21st Century Construction

We know that the linear way we build now – where materials make a one-way trip from the earth to landfill – is dangerously unsustainable.It assumes too many infinites: Infinite raw materials; infinite space for waste; and infinite capacity of the biosphere to absorb the greenhouse gases that the one-way trip produces.But what can we do? This month we explore the possibility of a so-called “circular” construction industry, one where high-value inputs are not thrown away but instead are repurposed for new structures.We speak to the authors of a seminal report from Cornell University on how one of the world’s biggest economies, the State of New York, could jump off the “Conveyor Belt of Doom” by going circular with construction.We meet the team behind two landmark office-tower refurbishments that made material re-use a central goal in Brussels, a city that now requires developers to embrace “urban mining”.And we hear from a structural engineer involved in the redevelopment of London’s Elephant & Castle, which used 96 tonnes of steel from existing buildings there, preventing around 125 tonnes of CO2 from going into the atmosphere and showing that even partial steps can have big impacts.We may not be at the tipping point where circularity becomes business as usual yet, but it’s possible now to see what such a tipping point might look like.LinksCornell University report: Constructing a CircularEconomy in New York State: Deconstruction and Building Material Reuse. Download here.Happiness Barometer: Help us gauge happiness and attitudes to it for the next 21CC episode by filling out this short survey.

We know that the linear way we build now – where materials make a one-way trip from the earth to landfill – is dangerously unsustainable.It assumes too many infinites: Infinite raw materials; infinite space for waste; and infinite capacity of the biosphere to absorb the greenhouse gases that the one-way trip produces.But what can we do? This month we explore the possibility of a so-called “circular” construction industry, one where high-value inputs are not thrown away but instead are repurposed for new structures.We speak to the authors of a seminal report from Cornell University on how one of the world’s biggest economies, the State of New York, could jump off the “Conveyor Belt of Doom” by going circular with construction.We meet the team behind two landmark office-tower refurbishments that made material re-use a central goal in Brussels, a city that now requires developers to embrace “urban mining”.And we hear from a structural engineer involved in the redevelopment of London’s Elephant & Castle, which used 96 tonnes of steel from existing buildings there, preventing around 125 tonnes of CO2 from going into the atmosphere and showing that even partial steps can have big impacts.We may not be at the tipping point where circularity becomes business as usual yet, but it’s possible now to see what such a tipping point might look like.LinksCornell University report: Constructing a CircularEconomy in New York State: Deconstruction and Building Material Reuse. Download here.Happiness Barometer: Help us gauge happiness and attitudes to it for the next 21CC episode by filling out this short survey.

By now, many people in construction are used to thinking about cutting CO2 emissions.But the industry’s impact on nature – the planet’s and our life-support system – has been largely overlooked.That is until this year when, in February, it became mandatory for developers in England to deliver a “biodiversity net gain”, or BNG, of 10% on sites that are half a hectare or more in size.In this episode, we explore the practicalities and business implications of this new requirement to protect and enhance nature, asking, can construction really be nature’s friend?On hand to guide us is our experienced panel:• Stephanie Wray, consultant and former Chief Sustainability Officer for RSK Group;• Julia Baker, Head of Nature Services at Mott MacDonald;• Helen Nyul, Group Head of Biodiversity at Barratt Homes.

The Labour Party pledged in its manifesto to build 1.5m new homes over the next Parliament if it got into power. But does the UK have the necessary skills, capacity and infrastructure to achieve this target?In September's episode of the 21CC podcast, three experts gather to answer this question and identify the challenges standing in the way of its delivery.The speakers are:Tim Balcon, CEO of the Construction Industry Training BoardBen Denton, chief executive at housebuilder L&G Affordable HomesJonathan Werran, chief executive at independent think tank LocalisThe discussion tackles some of the burning issues concerning large housebuilding targets in a short period of time, including:Will house build quality be affected by rushed construction?Could this large construction project negatively impact the other UK target to become net zero by 2050?What about NIMBYism?Tune in to listen to what our podcast guests have to say about it.If you would like a transcript of the episode, please email cristina.lago@atompublishing.co.uk

In the latest episode of the 21CC podcast, three leaders of successful megaprojects delve into the nitty gritty of what it takes to lead them.On the panel are:• Jake Mumm, head of Bechtel’s global Public Infrastructure division, whose projects include the Keeyask hydropower project in northern Canada, and the new metro system for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia;• Davendra Dabasia, CEO of Mace Consult, whose portfolio includes the 2012 London Olympics, the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, and Toronto’s ongoing, multi-billion-dollar subway extension;• Ambrose McGuire, Aecom’s Europe Programme Management Lead, who helped deliver many billions worth of infrastructure in Qatar ahead of the 2022 World Cup, and who has been programme director of the joint venture delivering the twin-tunnel Lower Thames Crossing in London, UK.In this frank and pacey discussion full of examples from their own experience, the panellists explore:What behaviour they’d nominate as the most helpful in getting megaprojects over the line;What a winning culture in the leadership team looks like, and how to foster it;How to cascade that culture all down through the megaproject’s total organisation;How to manage stress in the full glare of public and political attention.Megaprojects have a reputation for overruns and delays but, as the panel finds, success is achievable with the correct mindset, preparation, and diligent practice.With megaprojects increasing in number and scale around the world, this discussion will help anyone who aspires to take part in what Jacob Mumm believes are among “the last great human endeavours”.

Veteran plant journalist Peter Haddock is with us this month to help make sense of the rapidly changing landscape of construction machinery and sustainability. Should we go all in on electrification?Is hydrogen coming on stream anytime soon? What’s the current state of enabling technology?Peter shares examples of how businesses including Flannery Plant Hire, L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage, Perkins Engines Company Limited, LiuGong Europe, Xwatch Safety Solutions part of Hexagon Leica Geosystems part of Hexagon and ZQuip from Moog Construction are pushing technology and skills development forward.Peter also discusses the future with Hydrogen; talking about the fuel and explaining the work JCB is doing on JCB Hydrogen machines and the infrastructure needed to make the fuel work.

Following World Environment Day 2024, we dig into a complex and difficult question.Construction is the single biggest source of greenhouse gases.It produces vast amounts of waste.The resource extraction needed to feed its demands puts enormous pressure on habitats and biodiversity.Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of buildings stand empty, even as we prepare to build hundreds of thousands more.So, what does enough look like?To explore this issue, 21CC editor Rod Sweet is joined by some of the most advanced thinkers in sustainable construction today.In this bracing and thought-provoking discussion, you’ll hear from:• Hero Bennett, sustainability leader at building services engineers, Max Fordham;• Will Arnold, climate action leader at the Institution of Structural Engineers and lead author of the proposed Part Z embodied carbon regulation for the UK;• Saul Humphrey, consultant and professor of sustainable construction at Anglia Ruskin University;• Hudson Worsley, chair of Australia’s Materials & Embodied Carbon Leaders’ Alliance (34.47); and• Amanda Williams, head of environmental sustainability at the Chartered Institute of Building.

Building Saudi’s Red Sea high-end tourist giga-project[01:04 ]From bare sand to a collection of 50 separate resorts with its own international airport on Saudi Arabia’s remote west coast, The Red Sea giga-project is a high-end tourism scheme like no other. We speak to Andrew Tyson, head of construction at Red Sea Global, who’s in charge of bringing it all together.Canada: Land of opportunity[11:30] Two CIOB members who upped sticks to find their fortunes in Canada tell us how they did it, and what it’s like.Iain Thomas FCIOB is leading Ontario’s unprecedented, $18bn rail expansion, while Ken Smyth FCIOB is leading construction on a new RCMP headquarters in Burnaby, British Columbia.What clients really want[22:27] Institute Fellow Dr Claire Handby has more than 25 years’ experience helping construction clients in many sectors.She discusses their top three priorities in getting their hospital, school, or office building built.

Robotic micro-factories for housebuilding?[00:25] High-tech companies down through the years have often seen construction as a tantalising frontier, ripe for disruption by new ways of putting things together.Now, the Swiss multinational manufacturer ABB has entered the fray, with an idea for building affordable housing using robots at site-based micro-factories.They’ve teamed up with UK architects Automated Architecture (AUAR) to develop the idea.Global Construction Review’s David Rogers speaks to Craig McDonnell, managing director of ABB Robotics, to learn more.UCEM goes to schools[10:10] The University College of Estate Management (UCEM) has been educating built-environment professionals for generations.Now, they’ve launched a new campaign of outreach to schools.It says tapping into young people’s naturally fertile imaginations can help enthuse them about the interesting careers available in construction.CIOB People editor Nadine Buddoo speaks to Charlotte Thackeray, UCEM’s outreach and inclusion lead, to find out more.

Happy Birthday, CIOB! Three young professionals look ahead [01:00]To celebrate the 190th anniversary of the founding of the Chartered Institute of Building, we speak to three young CIOB people from around the world – members of the Tomorrow’s Leaders network – about the one thing they’d like to change about the industry and how the CIOB can help with that.This stimulating exchange features:• Tadiwa Taimu, 23, a junior project manager building a retirement complex in Cape Town, South Africa;• Ziad Abdeen, 25, a contracts engineer working on various projects in Dubai; and• Dr Hamza Momade, 31, a construction project manager with Roni Group in Toronto, and professor of construction management at Ontario’s Durham College.Michael Brown looks back [13:37]Many will remember Michael Brown, educator, industry diplomat, and former CIOB deputy chief executive.In 1966, he was one of the first people ever to enrol in the brand new BSc in Building at Lanchester Polytechnic, now Coventry University. That degree became the foundation of construction management education ever since.He tells us how exotic he was as a graduate on site, what construction and the Institute were like before email, and suggests a few missions the CIOB might take on in its next 190 years.Data-led construction [21:47]The CIOB’s Royal Charter obliges it to promote the science and practice of building for the public benefit, so Justin Stanton is here to ask industry leaders how data can facilitate higher-performance construction.Diving into this are:• Paul Drayton, head of digital for Europe at Laing O’Rourke;• Gareth Handley, director of operations at Wates Group;• Andy Steele, strategic adviser and former chief executive of Osborne; and• Paul Bamforth, head of global strategic accounts at Buildots.

Crushed by a horse, now crushing prejudice [00:32]Elite Australian athlete Hacia Atherton spent seven months in hospital recovering from a near-fatal accident in 2017.She was told she may never walk again, but she was having none of it.It took many months after leaving hospital, but she fought the pain and self-doubt to get back on her feet.In the process, she hatched a new mission in life: to make the construction trades a beautiful career for women and men.Her unique approach with Empowered Women In Trades (EWIT) has helped thousands of women take up a trade in an industry where only 3% of tradespeople are female, and she’s only just getting started.Construction Skills Olympians [11:12]November saw the WorldSkills UK National Finals, highlighting the talents of the country’s up-and-coming professionals.One of the competition’s categories was Digital Construction, and Justin Stanton spoke to three digital construction specialists who came away with medals: Rebekah Over, Tom Bowles, and Calam Kearney.The rhetoric of modernisation [20:20]Have you ever wondered why report after report telling the industry to “modernise” never change anything? Or why they seem to bear little relation to the way the industry even works?University of Reading Professor Stuart Green has been studying the construction “improvement” agenda for 30 years.The second edition of his book, Making Sense of Construction Improvement, came out last month, covering the years of austerity, Brexit, and what he calls the “perma-crisis” gripping the industry, marked by a string of disasters including collapsing Edinburgh schools, the Grenfell catastrophe, and the ruination of Carillion.Its overarching theme is the idea that “modernisation” itself is used as a kind of propaganda to deflect attention away from what really stops us improving quality, safety, and productivity.It’s genius, he says, because while nobody can really define what “modern” construction means, absolutely nobody wants to be seen as old-fashioned.

The home of great construction stories. We go behind the headlines to meet the people who envision, create and manage the built world. Brought to you by the Chartered Institute of Building.Got a topic you'd like us to cover? Email the podcast editor Rod Sweet rod@atompublishing.co.ukIn this episode:New-homes confidence crisis [01:20]In December, CIOB published results from a survey that showed an overwhelmingly negative public perception of new-build houses.It asked 2,000 UK adults what they thought, and 55% of them believed that old houses are better than new ones.32% described new-build housing as ‘poor-quality’.There is a new set of standards called the New Homes Quality Code that is supposed to hold builders accountable, but signing up to it is voluntary.CIOB recommends that government reviews this to consider making it mandatory.CM deputy editor Cristina Lago spoke to the report’s author, the CIOB’s David Parry, to find out what this all means.Get the CIOB report: https://www.ciob.org/industry/research/newbuilds  Lego-style building system [09:51]A 96-unit apartment complex built with Lego-style, snap-together blocks has opened its doors to residents in Palm Springs, Florida.It was put up by a small crew of unskilled workers armed only with mallets and glue guns.The blocks are made from recycled plastic and glass fibre. Glued together, they form a monolithic structure that is impervious to water, mould, and termites, and can withstand 250mph winds. The material is lighter and stronger than concrete, and making the blocks produces a tiny fraction of the emissions concrete does.The company behind the system, Renco USA, spent 10 years in testing, research and development.In October they raised $18m in their first funding round to build a US factory with a view to making the system available across the country.Renco USA executive Patrick Murphy tells this month’s 21CC Podcast how they did it, and why they’re not like Katerra.Can project managers be coaches? [19:21]Dave Stitt FCIOB used to be hard as nails.A civil engineer, he came into the industry as a teenager and rose through the ranks at big UK contractors Taylor Woodrow, Birse, and Wates, thinking he had to be the toughest, meanest, and bossiest person on site.Then he reformatted his style after he found himself leading culture-change programmes at national construction firms.Now, he coaches construction leadership teams on team-building and people skills, and is convinced that construction managers should stop giving orders on site.Instead, they should coach.But how do you do that, and won’t it lead to chaos? Hear Dave make his case.

The home of great construction stories. We go behind the headlines to meet the people who envision, create and manage the built world. Brought to you by the Chartered Institute of Building.In this episode:Refugees building Britain [00:50]Yemeni refugee Omar tells Cristina Lago how important his construction job is.Jargon Buster [16:27]What exactly do IFC and Cobie mean? And do you really need to know?Building Egypt’s Grand Museum [20:49]Hill International tells David Rogers about its epic project to build the Grand Egyptian Museum ahead of its imminent opening.The Christmas site lunch [08:02]Justin Stanton discovers how caterers at a large London construction site manage the Christmas lunch.

The home of great construction stories. We go behind the headlines to meet the people who envision, create and manage the built world. Brought to you by the Chartered Institute of Building.This episode:[01:25] Abbi Taylor describes what happened after her dad broke his back falling from a ladder on a construction site when she was three.[09:16] 21CC jargon buster in chief Justin Stanton decodes the mystery of smart objects and how they work in modelling [12:55] Meet ‘Defectorist’ Will Rudd, snagging supremo and scourge of bodging housebuilders.[19:15] Lifelong industry scholar Prof Stuart Green on construction’s chronic dysfunction.

The home of great construction stories. We go behind the headlines to meet the people who envision, create and manage the built world. Brought to you by the Chartered Institute of Building.In this episode, CM’s Cristina Lago grills ex-Arup engineer Stevan Lukic about the AI chatbot he developed for construction projects. Does it hallucinate? [01:23][08:44] Our expert panel discusses where AI sits in the digitalisation of construction. Hear from David Philp FCIOB, chief value officer at Cohesive Group and chair of CIOB’s innovation panel; Murillo Piazzi, digital consultant at the BIM Academy; and May Winfield, Buro Happold’s global director of commercial, legal and digital risks.[17:44] Jargon-buster Justin Stanton takes a peek under the bonnet of “optioneering”.[20:19] And with October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, CIOB People’s Nadine Buddoo caught up with building control surveyor Jeannie Ambrose, who kept working and studying after being diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer.

Welcome to the fourth episode of the 21CC Podcast, brought to you by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). The home of great construction stories. We go behind the headlines to meet the people who envision, create and manage the built world.This episode, Will Mann reports on an AI tool developed to detect RAAC in buildings[11:38]; Rod Sweet explores a proposal to build a Roman-style colosseum for Bath Rugby [00:54] ; two young engineers describe what it’s like to build in Antarctica [22:11] ; and Justin Stanton explains what Scope Three Emissions are [20:18].

Welcome to the third episode of the 21CC podcast, brought to you by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). The home of great construction stories. We go behind the headlines to meet the people who envision, create and manage the built world.This episode we explore why a line is the worst possible layout for a planned new city in the desert [01:44]. Pioneering female crane operator Katie Kelleher tells how she started out in construction and explains why women are just as capable [14:56]. And we visit a construction site using a robot to print plans right on the concrete floor [25:08]. Digital twins is the topic for this month’s Jargon Buster. [11:01]

Welcome to the second episode of the 21CC podcast, brought to you by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).21CC is short for 21st Century Construction, which means we’ll be looking ahead to the challenges the industry faces, such as Quality and Safety, Sustainability, and Skills. In this episode 1979’s Usborne Book of the Future set out what life would be like in the 2000s. How correct was it? Justin Stanton and Tom Cheesewright discuss what it got right about today, and what it means for tomorrow.[01:39][10:56] New CIOB president Sandi Rhys-Jones kicked off her presidential year with an awkward question: Why can’t we give women #PPEthatfits? Hear her ideas for turning that industry blind spot into a surprising advantage.[21:57] And, in a segment sponsored by Cohesive, we hear from David Philp, chair of the CIOB’s innovation advisory group, about the latest thinking on construction and “ESG”, meaning environment, social wellbeing, and governance.[19:09] CM Communities Editor Nicky Roger jargon busting BIM Dimensions

Welcome to the first episode of the 21CC podcast, brought to you by the Chartered Institute of Building.21CC is short for 21st Century Construction, which means we’ll be looking ahead to the challenges the industry faces, such as Quality and Safety, Sustainability, and Skills.In this episodeWith all eyes on Ukraine just now, we hear from a Canadian architect whose team has developed a modular, precast concrete system for fixing apartment blocks damaged by Russian missiles.[02:02]Construction social media influencers tell us about the surprising benefits of getting a following on Linkedin.[09:53]21CC’s resident jargon-buster, Justin Stanton, explains the difference between VR, AR, and MR.[17:03]And, in association with Procore, we talk to Denise Chevin and Steven Frost of Milestone Infrastructure, about Procore’s “How We Build Now” report, and what it’s like to be a “Digital First” construction company.[19:57]

The home of great construction stories. We go behind the headlines to meet the people who envision, create and manage the built world. Brought to you by the Chartered Institute of Building.Editor Rod Sweet outlines in one minute how we hope to bring the people stories behind the headlines...brought to you by CIOB