a smartphone l Typing the information on the back of the card into an app l Touching it on the back of a tablet 4. Which technology cannot be used to read a card? l Desktop PC l Android smartphone l Fax machine l Windows tablet 5. What is an additional application for the card? l Discounts on construction-related purchases l Use with an entry system for access control l Providing historic payroll information l Linking with HMRC for tax purposes

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21/06/2016 14:19

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Contact Contact THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF BUILDING MEMBERS’ NEWSLETTER ISSUE 144 JULY & AUGUST 2016

IN THIS ISSUE

50-52 ON THE RADAR

All the latest news and developments from the CIOB at HQ and in your area including the chance to get involved with the new Local Hub Committees plus Albert Dock anniversary plans

53 COMMENT

How tech will influence tomorrow’s infrastructure development

54 CBCs

Why Orion Group sought CBC status

55 ONE TO WATCH

Adam Cartwright from Alexander Maltby

56 IN GOOD COMPANY

The refurbishment of the Diving Bell in Dublin Port

58 MEMBER BENEFITS

Take advantage of exclusive member offers

59 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Key events by region for the summer months

pp48-49NR FINAL.indd 48

20/06/2016 10:45

ON THE RADAR

Contact | Jul & Aug16

thought leadership

CIOB report kick-starts the debate into productivity

>

The CIOB has investigated how the built environment impacts on the nation’s productivity. Government figures released in April, show the biggest fall in UK productivity since the financial crisis in 2008.

In construction, productivity has barely improved since 1997, with output per hour standing at £15,431 per worker for Q3 2015 – only 1.4 per cent higher than in 1997.

Productivity in Construction: Creating a Framework for the Industry to Thrive, is a new report from the CIOB aimed at kick-starting a wider debate into productivity, looking not just at construction’s own productivity, but how the built environment supports productivity growth in the UK as a whole.

The report uses the Government’s 15-point productivity plan as a framework, illustrating how construction acts as an agent of change to improve productivity within the wider economy, how it might improve its own internal productivity, as well as highlighting the opportunities and challenges in delivering improvement.

The report also suggests that current data which measures construction’s productivity can be misleading. The value of design, the materials and components, and much of the plant and machinery are often not counted. It also questions how well the measures we see account for improvement in quality.

Construction analyst and report author Brian Green explains why caution is needed in interpreting the bald statistics: “Firstly there’s a need to measure more effectively the productivity of the whole process of delivering the built environment, rather than just what happens on site. Otherwise we end up missing the

A new CIOB report explores the issues surrounding the built environment and productivity growth

beneficial impacts of, for instance, better design or offsite manufacture. Secondly we need to look at what construction does rather than what it is and how it impacts on the wider economy. And, thirdly, it is worth noting that as nations develop they often choose to spend more on repairing, maintaining and adapting the existing built environment. This work tends to be more labour intensive than new work, so can have the effect of suppressing the overall labour productivity figures.

“Paradoxically, you could be building more productively to a higher quality, with innovation in design, product manufacture and construction

management, while the statistics suggests the industry is becoming less productive.”

“The factors that can boost productivity are well known; this suggests the problems holding back progress lie deep within the industry.”

The report seeks to identify these factors; establish consensus on the policies to boost construction productivity; and makes a number of practical recommendations.

To read the research head to http://policy.ciob.org/research

awards

EVENING OF AWARDS AND PRESIDENTIAL INTERVIEWS CIOB Innovation and Research Awards were presented at a CIOB London event recently as part of a Meet the President evening held at Mace Business School.

Giacomo Mastantuono (pictured left) from UCL

pp48-49NR FINAL.indd 49

received the Undergraduate Dissertation Award – Premier.

Gregory Malek from BiMUp Limited UK was presented with the Digital Innovation Award – Merit. Jennifer Hardi from LSBU received the

Innovation in Education & Training Award – Merit.

Also on the evening CIOB President, Chris Chivers FCIOB, was interviewed by London Branch chair, Ayo Allu.

Topics covered included Chris’s career;

how to engage the next generation in construction careers; improving the quality of work in the built environment; and addressing long term health issues relating to work.

49

20/06/2016 10:45

ON THE RADAR

Contact | Jul & Aug 16

member opportunity

conferring ceremony > NEW FCIOB AND MCIOB IN IRELAND

Your CIOB needs you: election dates set for new Local Hub Committees

CIOB in Ireland held a Conferring Ceremony on Saturday 14th May in the Mansion House in Dublin. in the Mansion House in Dublin. Congratulations to new Fellows and Members:

>

The CIOB is changing the way it serves its members regionally with the creation of Local Hub Committees.

Under the initiative ‘One CIOB’ – the largest programme of improvements ever undertaken by the Institute – a a new Local Hub structure is being created, which will ensure all members can access the same high quality events and CPD wherever they are and whatever their career stage.

To keep evolving to meet members’ changing needs the Institute has spent the past two years asking members how it can support them better at a local level and what kinds of changes they’d like to see. The result is a raft of new services and support that will be introduced in the coming year under the banner ‘One CIOB’.

Plans include making events more accessible, improving the CPD programme and online portal, upgrading management systems, as well as improving member communications and external engagement.

The CIOB will also be rolling out a new Local Hub structure and to establish this new improved local service the CIOB is calling for members to put themselves forward for election to the Local Hub Committees.

FELLOW: Michael Gallagher Members: Diarmaid Carroll Philip Cully Patrick Duffy Claire Flanagan Derek Gillespie Leanne Maria Gribben David Hill Barry Keenan Paul Kennedy Igor Martinis Stephen McGinn Joseph McNamara Bernadette Moloney Johnathan Nea Gregory Wilson

New Local Hub Committees are being established as part of the One CIOB initiative

Amy Gough, director of operations at the CIOB, said “One result of member research was that 84% said they wanted elected committees, and 42% said they would consider putting themselves forward for these roles. Now is their chance.

Putting yourself forward for election is a great way to share your knowledge and give something back to your fellow professionals in your area. It’s also a great way to develop your own leadership and professional skills, gaining valuable experience for your future career.

“We want members to bring us their ideas and skills, to help us deliver our strategy and continue to develop a profession that all our members feel proud to be part of.”

CIOB will commence the development of the Europe Hub in August, with elections for the Local Hubs to take place between September and November, with the aim to be in place by 1 January 2017.

Also pictured below are: Bridget Bartlett, Chief Operating Officer of the CIOB, Pat Quearney, Immediate past Chairperson of the Eastern Centre of the CIOB in Ireland, Ivan McCarthy, Immediate past Chairperson of the CIOB in Ireland and Councillor Ruairi McGinley representing the Lord Mayor of Dublin.

For more details on One CIOB and FAQs on the Local Hub see www. http:// www.ciob.org/one-ciob

achievement

CIOB News

ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR CIOB AMBASSADOR

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Francis Shiner

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Francis Shiner FCIOB, managing director of Bedford-based SDC and past chair of the East of England branch of the CIOB, has been awarded a Recognition of

Achievement Award by the CIOB. As treasurer, Francis was instrumental in transforming an ailing Cambridgeshire Centre and boosting membership, which

led to him being elected vice chair and then chair of the branch in 2012 where he put in place various improvement measures for events, CPD and networking initiatives. This

included a successful bid to host the Members Forum in Cambridge.

He supports the Institute both in a personal capacity and by actively promoting and encouraging his

staff to get involved with the Institute at local level as well as progressing to full corporate membership level.

Francis is also an Ambassador for the Institute.

20/06/2016 11:22

• If you have moved or changed any of your details recently, don’t forget to tell

us. You can update your details online – simply log in to “members area” of the website www.ciob.org. Or email us at memenquiry@ciob.org.uk or call our membership customer services team on +44 (0) 1344 630706 for further help.

If you would rather post your details send them to: The Chartered Institute of Building, 1 Arlington Square, Downshire Way, Bracknell RG12 1WA, UK

west midlands

news in brief > BOOK NOW FOR CAMBRIDGE DINNER

Industry celebrates the best in the West

>

It was a night packed full of festivities at this year’s West Midlands Celebrating Construction Awards. Over 600 industry leaders gathered at the ICC, Birmingham on Friday evening for the ninth award ceremony, to celebrate and acknowledge the best in the region’s innovative construction projects and talented individuals.

The awards were hosted by the BBC newsreader, Louise Minchin and Co-hosted

by Acivico Limited, the Built Environment Hub and the CIOB West Midlands branch.

The event incorporated WM7’s ‘Built In Quality Awards’ and the Built Environment Hub’s ‘Constructing Excellence Awards.’

Constructing Excellence Awards The big winners on the night were Cundall, a construction consultancy established in the UK over 40 years ago, who scooped three top awards. Collecting the highly acclaimed Constructing Excellence Award for Innovation for ‘Cundall Virtual Acoustic Reality’ - a cutting-edge tool that offers combination of audio-prediction modelling and gaming-quality graphics, delivering a visual tour of a building, preconstruction before the work commences. Cundall also picked up the Legacy Award for Sustainability for ‘One Planet Company’ honouring its commitment and actions towards a more sustainable future. And

Winners celebrate at the West Midlands Celebrating Construction Awards

finally The Young Achiever of the Year Award went to Cundall employee, Charlotte Homer, for her commitment to Continuing Professional Development (CPD), events and graduate training sessions.

The prestigious Project of the Year Award went to Atkins, Mace & Network Rail for the inspirational transformation of New Street Station, Birmingham. Plans involved increasing passenger capacity to more than 52 million people per year along with 42 new escalators and 14 new lifts.

The project overcame important challenges by applying state-of-the-art solutions to help successfully deliver one of the biggest station refurbishments in Europe.

Picking up the outstanding 2016 Heritage Award was Shaylor Group for the restoration of Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) Swan Wing. The highly detailed renovations included work to the facade and interior of the Grade II* listed building which aimed to reveal the building’s hidden heritage and enhance the public spaces.

Other Construction Excellent award winners included: BIM Project of the Year Speller Metcalfe, Habberley Learning Campus Client of the Year WM Housing Health & Safety Award Lift & Engineering Services Heritage Award Shaylor Group, Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) Swan Wing Innovation Award Cundall, Virtual Acoustic Reality Integration & Collaborative Working Award Sandwell Council, West Midlands Community BIM Framework Leadership & People Development Award Lift & Engineering Services Project of the Year Atkins, Mace & Network Rail, New Street Station SME of the Year O’Brien Contractors Legacy Award for Sustainability Cundall, One Planet Company Value Award Sandwell Council Young Achiever of the Year Charlotte Homer from Cundall

The East of England branch is holding its second annual black tie dinner in the splendid surroundings of St Catharine’s College, Cambridge. St Catharine’s is one of the oldest Colleges of the University of Cambridge, founded in 1473, and will provide a stunning backdrop for the evening.

Tickets for this event are available at £65 per person or £520 for a table of eight.

Price is inclusive of a champagne reception and a three course dinner in the dining hall, accompanied by guest speaker Simon Weston CBE. The main sponsor is SDC and other key sponsors include Morgan Sindall and Barnes Construction.

For sponsorship opportunites and ticket booking contact Mandy Rix at mrix@ciob. org.uk

scotland

ARCHITECTS STRIKE LUCKY IN SCOTTISH SPORTS CHALLENGE

Ten-pin bowling fun in Aberdeen

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The Aberdeen Centre of the CIOB hosted its annual Inter Professional Sports Challenge at Sunset Boulevard with teams represented from all sectors of the construction industry and fellow professional institutes,

competing in a ten pin bowling competition.

Teams came from Kier Construction, Safety Scotland, Robertson Eastern, CIOB, Mackie Ramsay & Taylor Architects, TUV SUD and reigning champions,

Hutcheon Services.

The competition was fought over two games with the aggregate score from both games being the team’s final result.

The worthy winners this year were last year’s runners up:

Mackie Ramsay & Taylor Architects led

by Bruce Balance along with Michael Gordon, Nathan Pike and Allister McKecknie.

Runners up were Hutcheon Services with TUV SUD in third place.

CIOB News

emony

HAVE WE GOT YOUR CONTACT DETAILS CORRECT?

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20/06/2016 11:22

ON THE RADAR

north west > TOP BRASS ATTEND NORTH WEST AWARDS

Contact | Jul & Aug 16

member opportunity

CIOB to lecture at Albert Dock anniversary

>

The CIOB is one of a number of high profile built environment professional bodies to deliver lectures on the industry as part of a celebration of 175 years of Albert Dock in Liverpool.

Liverpool’s Grade 1 listed Albert Dock has launched a long-running strategy to celebrate its 175th anniversary over the course of five years and the CIOB is one of a number of high profile built environment professional bodies to be involved.

The Albert Dock – Celebrating 175 Years 1846-2021 programme will shine the spotlight on the tourist attraction’s past and future possibilities, and celebrate its success with a series of special initiatives.

The strategy was devised by Gower Street Estates, the private company which owns the freehold of Albert Dock Liverpool, and will play out across themed years between now and 2021.

This year’s theme is ‘Engaging hearts and minds’, during which the dock’s role in the local community will be highlighted. Next year’s is ‘Unlocking heritage’, phase where the site’s history will come to life through “visual, digital and practical interpretation”.

This will be followed by ‘Culture and creativity’ in 2018, a theme which ties in with the 10th anniversary of Liverpool’s City of Culture celebrations, the 30th anniversary of Tate Liverpool, and the 10th birthday of the Liverpool Biennial.

Albert Dock will be celebrating 175 year anniversary with a five-year programme of events and initiatives which includes a lecture from the CIOB in 2019. Pictured left at the launch of the plan are Michael Parkinson, Katie Wray, Roz Gladden, Sue Grindrod, Roy Gladden and Wayne Hemingway.

Key projects during the five-year strategy include an international research project around regeneration – launched in partnership with Heseltine Institute of Public Policy and Practice at University of Liverpool – and a series of interprofessional lectures around topics such as tourism and estate management.

The first of these lectures is planned for

this September with the CIOB giving its lecture in 2019.

A culture legacy chaired by Culture Liverpool director Claire McColgan MBE will be developed with partners Liverpool Biennial, Tate Liverpool and Albert Dock to discuss the possibility of commissioning a new public artwork on the waterfront. The project will also see key partners develop the dock’s physical landscape to ensure it remains a key part of Liverpool’s tourist offering going forward.

The North West branch of CIOB held its 2016 Annual Black Tie Dinner at the Radisson Blu Edwardian in Manchester in May where guests were invited to reception drinks, sponsored

by Harry Fairclough Construction, Training LMS and Spectrum.

Top table guests included CIOB president Chris Chivers; CIOB CEO Chris Blythe; Michael Pye, immediate past chair & presidential candidate North West Branch; John Doyle, chair Greater Manchester RICS; Dave Clarke, chair North West Branch CIOB; Jonathan Campbell, chair Greater Manchester Centre CIOB. A moving speech

by Nicola Graham, founder of Reuben’s Retreat, had guests digging deep to donate to the charity, with a total of over £3,000 raised. NW Novus Challenge winners, University Centre Blackburn College (pictured below) were presented with their trophy by Chris Chivers.

The team had been runners up for the past two years, and in their final year were determined to win.

The after dinner speaker this year was John Simonett, and MC was Elissa Baker.

wales

CIOB News

STUDENT CHALLENGE PUTS WELSH TEAMS TO THE TEST

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Wales is gearing up for its Student Challenge

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Kier will be putting students through their paces at this year’s Wales Student Challenge.

The contractor is the Gold Sponsor for the event and Jason Taylor, MCIOB and his team

plan to make this year’s challenge better than ever.

A range of testing activities has been developed forcing teams to think outside the box and use their leadership, time

management and communication skills to come out on top.

There are still Silver and Bronze sponsorship packages up for grabs so if your company would like to get involved with the

future of construction please contact lclarke@ ciob.org.uk Keep an eye out for the Challenge at http://events. ciob.org/events/ wales-branch-studentchallenge

20/06/2016 11:23

COMMENT dominic thasarathar

In the pipeline Dominic Thasarathar on how technology will define future infrastructure

I

nfrastructure underwrites so many aspects of our daily lives. Yet too often we only think of it when it underperforms, or worse yet, fails. But proactively thinking about infrastructure is something we will all need to do much more of over the coming years. Around the globe, population growth, urbanisation and economic aspiration are creating an insatiable demand for more infrastructure.

This combination of large project pipelines and complex contexts is set to challenge the construction industry and its clients.

Ensuring tomorrow’s infrastructure systems meet the sophisticated needs of

“Ensuring tomorrow’s infrastructure systems meet the sophisticated needs of tomorrow’s citizens will underwrite the need to continually rethink what is built, how we build it and even why we build”

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Data, tech and IoT Answering this type of question takes a combination of large amounts of data, context and computer processing power.

In response, we can expect the industry to draw upon technology – reality capture technology to grab the real world and bring it into a silicon environment, enabling options to be explored in the context of what’s already there; feedback from the Internet of Things to advise performance, behaviour and use of existing assets, avoiding past mistakes; gaming engines to simulate proposed solutions; big data and predictive analytics to guide assumptions; the virtually ‘infinite’ computer processing power of the cloud to crunch large volumes of data and explore thousands of design iterations in a timely and costefficient manner; augmented reality to project those designs back into the realworld; and social computing to consult with the ultimate end-user, the public, about those designs.

The net result? In combination, perhaps a transformed masterplanning process, one with benefits for all parties involved.

For sponsors, more focus might be placed on driving the right outcome, perhaps a GDP growth target, improvement of quality of life for citizens in a deprived area, or carbon-reduction target, rather than the minutiae of costs and delivery that administrations struggle with today.

For investors, greater confidence in more predictable returns and likely risk-profiles of projects, contributing to a freer flow of monies into the sector. For the supplychain, greater certainty of its project pipeline and definition of projects at an earlier stage, enabling companies to plan for future business with confidence, and compete more effectively for provision of infrastructure expertise. And for the public, perhaps a new era of localism, where the individual citizen feels more empowered in shaping their built environment.

From the tunnelling shield to the advent of BIM, history is littered with examples of how technology has disrupted the infrastructure sector. Quite how today’s crop of emerging technology trends will change the industry is still clearly a work in progress, but the possibilities, probabilities and opportunities they might bring are too compelling to ignore.

•

>

Dominic Thasarathar is construction industry strategist at Autodesk.

He will be speaking at the CIOB Conference in Hong Kong on 14 July.

CIOB Column

tomorrow’s citizens – being economically viable, socially inclusive, sustainable, resilient, and future-proof – will underwrite the need to continually rethink what is built, how we build, and even perhaps, why we build. Could technology trends help the industry respond? Almost certainly.

Where our Victorian forefathers had the luxury of a blank canvas when making infrastructure decisions, today’s infrastructure professionals have to focus on whole systems when making

decisions. Tomorrow, the challenge will deepen, as individual systems become deeply intertwined, physically, digitally, economically. This will drive the need to think and act in a ‘systems of systems’ manner to deliver best value outcomes.

Being able to model how factors as diverse as finance, climate change, social inclusivity, labour trends, shifting demographics, etc. interact, will be a critical in helping to best answer the question: what’s the most appropriate infrastructure answer to deliver this outcome?

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20/06/2016 12:01

CBC • CHARTERED BUILDING COMPANY

• CHARTERED BUILDING CONSULTANCIES

>

KUDOS AND COMPETITION >

CIOB CBCs

Orion Group is a new CBC with a pioneering MD at the helm who believes passionately in the kudos the status brings.

54

Graham Brown joined Orion Group in January this year as managing director.

As a Fellow of the CIOB he had first hand experience of what having professional status means and how it can benefit an individual. But he wanted to extend that value to the entire company and so Orion Group embarked on the process of becoming a Chartered Building Company.

Graham explains: “I wanted to bring the quality I’ve enjoyed as an individual to the whole business so it too enjoys that kudos. When I meet people in the industry and they see my business card or view my LinkedIn profile and see my FCIOB status, they know you don’t get that fellowship for nothing. I wanted to do that for the business. It helps steal a march on competitors and makes you stand out.”

Graham spoke to Orion Group staff after only six weeks in his post about what CBC could achieve for the company and he was met with zero opposition. “I had total support,” he says. “Everyone believed it would be a kite mark to use on business cards and letterheads and on tenders it might make all the difference. It is that extra mark of professionalism.”

Graham says that in a tough marketplace any commercial advantage can provide that competitive edge. “If a client is faced with a choice of contractors, but you can demonstrate something extra, then you have an advantage. If there are three tenders on the desk the Chartered status could be the confidence the investor is looking for – that reassurance that this company won’t be a headache.”

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ABOUT ORION GROUP Orion Group specialises in commercial and industrial fitting out, design and build and refurbishment projects.

Based in London and the Thames Valley it works with a wide variety of clients in various sectors.

Contracts range from £50,000 to £5m and recent projects include work for IBM Pension Trust, Great Portland Estates, Isuzu Truck (UK) Limited, SEGRO plc, Société Générale, Ware Town Council and UCB Pharmaceuticals.

Going swimmingly The refurbishment of Ware Lido (top) was one of Orion Group’s most recent projects which also include commercial and office fit out work

Meeting CBC criteria and the process of application was straightforward, Graham says. “We have other industry accreditation we have to meet on an annual basis – for health and safety etc. – so it wasn’t a problem for us to meet the criteria. The office manager and her team pulled together the paperwork to support the application and apart from one or two easily-answered queries the CIOB had, we found it simple.”

And the result? Benefits that go further than just offering a competitive boost, says Graham.

“Many companies may wonder what’s in it for them? They see it as another cost and wonder where is the value. And yes, I could answer that as I personally had FCIOB we didn’t need it, but the pride I see in my team and the sharing in success that takes place means it’s worth it.

> www.oriongroup. uk.com/ Connect with Graham at LinkedIn and see Orion Group’s LinkedIn page at www.linkedin. com/company/oriongroup---buildingchange

20/06/2016 12:33

ONETOWATCH Adam Cartwright MCIOB Site manager with Alexander Maltby Ltd

Q Tell us about your career to date I started life as an apprentice carpenter working for a small family run building firm (AT Palmer) doing traditional works to places like Sisinghurst and Leeds Castles.

During this time I obtained my NVQ level 3 in carpentry and joinery at Hastings college. Moving to Brighton and working for Tasker Construction I progressed from a carpenter to foreman, during this period I also studied part time to achieve NVQ level 3 in Plumbing.

As the projects started getting larger and more complex I became a site manager. I joined Alexander Maltby as a site manager where I successfully completed the chartered membership programme then the professional development programme to achieve MCIOB. With Alexander Maltby I manage high end refurbishments, typically around £4m.

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with a long-standing institution and a quality brand.”

To anyone thinking of applying for CBC status, Graham says: “Don’t underestimate the pride CBC status gives staff and the differentiation it offers your business among your competition.”

•

For more on how to become a CBC email cbcinfo@ciob.org.uk

Q Any embarrassing work moments you can share?

I not sure about embarrassing, but certainly the stupidest thing I have ever done was nail gun my hand to a piece of oak joist. I’m definitely better off the tools!

Q What are your career ambitions?

In the short term I would like to carry on my development with the CIOB to achieve FCIOB and continue helping where I can with the Novus committee that I’m part of.

In the longer term I’d like to keep progressing and developing as I have done with the aim to become a project /contracts manager.

Q How do you relax when you’re not at work?

I spend my time out of work keeping fit. I recently ran Brighton marathon and I’m also competing in a triathlon in August. I enjoy going snowboarding at least once a year and I’m currently learning how to skydive in a wind tunnel with the aim to do it for real this year.

•

CIOB Members

“I am so proud of the company and I loved seeing people experience that pride for the first time. We have the certificate and CIOB plaque on display in the office. It means something and every time people pass by it on the way to a meeting I ask them to remember why we have it.

“We have to keep our profile high and if we stand still we remain the same, but if you make changes you stand out. And becoming a CBC meant aligning ourselves

Q Why did you choose a career in construction?

What else would you have done?

I really enjoyed working with my hands and I like having something tangible to show after all the hard work.

Nowadays my enjoyment comes from starting projects at the concept stage and being part of the decision making process throughout the whole project.

I particularly enjoy delivering a high class finish and seeing the customers reaction when it is completed.

If I wasn’t involved in construction I would have liked to train as a snowboard instructor.

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20/06/2016 12:30

INGOODCOMPANY >

Dublin Port Company & Wesling Construction

Diving deeper

Reconfiguring Dublin Port’s Diving Bell was not your run-of-the-mill construction management project.

James Kelleher MCIOB reports

“A

Case study

nd now suddenly, it’s Dublin’s newest museum – a miniature one, to be sure, but packing more fascination per square metre than most of the others”. So wrote Frank McNally, in The Irish Times, on 4 September 2015.

Reconfiguring the Diving a Bell was a fascinating and important project for Dublin Port, as it embarks on an era of large-scale development projects to future proof the Port over the next 50 years.

After centuries of interdependence, the link between Dublin Port and Dublin City had weakened over recent decades. Where once there was no physical or perception barrier between the Port and the City, one emerged. This is a problem for Dublin Port as the level of port activity expands. It is also a cultural loss to the City.

In response to this, Dublin Port Company (DPC) began to look for ways to rebuild what had been a natural connection over centuries. The obvious ways to try to convince people of the Port’s importance (statistics, PR and advertising) proved fruitless. Instead, the Port looked for inspiration in it its cultural and heritage assets, its soft values.

The reconfiguring of the Diving Bell is one such soft values project. It required a

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multi-disciplinary approach by an architect-led design team of experts to realise a unique cultural and heritage installation on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay.

MOLA Architecture took on Dublin Port’s brief and created a unique installation which has added significantly to Dublin’s public realm and the beginning of what, Dublin Port hopes, will be a distributed museum starting in the City and penetrating the largely inaccessible Port.

The Diving Bell itself, dating from the 1870s, weighs more than 90 tonnes. It was an almost forgotten artefact from a previous era of massive Port expansion, a curiosity on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, which ironically, was one of the quay walls it was instrumental in building in the 19th century. The Diving Bell was designed by a brilliant engineer Bindon Blood Stoney. Men, mostly drawn from local communities, would climb the funnel from a purpose-built barge, enter an air lock, with pickaxe and shovel, labour in the chamber below water level to prepare the river bed in advance of the lowering into place of massive 350 tonne precast concrete blocks. This was an innovative construction technique that Stoney pioneered.

“One of the big challenges was the careful lifting of all 90 tnones of the Bell adjacent to a busy city thoroughfare” 20/06/2016 12:55

Sea culture Dublin Port’s 19th century Diving Bell has been reconfigured into a modern mini museum.

The public can access the bell’s chamber below ground (bottom right). The hertitage installation is part of a plan to reconnect Dublin port with the city

FACT FILE • The Diving Bell

The reconfiguration design raises the Diving Bell above ground level allowing public access into a space below giving visibility of the bell’s chamber. Sloping walkways in the cobble ground-scape guide a visitor downwards into a space beneath the bell’s chamber no bigger than a typical living room. This space is a mini museum with high quality interpretative panels that tell a fascinating narrative animated with a water floor feature underfoot.

Procured via a traditional tender process, post tender negotiations took place to ensure a project budget in line with client expectations. The main contractor, Weslin Construction, engaged positively with DPC and developed a shared vision prior to contract. Weslin was appointed in December 2014 with a six month programme and a deadline coinciding with the tall ship Cuauhtemoc arriving at Dublin Port in June 2015.

A modern project management approach was fundamental to the successful delivery of the scheme. Precontract scope and cost management presented some challenges when working with such diverse and creative design inputs. These were overcome successfully

through good working relationships and communications fostered between the client project manager, design team and the contractor’s site manager. The project manager’s interest and passion for the history of Dublin and the Port was also a positive.

Besides the discovery of uncharted cables during excavations, one of the big challenges of the construction management was the careful lifting of all 90 tonnes of the Bell adjacent to a busy city thoroughfare, requiring crane lifts with road closures into the early hours. The funnel was removed and the Bell Chamber set aside within the site for sand blasting in-situ and decorative treatment of the cast iron chamber. Strict environmental controls were put in place for this operation and this required liaison with local stakeholders and residents.

Aftercare to keep the Diving Bell in pristine condition for visitors is essential, and a cleaning regime with a graffiti response plan has been put in place. There is also 24 hour monitored CCTV and a system to count visitor numbers.

The reconfigured Diving Bell is accessible to all and can be visited daily on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin.

•

James Kelleher MCIOB is a project manager with Dublin Port Company

Case study

> pp56-57FINAL.indd 57

was a groundbreaking piece of engineering innovation in its day It was designed by the port engineer Bindon Blood Stoney (1828 to 1907) and built by Grendon and Co., Drogheda.

It was delivered to the Port in 1866, entered service in 1871 and was used in the building of the Port’s quay walls until 1958.

• The project elevated the 13m tall, 90 tonne Diving Bell onto a two metre steel structure, creating a ramped public access route underneath.

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20/06/2016 12:56

MEMBER BENEFITS FULL CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP OF CIOB brings with it many benefits, not least the descriptors Chartered Construction Manager or Chartered Builder, the right to vote or to become a trustee. Being a member or fellow also gives you exclusive access to discounts and special deals on products and services that could enhance your professional development, help your business or boost your earning power. Products and services currently on offer from our special partners are listed below...

EX

BIM TRAINING ACADEMIES OFFER Autodesk supports apprenticeships

CLU SIV MEM E OFF BER ER

learning

Autodesk has partnered with risual Education to create centres of excellence for BIM in Further Education Colleges. In preparation for the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy in April 2017 we can offer CIOB members support on recruitment of apprentices who will be trained on Autodesk® Revit® software, or the upskilling of your existing staff.

For further details contact risual on education@risual.com

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This two-day residential course – Practical Scheduling Delay Analysis – provides a solid framework for delegates, equipping them with a theoretical and a practical understanding of the key principles, tools and techniques of project delay and disruption. It is suitable for anyone engaged in project delay analysis or NEC3, JCT, or ICE contracts.

For more information on the course, www.astapowerproject.com/services/training/

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As the approved business broker to the CIOB, Premier BusinessCare specialises in finding CIOB members the best insurance covers available in the market at competitive prices. Working with a variety of UK insurers, they are able to give you a quick quotation to cover your profession and your business, including Professional Indemnity, Directors and Officers, Liability covers, and many other construction and commercial insurances.

As an added bonus, products purchased through Premier BusinessCare’s CIOB Insurance Services directly support the work of the Institute across the UK. Call 0330 102 6158 or visit www.ciobinsuranceservices.com for more details

IHS Have you tried the new Construction Information Service?

CIOB Member Benefits

learning

The Construction Information Service (CIS) has been thoroughly refreshed and optimised to provide an indispensable source of key information that can help you realise significant time and cost savings The online tool delivers current regulations, construction standards and industry news covering building, engineering, design and construction processes. Data covers construction stages from design to completion for projects in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Users have access to technical data from 500+ publishers including full text copies of British Standards and CIOB documents. Using the CIS, you will be able to: • E nsure design compliance and sustainability • I nnovate designs and construction methods • S upport construction lifecycle from start to completion For further information see www.ihs.com/products/uk-construction-information-service.html or email michelle.judd@ihs.com

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20/06/2016 12:59

DATESFORYOURDIARY EAST OF ENGLAND

Ipswich Flood Defence Scheme 5 July, 6pm, Jackson House, Ipswich Contact: mrix@ciob.org.uk The Graduate Route to CIOB 18 July, 6pm, Union Jack Club, London Contact: mmills@ciob.org. uk Walk around Historic King’s Lynn 21 July, 4pm, Town Hall, King’s Lynn Contact: mrix@ciob.org.uk Annual Golf Day 13 August, 11am, Little Hay Golf Complex Contact: coh@ciob.org.uk

EAST MIDLANDS

How to Make Time for Business Generation 3 July, 8.30am, The Risley Hall Hotel, M1 J25 - DE72 3SS Contact: andrea@ constructionleadersclub. com

IRELAND

Eastern Centre committee meeting 13 September, Dublin. mcoleman@ciob.org.uk

LONDON

One CIOB Roadshow – Your Chance to Find Out More 5 July, 6.30pm, CIOB London Office, 9 Kingsway, London, WC2B 6XF Contact: sbriggs@ciob. org.uk Joint Organisations Annual Boat Trip 14 July, 6.15pm, Temple Pier Cost: £30pp Contact: frances. whitehead@scl.org.uk The Graduate Route to MCIOB 18 July, 6pm, Union Jack Club, Sandell Street, London, SE1 8UJ Cost: Free Contact: mmills@ciob.org. uk Chartered Environmentalist Workshop 29 September, 4.30pm, Mace Business School, 155 Moorgate, London, EC2M 6XB Contact: chierlehy@ciob. org.uk

JULY TO SEPTEMBER 2016 SOUTH EAST

South East Branch AGM and CPD Neuroscience for business 4 July, 6pm, Holiday Inn, Egerton Road, Guildford Contact: joparker@ciob. org.uk One CIOB Roadshow – Your Chance to Find Out More 6 July, 6.30pm, Holiday Inn, Basingstoke Contact: joparker@ciob. org.uk One CIOB Roadshow – Your Chance to Find Out More 19 July, 6.30pm, Holiday Inn, Wrotham Heath, Sevenoaks Contact: blawrence@ciob. org.uk Building Regulations Update 13 September, 7pm, Hadlow Manor Hotel, Hadlow, Tonbridge Contact: blawrence@ciob. org.uk Site visit: Thames Tower 13 September, 6pm, Thames Tower, Reading Contact: joparker@ciob.

NORTH WEST org.uk One CIOB Roadshow – Your Sussex and Novus site visit: Chance to Find Out More Architectural tour of Lewes 20 July, 6.30pm, The Park 15 September, 6.30pm, Royal Hotel, Stretton, Lewes Warrington Contact: blawrence@ciob.

Contact: hyorke@ciob.org.uk org.uk One CIOB Roadshow – Your Kent Novus Construction Chance to Find Out More Karting Cup 21 July, 6.30pm, Tickled 22 September, 6.30pm, Trout Hotel, Preston Bayford Meadows Kart Contact: hyorke@ciob.org.uk Circuit, Sittingbourne NW Novus site visit to Contact: blawrence@ciob.

The Crescent org.uk 8 September, time tbc, Buxton Contact: kpercival@ciob. org.uk

CIOB centre. To receive information from the CIOB visit www.ciob.org.uk and log on to the members’ area to input/update your details and preferences.

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Country Crafts Events 6 September, 4pm, Gloucestershire Hands-on demonstrations of thatching, stone masonry and lead bossing with a hog roast.

Contact: jpye@ciob.org.uk

WEST MIDLANDS

Paradise Circus – Keeping Birmingham Moving 7 July, 6.30pm, Birmingham Contact: gfloyd@ciob.org Tollbar Island Revisit 12 July, 6pm, Tollbar Island Contact: gfloyd@ciob.org

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Contacts General Main CIOB telephone number +44 (0)1344 630700 Chief Executive Chris Blythe 01344 630701 Member Services Head of Member & Business Development 01344 630852 Change of Address 01344 630789/630731 Direct Debit Enquiries 01344 630831 Membership Certificates 01344 630720 Membership Enquiries/ Progression 01344 630706 Subs Enquiries (Members) 01344 630831 Training Partnerships 01344 630726 Certificate Ceremonies 01344 630785 SMTS Enquiries 01344 630742 Experienced Practitioner Assessed Programme (EPA) 01344 630887 Experienced Practitioner Assessed Report Route (EPAR) 01344 630887 Benevolent Fund 01344 630780 Professional Development 01344 630716 Library Enquiries 01344 630873/737 Head of Education 01344 630822 Adjudication and Dispute Resolution 01344 630732 Scholarship and Research 01344 630776 Chartered Building Company/ Consultancy Scheme Chartered Building Scheme Manager 01344 630746 Administrator 01344 630743

Publications Magazine subscriptions (non-members) 01344 630811 Construction Research and Innovation (CRI) 01344 630735 Construction Manager 020 7490 5636 Contact 07704 336835 Policy and External Relations Deputy Chief Executive 01344 630702 Press Office 01344 630766 Web Site Enquiries 01344 630738 CIOB International General Enquiries +44 (0) 1344 630791 CIOB Africa + 27 11 234 7877 CIOB Australasia +61 (2) 9816 4700 CIOB China East +86 21 2211 1556 CIOB China North +86 10 6528 1070 CIOB China West/South +86 23 3670 6360 CIOB Hong Kong +852 2543 6369 CIOB Malaysia +852 (603) 2284 5754 CIOB Middle East +971 (0) 4457 9107 CIOB Singapore +65 6334 4116 The views expressed in Contact are not necessarily those of the editor or the CIOB. The editor reserves the right to edit any article submitted for publishing.

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SOUTH WEST

The Chartered Institute of Building

The Chartered Institute of Building is at the heart of a management career in construction.

Our focus is on those entering and already in a management career in construction. By delivering qualifications and certifications that meet the needs of a changing industry. We work with members, employers, academia and governments across the globe to drive forward the science, practice and importance of management in construction.

OUR VISION: Built environment professionals making a difference OUR MISSION: To contribute to a modern, progressive and responsible construction industry, meeting the economic, environmental and social challenges of a global society OUR VALUES: • Creating extraordinary people through professional learning and continuing professional development.

• Promoting the built environment as central to quality of life for everyone, everywhere.

• Achieving a sustainable future worldwide.

• Being socially responsible and advocating exemplary ethical practice, behaviour, integrity and transparency.

• Pursuing excellence in worldwide management practice and technological innovation rooted in evidence based research.

• To be the inclusive valued Institute of choice for built environment professionals.

We have over 47,000 members around the world and are considered to be the international voice of the building professional, representing an unequalled body of knowledge concerning the management of the total building process.

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Classified

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QS Services Ltd is an independent, highly experienced Company, which specialises in preparing, verifying and auditing Bills of Quantities according to various modes of measurement, NRM2, SMM7, CESMM3/4, POMI or bespoke B of Q. We use a range of computer software to accurately deliver detailed Bills of Quantities Scope of work covers, Building, Civil, Rebar detailing, Architectural, MEP and Industrial.

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Specifiers’ pages TO SHOWCASE YOUR PRODUCTS ON THESE PAGES, CONTACT TOM PEARDON ON

T: +44 (0)20 7490 5595 E: tom@atompublishing.co.uk MUST HAVE FOR BUILDERS AND PLUMBERS FROM EPSON Automated and fast label printing, cost-saving options, and hands-free operation make Epson’s new industrial-grade LabelWorks LW-Z900FK a must-have for builders and plumbers. The LW-Z900FK is ideal for rapidly, efficiently and affordable labelling electrics, cabling, including audio/video cables, data communications equipment, as well as pipes and machinery. The label printer can use up to seven different tape widths and three different shapes of die-cut labels, all on tapes ,measuring up to nine metres long. Label types include standard and specialist varieties such as heat-resistant, glow in the dark, magnetic, die-cut and heat shrink tube labels, A unique pick and print function enables the LW-Z900FK to print the next label in a pre-set series when it detects that a user has ‘picked’ the previous label. With the ability to save up to 100 different label patterns. Hands-free operation is made possible by magnets that can be used to hold the printer onto steel surfaces. www.epson.co.uk

EGGER UNVEILS A LIGHTER, STRONGER ALTERNATIVE TO 38MM CHIPBOARD EGGER UK has launched OSB HDX a brand new 30mm heavy duty, load-bearing OSB panel suitable for use in humid environments.

It replaces EGGER’s 38mm HDX chipboard and is the ideal solution for heavy duty loadbearing environments such as mezzanine flooring, racking, shelving, working platforms and decking, where P5 or P6 38mm chipboard would typically be used.

S & L United Storage Systems Ltd in Essex, specialists in the supply and installation of shelving and racking systems and mezzanine flooring for warehouses, distribution centres, retail environments and self-storage facilities, have been quick to see the benefits.

“Our fitters were extremely happy with the performance of EGGER’s new OSB HDX product.

They found the panels easy to handle over what they normally use, were surprised by how light in weight the product is given its superior structural properties and how well the boards fitted together.

They were able to complete the installation quicker and are happy to use OSB HDX on future projects,” said Robert Wray, contracts manager at S&L United Storage Systems Ltd. The low swelling properties of EGGER OSB HDX means it is less likely than P6 to pick

up moisture which can lead to uneven floors.

Another benefit for installers is it’s easy to fit.

With a tongue and groove profile on the two long edges, the panels are laid the same way as 38mm chipboard.

Due to it only being 30 mm thick, it’s 20% lighter, despite it being wider than a typical chipboard panel (675 mm as opposed to the standard 600 mm), the wider board means that it is easier to manoeuvre and quicker to lay. EGGER OSB HDX board dimensions are 2400 x 675 x 30 mm TG2.

To find out more, contact the EGGER building products hotline on 0845 602 4444 or e-mail building.uk@egger.com or visit www.egger.co.uk CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | JULY/AUGUST 2016 | 61

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Project of the month No.1Palace Street, London

JUST A STONE’S THROW from Buckingham Palace, one of London’s more ambitious residential developments is under construction.

No.1 Palace Street is a 3,900 sq m luxury apartment development, and will comprise 72 properties in a six-storey, Grade II-listed building which also includes a four-storey basement. Northacre, which paid £176m for the site in 2014, is developer for the scheme.

Balfour Beatty is delivering the £130m construction contract, and began work on the island site in 2015.

The original building at Buckingham Gate, constructed in 1861, was the Palace Hotel. It was a major landmark of the Victorian period, hosting overflow guests of the palace. The land that surrounds the site was once a mulberry tree garden and aviary for the exotic birds of King James I – giving the Birdcage Walk Conservation Area its present day name.

The facade is being retained – and restored – on the majority of the site, with just one new elevation being built. The interior is being completely reconstructed.

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“The facade retention is the most challenging part of the project,” says Paul Howat, development director at Northacre.

“We have put bracing between the floors to support the facade, while the construction of the interior progresses.”

For the below-ground construction, all sides of the “island” are being underpinned during the excavation works, before the basement itself is constructed. The fourstorey basement build will include a gym, swimming pool and car parking.

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Top left: The original facade is mostly retained with an entirely new interior Top right: A restored facade fronts on to Buckingham Palace Above left: Interior of the Buckingham Gate entrance Above right: The building occupies an island site opposite the palace gardens

The architect on the project is Squire & Partners, and the development will encompass five architectural styles: Italian Renaissance, French Renaissance, Beaux Arts, Queen Anne and contemporary.

No.1 Palace Street has a target completion date of December 2017.

Once finished, it will house some of the capital’s most expensive apartments, many with unique views over the gardens of Buckingham Palace. CM

Construction Manager Published for the Chartered Institute of Building by Atom Publishing Clerkenwell House 45/47 Clerkenwell Green London EC1R 0EB Tel: +44 (0)20 7490 5595 Fax: +44 (0)20 7490 4957 firstname@atompublishing.co.uk

Construction Manager is published monthly

by Atom Publishing. The contents of this magazine are copyright. Reproduction in part or in full is forbidden without permission of the editor. The opinions expressed by writers of signed articles (even with pseudonyms) and letters appearing in the magazine are those of their respective authors, and neither the CIOB, Atom Publishing nor Construction Manager is responsible for these opinions or statements.

The editor will give careful consideration to material submitted – articles, photographs, drawings and so on – but does not undertake responsibility for damage or their safe return.

Printed by The Wyndeham Group. All rights in the magazine, including copyright, content and design, are owned by CIOB and/or Atom Publishing. ISSN 1360 3566

62 | JULY/AUGUST 2016 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

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