Construction Management Ireland

i Cm Winter 2018

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Construction Management Ireland

The futurE starts

now Bright sparks in training at Designer Group

E n g i n ee r s • A r c h i t e c t s • S u rv e yo r s • P r o j e c t M a n a g e r s • C o n t r a c t o r s

“

First, a big thank-you!

With this issue we celebrate a year in operation here at Construction Management Ireland (CMi).

When we published our first issue it was with a lot of support from the industry and much goodwill which we still enjoy – and for which we are extremely appreciative.

It seems that putting the construction professional at the heart of what we do would prove to be a successful formula and we were thrilled that others bought into our vision.

Now, as we head into another year, we have a lot going on, details of which will be revealed in the New Year.

At the heart of all of this remains our inclusive approach to the industry, bringing together Technical, Legal, Green Building, Facilities Management, Career Development and Training, along with Opinion, Analysis, CIOB News Updates and much, much more in one magazine, where the motto is: ‘if it matters to the construction professional, it matters to Construction Management Ireland’.

With the end of our first full year upon us, this naturally gives us pause to look back at some events during the year in this issue – as well as looking forward to future developments.

So, we hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together.

Special thanks go to Designer Group for taking part in our Cover Story and to all who came together, once again, to contribute to the final product.

We wish you a wonderful Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.

P.10

PUTTING THE PROFESSIONAL CENTRE STAGE

'At the heart of all of this remains our inclusive approach to the industry.'

Talk to you soon, Martin & Dermot

Cmi

Construction Management Ireland Published by Ocean Publishing, 14 Upper Fitzwilliam St, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 678 5165 Fax: 01 678 5191

Publisher Patrick Aylward Editor Martin Foran martin@constructionmanagementireland.ie National Sales Manager Dermot Casey Dermot@constructionmanagementireland.ie Art Editor Jim Obey

Printed by WG Baird Ltd Antrim

Ad Production Audrey Fitzgerald

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained within this journal is correct, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors, omissions or discrepancies. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher.

AWARD WINNING CONTRACTOR Commercial | Student Accommodation | Fit-Out | Retail | Educational | Data Centers | Industrial | Residential

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contact us T: 044 9346000 F: 044 9346040

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i Cm

contents

10 Cover Story

4 News & Events

Training for the future’s needs at Designer Group

Stories and updates – from the industry and the wider economy

16 CIOB News News and events, including: a report from the most recent graduation and the ever-popular ‘Meet a Member’

24 Lean Journeys Featuring Paul Ebbs and Trevor McSharry

28 Tech Talk Thermal Bridging, Wet Room Construction and more

34 How The Land Lies Industry activity overview with Construction Information Services

38 Careers & Training Checking in with Sligo IT, The TechnoTeachers and more

43 Special Report – Roof Windows

20 Project Notes Collen drives standards with Audi Centre project – Retail Project of the Year, Irish Construction Industry Awards, 2018

44 Legal View Lenders’ construction requirements in development projects – with LK Shields

46 Spotlight on Civils With Clonmel Enterprises – forty-five years in business next year

48 Spotlight on M & E With Jones Engineering – going from strength to strength

50 Green Building Our regular update from the Irish Green Building Council with Pat Barry

53 Security Matters With An Garda Síochána

56 Personal & Finance The word from Brian Cox at Davy’s

57 Special Feature – Bonds 63 The Final Say

36 Out & About People and places, movers and shakers – we hope to jog a few memories!

The inspiring work of Engineers Without Borders

News

NEWS Commercial activity fastest growing sector

Construction activity in Ireland rose moderately during October, with the pace of expansion the slowest since March 2015.

Of the monitored subcategories, residential and commercial construction activity increased, albeit at slower rates than September.

As was the case in September, commercial was the best-performing sector.

Conversely, civil engineering construction activity declined in October, and at the fastest pace in 14 months.

Quickened Growth of new business also eased, but the rate of job creation quickened to a three-month high.

Meanwhile, input costs rose at the slowest pace since September 2017.

At 52.9 in October, down from 56.2 in September, the Ulster Bank Construction Purchasing Managers Index® (PMI®) – a seasonally adjusted index designed to track changes in total construction activity – signalled the weakest upturn in output since March 2015.

That said, total activity has now risen in each of the past 62 months. Where activity increased, panellists linked this to improving customer demand.

Commenting on the survey, Simon Barry, Chief Economist Republic of Ireland at Ulster Bank, noted that:

Momentum ‘The October results of the Ulster Bank Construction PMI survey reveal a notable loss of momentum in the growth rate of construction activity last month as the headline PMI slipped to 52.9 in October from 56.2 in September.

‘While that still leaves the sector comfortably in expansion territory, the PMI has now fallen for three months in a row, with the October reading marking the slowest pace of growth in over three and a half years.

Construction activity rises ‘moderately’ ‘It is not wholly surprising to see some cooling in the pace of construction growth given the extremely rapid expansion recorded in the summer and the similar signs of slowdown from elsewhere in the Irish private sector of late (the October manufacturing and services PMI surveys also picked up some moderation in growth).

‘But the headline results from the October Construction survey are certainly on the disappointing side.

‘Nevertheless, we are not overly troubled at this stage, for several reasons.

‘First, we think at least some of the recent slippage in the Construction PMI likely reflects the usual ebb and flow of the headline survey results.

4 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

‘Indeed, other metrics within the survey highlight that new orders are holding up well and firms are continuing to hire at a very solid rate – features of the results which argue against concluding that a sustained weakening in activity is underway.

‘Moreover, the sector’s overall outlook continues to be underpinned by the housing supply shortfall and by the marked step-up in the growth of Exchequer capital spending.

‘So, while the headline PMI results for October point to a disappointing start to the final quarter of the year for construction activity, we would be surprised if the results in the coming months don’t show signs of renewed improvement.’

Sustained new order growth during October Incoming new orders at Irish construction firms increased during October.

Despite easing from the previous month, October marked the sixty-fourth successive monthly rise of new business inflows.

Firms indicated that new construction projects and increased market activity were the principal factors behind the expansion in new work.

Employment growth picks up The rate of employment growth in the Irish construction sector accelerated during October.

Staffing levels increased for the sixty-second successive month and at the fastest pace in three months.

In line with the trend in new orders, growth of purchasing activity among Irish construction firms slowed in October to the weakest pace since March 2015.

On the price front, the rate of input price inflation eased in October to the slowest in 13 months.

News

UL’s new Glucksman Library – built by BAM University of Limerick’s Glucksman Library extension was this summer officially unveiled by former Tanaiste Mary Harney.

The facility has now doubled in size and capacity by the construction of a 7,600m2 extension to the original library building.

Innovations The New Glucksman Library, built by BAM, provides 2,200 study spaces and

includes a range of world class innovations in book storage and retrieval, digital research, accessibility and ‘inspirational learning spaces’.

One stand out feature is the ARC (Automated Reserve Collection) – a 10 meter high book vault and robotic crane, with the capacity to store 500,000 volumes in a space 1/9th of conventional shelving, which will see UL’s historic collections, currently housed off-site,

returned to campus.

It features a Law Library and Appellate Court and a Medical and Health Sciences Library.

Spaces There are discrete spaces for postgraduate and faculty study, group study and exhibition spaces.

Other bespoke areas include a Digital Scholarship Centre, Social Learning Spaces and an Assistive Technology Centre.

Indoor air quality in Irish homes raised as key concern at Irish Green Building Council’s Conference Indoor air pollution was extensively discussed at the Irish Green Building Council’s recent conference.

Attendees heard that this represents a major health factor.

Irish people spend 90% of their time indoors. Poor ventilation can have significant implications on health.

As new homes become more insulated and airtight greater focus is needed on the management of ventilation.

Opening the conference Minister Damien English said: ‘Half a million new homes must be built by 2040.

‘With the nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) standard coming into force next year, these homes will be extremely energy efficient.

‘But we must also ensure they are healthy, and part of healthy, vibrant communities.’

Committed Reacting to these comments, Pat Barry, CEO of the Irish Green Building Council said: ‘We are committed to enabling home buyers to make more informed choices.

‘Our Home Performance Index certification scheme provides a single label for quality and sustainability.

‘It indicates to home buyers that a house has been built to consider impacts on health and is climate change resilient.’

Dr Gráinne McGill of the Glasgow based MEARU research unit added: ‘Poor indoor air quality in housing can be

ABOVE: Minister Damien English; Dr Gráinne McGill, MEARU research unit; Pat Barry, CEO, IGBC and Matthew Barker, BRE

increasingly traced to poor ventilation.

‘As our homes become more airtight, less dependence can be placed on natural infiltration. Adequate ventilation systems are now critical.’

every home must be planned, designed and built to be sustainable.

‘The particular vulnerability of the very young, the sick and the very old must be fully taken into account.’

Key risks

Construction

The conference also heard about key risks for Irish homes brought by climate change, including flooding and overheating.

As the world gets warmer and extreme events increase, climate change must be factored into the design of new homes.

Dr Ina Kelly, a public health consultant with the HSE said: ‘To minimise the health impacts of climate change,

Matthew Barker of BRE added: ‘The construction industry needs to be proactive in its response to climate change.

‘Simple design changes can reduce climate related risks such as flooding.

‘Resilience must be considered before an event, not as a response to it.’

Better Homes is the Irish Green Building Council’s annual residential buildings conference.

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 5

News

Annual Jones Engineering charity fundraising cycle This summer saw 82 cyclists take to the roads of South Tipperary and West Waterford in the sixth Annual Jones Engineering charity fundraising cycle.

This year the funds were raised in support of The Brothers of Charity Services Ireland and CanTeen Ireland.

Sean Kelly

could be seen and enjoyed with 10kms downhill to the hotel.

Legend The 50km group led by another legend, Barry Meehan, found the route equally as challenging for the 30 or so cyclists, again taking in the lower

slopes of the Knockmealdowns before meeting up with the 100km group as they ascended through the Nire Valley.

The weather played its part with the threat of rain holding off and the day was a huge success enjoyed by all and much needed funds were raised for the deserving charities.

With cycling legend Sean Kelly leading out the peloton, 52 cyclists undertook a 100km challenge, leaving the Minella Hotel in Clonmel and heading towards Clogheen and ascending the beautiful rhododendron-lined Vee through the Knockmealdown Mountains.

After regrouping on top they descended into Lismore, Cappoquin and began climbing again on the lower slopes of the Comeragh Mountains as they headed towards the Nire Valley.

The final challenge of the day awaited with a sharp 6km climb to the summit, but this was quickly forgotten as the finish line

Bray primary care sod turning Collen Construction recently welcomed Simon Harris TD, Minister for Health, to their Bray Primary Care Centre site for a ceremonial Sod Turning.

Services The centre will be operational in Q1, 2020. This will bring together a range of services that are currently provided

6 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

across a number of different locations and includes a very large GP group practice, Public Health Nursing, Dental, Dietetics, Psychology, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech & Language Therapy and Addiction Services.

The design also allows for a sizeable pharmacy, cafe and parking facility.

News

Designer Group partnership with Self Help Africa Executives of the international engineering solutions company, Designer Group, have formally launched a partnership with Self Help Africa to develop a youth training program and increase access to employment opportunities for 200 youths in Kisumu County, Kenya.

Staff The firm, which employs more than 1,100 staff in the design, supply and installation of mechanical and electrical utilities has been working on the refurbishment of a local brewery plant in the port city of Kisumu on Lake Victoria.

The partnership with Self Help Africa will kick-start a new skills employment

Ne – ‘a

ABOVE: Brendan Kearns

program for 200 local youths, and support scholarships and apprenticeship opportunities in local companies for 30 young people.

The African delegation was led by Irish director Brendan Kearns, who brought the group to Kisumu and to local agricultural projects being implemented by Self Help Africa in the region.

‘We want to ensure that

students receive training so that there will be job opportunities for young people,’ Mr. Kearns said.

Leader Headquartered in Dublin, Designer Group has offices in Limerick, the UK, Germany and the USA and is an industry leader that works with some of the world's largest

multinational companies.

Designer Group entered a partnership with Self Help Africa this year that will see the organisation support job creation in Kisumu district, where youth unemployment levels are amongst the highest in the country.

For more on training at Designer Group see our Cover Story in this issue.

Leading Business law firm ByrneWallace strengthens practice with three new partner appointments ByrneWallace has announced the continued growth and development of the firm’s corporate, employment, and property teams with the appointment of three new partners: Brendan Gavin specialises in corporate, technology, data protection and intellectual property matters, with a particular focus on advising clients in the technology and medical devices sectors.

Deirdre Lynch is a highly experienced lawyer specialising in employment and occupational health and safety law.

Derville White has over 12 years’ experience as a commercial real estate lawyer. She has extensive experience in commercial property acquisitions, disposals, lettings and asset management.

Committed Commenting on the announcement, recently appointed Managing Partner Feargal Brennan says:

‘As a full service business law firm, ByrneWallace is committed to investing in and developing the very best people to ensure we deliver the very best service and expert legal advice to our clients.

‘These appointments demonstrate this on-going commitment and ensure ByrneWallace remains well positioned to meet the ever-changing and complex needs of our clients, both private and public, Irish and international.

‘On behalf of my partners and staff, I would like to congratulate Brendan, Deirdre and Derville on their appointments. I am confident that they will be very successful in their new roles.’

Feargal In June 2018, the firm appointed corporate lawyer Feargal Brennan as Managing Partner.

Feargal joined ByrneWallace in 2000 and has been Head of the firm’s

L-R: Business law firm ByrneWallace strengthens practice with three new partner appointments. Pictured L-R new partners Derville White, Deirdre Lynch and Brendan Gavin with recently appointed Managing Partner, Feargal Brennan (centre)

Corporate division since 2011.

He has over 20 years’ experience advising leading Irish and international businesses across a wide range of corporate matters and has particular expertise in advising on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital transactions.

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 7

News

International campaign launched to promote construction power of social media, there is a need for the entire industry to speak in one voice to promote a positive image of construction.

The Considerate Constructors Scheme is calling on the construction industry to radically improve the public’s perception of our industry through the use of social media by participating in the ‘Promoting Construction’ campaign.

Influence

Positive Promoting Construction calls for everyone involved in the industry, and its related sectors, to promote a positive image of construction on social media using the hashtag #loveconstruction.

This will create an ever-expanding library on social media of positive, inspirational and interesting imagery from the construction industry, all united under #loveconstruction.

The campaign encourages all those working, or connected with the industry, to post on social media, like and share positive images and stories of construction and use the #loveconstruction in all relevant postings.

Promoting construction aims to spread these positive images and stories far and wide across social media platforms, with the Considerate Constructors Scheme itself focusing on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and to drive and encourage engagement and interest in our industry.

Perceptions The Promoting Construction

ABOVE: Launch of Promoting Construction campaign in London.

campaign aims to improve perceptions of construction among the general public, particularly young people and potential recruits to our industry.

Inspirational images, such as amazing buildings, technology, craftsmanship and innovation, a fabulous diverse workforce and an industry which looks after the environment and its workforce are all ways in which we can promote construction.

Considerate Constructors Scheme Chief Executive, Edward Hardy, tells Construction Management Ireland: ‘Perceptions of the construction industry among the general public, particularly young people are now more than ever before formed by what they see and read on social media.

‘While a number of organisations and individuals working across the industry are embracing the

PM Summit has something for everyone – not least construction professionals!

Currently there are over 10 million individuals identifying themselves on LinkedIn as Project, Program or Portfolio Managers and approximately 52,000 of those are based here in Ireland; this is an indication that the profession is truly expanding and developing at an impressive pace.

Against this backdrop, Ireland’s most diverse conference for project, program and portfolio management professionals took place in Dublin’s Convention Centre.

Construction, not surprisingly, was to the fore at the event, as experts from a range of industries provided advice 8 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

on how to integrate effective project management into diverse business types.

Speakers Keynote presentations were from film producer, Lord David Puttnam; Paul

‘While the Scheme has a huge influence in encouraging the industry to get involved, everyone must play their part. After all, it is quick and simple to do and doing this, we believe, can have real impact on the image and reputation of our industry but only if everyone gets involved.

‘By uniting under #loveconstruction, we will all be promoting a truly inspiring industry to help entice the next generation to “see what construction has to offer”.’

The Scheme’s Best Practice Hub has put together a series of resources which provides tips on how to get the most from using social media, as well as examples of the types of images to upload as part of the campaign.

The Scheme’s social media channels are: Twitter @CCScheme @ ccsbestpractice @IvorGoodsite #loveconstruction Instagram CCScheme CCS First Impressions Ivor Goodsite #loveconstruction LinkedIn: Considerate Constructors Scheme #loveconstruction

Adamson, a renowned motivational speaker and our own James Sweetman – executive coach, trainer and author (Personal & Finance).

It also included a host of other well-known names including the IDA Ireland Executive Director, Mary Buckley; Ralph Montague, Managing Partner with ARDCOX and Greg Flynn, Head of Project Management & Consultancy Services with AECOM. The conference spanned all project management methodologies, placing the emphasis on inclusivity.

It is about ‘everyone taking one day a year out from their busy project schedule to interact with likeminded professionals in a friendly and welcoming environment,’ says organiser, Raymond Poole.

Designer Group is a leading international engineering solutions company.

Established in 1992, the Group has grown significantly in recent years and works with global clients across multiple sectors including Food & Beverage, Pharmaceutical, Data Centres, Industrial, Commercial, Education, Retail & Leisure, Facilities Management, Infrastructure and Energy.

The Group employs over 1,100 people worldwide.

Health, safety and wellbeing are at the core of our business.

As a company, our twin pillars for success are being client focused and developing our people. We have invested in our own Training Academy and continue to look at new ways of making our delivery leaner through the growth of our people and our processes.

www.designergrp.com Ireland | UK | Germany | USA |Africa

COVER STORY

Designs on future success Group’s Dublin training centre pushes the boundaries

T

here’s a lot going on at Designer Group. Not only does the company remain to the fore on some of the biggest projects in the country but it continues to be heavily invested in making sure that the next generation has a solid foundation. As such, it has been a forerunner in offering apprenticeships and continuing work-based training. The centre of operations for all of this is its former headquarters in Glasnevin, now an accredited City & Guilds training centre.

1 0 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

Above: Brendan Kearns

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 11

COVER STORY

I

t’s a Saturday morning, when we make our way to Designer Group’s training centre at Glasnevin.

And, while workers from neighbouring units in the Dublin Industrial Estate have downed tools for the weekend, this place is a hive of activity.

give people from inner city Dublin a chance to go for apprenticeships – a chance that they might not otherwise get.

‘We also have natural applications to our website of course,’ continues Brendan.

‘Often that comes as a result of word-of-mouth, as people know how we look after our apprentices here.

‘We need to get the best out of our people and so they get the best from us.’

Director Today there is a group of, mainly young, apprentices training to be plumbers and electricians being put through their paces by instructors Dave and Tom – all under the watchful eye of Brendan Kearns, Irish Training and OffSite Prefabrication Director.

Taking a leading role in the training and development of apprentices here, Brendan is clearly very engaged and passionate about the work that is taking place and that which is planned for the future.

As you might expect, he is happy to tell us all about the role and function of the former Designer Group head office in the company’s plans – and there’s a lot to pack in.

‘We have (at time of writing) 155 apprentices on the books at the moment’, Brendan explains at the outset. The interest is very strong.’

Encouraged That much is evident on first entering the building and clearly brought home to the new entrants, like Mark Fitzgerald, who gave up a landscape gardening career to train as a plumber here and happily gives our photographer a demonstration of welding techniques with his colleague.

‘Questions and continuous learning are encouraged here,’ says Brendan. Also, knowledge is not presumed among any of those who are starting off.

Much of the training, like this morning’s is scheduled – but anyone is encouraged to come in to address and work on any aspect of their training – practical or theoretical.

Numbers It perhaps comes as no surprise that there is a steady stream wanting to work with companies like Designer Group while some in the industry bemoan the lack of quality and numbers coming through.

There are several reasons for this. First, the company has always engaged very seriously with training and with reaching out to prospective new candidates.

Brendan explains how Designer Group has formed links over the years with schools and colleges. ‘Also, we are heavily involved with DIT’s Access to Apprenticeship programme,' he says, by way of another example of their engagement.

‘The programme is to

‘Questions and continuous learning are encouraged here.’

1 2 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

in charts, and samples of electrical products and other typical items the apprentices must become familiar with.

And of course, underpinning everything that takes place from day one is the safety message.

The result of all of this: ‘They are all very committed and they know the company is going to work with them and so, they work with us,’ says Brendan.

And, it all pays dividends in terms of quality and results.

The resulting high quality was recently underscored at the Solas and ESBsponsored, Competition: Generation Apprenticeship.

Here, the apprentices got the opportunity to showcase the skills learned in their apprenticeships by producing a large 3-D version of the Generation Apprentice ‘A’ brand. Apprentices Mark Fitzgerald and Conor Cregan won with their sustainable entry 3D model.

Sponsored by ESB, Solas and CIF, the competition emphasised teamwork – problem-solving, creativity and communication was essential, notes Brendan. It involved apprentices at different stages in their training working together as a team.

(Meanwhile elsewhere, Steven.Mullery, a fourth year electrical apprentice, won ‘Apprentice of The Year’, in the Electrical Industry awards which was a great achievement for him and the company.)

Directions There is no such thing as a ‘stupid question’ here explains Brendan who, along with his instructors has created a positive atmosphere conducive to making sure every person is engaged with the programme and feels part of a team.

One aspect of this lies in bringing the new apprentices into the centre for five days before they go on site.

Here the induction begins in the well-equipped rooms where the walls are covered

As Designer Group has been training apprentices throughout its more than 25year history, it is not surprising that some former trainees have ended up in leading roles.

As Brendan explains, nowadays trainees can go in many directions such as Engineering, Project Management, BIM, CAD and more.

‘We also try to keep on as many as we can,’ he says.

‘Some want to move on and

Tom Quinlan, centre with electrical apprentices in Designer Group's training centre.

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 13

COVER STORY

Above: Left to right, Ryan Vallier and Jamie Hopkins electrical testing and verification

to travel, yet in the majority of cases, people will stay – and, of course, right now the economy is moving.

‘The scale of the jobs we are on now means that we do need big numbers. It also means exposure to a range of project experience for the apprentices.

‘You can go from student accommodation to projects like the new Grangegorman campus to hotel work, data centres, pharmaceutical projects, overseas work in Africa – which is very strong – and so on, right through to heritage work in some of our key projects.

‘They could be on any of these projects and will be aquiring a very large range of skills.’

Future

'Designer Group’s centre has also recently been accredited as a City & Guilds training centre.'

For the future the target is to push the boundaries and continue doing so and to continue to engage at college fairs and with schools directly and through other means.

New training rooms are also planned for the old admin area here in the Training Centre and there will be more theoretical

1 4 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

courses offered. The ‘heavier’ work will remain downstairs.

‘We will also be introducing a workshop for those working on listed buildings,’ says Brendan.

‘We are going to bring in people who work on OPW jobs and do training here for them. A different set of skills is needed when working with such buildings.’

As a sign of their continued growth in the area of training, Designer Group’s centre has also recently been accredited as a City & Guilds training centre.

‘We have the accreditation now,’ explains Brendan, ‘it is a result of the hard work of the team.

‘We’re looking forward to the future.’

COVER STORY

Above: Mark Fitzgerald, centre, with Conor Maxwell, left, and instructor, David Smith, right.

I wouldn’t change a thing!

For Designer Group apprentice Mark Fitzgerald this is his second career. He previously worked as a landscape gardener.

When asked why he made the change at almost 30 years of age he jokes that this can be summed up in one word: ‘winter’! Yet, there’s clearly a lot more to it than that. Mark spoke to us about looking to the future – and why his move was absolutely the right choice for him.

I switched careers from landscape gardening where I had worked for six years. Now I am half

way through Phase Two of my plumbing apprenticeship with Designer Group.

And while I came later than many others to this area of work, I absolutely love it. It is essentially like figuring out a big puzzle every day – and you get to work with your hands which I really like.

Why did I look to switch careers? The simple answer is ’winter’! I wasn’t really guaranteed an income and if we got a long bad winter that could set me back for the year, I found.

I was introduced to the idea of this apprenticeship when I was doing a hard landscaping course in Ballyfermot. The instructor

there encouraged me to go for it.

I had just assumed that I was too old – I was approaching my thirtieth birthday – but I was assured that this was not the case and was provided with details of employers who were looking for apprentices.

It was a jump in the dark for me. I had no experience in this area – or construction in general really – apart from some basic labouring work.

The first thing I found was that my age actually stood to me. Most first years would be younger in general and I felt that, because I was that bit older I was perhaps given that bit more trust.

As a result, I found it very easy to get into the swing of it and I think that they found I took instruction well – and so they put a good deal of faith in me, I felt.

I am so delighted I got in with them. Brendan and the others here are unbelievable. In fact, Designer Group has been absolutely perfect to work for.

Sure, if I could go back in time I’d do this immediately after school.

But right now I wouldn’t change a single thing.

I know where I want to go in life and I’m very happy on this path.

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 15

CIOB News

Above: Our picture includes graduates and Chartered Building Company representatives, along with the presentation party, which comprised Gerard Graham – Chair of the CIOB Belfast Hub; Councillor Deirdre Hargey – Lord Mayor of Belfast; Rebecca Thompson – Immediate Past President of the CIOB; Ivan McCarthy – Trustee of the CIOB and Philip Corr – member of the CIOB Belfast Hub committee and Project Manager at Titanic Quarter Limited.

Successful CIOB graduation ceremony in Belfast Titanic Belfast was the setting for a Chartered Institute of Building’s (CIOB) Conferring Ceremony on Saturday 3 November 2018.

Attendance Over 150 people were in attendance where 48 people were awarded Chartered membership, two members were upgraded to Fellow membership of the Institute, and two companies – namely Woodvale Construction and Forrme Construction were awarded CIOB Chartered Building Company status.

The ceremony commenced with opening remarks from Councillor Deirdre Hargey, the Lord Mayor of Belfast who welcomed everyone and commended the work of construction professionals in shaping the city’s new skyline.

Rebecca Thompson, Immediate Past President of the CIOB was the key-note speaker.

During her address she spoke about the significance of CIOB qualifications in helping to increase professional standards throughout the construction industry.

1 6 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

She also highlighted the exciting range of professional career opportunities that are available.

Sought-after Ivan McCarthy, a Trustee of the CIOB took the opportunity to remind the attendees that membership of the CIOB is becoming an increasingly sought-after qualification for not just individuals, but also for companies, to help demonstrate professionalism.

Philip Corr, member of the CIOB Belfast Hub committee and Project Manager at Titanic Quarter Limited, delivered a presentation on the major redevelopment of Titanic Quarter.

Gerard Graham, Chair of the CIOB Belfast Hub hosted the ceremony and commended Woodvale Construction for having the most graduates.

He also thanked the attendees including their families for making the occasion such a success.

The CIOB is the world’s largest and most influential professional body for construction management and leadership.

For further details visit www.ciob.org.

Above: Back row: Ivan McCarthy FCIOB (Trustee of the CIOB); Gary Blair FCIOB (Vice Chairman of the Belfast Hub); Gerard Graham FCIOB (Chairman of the Belfast Hub); Roger Gillespie FCIOB (Belfast Hub Committee Member); Philip Corr MCIOB (Belfast Hub Committee Member); Sean O’Brien MCIOB (Belfast Hub Committee Member) Front row: Kelly Coughlin MCIOB (Novus Committee Member); Julie Fitzsimmons, Belfast Hub MSEC (Member Services and Event Co-Ordinator); Rebecca Thompson FCIOB (Immediate Past President of the CIOB); Mandy Coleman Dublin Hub MSEC and Rachel Corbally (CIOB Ireland Business Development Manager).

CIOB News

Meet a Member

Garrett Rothwell

I

grew up in Cavan in Ballyjamesduff. I went to the Secondary School there which is called St Clare's.

I moved to Dublin when I was 18. I have lived here in the Capital since then and I studied at DIT Bolton Street. There, I undertook the diploma in Construction Technology and then the degree in Construction Economics and Management (part-time).

There was some industry background in my family. My father had a painting and decorating company. They mainly worked in the Industrial and Pharmaceutical sector.

It was there that I first gained experience in the industry – when I started working with my father’s company during the summer holidays from school and college.

Quantity Surveyor I have a company and the name is Garrett Rothwell Construction Cost Consultant.

The main projects I have been involved in over the last couple of years have included – a distillery, a data centre, a power station and projects in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors.

For me, the main reward is always a project completed and agreed with all parties.

I got involved with the CIOB during my time in college at DIT Bolton Street. I find that one of the big advantages lies in meeting other like-minded people who wish to make a difference to the industry.

Informative As for my hopes going forward, I feel that the CIOB always delivers very informative CPDs on relevant topics; for the future it would be my wish to see this continue and increase.

As regards the challenges I see facing the sector, the main challenge at the moment would be procurement of contractors and labour.

‘The main reward is always a project completed and agreed with all parties.’

1 8 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

Construction Manager of the Year Awards in Ireland

awarded gold and silver medals with one overall winner chosen from the gold medallists.

It’s entry time again!

Talent CMYA in Ireland are not like any other awards.

They showcase the best of the best talent in Ireland, and have real prestige.

CMYA winners are natural leaders who have helped to shape the industry that we have today.

It’s entry time for the Construction manager of the Year Awards in Ireland and the CMYA in Ireland team look forward to hearing your stories about the ups and downs of construction management.

Exceptional A major event for the CIOB in Ireland, the Construction Manager of the Year (CMYA) in Ireland sees winners coming from different sized companies, different value projects and different building types.

Yet, there is something in the way they inspire their teams, think innovatively

and exceed expectations that makes them stand out as exceptional individuals.

If you are that individual or know someone who is, now is the time to apply! The deadline for applications is 31 January, 2019.

The initial stages of the competition are paperbased. Those who make it to the next stage are invited to interview.

The competition will culminate with an awards dinner on 20 June next where the winners will be

For more details you can contact: Rachel Corbally Development Manager, rcorbally@ciob. org.uk +44 (0) 1344 630 848 / +353 87 783 1234 Mandy Coleman Member Services and Events Co-ordinator, mcoleman@ ciob.org.uk +44 (0) 1344 630845 / +353 (0) 87 680 0954

Congratulations to Collen Construction from all at EMD Architects - architects for Audi Centre ICI Awards Winner 2018

EMD Architects

www.emdarchitects.com info@emdarchitects.com

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 19

CIOB DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Hub in a Pub Friday 11 January at 6pm Dublin

Canada calling!

Summer ’18 saw four members of the CIOB in Ireland attend the CIOB Members’ Forum in Toronto. This annual event brings leading construction professionals together from around the world to represent the interests of CIOB members.

Items on the agenda included: the Institute’s AGM/EGM as well as meetings and workshops ranging from corporate planning to debating the future sustainability of the construction industry.

The event concluded with the CIOB President’s Inaugural Dinner at the Liberty Grand in downtown Toronto, which focused on climate change and collaboration.

Present were Gerard Graham, Michael Gallagher, Noreen Holywood and Noel McKee.

Novus BCAR CPD Thursday 24 January at 6pm DIT Bolton Street, Dublin 1

Single Leaf Masonry Construction Wednesday 30 January at 6pm DIT Bolton Street, Dublin 1

Attendance at any event can be booked by visiting www.ciob.org Enquiries: Mandy Coleman, CIOB Member Services and Events Coordinator Dublin t: +353 (0) 1 236 9851 e: mcoleman@ciob.org.uk w: www.ciob.org/events

LEFT: Attending the CIOB Members’ Forum in Toronto: Gerard Graham, Chair of CIOB Belfast Hub; Noreen Hollywood, member of CIOB Dubai Hub and newly elected member of the CIOB Education, Qualifications, Standards & Practice Board; Chris Soffe, CIOB President; Michael Gallagher, Chair of CIOB Dublin Hub and Noel McKee, member of the CIOB Business Development Board

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 17

PROJECT NOTES

Collen drives standards with Audi Centre project Retail Project of the Year Irish Construction Industry Awards 2018

C

ollen Construction attended the Irish Construction Industry Awards in Citywest having been shortlisted in five categories. Collen came away with two awards, Block H won Commercial Project of the Year and Audi Centre, profiled below, won Retail Project of the Year.

Project Brief: Construction of the new, technologically advanced flagship Audi Centre based around Audi’s newest design concept to provide an unparalleled retail experience for customers and showcase the latest Audi innovations.

The project involved demolition of the existing structure to allow for the construction of the new 8750m² 4-storey Audi Centre complete with car showrooms over two levels, mezzanine sales offices, storeroom, 2 0 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

high-tech workshop containing 18 service bays with state-of-theart technology and car parking facilities on levels 1,2 and 3.

Modern The showrooms incorporate a modern auto retail design including a high-end feature display area, customer relaxation area with interactive screens, a dedicated handover suite, Audi Café and a kids’ play area.

The building contains a ground

floor showroom consisting of a customer reception area, service reception, new car display and new car handover bays.

The first floor is accessed via an escalator and contains the main new car display showroom.

The project also included associated fitout works of the showroom and workshops etc., associated site works, drainage and a statutory services installation.

The building design is based on the Audi ‘Terminal’ design, modified by the constraints of the site and in response to the end-user requirements.

The development scheme was designed to amalgamate the functions of three existing Audi buildings in the Dublin area into a single premises.

Collen Construction – a reputation for quality and excellence

cuboid block, 34 x 33 x 16 metres high, with expansive glazed curtain walling and solid walls clad with a semi-transparent anodised aluminium honeycomb cladding.

The glazed elements reflect the curved, dynamic geometry of the building interior design.

Internally, at ground floor, the showroom block consists of the reception, service reception and new car display.

Mezzanine At first floor there is the main new car display showroom with ancillary offices and sales areas with a mezzanine floor above providing offices and staff facilities.

The ground and first floor are publicly accessible, linked vertically by escalators, lift and stairs.

The workshop /car storage area is expressed as a rectangular block, interlinked to the showroom element.

Externally, facing onto the

Collen Construction is a familyowned business established in 1810 with a strong reputation for building quality and excellence.

The company has successfully tendered and negotiated projects for a range of clients including large multinational corporations, private companies, local authorities, and state authorities.

Collen has established a reputation for providing complex projects on time and within budget. Dedicated teams work closely with design teams providing a full turnkey service to the client as required.

The management team ensures smooth co-ordination of all aspects of the project including mechanical and electrical services. The ability to consistently deliver quality and meet client parameters has often led to a partnership approach on subsequent projects with the same clients.

Drummartin Link Road, the façade is conceived as the workshop element which forms a base for the oversailing car display and storage floors above.

This base is clad in a louvred type wall cladding with a horizontal emphasis.

The upper portion is enveloped

Reflect This new building was designed to reflect the corporate identity of Audi whilst accommodating all building users and future expansion in addition to providing the most advanced customer experience.

The solution was the construction of a new ‘flagship’ building for the Audi brand in Ireland.

The new building consists of three functional elements: a multi-storey showroom, a workshop complete with high-tech servicing facility and an extensive multi-storey car display space provision; all of which form a single building block.

These disparate functions are signalled visually through the use of varying building volumes and through the selection of materials.

The showroom consists of a

ABOVE: Linda Byrne, Business Development Manager, Bunzl Cleaning and Safety Supplies presents the Retail Project of the Year award to Donal Hennessy & John Sweeney, Collen Construction, and Donal Duggan, Audi Centre.

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 21

PROJECT NOTES

2 2 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

Xxxx xxxx see ie

showroom and a water-harvesting system was installed primarily for car washing with water run-off recycled and reused through a biological filtration and cleaning system.

Solutions

in architectural cladding panels with a large opening into the usedcar display areas, accentuated by horizontal aerofoil louvres.

The east side of this area is dominated by the vehicular ramps, which are clad in vertically jointed cladding panels, in contrast to the horizontally clad building.

The building envelope was designed to include several low energy solutions and a wide range of enhanced service systems aimed at reducing energy consumption such as low energy LED lighting in the showrooms.

This new Audi Centre is now Audi’s largest retail and aftersales service centre in Ireland.

Overview: Client: Charles Hurst Group Architect: EMD Architects C&S Engineer: DBFL M&E Engineer: Baker O’Reilly Contract Value: €9.35m Floor area: 94,000sq ft Start Date: Nov 2016 Date of Completion: Nov 2017

Key Suppliers: Grange Construction & Roofing Co. Ltd Mealey Architectural Facades Leonard Engineering Larsen Contracts D.J. Kelly & Co. Ltd

Frame The architectural feature facades were supported by a complex internal steel frame that provided for the dynamic Audi design which involved curved steel work and raking support beams.

This allowed for the internal finish of the stone carpet to the curved feature walls, offset with flush mounted wall lights.

The scheme included a sustainable design including SUDS drainage provision, landscaped bioretention to supplement the attenuation area, sedum-planted green roof to the main Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 23

Lean journeys

T ABOVE: Trevor McSharry

revor McSharry is the Head of the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction at the Institute of Technology, Sligo. As a Director / Board Member of LCi (Lean Construction Ireland) Trevor has high hopes for the organisation and for Lean in Construction which he believes holds huge potential to add value.

My background is in Mechanical Engineering and it was from there that I came into the Project Management sector where, for over twelve years, I managed large and complex projects for multinationals like Wyeth (now Pfiser), Pepsi and others.

Interface As a Contract PM on the clients’ side, I would have been the interface between a company and outside contractors for large projects.

For one large multinational company, I developed a programme management process for all Capital and non-Capital projects, which was instrumental in the company achieving its production targets.

I managed large Capital projects involving

equipment, facilities and warehousing. That was a core competency for me.

I also had exposure to manufacturing through various companies that I worked with – and I became familiar with very efficient modes of operation such as Lean Six Sigma and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).

I became used to the mindset of ensuring that you reflected on projects completed, lessons learned and feedback so that processes could be updated and colleagues empowered with the knowledge of what went well or, indeed, otherwise.

There was continuous improvement therefore and I was always very conscious of the need for this and of constantly getting better as a Project Manager and also of sharing information and developing strong relationships with clients at the same time.

I started lecturing in PM and Design and Autocad and then took up the role of Head of Department of Civil Engineering and Construction in Sligo seven years ago – taking a lot of transferrable skills.

Drawn to it When I saw the Lean Construction Ireland initiative I was automatically drawn to it because it linked in with my background. In PM, we were automatically taking on board basic principles of Last Planner and early contractor engagement, just through common sense.

Systems and processes are a passion of mine. In LCi I could see the huge opportunity as the construction

My Lean Journey

2 4 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

sector is so fragmented and can be lacking in systems – and I see what huge value it can bring.

I am also involved in the Construction IT Alliance.

I chair the North West BIM Region where we are looking at technology as a catalyst for change in the construction sector.

We are seeing how technology can help improve efficiency of projects through proper communications and data management and stakeholder involvement, I’ve always seen BIM as a component of the big picture – it is a Lean tool and addresses a lot of issues in the construction sector.

But Lean is the bigger picture from first enquiry through to the handover. BIM and Lean work really well together and are mutually supportive.

If you have a Lean process with good clear process flow and everyone knows the steps and there are templates, tools and checklists for all different steps then you can easily incorporate BIM – but to incorporate BIM onto a supply chain that is unclear and vague would be problematic.

'The mistakes I see include going ahead into fancy tools that may be the current buzz without the basics being right.'

Advice

Common mistakes

As regards the challenges in general, I see a lot of confusion around what Lean is and where is the most appropriate starting point.

I see companies going into the deep end straight away – perhaps using fancy tools without just getting the basics right.

The advice would be to first develop a Process Flow Diagram of the entire supply chain of the company (including design, procurement, construction and handover phases).

That, in itself, is a huge tool to add clarity over steps, sequences, roles and responsibilities of staff.

Creating one that is representative of what actually happens is a huge undertaking but well worthwhile.

Sometimes there is so much confusion that no one steps back to look at the big picture to see ‘what is it we actually do?’ and ‘what is the first step / what is the step after that and is it always that? / and who does it?’

The first point is what do you do NOW? Optimise it.

Think about it logically and work it through.

Include best practice such as routine meeting minutes, having handover meetings from design to

The mistakes I see include going ahead into fancy tools that may be the current buzz without the basics being right.

The approach of Lean is to start with the foundations of standardisation and you achieve this with a Process Flow chart and identifying who does what.

And then it’s about developing procedures around those so it becomes a standard way of working.

When you find improvements or find an innovation that is working then standardize them. You do that on an incremental basis with a continuous improvement process in place.

Then you can use your tools to enhance and get further traction. But for it to be sustainable, you have to change the culture of the whole organisation.

I’ve recently done a Lean and BIM course in Salford University and the key message is sustainability – as it fizzles out by itself if the people are not behind it!

It is a continuous improvement process. For people to embrace it fully and it to be continuously improving you need to really believe it and see the benefits and be empowered.

construction phases / construction phases to client, ‘lessons learned’ meetings etc.

And embed these things into the process so that they actually happen.

That first step is very basic. It doesn’t even need to be called Lean. It is just developing that Process Flow diagram of what is actually happening.

Future Looking forward I see there are good synergies there for the future and I‘m hoping these can be leveraged on in LCi. There are also regional events happening and they are looking at one for Galway as we speak.

I think the LCi website can also be a really good portal to use as a resource for understanding Lean.

In particular, the Lean audit tools are a great way for a company to identify Lean waste sources.

It can help with user friendly information and in letting people know what tools to use depending on what stage they are at – and their scale

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 25

Lean journeys

Lean Construction – where did it come from, where is it heading, and where can I learn more?

I recently interviewed two of the ‘Godparents’ of Lean Construction (LC) – Professors Glenn Ballard and Lauri Koskela. So, in follow up to my last CMi article, I wanted to share some key points from our conversation including where LC originated from, where the future is heading...and for those serious about changing how projects are designed and delivered and where you can learn more, writes Paul Ebbs.

I

n 1990/91, Glenn Ballard and Greg Howell identified an anomaly that the planned percentage complete (PPC) of site activities each week averaged only 54%. They wanted to understand why the planned activity completion rate was only as reliable as a flip of a coin.

The term ‘Lean Construction’ was coined by Lauri Koskela in 1992, following ‘blue skies’ research into how Lean production could be adapted to construction.

‘Lean’, due to the popularity of the concept in other industries – and ‘Construction’ as the reference to the entire AECFM (Architectural, Engineering, Construction, Facility Management) sector – i.e. project delivery, not just the execution phase of projects as it is often misunderstood.

Meeting In 1992, Ballard and Koskela met in Stanford University. What emerged from their meeting was that the theories of production (how work gets done) and value generation (what needs to be done) were missing from construction management science.

Koskela’s focus on developing a new theory for construction and Ballard & Howell’s desire to develop and prototype new knowledge and practice (e.g. Last Planner® System) led directly 2 6 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

to the formation of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC) in Finland in 1993 – six people attended in total which included Luis Alarcón (another Godparent of LC).

Other Professors (and Godparents) including Iris Tommelein, Carlos Formoso, Christine Pasquire and Rafael Sacks joined the community in subsequent years.

Integrated Today, the IGLC is an integrated network and community of researchers in practice and academia who are developing new thinking, knowledge and practices being used by pioneering Lean AECFM organisations.

The research output of the IGLC is showcased at annual conferences which rotate between continents.

IGLC 2018 took place in Chennai, India and included a workshop day, industry day, 3-day research conference and 2-day PhD summer school over 7 consecutive days.

Ireland hosts IGLC 2019 (www. iglc2019.com). It promises to be the largest IGLC yet with workshops on the leading edge of Lean project delivery practice (including DPR’s Simple Framework for Integrating Project Delivery), keynotes from global leaders, current best practice international and local case studies along with the latest

research and thinking.

Many of the Lean principles, methods and practices used by today’s AECFM sector stem from the IGLC community (e.g. Last Planner® System; Target Value Delivery; VDC).

Foundation The IGLC (www.iglc.net) laid the foundation for the establishment of the Lean Construction Institute (LCI) US in 1997, and subsequent LCI affiliate organisations around the globe starting with LCI Denmark in 2001.

Many others followed including Peru, Australia, UK (2005), and Ireland (2014).

At present, approximately 25 affiliated LCI organisations exist from Russia to New Zealand.

Between 1998 and 2001, LCI US published a series of 12 white papers as the first attempt to translate the language of Lean production into the construction domain.

From 2001, Howell, Koskela and others began diving further into project management theory at IGLC conferences to try and explain the phenomena of Lean and figure out why Lean projects were routinely delivering exceptional results.

Practice However, while the theory and philosophy underpinning LC was beginning to unfold, practice was beginning to outpace theoretical development in California, where IPD (Integrated Project Delivery), BIM, Target Value Design (now Delivery) and other Lean concepts were being adopted by Sutter Health – an owner and private health care organisation.

Around 2000, California’s seismic code requirements mandated upgrading acute care facilities to ensure their operation could be maintained during and after earthquakes.

Retrofitting existing buildings to that standard was not financially feasible and a raft of new facilities was required.

In 2003, Sutter Health engaged with LCI to apply the latest Lean thinking and methods to project delivery based on two key drivers to ensure the business case for new facilities could be justified: 1. Projects were routinely and chronically late, over budget, and experiencing claims 2. Sutter Health becoming the preferred customer for the suppliers of design and construction services.

In 2004, LCI established the first Community of Practice (CoP) in Northern California to share local current best practices and disseminate the new knowledge and practice being developed.

Expand LCI membership began to expand quickly. Over 30 CoPs now exist, many of these are linked with academic research partners such as UC Berkeley, UC Stanford, San Diego State University, Michigan State University and Texas AM. In 2005, Ballard and Tommelein established the Project Production Systems Laboratory (P2SL) at Berkeley in response to the demand from Sutter Health’s design and construction partners for help to develop the new knowledge and practices required for Lean project delivery.

Sutter Health was a willing investor to experiment in new ways to deliver projects.

Project teams were selected based on their willingness to learn what they did not know, rather than their ability to deliver projects based on what they always did – i.e. willingness to learn and experiment had to be demonstrated.

Essentially, this was a game changer for Lean in California, but why only there?

ABOVE: Dean Reed, Leonardo Rischmoller and Atul Khanzode (DPR Construction) facilitating the ‘Simple Framework for Integrating Project Delivery’ workshop at IGLC 2018

University (NTU) on a similar path to P2SL. The guiding principal was to relate research to practice.

Today, a large proportion of work undertaken at the Centre is with and within companies willing to experiment with new ideas and incorporate them into their processes and production systems.

The Project Production Institute (PPI) emerged from Stanford in 2013 and is heavily focused on VDC (Virtual Design & Construction) as the strategy for integrating Lean, BIM, Integrated Concurrent Engineering and Big Room to deliver exceptional project results.

Where is all this heading you may wonder? Well, the results are out there.

Understanding It is no longer about proof of concept but about understanding how a Lean strategy, culture, mindset, and leadership is established on projects to foster desirable behaviours such as trust, respect, empathy, responsibility, accountability, and transparency.

There are a number of hot topics being explored at the Centre for Lean Projects. The latest research output is showcased annually at NTU. Next year will include a mixture of activities, presentations and discussions on the role of language in communicating and coordinating action, how moods can facilitate or stifle project progress, how collaborative costing is evolving in the UK, how TVD is being used in practice, and how new thinking that integrates risk management into project production planning and control systems is being used to produce reliable workflow.

So are you really serious about changing how projects are delivered?

Are you ready and interested to learn more?

Well, these conferences should be on your radar Centre for Lean Projects (20 Feb 19); IGLC (1–7 July 19); and Lean In the Public Sector – LIPS (Dec 19).

Supported Well, according to Koskela and Ballard California’s eco-system supported Lean and advanced pioneers like Sutter Health, DPR, Boldt, and Southland Industries were deeply engaged with LCI and local Universities Berkeley and Stanford to innovate through research.

In 2011, Pasquire set up the Centre for Lean Projects at Nottingham Trent

Paul Ebbs is the conference chair of IGLC Ireland 2019. He is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Lean Projects and the Managing Director of Umstot Solutions Ireland Ltd. and can be contacted at paul.ebbs@umstotsolutions.com

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 27

Tech Talk

W

e’ve recently introduced SIMS by Quinn to the marketplace. The term stands for Super Insulated Masonry System.

It consists of a single leaf Quinn Lite thermal block built using thin joint mortar, with an external wall insulation and render system.

The external wall insulation comprises an insulation layer which is typically expanded polystyrene (EPS), mechanically fixed or adhered, or a combination of both, back to the Quinn Lite thermal block.

Onto that, we apply a base coat, a glass fibre reinforcing mesh, a key coat, and then finish with either acrylic, silicone, or a monocouche render.

Internally, it can be finished with either traditional sand cement, a thin coat spray on plaster, or plasterboard on dabs.

Thin joint technology Thin joint mortar is a polymer modified cement-based mortar.

It generally comes in a 25kg bag and you simply add water and mix it with a paddle mixer on site.

The mortar is applied in 3mm thickness, so your joint thickness is only 3mm, and it’s applied using a scoop with a serrated edge, quite like a tiling trowel.

The scoop ensures an even spread of mortar across the course at a consistent 3mm joint thickness.

The strength of the mortar is typically 10N/mm2, so it’s much stronger than traditional sand cement mortar.

A key feature is that it’s very quick setting. Initial setting takes place around 10 minutes, and the mortar is fully set in 1-2 hours, which means that, from a health and safety viewpoint,

2 8 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

A rapid build system currently being promoted

by Quinn Building Products forms the basis of a current CPD training course for CIOB members in Ireland. The system is called SIMS and Jason Martin of the Quinn Technical Team explains what it is and how it works.

SIMS by Quinn – what are the benefits? you’re not restricted to the coursing height you can build in one day.

You can build a storey height in a day and another storey height the following day, which means that you can build your external wall faster, get your roof on faster, and get your internal trades in faster.

So speed of build is one of the key benefits of using thin joint mortar.

Single leaf v cavity wall So how does SIMS compare to traditional cavity wall construction?

Figure A shows a typical 350mm wide cavity wall, with 100mm inner leaf, 100mm outer leaf, separated by 150mm cavity, with your insulation in the cavity.

Figure B shows the makeup of a SIMS

constructed wall, with 215mm wide single leaf Quinn Lite block. To achieve the same thermal performance as the wall in Figure A, we only need 140mm of EPS insulation on the exterior.

Rapid Build From a speed of build point of view, we can clearly see the structure in Figure A has 6 blocks with associated wall ties etc. to build, whereas the SIMS wall in Figure B only requires 3 blocks to gain the same height.

So already, SIMS is twice as quick to build than your traditional cavity wall construction.

In addition, it has been proven that building using thin joint mortar is 20% faster than building traditional sand cement mortar.

That being the case, and combined with the reduced number of blocks, building your external leaf of your building using SIMS is 60% faster than traditional cavity wall construction.

This means you get your external wall built more quickly so that you can make the building weather-tight much sooner.

Your internal trades can start much faster and you can then start your external insulation system whenever it suits.

Strength Moving on to strength and looking at the structural properties of the wall, we’ve had an independent study carried out on a typical gable end wall of a semi-detached house.

The study compared the traditional 350mm cavity wall represented in Figure C with the SIMS wall represented in Figure D. There was a nominal lateral load

Tech Talk

applied to each wall of 1.05KN/ m2, replicating wind load.

The study revealed that on the traditional cavity wall, only a maximum load of 100KN/m could be applied on the wall.

With the same lateral load applied to the single leaf Quinn Lite wall built with thin joint mortar, a 291KN/m load could be applied.

We can see from these results that SIMS is almost three times stronger than traditional wall construction for the same wall thickness, which is another significant benefit to the system.

We also carried out the study on a 150mm Quinn Lite wall built with thin joint mortar, and it was still twice as strong as the cavity wall represented in Figure A. Thermal performance If we look at thermal performance in terms of U-values and Psi values, SIMS by Quinn will easily help achieve superior thermal performance.

U-values The makeup of a SIMS wall has two thermal elements, the Quinn Lite aircrete thermal block and the EPS insulation.

So, you can achieve any U-value you wish using SIMS as you’re not restricted to the amount of insulation you can apply on the wall exterior.

With cavity wall construction, the amount of insulation you can use is restricted by the width of your cavity, and therefore, so are the achievable U-values.

If your cavity gets any wider than 150mm, you’re into structural wall ties and more expense.

So you are restricted by your cavity in Figure A, whereas in the SIMS wall, you don’t have the same restriction. You can

get U-values down as low as 0.12 using 190mm of external EPS insulation.

The use of thin joint technology in SIMS construction also helps to achieve better U-values. The 3mm mortar thickness is much thinner than your traditional mortar joint, significantly reducing your repeating thermal bridges throughout the blockwork, further improving the U-value of your wall.

This improved thermal performance is another key benefit of using thin joint technology and SIMS by Quinn.

Psi values Again, because you have two thermal elements in the wall structure, the aircrete blocks and EPS insulation, your thermal bridging Psi values are going to be very good.

The ideal scenario when designing a building is to create a box and fully wrap that box in insulation.

Obviously, that’s not entirely possible due to windows, doors, junctions, etc. but by using Quinn Lite aircrete blocks to form the thermal and structural elements, and then wrapping that in external insulation, you can easily achieve excellent Psi values and thermal performance throughout the building.

So, from a thermal performance perspective, SIMS is a very good solution.

Air tightness Using thin joint technology with 3mm mortar joints gives a very good air tightness in that it doesn’t dry away from the block in the same way that traditional sand cement mortar does, so the joints between the blocks are going to be very airtight using thin joint mortar.

In SIMS, your airtight layer is going to

be on the outside of the block, between your block and your insulation, as opposed to the inside of the block, which means you can track and chase the inside of the block and you’re not affecting the integrity of the air tightness layer or barrier in the wall.

So when it comes to air tightness, SIMS provides a better solution.

Zero condensation risk By putting the insulation on the outside of the wall, there’s no risk of interstitial condensation because the dew point is on the outside of your wall.

We often see in new builds or retrofits, insulation being put on the inside of the block work. This draws the dew point to the inside of the block work which can lower the internal surface temperature leading to interstitial condensation and mould growth.

So, with the insulation positioned on the outside of the block work in SIMS, we’re eliminating the risk of interstitial condensation completely.

Cost effective SIMS is a cost-effective method of construction. We’ve had an independent study carried out by a Quantity Surveyor, comparing the costs of SIMS versus timber frame and traditional masonry.

It’s coming in cheaper than timber frame. It’s slightly more expensive than traditional masonry construction, but the speed of build far outweighs the difference in cost between SIMS and traditional masonry construction.

And that additional cost can be taken back through the speed of build.

Call +44 28 67748866 or email technical@quinnbuildingroducts.com.

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 29

Tech Talk Thermal Bridging

M

ark Bowman of Marmox (UK) Ltd. offers readers an insight into tackling heat loss at the problematic floor-wall junction in masonry and hybrid constructions.

Modern methods of countering cold-bridging

T

he building industry has been presented with a bewildering multitude of system solutions, often featuring off-site technologies and unfamiliar materials, not always suited to our climatic conditions or our workforce’s inherent skillset.

Traditional The truth is that while panelised or modular designs – especially timber based systems – have gained market share, the wider industry remains more comfortable with what are still referred to as ‘traditional’ designs.

However, driven by increasingly more onerous energy reduction targets, masonry construction has metamorphosed from the basic brick and block cavity work which dominated the midtwentieth century, to offering specifiers a selection of well-engineered wall constructions, able to meet modern performance standards.

Lightweight or aircrete blockwork inner leafs, often combined with full cavity fill insulation, and measures such as parge coats, have seen heat loss and air leakage through the external envelope drastically reduced.

In fact hybrid traditional masonry constructions have even proved themselves capable of creating properties designed to the coveted German PassivHaus standard.

3 0 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

There remain, though, enduring challenges for consultants and contractors in maintaining continuity of insulation at particularly vulnerable areas of the envelope: essentially in preventing thermal-bridging at places like the window reveals or the floor-wall junction.

Physically, these thermal bridges create cold spots inside the building, which lead to problems of condensation and mould growth, with consequent health issues for occupants.

Significance Approximately, 30% of a building’s heat loss can result from these areas and, as properties have become better performing overall, the significance of thermal bridges has grown disproportionally.

To counter their impact, the SEAI have loaded the DEAP calculation to punish poor detailing with an exaggerated Y value, with elements such as steel lintels bridging cavities being obvious weak spots.

However, it is the floor – wall junction often accounting for up to two-thirds of thermal bridge losses – which has been singled out for the toughest treatment.

Taking the Transition Heat Transfer Coefficient (HTB) for the materials making the bridge and dividing it by the surface area of the building provides the

FINAL AW H/P Ad Construction Management IR.qxp_Layout 1 31/07/2018 15:47 Page 1

Addresses cold bridging at the wall-floor junction

ABOVE: Marmox Thermoblock exploded view

y-value but the DEAP calculation offers an alternative approach to assessing the effect of thermal bridges.

The ‘Default’ approach means adopting a y-value of 0.15 W/m2K: the equivalent of having a hole the size of a garage door in the wall of a house, then there are Acceptable Details which will reduce the imaginary hole by nearly half with a y-value of 0.08 W/m2K. Best by far though is to use Thermally Modelled Junctions which are rewarded with much lower y-values.

The conundrum then for the specifier is to identify an insulation with a high enough insulation value to extend the heat path around the junction and thereby cut heat loss, but still be able to support substantial structural loadings.

The solution developed by Marmox – adopted by countless consultants and loved by bricklayers for its simplicity of use – is a product known as Thermoblock.

Offering an installed length of 600mm and available in widths of 100, 140 and 215mm, Thermoblocks transmit the load of the wall above though a series of high strength concrete columns.

These though are surrounded in XPS insulation, to account for 85% of the total crosssection area and thereby minimise heat loss.

This offers a combined thermal conductivity of 0.047 W/mK to input into the calculations.

The blocks feature a stepped interlock to which Marmox Multibond Sealant is normally applied, while a top and bottom surface of micro-fibre reinforced polymer concrete creates an excellent mortar key, and at 65 mm in height the horizontal band of Thermoblocks is the same depth as a course of bricks.

The vertical columns of concrete have a compressive strength of 9.0 N/mm2 and enables them to be used within buildings up to three stories, including non-domestic structures.

For further information contact: Marmox (UK) Ltd. Caxton house 101-103 Hopewell Drive, Chatham, Kent ME5 7NP. Tel: 0044 1634 835290 Fax: 0044 1634 835299 Email: sales@marmox.co.uk web: www.marmox.co.uk

Marmox Thermoblock reduces heat loss and saves on energy costs

+ Low thermal conductivity + Use at the wall–floor junction + Replaces brick or block layer + Very high strength (9N/mm2) + Unaffected by moisture + Guaranteed low Ψ values

(part of bre’s certified thermal products scheme)

Request your copy of the Marmox Thermoblock Brochure quoting ref: MXT18

HIGH INSULATION

+ STRONG + LIGHTWEIGHT

BUILT- IN PERFORMANCE

Reduce heat loss at the base of walls Marmox gives you more!

T +44 (0)1634 835290

E sales@marmox.co.uk W www.marmox.co.uk

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 31

Tech Talk Wetrooms

Certified safety for wetrooms Botament offers complete systems from a single source

W

ater is the ultimate source of energy for all life on Earth – and often it is also used to express a kind of joie de vivre or living in comfort.

Challenges For builders and materials used in bathrooms, however, water can quickly turn into a nightmarish factor posing huge challenges.

Wetrooms or sanitation areas are therefore subject to particularly stringent specifications when it comes to structural design and physical fabric.

Botament provides the ideal system solutions for wetrooms: reliable, ETAGcertified and all from a single source.

As a supplier of complete product systems for bathrooms and wetrooms, Botament has been producing top-quality building boards 3 2 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

and innovative construction chemicals, all of which stem from the company’s own R&D.

Benefit As a result, developers, contractors and planners benefit from perfectly matched and harmonised products and systems.

The reason for this is simple: Botament complete systems facilitate an easy assembly or installation, which in turn means quick work progress.

What’s more, using the waterproof wall panels and shower boards reduces the area that requires waterproofing: only the joints need to be sealed and made watertight, not the entire surface area!

Thanks to sealing tapes and adhesive sealants, which are part of the system, this is now a mere formality, saving a huge amount of time and money.

‘Botament provides the ideal system solutions for wetrooms.’

The recently achieved accreditation in accordance with the European Technical Approval Guidelines or ETAG for short, serves as additional guarantor, ensuring a safe and reliable outcome when using Botament’s wetroom solutions in wetrooms and sanitation areas.

Using certified Botament systems gives both developers and workmen the security that comes with a system that has Europe-wide approval and is also being monitored across Europe.

Botament is currently the only supplier that manufactures waterproof building and shower boards, construction chemicals and all other related system products that enjoy the certification, inhouse, except for the tape and the product MS 6.

This way the company is able to control quality, functionality and safety of all system components.

Proof Moreover, the European Technical Approval Guidelines can be regarded as independent proof about performance characteristics in the way that harmonised standards safeguard these as well.

That’s why Botament waterproofing kits carry the CE symbol – a further guarantor of maximum security for both the executing contractor and the developer in terms of performance and quality.

From simple building boards right down to specialist tile adhesives – Botament has the right product for any type of wetroom need or scenario and opens up a wealth of creative possibilities to design bathrooms and wetrooms to realise unique individual dreams.

MC-Building Chemicals Müller and Partners, Killycard, Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan 042-975 1520 www.botament.com

Before

SOLUTIONS FOR WET SPACES

Wetroom Solutions (WRS)

BUILDING BO AR & CONSTRUC DS TION CHEMICALS

THE ETAG-CER ONE-STOP-SHO TIFIED, P-SOLUTION

Botament WRS (or Wetroom Solution) the reliable solutions for any wet space!

Why? Building boards and shower boards = 100% watertight!

Building and shower boards watertight without the need for additional sealing

Botament is currently the only company that manufactures ETAG-certified construction chemicals and building boards inhouse - truly a one-stop-shop!

The benefit: full warranty protection for developers and tradesmen alike!

MC-Building Chemicals Müller and Partners Killycard Castleblayney Co. Monaghan 042-975 1520 www.botament.com

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 33

HOW THE LAND LIES

In this issue we present an extract from the CIS Q2 Construction Activity Report which provides a comparative analysis for the first half of 2018 with the equivalent period in previous years. To request this free report in full, please email donnaquinn@cisireland. com and it will be delivered to you in PDF format

Construction projects at on-site stage in the Republic of Ireland T

he volume of projects OnSite was down 5% on the first half (H1) of 2017 (Fig.1).

A majority of sectors have experienced a drop off in activity with the exception of Residential, Community & Sport and Industrial.

Just over 1,280 projects moved On-Site in H1 2018. Residential is by far the biggest sector in volume terms with 320 projects commencing in this period.

In a continuing trend from Q1 2018, Education is still the sector with the biggest decline. Only 113 projects commenced, down 305 on the same period last year.

On a regional basis, Leinster and Ulster ROI have shown positive growth in volume terms for the period, with Ulster ROI up 10% on the corresponding period last year.

Munster is down 15% and Dublin is now 16% below the levels of the same period last year with 358 projects on site in the first 6 months of 2018.

3 4 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

The value of projects On-Site is up 7% on the same period in 2017, with almost €4bn worth of projects commencing in the first six months of 2018.

Almost €1.3bn worth of housing projects alone have begun, up from just under €1bn in H1 2017.

Construction projects at plans-granted stage in the Republic of Ireland The volume of projects granted planning in the first half of 2018 has increased by 6% on the same period last year.

Residential is the best performing

sector with a 20% increase in the volume of projects granted planning (476 multi-unit applications approved up from 398 last year).

As can be seen from Fig. 2, the largest sector by volume is Agriculture with almost 800 projects granted, an increase of 13% on H1 2017.

Only two sectors have fallen in volume terms but the decline is minimal in both the Community & Sport and Commercial & Retail sectors.

On a regional basis, all areas have experienced an increase in volumes apart from Dublin, down 11%, and Ulster ROI, down 3% The outlook from our analysis is more positive when we look at data in monetary terms as there has been an increase of 34%, with over €5.25bn in projects granted planning in the first half of 2018, up from €3.8bn in H1 2017.

Every region is in positive territory when we look at the data in value terms with Munster up 83% with three projects worth over €150m each on the horizon.

Construction projects at plans-submitted stage in the Republic of Ireland The overall volume of projects submitted for planning has decreased by 1% when compared with H1 2017 (Fig. 3).

In a turnaround of sorts most sectors have experienced negative growth rates with the exception of Residential, Industrial and Agriculture.

The worst performing sector is Community & Sport which is down 29% on the same period last year.

The Medical & Care Residential is

The overall volume of projects submitted for planning has decreased by 1% when compared with H1 2017 (Fig. 3).

submitted for planning in the first six months of 2018, up from just over €5.5bn in H1 2017.

Residential has almost €2.5bn in projects submitted for planning in the period under review.

On a regional basis almost all regions have shown strong growth with the exception of Munster which was down 32%.

also down 255 projects on H1 2017.

The best performing sectors are Agriculture and Residential which are up 12% and 13% respectively.

On a regional basis, only Leinster and Munster have grown in volume terms, up 12% respectively, while all other regions have declined somewhat.

The value of projects submitted for planning has increased by 1% with over €5.6bn worth of projects

Volume and value of construction projects added/updated on CIS Online in H1 2018

Sector

Volume

Value

Agriculture

1,115

€456m

Civil and Utilities

733

€7.5bn

Commercial

1,167

€3.1bn

Community and Sport

789

€415m

Education

731

€573m

Hospitality

482

€2.1bn

Industrial

641

€2.9bn

Medical

280

€1bn

Residential

1,867

€8.8bn

Winter 018 | Construction Management | 35

Out & About

‘And the winners are...’

The Irish Construction Industry Awards 2018 finalists were announced at a glittering Black Tie event this summer. And the winners were as follows...

Project Manager of the year

Construction Project of the Year

Catherine House, Portsmouth, submitted by McAleer & Rushe

Block 3, Charlemont Regeneration, submitted by JJ Rhatigan & Company

Block H, Central Park, submitted

by Collen Construction

Timothy Bouchier-Hayes

Contractor of the year JJ Rhatigan & Company

Turner & Townsend

Architecture Practice of the year Jennings Design Studio

Consultancy of the year

Ethos Engineering

40 Molesworth Street, submitted

by MCA Architects

Sub contractor of the year

Industrial project of the year

LMC Group

Pilz Ireland, submitted

by Cook Architects

Construction Product of the year Designer of the year Gavin Wheatley - Plus Architecture

3 6 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

Commercial project of the year – small

IN2 Engineering Design Partnership

Hi-therm+ Lintel - Keystone Lintels

Engineering Firm of the year

International project of the year

Commercial Project of the year – large

Construction Industry Leader 2018

Project Management firm of the year

George McKitterick - ACB Group Design & Construct

Retail project of the year Audi Centre, submitted by Collen Construction

ABOVE:Gerard de Brún, Commercial Director, Fiontar Safety Management, presents the Engineering Firm of the Year award to the Ethos Engineering team

ABOVE:David Harpur, Managing Director, Diatec, presents the Contractor of the Year award to the JJ Rhatigan & Company team

ABOVE: Alan Bateson, Managing Director, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Ireland, presents the Construction Industry Leader 2018 award to Timothy Bouchier-Hayes

Tourism and hospitality project of the year

Conservation project of the year

The Apple Market, Waterford, submitted by dhb Architects

Medieval Mile Museum, Kilkenny, submitted by Duggan Brothers

Health project of the year

BIM initiative of the year

Enniskillen Ambulance Station, submitted by FORRME

Multinational Data Centre Campus – John Sisk & Son

Education project of the year

Innovation in construction

Le Chéile Secondary School, Tyrrelstown, submitted by Glasgiven Contracts

Ardmac's Lean Strategy

Green project of the year Central Bank of Ireland, submitted

by O'Connor Sutton Cronin (M&E)

ABOVE: Alan Fogarty, Partner, Cundall, presents the Tourism & Hospitality Project of the Year award to Máire Henry, dhb Architects.

Excellence in sustainability O'Connor Sutton Cronin (M&E)

Excellence in health and safety Roadbridge

Residential project of the year – large

Residential project of the year – small

Excellence in education and training

Block 3, Charlemont Regeneration, submitted by JJ Rhatigan & Company

House on Burrow Beach, submitted by Plus Architecture

Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology & Carey Building Contractors

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 37

Careers & Training

The more things change

T

ony Harrison stepped down this year as chair of the TechnoTeachers Association on his retirement from teaching. Not surprisingly, we find him in reflective mood!

1983. The Internet is created, IBM introduces a new PC, Microsoft Word is launched, Motorola produces the first mobile phone and Nintendo markets an arcade game called, ‘Mario Bros’.

Meetings At the first staff meeting of my teaching career the principal announces that she’s just returned from a conference at which she was told: ‘the new illiterate will be those who can’t use computers’.

The race was on!

In my subject areas – Building Construction, Woodwork and Technical Drawing, the emphasis had been mostly practical.

Students learned by doing and through employing practical skills, combined with theoretical knowledge.

Exams included practical test elements as well as theory tests. The examination tested a broad range of student abilities.

The successful went on to college and various branches of the construction industry. Some ventured into apprenticeships, others joined teaching courses.

Every student who completed the course at second level would have a greater knowledge and understanding of the design and construction of their own home, the value of insulation and good detailing and maybe even the confidence to take on some woodworking

in their own homes.

These subjects had practical benefits as well as providing the stepping stones of ‘points’ to further education.

Content Over the last 35 years the course content has changed and developed. The subject names have changed and the technological innovations of 1983 have been adopted and adapted to meet the changing needs of the subject area.

Computer Aided Design, CAD, is not just used as an educational tool but as an integral part of the assessment of Design and Communication Graphics.

The focus on ‘design thinking’ and the use of practical skills to create a product has replaced the former designated set-task challenges.

Students must now use their knowledge and practical skills in a creative way to produce a solution to a new problem.

For a world where such creativity is valued, surely our students must be well placed to take advantage.

course content and the project work as appealing as possible to all students.

However, challenges from old perceptions, other subject interests within schools and even career guidance still play a role in female students' subject choice.

However there is one encouraging and rather remarkable statistic. Over the last 40 years the number of students taking these subjects has increased four-fold; students are voting with their feet.

2019.

September will see the introduction of a new Junior Cycle course for all Technological subjects. In line with the concerns expressed by my former Principal, the new course content will be ‘future proofed’ through the inclusion of appropriate computer technology.

Students will continue to encounter the idea of design creativity, greater environmental awareness and the acquisition of practical skills, together with advances in technology.

While things have changed over the last three and a half decades, some essentials endure.

Students still enjoy ‘making’. From plasticine, play-dough and papier maché in playschool, the urge to use our minds and hands to create and fashion brings a satisfaction

that still remains unrivalled.

The enthusiasm and hunger to learn new, practical skills is undiminished. The sense of achievement and pride students discover in creating a unique product brings its own special reward.

I have been very fortunate to share this experience with them over the years.

Remember In an age when games on mobile phones and games consoles threaten to turn our youngsters into tech zombies we would do well as educators to remember this.

Perhaps ‘Fortnite’ (the new ‘Mario’) might yet have to compete for their minds! Technology and computers need to take their place in education but they cannot replace it!

On behalf of all at CMi we wish Tony Harrison well for the future!

Increase Traditionally these subjects were viewed as ‘boys only’ territory, and, while the number of girls involved is still low, there is a steady annual increase.

Teachers are aware of this gender imbalance and strive to make the classroom,

3 8 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

March/April 2018 | Construction Management | 38

I

T Sligo’s Department of Civil Engineering and Construction have developed Ireland’s largest portfolio of online parttime construction related programmes from certificate to Masters level. With highly educated and researchactive staff, the department works closely with industry and professional bodies to incorporate best practices within its programmes, which are very accessible both on a part-time online and full-time basis, writes Trevor McSharry (left), head of the department of Civil Engineering and Construction

Over the past 10 years, IT Sligo has seen a significant increase in demand from industry for online part-time programmes, particularly for the construction sector.

As a result, it has introduced many new programmes and now caters for learners who want to upskill for Level 6 certificate to Level 9 Masters in areas such as Construction Management, Project Management, Quantity Surveying and Road and Transport Engineering.

IT Sligo is Ireland’s largest provider of online part-time accredited education in Ireland and has evolved its offering through ongoing research and development to ensure the student receives high quality, state-of-theart accredited education, delivered in a convenient way, which does not require associated travel time or costs.

IT Sligo’s model allows students to attend live online evening classes each week or access recordings if they are otherwise occupied due to work or family demands.

New Masters in Project Management In September 2017, a new part-time online MSc in Project Management was validated and launched, which is the first course of its kind to meet the construction industry’s demand for post grad education in project management, BIM and Lean Construction.

ABOVE: Recent graduation at IT Sligo

IT Sligo – Upskilling Ireland’s construction sector through online part-time education IT Sligo’s new course in project management was nominated for a national Irish Construction Excellence (ICE) award.

Recognising the demand for skills in project management in the construction sector, IT Sligo’s academic staff designed the course in conjunction with the college’s ties with Construction IT Alliance (CitA), Lean Construction Ireland (LCi) and the Project Management Institute (PMI).

As a result of IT Sligo’s relationship with these stakeholders, the programme incorporates the latest industry best practices, including Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Lean Construction.

The course has been structured to incorporate the already successful Post Grad Certificate in Project Management as an embedded award, which has been running since 2012.

In addition, new constructionfocused embedded Special Purpose Awards (SPAs) have been created such as the Post Grad Certificate in BIM and Lean Construction Management, Post Grad Certificate in Strategic Construction Management and Post Grad Certificate in Procurement, Law and Finance.

The MSc in Project Management (complete with embedded awards) is delivered fully online part-time and has a national and international reach.

Professional accreditation In order to ensure programmes have international recognition and industry best practices incorporated, IT Sligo has worked closely with the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland (SCSI) and Engineers Ireland to achieve and maintain Winter 2018| Construction Management | 39

Careers & Training

ABOVE: Dr David Collery promoting construction digital technologies at IT Sligo’s Engineering Expo

their programme accreditation.

The CIOB accredit IT Sligo’s very popular BSc in Construction Management (Part time), BSc (Hons) Construction Project Management as well as the BSc/BSc (Hons) in Quantity Surveying (Part-time and full-time).

They also accredit the BSc in Advanced Wood and Sustainable Building Technology programme.

In 2017, the SCSI accredited the BSc (hons) in Construction Project Management, which will enable graduates to achieve SCSI Chartered Project Manager status.

This was the first level 8 programme in Ireland to achieve this accolade. SCSI also accredit IT Sligo’s BSc (Hons) in Quantity surveying, which is delivered part-time online and full-time.

Engineering Expo In May 2018, IT Sligo held their annual Engineering Expo, which attracted a significant number of secondary schools from the region to hear about careers in engineeringrelated areas from IT Sligo staff, local companies and graduates.

Students from the School of Engineering and Design showcased their award year projects to industry 4 0 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

representatives. A huge variety of projects were on display.

This day-long event was open to the public and had students across all the engineering disciplines (Mechanical, Electronic, Mechatronic, Civil and Environmental) display over 90 final year individual and group projects.

Each project had a poster presentation on display and many projects had a prototype on display in various labs and workshops.

‘Ireland’s construction sector has a very positive future.’

The Department of Civil Engineering and Construction promoted the exciting careers available within the construction sector as well as the use of digital technologies such as BIM and VR together with lean construction techniques.

Lean construction Staff at IT Sligo are research-active in the areas of BIM and Lean Construction and actively seek opportunities to

feed best practices into full-time and part-time curriculum.

Many staff have completed Lean construction training and have identified areas where Lean can be embedded in existing modules such as site management, project programming and contracts and procurement.

A new level 9 module titled, ’Lean Construction’ has been developed to introduce the evolution of Lean construction and some of the most popular tools such as the Last Planner schedule process, process and value stream mapping and problem-solving techniques such as A3 and fishbone analysis.

It highlights the importance of developing a culture of continuous improvement within an organisation so that waste can be eliminated incrementally as the company develops.

Doing so leads to improved efficiency, better staff utilisation and ultimately a healthier profit margin.

IT Sligo is actively engaged with Lean Construction Ireland (LCi) in order to promote Lean Thinking within Ireland’s Construction Sector so that Ireland can become recognised as a leader in this area, become more efficient in major infrastructure

projects and attract further investments from major multinational players.

New programmes Given the effectiveness of IT Sligo’s online part-time programme model as well as their academic expertise, the Local Authority Services National Training Group (LASNTG) asked IT Sligo to develop a Certificate in Road and Transport Engineering which has since developed into an MEng in Road and Transport Engineering.

These programmes ensure that engineering staff within Ireland’s Local Authorities and related areas learn about best practices for road and network design and operation.

In September IT Sligo introduced a new suite of exciting and unique programmes in partnership with Irish Water and LASNTG. The main programmes will be the Certificate in Water Treatment Operations, Certificate in Wastewater Treatment Operations and also an MSc in Water Services Management.

ABOVE: Staff from IT Sligo, Irish Water, LASNTG and local industry at launch of new Programme.

The goal of these programmes is to optimise the use of water and wastewater plants across Ireland, which in turn should have a positive health effect on Ireland’s population.

Programmes are not confined to Irish Water and Local Authority staff, but are also available to contractors, consultants and other stakeholders in these areas.

Future of construction Ireland’s construction sector

has a very positive future as it embraces new digital technologies as other sectors have done so.

With significant forecasted state capital spends planned over the next 20 years in areas such as social housing, transport and water infrastructure, there will be endless career opportunities and progression paths for its workforce.

Education will play a vital role in ensuring staff have the required skills for success in their roles and IT Sligo is delighted to play its part.

Increasing salaries, as well as a shortage of construction-related graduates, combined with an exciting and evolving construction sector which is embracing digitisation means it is a great time for CAO students to choose a programme which is construction related.

IT Sligo is passionate about ensuring its programmes, both full-time and part-time, incorporate best practice and are fit for purpose through our QA processes as well as professional body and industry networks.

Ibec launches ‘Smarter World, Smarter Work’ campaign Ibec has launched a major new campaign – ‘Smarter World, Smarter Work’ – which calls for a range of reforms to position Ireland for major labour market changes.

The group says that, while new technology will create many new quality jobs, some jobs will inevitably go. We need to actively plan for this reality.

Over 60% of children today will work in jobs that currently do not exist and estimates suggest that students currently in the education system will have held an average of 10-12 jobs by the time they reach the age of 38.

In response to these shifts, the group is calling for a new approach to flexible working, better support for those out of work and labour market rules that ‘actively encourage work and job creation’.

This demands a reform of childcare, retirement and pensions policy, and an overhaul of our social protection system.

The campaign sets out a positive vision for the future of work, and identifies the priority actions needed to deliver this.

It proposes a range of actions across

four key areas: Investment in skills and employability, flexibility at all life stages, a dynamic labour market and smoother career transitions.

Recommendations At the launch event, Ibec also set out detailed recommendations on how to equip graduates with the skills to thrive in the new world of work.

A new report, Future ready: improving graduate employability skills, calls for more investment in education, additional support for academic staff, a uniform approach to work experience and placements, and a greater involvement of business in curriculum design and delivery.

Ibec Director of Employer Relations, Maeve McElwee, said: ‘Rapid digitalisation, changing lifestyles and demographic shifts mean jobs and careers are being transformed.

‘This brings great opportunities, but also risks. A new era of quality job creation and improved living standards is possible. But we need to embrace technological and workplace change in business and right across society.

‘Ibec’s report on graduate employability skills focuses on how to better support students entering this new labour market.

‘Employers are generally satisfied with graduates’ range of skills, but less than 45% are satisfied with graduates’ entrepreneurial and business acumen skills.

‘To address this, business, government and educators must work much closer with each other.

Employers need to provide work placements and work-related projects, engage with students in the classroom and help with career clinics,’ McElwee concluded.

Winter 2018| Construction Management | 41

roof windows

Windows with a future

Available in any size

The F type flat roof windows ColourLine offer a modern look at the product. They feature an excellent thermal insulation performance, while modern design and a wide range of colours (over 200) finishes create an aesthetic glazed area of the flat roof.

The advantages of DEF DU6 flat roof window have been appreciated by the prestigious Red Dot Design Award 2016. A minimalist and perfect design makes the DEF window stand out from the product range.

In addition to non-standard sizes, the type F windows can be manufactured in any size in the range between 60x60 – 120x220cm. It allows for easy replacement of existing skylights, often in non-standard sizes that do not meet current thermal insulation parameters.

Modern design FARKO came up with the innovative solution, namely the F type flat roof windows (with glazing unit) and C type (with dome) for buildings with flat roofs where it is not feasible to install standard vertical windows.

The F type window ColourLine has been designed with every detail in mind and allows you to match the colour of the window finish with the existing roof design.

Over 200 colours available in the RAL Classic Palette enable easy selection of the window colour to meet expectations of the most demanding customers.

High energy-efficiency With the appropriate design, the type F windows ensure an excellent thermal insulation performance. Windows come with two glazing units.

The window with energy-efficient triple chamber DU6 glazing unit featuring heat transfer coefficient Uw = 0.70 W/m2K and the window with passive quadruple DU8 glazing unit with heat transfer coefficient Uw = 0.64 W/ m2K.

Ample natural light The type F ColourLine window ensures a flow of fresh air and allows natural light into the room. With specially shaped profiles the flat roof window is characterized by up to 16% greater glazed area when compared to solutions offered by other manufacturers.

Window durability The glazing unit is bonded using advanced manufacturing technologies to produce high durability and impeccable aesthetics.

The external glass reflecting solar radiation is toughened, while internal is anti-burglary and features P2A class.

Protection from overheating Structure of the window allows the installation of both internal and external accessories. The external awning blind protects against room overheating, while internal accessories protect against strong sunlight and enhance interior design.

Installation in green roofs ColourLine version also adds style to the roof appearance. Innovative design complements modern terraces or gardens on the roof. It is thanks to an additional XRD installation base which allows to raise the window above the roof by 15cm.

Flat roof windows Colourline...

STRUCTURE OF DEF DU6 ColourLine WINDOW Electrically operated type F flat roof window ColourLine with the DU6 triple glazing unit

§ Over 200 colours available in the RAL Classic Palette

The window comes in three versions: DEF – electrically opened in the wireless Z-Wave system, controlled via remote control and equipped with a rain sensor.

DMF – manually opened by means of a control rod.

DXF – non-opening.

The DEF flat roof window constructed and manufactured using modern design has been given prestigious Red Dot Award.

Distributed in Ireland by Tradecraft Building Products Ltd www.fakro.com

§ Remote control – the ZWP15 multichannel remote control compatible with the Z-Wave system to create intelligent home system. § Suitable for installation in roofs with pitches between 2-15°. § Warranty: 10 year for windows.

§ Inner pane: § Rain sensor – automatically laminated and anti- initiates the sash closing function burglary class P2A. when the first rain drops appear. § Outer pane: toughened and reflecting solar radiation. Such design of the glazing unit ensures safety of use and reduces heat loss. § Actuator – situated in the window sash, hence it is protected against adverse weather conditions (rain, snow).

§ The frame of flat roof window is constructed of multi-chamber PVC profiles filled inside with insulation material.

It provides excellent thermal insulation parameters.

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 43

Legal view

T

his time out we are delighted to welcome back LK Shields to our Legal View slot. Here, Neil O’Keeffe, Partner, Banking & Finance and Jamie Ritchie, Associate, Construction, LK Shields, take us through Lenders’ construction requirements in development projects.

Credit: Freepik.com

‘Why are they asking for that?’

– Lenders’ construction requirements in development projects As Irish lenders have become more prudent in their lending policies for development finance, their construction requirements have become more detailed and extensive.

Consequently, it is incumbent on the borrower's team to focus on these key deliverables at an early stage of the project.

Background Lenders’ construction requirements reflect the material risks for a project, which participant is best able to bear such risk and the best way for it to do so.

Development finance is characterised by intricate, but balanced, risk allocation arrangements. But what does this mean for the teams on-site who are actually delivering the project?

In order to answer that question, one needs to first look at any hypothetical project from the lender’s perspective.

Lenders typically extend credit to a newly-formed, thinly-capitalised project company (generally, the employer) whose core assets at the time of financial close likely consist of a site with planning permission and sometimes little more than a collection of contracts, licences and ambitious plans – hence the focus on prudent risk analysis and allocation.

Lenders will want to see the following 4 4 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

clearly set out in a credit application: • A detailed programme of works showing how the project will be completed on time, and the financial model showing the borrower will earn the anticipated income stream from sales or otherwise and that the borrower will not incur liabilities, costs and expenses over and above the budget delivered • Full suite of detailed technical, legal and financial due diligence on the project • Process for drawdowns, variations and compliance involving the lender's project monitor so that the lender has control over key decisions • Contractual framework so that, if things go wrong, the lender can step in and protect itself and the project From a legal perspective the lenders obviously take a full suite of borrower covenants as well as comprehensive security over the site, other assets of the borrower and possibly a charge over shares in the borrower company.

However, lenders are increasingly imposing their own bespoke form construction contractual documents on the project team.

This includes highly refined professional

appointments for design team members, bank tailored clauses in the main contract and subcontracts which reduce the level of risk and enforce greater certainty around payment and timescales.

Combine this with a myriad of statutory consents, insurance requirements and other corporate deliverables and you have your typical list of conditions precedent (CP list) for a standard medium sized project in Ireland.

How onerous a CP list can be on a borrower will depend on the nature of the lender, pricing and more particularly the level of shareholder equity and support.

However, increasingly, as lawyers, we are acting as intermediaries, negotiating and transposing the bank's requirements into the contractual documentation between the borrower and the wider construction team.

As such, we are in a good position to explain why certain items are required and (perhaps more to the point) how much room a project team member has to negotiate.

Collateral Warranties Collateral warranties are an important support instrument because they give the lenders (as third parties) direct recourse against an engineer, construction

Credit: Freepik.com

company or supply company designing, building or providing important technology to the project confirming that it has complied with all relevant professional standards in the provision of the relevant services and products.

Without a collateral warranty from the relevant contractor or supplier it may be impossible for the lenders to directly pursue a claim against the relevant contractor or supplier.

In addition, collateral warranties give the lenders valuable access rights to important equipment and other warranties provided by a contractor or supplier that may survive for many years after the completion of the project.

One widespread difficulty when using collateral warranties is that they can be problematic to procure, even if the underlying contract is clear that they must be provided.

This difficulty arises most often when a project is complete or, even if it is ongoing, where the warrantor has received payment for its particular works or services.

The problem can be compounded if there is a dispute relating to the project.

Hence prudent lenders insist upon procuring all collateral warranties at the outset of the project, before advancing funds or before the warranty provider commences work for the borrower or development company.

In terms of the content of collateral warranties required by lenders, they merely require the warrantor to comply with the professional appointment or building contract it entered into with the developer.

Additionally, where the warrantor has a design responsibility, some collateral warranties include an obligation to both comply with the professional appointment or building contract and an obligation to exercise a specified level of skill, care and diligence in carrying out the design.

Warrantors are usually required to maintain professional indemnity insurance, often for 12 years or 6 years from practical completion if they have a design or management obligation.

The lender's ongoing involvement in the construction is via the project monitor and therefore the collateral warranties should state that the lender may not give instructions to the warrantor unless there is a default scenario.

Lender collateral warranties include a lender right to step-in, namely a right to take over the developer’s/employer’s role on a project in a default scenario under the finance or construction documents.

Sometimes contractors and consultants wonder why lenders need a grant of copyright licence (or wider intellectual property licence) in their favour under the collateral warranties.

Clearly, if the lender is to step in in a default scenario and possibly appoint substitute parties, it will need to be able to use the documents and designs.

A right to assign the benefit of the collateral warranty to a person taking the lender’s interest in the project on two occasions is common.

Assignment on two occasions is a generally accepted balance between a lender’s desire for flexibility and freedom of assignment and the warrantor’s concern that it may be exposed to claims from many different parties.

Conversely in lender collateral warranties the lender is unlikely to accept a net contribution clause unless there is a wide framework of collateral warranties for

available project documents, drawings and specifications, appointments, insurance cover, works programme, payment schedules, budgets and overall financial model.

The borrower’s team need to provide the information that the project monitor requests in a timely manner.

How soon a project monitor requires information varies on a case by case basis, but it is common practice to include a project monitor on the electronic distribution lists for all key site minutes and instructions.

Conclusion There is no doubt that the pendulum has turned both in terms of the financial and construction due diligence undertaken by lenders.

This is a good thing for all parties because it ensures a better quality project.

‘Development finance is characterised by intricate, but balanced, risk allocation arrangements.’ every involved party and even so it is likely to be limited to ‘fair and reasonable’.

Furthermore, the collateral warranties will not limit the lender’s losses to repair and/or re-instatement because a lender’s losses will most likely be financial losses.

Project monitoring Where a borrower is procuring a significant real estate or infrastructure project, a lender is likely to engage the services of a project monitor.

The project monitor provides independent advice to its client on all aspects of the project as it progresses.

It advises on risk, potential or emerging issues, and material changes associated with the project in the context of the development not being under the lender’s direct control.

This allows the lender to make informed decisions, reduce and manage its exposure to risk, and protect its financial interests.

Developers and their consultants need to appreciate that lenders would expect their independently appointed project monitor to review and advise upon the

The challenge lies with all parties to be more efficient while being diligent in what is a more demanding process that could easily cause considerable costs, delays and/or exposure if poorly undertaken.

Hence the selection of one's project team is all the more important for the bottom line.

ABOVE: Neil O'Keeffe

ABOVE: Jamie Ritchie

Neil O’Keeffe, Partner, Banking & Finance, LK Shields Jamie Ritchie, Associate, Construction, LK Shields The article is for information purposes only and readers ought to obtain specific legal advice.

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 45

Spotlight on Civils

Recruited

Above: CEL MSA M9 Kilcullen

Clonmel Enterprises looks forward to 45 years!

C

lonmel Enterprises will be 45 years in business next year.

Over those 45 years we have always been a civil engineering main contractor evolving with the overall industry in terms of the demands at any one time.

In the early years we were heavily involved in potable and waste water schemes, in the 80’s and 90’s we completed some of the largest roads schemes in the country such as the Lucan and Blanchardstown Bypasses.

From the early 90’s to the financial blip in the late 00’s we completed further major road schemes such as the Outer Ring Road phases 2 and 3 and the N7 interchanges and motorway upgrade.

More recently, we have been, and are, involved in asset management contracts on the national road network.

Over the same period we have completed a number of contracts on the railway network both on track and in stations.

and have developed and built a number of industrial, retail and office parks and all the time where opportunities arose, we maintained skills developed on core projects.

Critically over the same period we continue to retain key staff.

The founders of the business in ‘74 have only recently retired from the business and the current management have worked for the business between 20 and 35 years.

It is worth noting that we have also retained other key staff particularly foremen and supervisors.

The current management have inherited the principles of the original management, of transparent and co-operative working relations with clients and clients’ representatives and can honestly confirm that the business has never relied on formal dispute resolution.

4 6 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

Steady Despite this, the business continues year-on-year to grow and our turnover is growing at a steady pace.

As a result of significant reductions in public spending our customer base has spread to private clients which is a different procurement process to public procurement and involved a learning curve.

Where there is public procurement, it has become a challenging process.

If successful, detailed prequalifications are invariably followed by quality marked tender submissions.

Despite having the depth of experience, prequalification failure can be as a result of previous projects completed more than 5, 7 or 10 years or in a recent case because we lost a coin toss.

Subjective

Majority We constructed the majority of enabling works on both the Red and Green Luas lines. We have completed some housing schemes

Despite the downturn we recruited a number of engineers over the period of varying experience including graduate engineers.

Some of these graduates now have 4 and 5 years’ experience in the business.

Acknowledging the significant importance of Health and Safety, Quality, Environmental and training to the industry we also recruited experienced staff to support these roles.

Assisted by management, these key staff have achieved ISO certification in both quality and environmental, a Safe-T-Cert A rating and Engineers Ireland CPD accreditation.

These certifications, in particular, the Engineers Ireland CPD accreditation, facilitated us in developing our new staff’s professional development in conjunction with their experience on site.

The current market is very challenging. Tendering is very competitive and the availability of resources is limited.

Above: CEL Beaver Row Footbridge

Although benefiting on occasions, the quality element of tender submissions can be very subjective and is in danger of becoming a bit of a beauty contest.

Overall, despite the difficulties of the last number of years, we are confident that Clonmel Enterprises are well placed to benefit from what should be an improved market in the near future.

Spotlight on M & E

Above: Jones Team

Jones Engineering – from strength to strength

J

ones Engineering is one of the country’s most successful national and international engineering services contractors.

The company currently employs over 3,000 people, works in over 14 countries across Ireland, UK, Europe and the Middle East and has a turnover in excess of €500m

Jim Curley, Group Chief Executive of Jones Engineering, tells Construction Management Ireland: ‘Our principle resource is our people.

Our reputation for operating to the highest standards has helped us win prestigious global contracts.

‘Almost 50% of our turnover is from overseas locations. We apply the same best practices across all our operations whether in Ireland, Europe or the Middle East.

‘We are delighted and honoured that our commitment to continual improvement in health and safety best practice has been recognised by NISO. (National Irish Safety Organisation / Northern Ireland Safety Group (NISO/NISG) ‘Jones Engineering continues its long standing tradition of working on major hospitals Right: Jim Curley

4 8 | Construction Management |Winter 2018

throughout Ireland, and we are extremely proud to be part of the New Children’s Hospital.

‘This major infrastructural development is the largest project to be undertaken in the country, and we are installing major services packages on the NCH and its Satellite Hospitals.

‘Other major projects we are currently working on include: National Rehabilitation Hospital, Exo Building, Boland’s Mills, Janssen Biotech, and major overseas data centres.

‘Our waste technology division, Jones Celtic BioEnergy are delivering a number of major projects at the cutting edge of technology in both Ireland and the UK.’

in-a-Box programme inspiring primary school children through fun and engaging learning as well as providing a team of volunteers to work with the ESB on Down Syndrome Cork’s Field of Dreams.’

In 2017 Jones Engineering announced its 10-year sponsorship of the Leinster Open Sea Swim Series in conjunction with Swim Ireland.

The Jones Engineering Dublin City Liffey Swim can now go from strength to strength with the objective of becoming one of Europe’s most prestigious open sea competitions.

This year over 500 swimmers of all ages, abilities and nationalities competed to win the coveted Cup. First run in 1920, the swim is the

Tradition Jones Engineering has a tradition and culture of encouraging cooperation and partnership – not just with their clients but within the community – while also promoting culture, health and wellbeing in both the workplace and the marketplace.

Says Jim: ‘We sponsor local teams, run charity events and in recent years have been involved in the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) Engineering-

Above: Bolands Quay

oldest continuously run annual swimming race in Europe. Very few firms remain in business long enough to celebrate their centenaries, but thanks to their best practise, Jones Engineering have surpassed this milestone.

The original company was set up by Harry O’Neill in 1890 and to this day they have continued his vision of prioritising education, training and innovation.

Mechanical

Electrical

Fire Protection

Mespil Court, Mespil Road, Dublin 4 t: +353 (0)1 4749 800 e: info@joneseng.com joneseng.com

Green Building

As Ireland’s population is expected to increase by 750,000 by 2040, at least 500,000 new homes are required. This represents both immense challenges and great opportunities.

We must build fast, while ensuring we do not repeat the mistakes of the past. Quality and sustainability must be at the heart of all new housing developments.

With the nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB) standard coming into force in 2019, all new dwellings must be built to A2 BER rating.

Yet, nZEB only tells part of the story.

There is more to sustainability and quality than energy efficient buildings.

An holistic approach to housing is needed to tackle societal challenges and reach our climate targets.

New residential developments: Going beyond energy efficiency Transport is Ireland's second largest (and the fastest growing) source of carbon emissions.

Making our cities, towns and villages denser can reduce these emissions. In fact, lower per capita emissions are more related to urban density than home energy efficiency.

Development sprawl drives both larger home size and car dependency.

Avoiding the need for a car saves up to a tonne of carbon a year before it is driven a single kilometre!

Fuel adds between 0.5 and two tonnes of carbon. A poor location means two cars, so double these numbers.

This can't be recovered by home energy efficiency or by swapping petrol for electric vehicles.

Beyond energy savings, walking accessibility has positive health implications. It allows people to integrate exercise into their daily activities.

The embodied carbon of a mediumsized home can amount to 100 tonnes, or one tonne per year for a 100-year life cycle. nZEB will get us part of the way towards a low carbon future.

Yet, 90% of potential carbon savings for households are through the creation of walkable, mediumdensity development (at least 75100 dwellings per hectare), built with low carbon construction materials, and which enable healthy, low resource consumption 5 0 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

Our usual round up of news and events from the Irish Green Building Council sees the IGBC hard at work as usual.

Irish Green Building Council Update ABOVE: George’s Place Dun Laoghaire: This scheme of 12 houses certified as Home Performance Index Silver was built for Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

lifestyles at all stages of life.

Holistic building assessments such as LEED and BREEAM have educated the commercial building sector.

Green buildings are seen as critical in creating a healthier and happier workforce.

Important All this is at least as important for the residential sector. According to a recent Redrow's study, 63% of prospective homebuyers in the UK want to buy a sustainable home.

The Irish Green Building Council developed the Home Performance Index to enable Irish homebuyers to make more responsible choices.

It is Ireland’s first national certification for quality and sustainability in residential developments.

The Home Performance

Index includes mandatory and voluntary indicators. It is easy to apply and fully integrated with Irish Building Regulations.

Mandatory requirements are set in the most important areas.

These include water efficiency, ventilation, thermal bridging, and enhanced airtightness.

For instance, a maximum air infiltration level of 3m3hr/sqm/50pa – as opposed to 7 in the current building regulations – is set.

A properly designed and commissioned ventilation system must be installed. As part of this certification, a maximum annual heat demand is also set.

This is to encourage builders to provide the most efficient building fabric first rather than achieving a higher BER through renewables.

While it can be challenging to

improve the fabric afterwards, extra renewables can be retrofitted.

The Irish Green Building Council has already certified some public and private housing developments with early movers like Dublin City Council, Sisk and Durkan Residential.

The Council is now in the process of certifying some very large housing developments. The full Home Performance Index technical manual is available at www.homeperformanceindex.ie.

Measuring the carbon footprint of construction products In June 2018, the Council launched the Environmental Product Declaration Ireland programme.

EPD Ireland allows manufacturers to publish independently verified information about the environmental impact of their products. Over 90 EPDs are now live on epdireland.org Detailed information on 70 products ranging from insulation to paints is already available on the website. EPDs provide transparent information to architects and engineers for use in developing a building level Life Cycle Assessment.

Irish specifiers demand more products with EPDs as the trend towards recognised sustainability programmes (e.g. LEED, BREEAM and the Home Performance Index) continues to grow.

EPDs are also required by specifiers across Europe where full environmental foot printing of buildings is becoming mainstream.

To raise awareness about embodied carbon, the Council recently published the ‘Towards a circular economy in construction’ report.

The guide includes case studies on building life cycle assessment, embodied carbon and healthy building materials from 10 Irishbased companies, including Ecocem, Google, Cundall and RKD Architects.

Urban regeneration and retrofit policies As many as one million Irish homes are energy inefficient and need upgrade work between now and 2050.

In 2016, the IGBC ran a comprehensive consultation process to co-design an ambitious national renovation strategy for Ireland – Build Upon project.

Almost 200 organisations took

ABOVE: Irish Green Building Council launches programme to measure the carbon footprint of construction products – Pat Barry, CEO, IGBC and Jason Quinn of Quinn Building Products (on left)

part in a process that influenced our national renovation strategy and helped drive ambition in the new Energy Performance of Buildings Directive – EPBD. Under the new EPBD, Member States must clarify the contribution of the building stock to the EU’s 2030 energy efficiency target.

The strategies must include milestones for 2030 and 2040 and define ‘measurable progress indicators’, e.g. renovation rates or a cap on energy consumption per square metre.

Furthermore, Member States must publicly consult on the national strategies before submitting them to the European Commission.

This is a major outcome influenced

by Build Upon, which demonstrated the importance of bringing key players in the renovation sector together to co-create national strategies.

Building upon that work, the Irish Green Building Council has recently secured funding from SEAI to work on two actions to increase the rate and depth of energy renovation in Ireland.

As part of this two-year project, the council will collaborate with the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland, Engineers Ireland, the Royal Institute of the Architects and the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland to implement the recommendations made earlier on this year for a user-friendly holistic energy efficiency accreditation for building professionals (https://www. igbc.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/ ECCoPro_Report-FINAL.pdf).

In line with the new EPBD, the role that voluntary building renovation

passports could play in supporting phased deep retrofits and the development of energy efficient mortgages will be explored.

Building renovation passports are masterplans for retrofit and include a record of works. They ensure that any renovation works are planned and implemented in a holistic and technically sound manner, hence preventing ‘lockins’ and facilitating a step-by-step approach to deep renovation.

Quality and Sustainable homes The topic of World Green Building Week's 2018 was #Homegreenhome and the IGBC ran a successful social media campaign reaching almost 100,000 people in Ireland.

As part of this campaign they mainly shared tips for home buyers and renters (10 Questions to ask about your New Home: https://www.igbc. ie/home-green-home-10-questionsto-ask-about-your-new-home/).

Quality and sustainable homes were furthered explored at Better Homes 2018. The focus this year was on creating healthy, low carbon homes and communities.

Further information To register a housing development under the Home Performance Index or receive training: www. homeperformanceindex.ie For more information on EPD Ireland: www.epdireland.org For more information on IGBC events and activities: www.igbc.ie Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 51

SITE SECURITY

Security in site!

A

s construction activity gathers pace once again so too does the potential for crimes like vandalism and equipment theft from sites.

Building materials, tools and expensive plant and machinery can all become targets.

The increase in construction projects is good news for both firms and employees in this sector – and for the wider economy. However, it also spells potential opportunity for those who would seek to profit via less-thanhonest means.

This is the message from the National Crime Prevention Unit of An Garda Síochána which in recent times has produced an Information Sheet for the building industry.

The Unit is concerned with preventing crime from happening in the first place and this forms part of its, typically, proactive approach, a stance which has worked well for the Unit.

With the construction sector in expansion mode they are keen to increase awareness on sites so as to prevent criminal activities which could pose a threat to the industry.

But did a prolonged period of relatively low activity leave us vulnerable? Do we need to refresh our approach to security in tandem with

our practical skills?

‘Building sites are targeted by opportunist criminals,’ says The Crime Prevention Unit’s Sergeant Kelvin Courtney.

‘There is a ready market for all types of materials, tools and machinery, especially with so much more activity taking place now.’

Courtney stresses that everybody must take some degree of responsibility.

‘It is a job for everyone,’ he says. ‘If items get stolen and damage is done to a construction site then that will add on to the costs and it will cut the margins that any developer might get.

‘So of course it is in everyone’s interest to avoid thefts and vandalism.

Our mantra here is that crime prevention is everyone’s business.’

Tools Among the most vulnerable items are tools. These can be company property and also individual workers’ tools. Thieves do not generally discern between the two.

‘The theft of tools and equipment is a lucrative market in Ireland,’ says Sergeant Courtney.

‘However, that cheap tool which seems too good to be true has likely cost somebody – and it will cost everyone in the long run.

‘It is not a victimless crime. There are costs involved – real costs.’

Power tools represent a large proportion of the value of goods stolen from building sites. Generally, these belong to a category described as CRAVED items: Concealable Removable Available Valuable Enjoyable Disposable What defines these items in the main is that the thief can take them quickly – and get rid of them quickly too.

Power tools of course are right up there and a very attractive target for criminals.

Each year An Garda Síochána recovers substantial amounts of tools and other equipment. However, returning property to its rightful owners can prove difficult.

So, how can people make it easier for An Garda Síochána to get property back to them when it is recovered?

Sergeant Courtney lists a few simple things such as taking a picture of the item – simplicity itself with mobile phones – and marking items in ways that can distinguish them.

You can then email these details to yourself and include, for example, any Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 53

SITE SECURITY

serial numbers. You will have a valuable record that you can give to Gardai in the event of a theft.

Checked in Of course the list of vulnerable items does not stop with tools. Building materials are targeted too and the advice here is that all deliveries should be ‘checked in’ by designated staff.

If not being used immediately they should be stored inside a secure compound or building.

Here, the National Crime Prevention Unit advises that, if possible, arrangements should be made to have materials delivered as required.

Where steel containers are used as stores they should be locked with good quality close shackle padlocks. The placing of an obstacle across the door is also recommended.

Materials should never be stacked adjacent to perimeter fencing.

Machinery meanwhile should be parked in a well-lit area inside a secure compound when not in use.

Ignition keys should be removed and immobilisers fitted and utilised.

Security locks and/or ground fixings are also available for additional security.

Here it is essential that an accurate record of the engine number, chassis number/Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is maintained and should include any distinguishing or unique features which would assist in the recovery and identification.

Again, Sergeant Courtney advises taking a clear photograph. And again, when taking delivery it is important that a designated member of staff is responsible.

In addition there are several property marking and tracking systems which should also be considered.

Tools and equipment An Garda Síochána make a number of suggestions for the safekeeping of tools and equipment and also to facilitate the recovery and return of stolen items: • All sites should have a secure storage area for this sort of property • Consider tracking devices for valuable items • In addition to maintaining a record of serial numbers, model numbers and any other descriptive details, all such property should be marked or branded. Some of the methods of achieving this are: stamping, etching, sandblast marking, painting, DNA marking, ultraviolet marking and/or colour-coding • Take clear photographs of tools and equipment • Tradespersons should mark all of their own tools individually and be encouraged to lock them away • Tools stored overnight should be kept in steel containers and secured with close shackle padlocks • Under no circumstances should tools be purchased other than from bona fide vendors.

5 4 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

Smaller sites One of the features of the construction industry at the moment is that there are a lot of smaller jobs taking place like one-off houses, revamps and renovations.

Often they are surrounded by wooden hoardings and it is important to check for the weakest points.

‘Look at the adjoining building, for example,’ says Sergeant Courtney. ‘Can someone get in through a back garden?

Is there good natural surveillance?’

A danger area here has to do with people leaving tools in vehicles. One piece of advice is to put up a sign saying that there are no tools stored in the vehicle.

Greater vigilance

Access One of the most important areas to consider is that of access control.

‘People shouldn’t be getting in without some form of identification,’ says Sergeant Courtney. ‘They should also be brought to where they are supposed to be going.’

The number of entrance gates to the site should be kept to a minimum and perimeter gates should be similar in height to adjoining fencing and should be fixed so that they cannot be removed.

Gates should be secured with a

good lighting also helps you to get clearer CCTV images.

‘Good lighting puts out a strong message too,’ says Sergeant Courtney.

‘It is an excellent deterrent and should be designed so that the intending intruder can be seen from outside the site.’

Higher levels of illumination are required for vulnerable areas such as storage compounds, car parks and offices.

Site offices meanwhile should be located in areas near to the main entrance with limited access opportunity for intruders and they should never form part of the perimeter.

An elevated office, which affords an overall view of the site and car parks, is desirable.

ABOVE: Sergeant Kelvin Courtney

substantial hardened steel chain and a good quality close shackle padlock.

In high risk areas the use of PSA approved security guards could be considered.

It is of course illegal to employ security guards who are not PSA approved and illegal for the individuals to act as security guards if they are not PSA approved.

Lighting is hugely important. You want to leave no hiding places and

At the end of the day anyone can become a victim regardless of size or scale and equipment and machinery have been stolen off sites in broad daylight, says Sergeant Courtney.

Which brings us back to his central message: that crime prevention is everyone’s business.

‘Much of the crime within the industry could be prevented through greater vigilance and the implementation of standard security practices across the board,’ he stresses.

Note: As The National Crime Prevention Unit of An Garda Síochána says in its Information Sheet (available at www.garda.ie): ‘The advice is not intended to be exhaustive or absolute.

Nothing should be interpreted as mandatory, obligatory or designed to conflict with any statutory regulations.’

Gardaí Advise Construction Industry to Secure It, Keep It Over €6m in Tools Stolen From Sites in 2017 • Approximately €7.8m worth of items stolen from construction sites nationally in 2017 • €6.3m of these were tools • Rise of 35% in construction crime throughout the country • Construction Crime has risen in all Garda Regions bar the South Eastern Region • 4,562 incidents of construction crime • Theft from vehicles makes up 43% of construction crime This year saw An Garda Síochána and The Construction Industry Federation (CIF) taking a proactive role in relation to crime prevention in the construction industry with the launch of the ‘Secure It, Keep It’ campaign.

Building sites are by nature easy targets for criminals due to the types of materials, tools and machinery on site. Construction crime can involve thefts from vehicles, burglary, unauthorised taking of vehicles, criminal damage and trespassing.

Objective Chief Superintendent Con Cadogan said: ‘The main objective of the campaign is to create and maintain awareness both within the industry and with the general public as to the importance of site security, and the security of plant machinery, construction equipment, tools and materials.

‘We are appealing to everyone involved to go to the Garda website and take the “Construction Site Checklist Challenge”.

‘In particular, I would appeal for everyone to mark their tools and equipment in some way.

‘Recently, Gardaí seized power

tools from a car boot sale in the West Cork Division that had been stolen in Dublin. Thankfully the tools had the owner's name engraved on them and they have since been returned.

‘An Garda Síochána is very active in monitoring online marketplaces as well as car boot sales etc. for the sale of stolen goods.’

Here are a few simple tips to help keep your site more secure: • Set up CCTV if you are going to be on site for a prolonged period • Good security lighting • Fences or hoardings are effective and should be used whenever possible • Keep the number of gates to site entrance to a minimum • Localised temporary security alarms should be used • Control access to the site. Visitors must sign in and vehicle registration numbers be given • Cash should not be kept on site when possible • Machinery should be left in a welllit part of the site with the keys removed • Security locks and ground fixings are great for extra security • Keep a record of engine numbers, chassis number, vehicle ID numbers etc.

• Store your tools in a secure area • Mark all of your tools with a unique identification number, photograph them and keep a record of it • Report all thefts and suspicious activity on sites to An Garda Síochána Crime Prevention Officer for the West Cork Division, Sgt Ian O’Callaghan, said: ‘Every year we encounter

construction sites being targeted.

‘In the Southern Region alone we have had 131 construction crime incidents which have been reported to Gardaí in 2018 (at time of writing}.

‘We have a few simple things that can increase the security onsite and prevent these crimes from happening.

‘It is imperative that all property is securely stored, ideally in a location alarmed and covered by CCTV. ‘Security Signage is very important at access points and containers with valuable equipment should have steel-based, closed shackle padlocks.

‘The most important thing for anyone who owns machinery, tools, materials and equipment is to keep them secure.

‘If possible, put some type of identity mark on them. Then take a photo and email it back to yourself so you have it forever.

‘Every year, An Garda Síochána recovers hundreds of thousands of euros worth of machinery and tools, a lot of which goes unclaimed,’ added Sgt O’Callaghan.

Smart Tom Parlon, head of the Construction Industry Federation, said: ‘With the construction industry in recovery mode with over 50,000 additional workers in the industry since 2014, it’s vital that we are smart about protecting our tools.

‘A lot of tool theft is opportunistic with criminals looking for a weak link in site or automobile security.

‘Taking a few simple steps can ensure that your tools are not targeted. I would urge everyone in the industry to follow the An Garda Síochána Construction Site Checklist in terms of securing tools.

‘It’s vital that, if you do have equipment stolen, you report it to An Garda Síochána.

‘The Gardaí have had some major successes in reclaiming stolen tools so it is important to mark all tools.

‘Finally, we’re advising companies to take extra care in securing sites, particularly at weekends.

‘We are sending out the message to the 130,000 workers in the industry that if you secure it, you keep it.

‘Working with An Garda Síochána and by taking a few steps we can protect our livelihoods and prevent this sort of crime.’

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 55

Personal & FiNance

Why construction company owners should drop the ‘boss’ tag and start thinking like a shareholder

A

In my experience of working with business owners, they spend too much time working for the business and not enough time getting the business to work for them.

Why is that? Often it boils down to sheer workload. As ‘the boss’ you routinely get dragged into a never-ending list of jobs and duties that consume your day.

Hard to see the bigger picture For many, it has become impossible to see the bigger business/financial picture for the daily tasks. If this rings a bell, consider putting a personal financial plan into place.

A good starting point is to ask yourself a question: What is my definition of personal financial success?

For some it is about financial independence, and for others it is about the freedom to be able to make bigger decisions without worrying about money.

The majority of clients I work with simply put it down to the volume of tasks required in running a busy construction company. This can distract them from addressing important business issues such as decisions about how and when to exit the business.

Challenges can often arise on how to handle this transition phase smoothly.

Get your shareholder cap on These issues are too complex to add to your weekly to-do list and require careful consideration, expert advice – and a change of mentality.

Forget about working for your business and focus on working on your business.

Think like a shareholder.

As the owner of the equity in a business, you want to maximise the value of your biggest asset (i.e. the business itself).

You may be considering selling the business or passing it on to the next generation.

Credit: Freepik.com

45-minute chat could get your business working for you instead of the other way around, writes Brian Cox.

The objective of a financial plan is to align your options and decisions with these long-term targets and focus on:

1.Lifestyle maintenance Building up your pension fund is the simplest most effective way of extracting the maximum amount of money from your business in order to maintain your income and lifestyle when you retire.

It removes a great deal of risk if the family wealth is tied up in the business.

A tailored financial plan will calculate your pension funding capacity and tax reliefs available.

2. Business structuring The purpose of a financial review is to ensure the business is structured to deliver maximum value to shareholders, regardless of the lifecycle’s stage your business is at.

There may be an opportunity to move from a single limited trading company to a holding company structure.

This move has allowed many owners to ring-fence their assets before selling the business tax free.

This is extremely advantageous for businesses with multiple shareholders.

3. Investment strategy A tailored investment strategy will help you build a portfolio that reflects your individual circumstances while avoiding the common pitfalls of having an overconcentrated investment position.

Taking all factors into account, your financial plan will include an investment strategy aligned to your goals while retaining the flexibility to adapt to any changing circumstances.

How to get the ball rolling?

Flexibility is so important. There is no ‘one-

5 6 | Construction Management | September/October 2018

size-fits-all’ solution. Every business is different and unique – just like its owners.

A personal financial plan takes an holistic view of your current financial position, circumstances and goals in order to map out the individual actions and decisions that will help you to get where you want to be.

I suggest you take time out from the ’day job’ and schedule an initial debrief with an experienced financial adviser. It will only take approximately 45 minutes to sketch out the ‘big picture’.

Start today Redressing the balance so that your business works for you can be made easy if you partner with an experienced adviser.

So get started today.

Brian Cox is an Associate Director at Davy Private Clients. He works with construction company owners to provide best-in-class financial planning, investment management and asset selection. You can contact Brian directly on 01 614 9180 or email him at brian.cox@davy.ie.

Please note that this article is general in nature, and does not take account of your financial situation or investment objectives. It is not intended to constitute tax, financial or legal advice and is based on Davy’s understanding of current tax legislation in Ireland. Davy does not provide tax or legal advice. Prior to making any decision which may have tax, legal or other financial implications you should seek independent professional advice. There are risks associated with putting any financial plan or strategy in place. The value of investments may go down as well as up.

Davy Private Clients is a division of J&E Davy.

J&E Davy, trading as Davy, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

BONDS

A message from Surety Bonds Surety Bonds is Ireland’s only specialist surety & bonds intermediary. The company was set up to specialise solely in bonding, to introduce new markets for clients and to become a leading authority in bonding in Ireland.

Colm McGrath, managing director, explains: ‘The experience and expertise within the company helps take the hard work out of obtaining bonds as we deal with all regulated providers of bonds and guarantees.

‘Given that not all providers will be interested in every enquiry our knowledge allows us to target those companies and underwriters who we know will be interested in offering terms.

‘This saves the client or broker valuable time and usually enables us to obtain terms quite speedily.

‘As independent Surety specialists our expertise lies in bonds and guarantees only and we do not undertake any general insurance business.

‘Our clients find this extremely comforting as we will only ever be completely focused on the bond requirements.’

Maximize

ABOVE: Colm McGrath is Managing Director of Surety Bonds

Large selection As surety specialists we represent a large selection of sureties (insurance companies who provide bonds) we help to fit our client and the needs of their principal with the right surety provider.

We provide independent and objective advice that clients can trust.

Our credibility in the market relies on this. Therefore, we believe in always working openly and honestly with the client.

Our mission up to 2017 was to make the process of obtaining bonds easier and to open up to clients markets that they previously did not have access to.

That mission has changed slightly as the market has improved. We are now working with contractors to help them to secure contracts by providing additional bonding lines which allows them to grow exponentially.

Surety Bonds help direct clients to maximize their bonding capacity in numerous ways. By having a deep knowledge of the client’s business and what they are trying to achieve, that can be presented to the underwriters, we give more context than a mere set of accounts and application form.

We carry out full credit checks on behalf of the client and present credit risk profiles of the client.

We also assess the financial capacity, the capability and character of the company and this enables us to present the case in a way the underwriter wants to see it.

This saves valuable time and usually enables us to obtain terms speedily.

Ultimately a contractor’s bonding capacity is a reflection of their financial strength, financial reporting and their management team effectiveness.

In order to be successful in the future, contractors need to focus on what they know best – their core

competencies; they need to highly discriminate on project selection.

New opportunities need to have an acceptable profit margin to risk exposure.

Avoidance of unknown project elements, contract terms, partnerships and problematic owners should all be traded for the best opportunity projects that have a high probability to make money and generate positive cash flow.

Technology needs to be mastered and leveraged at all aspects of a company to maximize efficiencies and productivity.

Collaboration, communication and driving ‘best practices’ across all operations will bring improved ways to equally improved results.

Profits By trading in revenue growth goals for a keen eye on exploiting high margin projects with low risk factors, contractors can realize the long term sustainable business model of simply growing profits.

Surety Bonds recommend when it comes to bonding and bonding facilities that it needs to be deemed as a strategic product by contractors, those who have multiple relationships have a competitive advantage over others which is key in today’s competitive environment.

Surety Bonds can obtain an array of bonds including, Performance Bonds, Advanced Payment Bonds, Subcontractor bonds, Duty / VAT Deferment Bonds, Tenant Default, Reinstatement Bonds, Retention Bonds, Road & Sewer Bonds, Infrastructure Bonds, Supplier Bonds.

There are also many niche unusual risks that surety providers will consider such as guarantees for mergers and acquisitions.

We can also provide bonds for Irish companies operating in Europe, US and Asia.

‘Development finance is characterised by intricate, but balanced, risk allocation arrangements.’

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 59

ABOVE O'Keeff

BONDS

Thomond Bonds

T

homond Bonds is a trading name of Thomond Underwriting which was established in 2007 and provides a broad range of Commercial insurance products including Commercial Liability, Commercial Property, Contractors All Risks and Professional Indemnity.

As well as being a Lloyds coverholder they deal with a wide variety of international insurers with a view to bringing comprehensive and competitively priced commercial insurance products into the Irish market.

With offices in both Dublin and Enniskillen they cover the whole island and can provide cross border coverage where necessary.

Since their establishment 11 years ago in a small office in Kells, Co. Meath they have gone from strength to strength and pride themselves on providing: • A Fast Turnaround on Quotes, Inceptions & Documentation • A Flexible approach to Client and Broker needs • A Professional, Efficient and High-Quality Service

In 2017 Thomond Underwriting was authorised as a Lloyd’s Coverholder.

This was a major step in their development and recognition of their growing reputation as a highly professional, reputable and well established business.

As well as giving them access to the largest insurance market in the world, they also gained access to the highly regarded Lloyd’s brand, security and rating as well as experienced Underwriters and Brokers in London and internationally.

Recognising both the strong growth in the construction sector and the need of their construction clients for a broader range of options to support their contracts, Thomond Bonds was launched this year.

It was established with a view to providing financial guarantees in the form of surety bonds to assist their clients in securing contracts across a broad range of activities and types.

The wide range of bonds they can offer are as follows: • • • • • •

Performance Bonds Bid/Tender Bonds Advance Payment Bonds Maintenance Bonds Retention Bonds Road & Sewer/Development Bonds • Environmental Bonds • Duty Deferment/Customs Bonds

6 0 | Construction Management | Winter 2018

With offices in both Dublin and Enniskillen they cover the whole island and can provide cross border coverage where necessary.

Banks often ask for cash collateral when providing Financial Guarantees. Having a Surety Bond with Thomond Bonds allows for the clients cash flow, working capital and borrowing facilities to be unaffected giving them the freedom to grow their business without a financial millstone hanging over them.

This also allows them to have further lines of credit with their banks which otherwise could be on hold until a contract is complete.

This, coupled with their experienced staff and established relationships with Surety Bond companies, makes Thomond Bonds an ideal provider of Surety Bonds to the construction sector and beyond.

We’ll leave the last word to John O’Driscoll, Managing Director, Thomond Underwriting: ‘Having been long established in the Construction insurance sector for a number of years we are delighted to now offer a comprehensive and broad Surety Bond solution to our clients and brokers.

‘Through our professional, dedicated and highly knowledgeable team in both Dublin and Enniskillen, we look forward to supporting our clients’ requirements and becoming a major provider in this sector in the years to come.’

THE FINAL SAY...

E

ngineers Without Borders Ireland is an NGO and registered Charity. Their core philosophy is to build partnerships between academia, industry and NGOs to improve the quality of life of disadvantaged communities through education and implementation of resilient engineering projects, while promoting global experience for Irish engineers and scientists.

Core activities include Development Education, overseas projects, research and volunteer placements, writes Declan Alcock.

Development Education. This year has seen EWB take a huge step forward by winning a 3-year European Union funded project to build critical understanding and actively engage EU citizens of 12 countries in actions towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’.

The focus areas of the project, named ‘Build Solid Ground’, are Disaster Resilience, Slum Upgrading, Migration, Equality and Land Rights.

The first initiative in this project was the Seismic Summit conference held in Dublin on 14 March which brought together recognised experts in the fields of Seismic Resistant Construction Techniques, PostDisaster Reconstruction and Building Conservation.

Another part of this project was the conference series ARC2018: Achieving Resilient Cities & Communities, organised jointly by EWB & the DTC

Engineers Without Borders – leaders in humanitarian engineering Research Group at DIT, on 9 and 10 October at DIT Grangegorman. (See panel).

Where there is no engineer. EWB are also partners in a Development Education initiative sponsored by Irish Aid entitled ‘Where there is no Engineer – Designing for Community Resilience’.

This initiative has been running for 5 years and is jointly coordinated by the Development Technology Research Group (DTC) in DIT and EWB-Ireland and is delivered in partnership with Concern Worldwide.

With many communities in developing countries experiencing increased vulnerability due to rapidly increasing urban populations, climate induced natural disasters and resource depletion the overarching aim of this

competition is to harness the creativity and innovation of Irish engineers to add a new level of resilience for communities within developing countries.

Previous winners have travelled to Kenya and Nepal to implement their projects in rural communities.

The initiative has grown to the point where last year saw over 500 students from nine colleges participate and it has become part of the curriculum for engineering in TCD and DIT. Arup have come on-board to sponsor an Innovation Fund which facilitates EWB to work with four teams to develop their concepts further through prototyping and testing, with Davies funding the winning team to travel to the program country.

At a glance - overview of EWB EWB-Ireland is dedicated to bridging the gap between academia, industry and NGOs to give Irish engineers and scientists opportunities to learn about and contribute to sustainable development globally.

Their mission is to partner with disadvantaged communities to improve their quality of life through education

and implementation of sustainable engineering projects, while promoting global experience for engineers, engineering students, and similarly motivated non-engineers.

History Engineers Without Borders was initially founded in France in the 1980s (Ingénieurs Sans Frontières)

and has since developed in countries throughout the world.

Each national branch is independent while sharing the common principles of promoting sustainable development through engineering.

EWB-Ireland was formed in 2010 by a small multidisciplinary group of engineers and registered as

a not for profit company in 2013.

The governance structure comprises a board of directors, a national committee and a local branch network within regional centres including student chapters in University College Dublin, University College Cork and Queens University Belfast. All members are highly committed volunteers.

Winter 2018 | Construction Management | 63

THE FINAL SAY...

The context for this year’s competition is ‘forced migration’ which affects 70 million people worldwide, whether fleeing conflict, natural disasters, climate change or development itself, and is particularly impacting on urban areas.

The initiative, which is open to both students and professionals, provides participants with the opportunity to design creative solutions to real-life development problems under a number of themes including Climate Resilient Infrastructure, Water and Sanitation, Health, Micro-Grid Energy Systems, Food Security and Applying Big Data in The Community.

Volunteer Placements. One of the greatest barriers to development is access to education so a fundamental part of EWB's goal is to upskill communities.

Their international placement model is an effective way of making high level technical knowledge and skills available to grassroots organisations involved in tackling poverty, to build their capacity and catalyse development.

EWB partners with Habitat for Humanity to offer placements in Zambia and is establishing its own programs in Nepal and Uganda.

Partnership for the goals. Everyone involved in EWB-Ireland including the Board of Directors and National Executive is a volunteer and the success of our initiatives is dependent on the individuals and organisations we partner with.

We are always seeking professionals to provide advice and expertise.

The EWB Knowledge Network links our network of Humanitarian NGOs and Development Agencies with professionals to make high level

technical knowledge and skills available to grassroots organisations involved in tackling poverty, to build their capacity and catalyse development.

By getting involved companies can demonstrate their corporate social responsibility and commitment to longterm social and environmental change while making a direct contribution to humanitarian engineering activities and outcomes for communities.

It gives employees unique professional development and volunteering opportunities, helps attract outstanding graduates and increases staff morale by knowing they personally contribute to projects engaging the issues that carry social relevance and make a difference to communities.

Arup Strategic Partnership. EWB has recently launched a strategic partnership with Arup in the Europe Region.

The partnership connects Arup in Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands to the three local branches of EWB. It is hoped to extend the partnership to other European countries next year.

Through the partnership Arup staff volunteer their professional skills to help shape a better world through community engagement to help make disadvantaged and vulnerable communities safer, healthier and better educated.

The strategic partnership with EWB is part of Arup’s overall community engagement programme, and will last at least three years.

Declan Alcock MSc CEng MIEI Chartered Engineer Director: Engineers Without Borders Ireland

ARC2018 at DIT Grangegorman: Achieving Resilient Cities & Communities The cities and communities of the 21st Century face huge challenges in coping with climate change, energy demands, water and wastewater supply together with food and health considerations.

The conference series featured a number of international experts who presented case studies from across Europe followed by a number of interactive workshops.

Day 1: Cities - Tuesday 9 October Day 1 was aimed at Builders, Engineers, Architects, Urban Planners, Designers and related industries. It featured presentations by European experts and by DIT personnel on the design, installation and application of various NBS technologies. The participants split into workshops, mentored by the experts and designed a NBS scheme in conjunction with them. This scheme was based on a real life situation. Day 1 finished with a presentation by the workshop groups of their scheme designs.

Day 2: Communities - Wednesday 10 October

Day 2 was aimed at the community worker/activist and the development worker. It focused on the applications of NBS technology and how these technologies can be used to reinforce community structures and empower communities to address their own problems and produce solutions. Day 2 featured a similar structure to day 1 with presentations in the morning by the European experts and DIT personnel followed by a workshop format in the afternoon.

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Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.

From the team at CMi Putting the Construction Professional at the Heart of what we do ‘If it matters to the Construction professional, it matters to Construction Management Ireland.’

CTORS

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70 Years

Since 1947

Clancy Ballylusky,Drangan, Thurles, Co. Tipperary

Dublin Office 64A Heather Road, Sandyford Industrial Estate, Sandyford, Dublin 18

t: 052 915 2166 e: build@clancy.ie w: www.clancy.ie

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