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How do we achieve collaborative Innovation: navigating complexity, while championing sustainability in infrastructure?

18th, October 2023

UKCW session - Collaborative Innovation

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At the UK Construction Week Birmingham event in October 2023, our sponsorship of the Infrastructure Hub meant we hosted an extensive range of discussions, presentations and debates with industry leaders around the complexities and progress of infrastructure and how to achieve ‘Innovation in Action’. Conquip led three sessions on the agenda. In this series of blogs we’re going to report on each session, along with our views on the infrastructure industry.

On the first day of the show, we hosted a fireside talk, ‘Collaborative Innovation: navigating complexity, while championing sustainability in infrastructure’.

Adam Hicks, Director – Strategic Partnerships & Major Projects at Conquip was joined by guest speakers Lauren Blakely, Principal Consultant/Associate Director – Pre-Construction/ Projects Delivery, Infrastructure Projects, Lendlease and Georgia Thompson, Constructability Engineer, Costain. What followed was a fascinating session with plenty of questions from the audience…

UKCW session - Collaborative Innovation

How does early collaboration and early contractor involvement ensure successful project outcomes?

Early input at design stage enables improved buildability, cost savings, efficiencies and sustainable construction processes from the start. Lauren at Lendlease said: “It’s actually the supply chain that tackle these issues and make use of their innovative solutions. Progression happens when we bring people together with the right skills to review a set of challenges”.

The panel talked about their experience on projects including Collindale, Piccadilly and Bank underground stations in London. Lauren said: “At Collindale, pre-construction was done by Lendlease for Atkins, before design. The Council was happy as the project was buildable early on as a result.”

Adam at Conquip added: “Cross collaboration means early contractor involvement drives the business case – improved buildability, cost savings and efficiencies from the start”.

Georgia at Costain said: “Having early contractor involvement gives the team space to think innovatively without the pressure of delivery. As soon as you are in project delivery mode, your priorities start to change and this environment is not conducive with innovation.”

Why is considering buildability in the early stages essential for successful infrastructure projects?

Lauren at Lendlease started by saying: “Buildability is crucial for the success of projects. I believe that it should be considered early at concept stage and should be an iterative process. Understanding how you can build your project early on allows you to spot and fix potential problems, and mitigate risks, which allows the freedom to be more innovative, creative and for sustainable solutions to be implemented. Change later on during a project is much harder to deal with. At Piccadilly, we carried out a buildability review at RIBA 3, and as a result, have been able to realise solutions that save substantial time in the programme and increase carbon reductions.”

Adam at Conquip added: “When we consulted on the Edge project at London Bridge for Mace, we changed from blue sky excavation to top-down construction to improve the programme. Working with Mace we developed this scheme to reduce operated plant by using our BulkX methodology and solution. This improved carbon emissions which was mission critical for project award, and improved logistics with material handling.”

How does innovation improve buildability?

Continuing the theme of innovation, Georgia at Costain commented that “Innovation happens when we bring people together around a set of challenges or opportunities. Profits margins are particularly tight for contractors. Looking at the manufacturing or neighbouring engineering industries, they have huge R&D budgets, and teams are allowed to try and get things wrong. We cannot afford that, particularly in regard to risk; the nature of our infrastructure is for people and not necessarily a malfunctioning hoover which can be recalled. We cannot recall a bridge in quite the same way.”

Georgia continued “There also needs to be a focus on the lifecycle of an asset. I know the Institution of Civil Engineers are trying to make this distinction. Through a lunch and learn session, I learnt about a new product called FFU sleepers which were synthetic plastic wood sleepers. Yes, initially the carbon & costs are high but when you take a holistic view of replacing wooden sleepers every 20 years, compared to product that has a 75+ life span, you can begin to justify it.”

What does project sustainability mean to you and what does it achieve?

Georgia at Costain gave the most succinct view on infrastructure project sustainability that we have heard in a long while: “Project sustainability means ensuring we’re delivering a project that satisfies people, profit and planet”.

What’s the real-world impact of programme on local communities?

Lauren at Lendlease explained: “The longer a project takes, the more impact it has on local communities. We have to think about the long-term effect on those we are building around and next to. We need must think about the design, how we build and how the structure operates, runs and how it is demolished – the whole lifecycle. The design needs to reflect making every step as sustainable as possible. If we don’t involve and consider the supply chain early enough to reduce sustainability impacts, it is then not considered a priority, and often seen as a deliverable that can be removed.”

An example at a development in Southwark in London was given to the audience. The original building plan was to create 10 stories, but this number then needed to be increased to 17. After early engagement with the supply chain, the contractors were able to reuse foundations and prevent unnecessary demolition, to create 17 stories with a significant carbon reduction.

Adam explained that, at the current Elephant & Castle redevelopment project in London: “It’s a highly complex site next to significant transport infrastructure. Bottom/up, top/down construction and close proximity to major urban transport infrastructure is addressed with complex propping which will make the scheme more sustainable and sympathetic.”

Contact us if you want more information on Conquip’s infrastructure design engineering and build solutions.