UK Construction Research Articles

Trialling a new approach to interdisciplinary collaboration in UK construction: A projects-as-practice analysis

This paper investigates the emergence of collaboration on a UK construction project pioneering a novel form of project procurement (Integrated Project Insurance: IPI). Using a projects-as-practice lens and an action research approach, examination of linked episodes of project activity chart the unfolding of collaboration praxis in an IPI context through the frequent interplays of praxis (situated doings), practice (rules, values, policies) and practitioners working together. The analysis focuses on important requirements in IPI: that project practitioners, supported by a facilitator, collaborate to develop joint solutions to project requirements and share responsibility for them. Findings show how practitioners understood how to collaborate through the progressive enactment of working together rather than by developing a prior agreement about what collaboration would involve. Thus, the doing of collaboration mattered more than sayings about it in how practitioners created meaning in developing new collaboration praxis. Through this enactment the facilitator role is understood more as a practitioner in the development of collaboration praxis than solely as a convenor of collaboration. Findings also show how the micro-activities of practitioners may be illuminated using a projects-as-practice lens combined with a focus on interconnected episodes of project life to understand the emergence of praxis on construction projects.

Personal agency and organisational attachment: A career capital perspective

ABSTRACT Despite role transitions occurring frequently within organisations, career theories have often overlooked such transitions. Here we explore the role of personal agency and organisational attachment in shaping career capital enactment within intra-organisational role transitions. We propose a new career capital usage typology. Using an interpretivist approach, the research is based within a UK construction business and explores the role transition experiences of 36 business leaders. Through an analysis of workers’ career capital use we identify a new typology and groups workers as follows: Passive Worker, Company Worker, Political Worker and Career Worker. We argue that type varies in accordance with levels of personal agency and organisational attachment and that this variation in type is particularly important during intra-organisational role transitions.

Digitally enabled modular construction for promoting modular components reuse: A UK view

The UK construction sector is facing multiple challenges associated with low productivity, unreliable project delivery, poor performance, skilled labour shortages, and resource inefficiency. To address these challenges the UK Government and the construction industry have been promoting modular construction; a method that can improve efficiency and productivity in the construction sector via the prefabrication of volumetric elements or structural components of a building off-site and their assembly on-site. In this study we highlight that while modular construction can help deliver sustainability credentials in the entire construction value chain, at present the sector's activities are concentrated on using modular construction to improve resource efficiency upstream of the construction value chain, i.e. at the design, manufacture and construction. This appears to be divorced from the need to promote resource efficiency and productivity at the stages occurring downstream (i.e., disassembly and end-of-life management) of the construction value chain. Such divergence could hamper construction industry's efforts to reduce its environmental and economic impacts in the future, and points to the need of an integrated, holistic approach to improving the sustainability of the sector. To support our argument, we provide an overview of the current state of modular construction in the UK, and outline key obstacles in rolling out modular construction's mainstream use. We posit that modular construction presents an opportunity to integrate upstream with downstream construction practices and achieve sustainability in the entire construction sector, and suggest that the development of a digitally enabled modular construction, whereby smart technologies are combined with modular construction, could be instrumental in supporting this vision. A smart, modular construction regime can operationalise the collection and storage of components' lifecycle information, and help the sector build the capabilities needed to support the maintenance, recovery and reuse of modular components, and reduction of waste. For this to take precedence it is imperative to think of the ‘end’ right at the beginning of the design stage, and foster an improved collaboration between all stakeholders involved in the construction value chain.

Building Information Modelling for performance-based Fire Safety Engineering analysis – A strategy for data sharing

The Hackitt Report into the tragic loss of 72 lives in the Grenfell Tower fire, identified failures and poor practices associated with the UK construction industry. To address these failures the report makes several recommendations, including the development of a “golden thread of information” to be embedded throughout the entire building lifecycle enabling the recording and preservation of information. This is to be achieved through Building Information Modelling (BIM). However, to create a “golden thread of information” in BIM from the Fire Safety Engineering (FSE) perspective particularly for the performance-based approach, many significant challenges and limitations must be resolved. These challenges include the fact that no FSE specific information exchange is available in BIM and that the results produced by fire and evacuation modelling tools are not explicitly captured in the BIM Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) Model. Of the FSE tools that support BIM, this is mainly limited to geometry extraction from an IFC file. In this paper, a practical conceptual strategy to pave the way to resolve these problems is proposed. A number of developments by the authors are discussed, forming part of an international collaboration project proposal administered by buildingSMART to enhance the IFC Model from the FSE perspective. Additionally, to evaluate and demonstrate the benefits of two-way data flow between BIM and FSE tools, a prototype system together with a preliminary FSE based analysis database have been developed. The work presented in this paper, provides a practical road map for creating a ‘golden thread of information’ in BIM for performance-based FSE analysis.

BIM for Deconstruction: An Interpretive Structural Model of Factors Influencing Implementation

Transitioning from demolition to deconstruction practices for end-of-life performances is gaining increasing attention following the need for the construction industry to minimise construction and demolition waste. Building information modelling (BIM) presents an opportunity for sustainable deconstruction. However, the notion of BIM for deconstruction (BIMfD) is still in its infancy in the United Kingdom. Although a few studies on BIMfD are evident, a focus on identifying the underlying factors necessary for successful implementation of BIMfD is lacking. The purpose of this study was to identify and analyse the underlying factors necessary for BIMfD implementation in the UK construction industry. It employed a four-stage research design. The reviewed literature explored extant views on BIM implementation factors to identify an initial list of possible factors influencing BIMfD implementation. Subsequently, a mix of questionnaire, focus group discussions and structured interviews were employed at various stages to refine and contextualise 15 factors necessary for BIMfD implementation in the UK construction industry. The contextual interrelationships among the factors were evaluated using interpretive structured modelling (ISM). This evaluation culminated in a BIMfD implementation factor model. The findings identified BIMfD experts, responsiveness of business models to innovative practices and industry’s acceptance to embrace change as the principal factors influencing BIMfD implementation in the UK. The implications of the findings attest that BIMfD experts and advisors must champion the adoption and implementation of BIMfD in the UK and business models need to become more responsive to accommodate BIMfD innovative practices. A BIMfD framework was conceptualised. Even though the BIMfD framework was designed from the UK perspective, the global construction industry can leverage the outcomes of this study. This paper, therefore, brings to the fore, a hierarchical BIMfD implementation factor model to support improved deconstruction practices in the construction industry.

A Bayesian belief network predictive model for construction delay avoidance in the UK

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to advise on UK construction delay strategies. Critical delay factors were identified and their interrelationships were explored; in addition, a predictive model was established upon the factors and interrelationships to calculate delay potentials.Design/methodology/approachThe critical causes were identified by a literature review, verified by an open-ended questionnaire survey and then analysed with 299 samples returned from structured questionnaire surveys. The model consisted of factors screened out by Pearson product–moment correlational coefficient, constructed by a logical reasoning process and then quantified by conducting Bayesian belief networks parameter learning.FindingsThe technical aspect of construction project management was less critical while the managerial aspect became more emphasised. Project factors and client factors present relatively weak impact on construction delay, while contractor factors, contractual arrangement factors and distinctively interaction factors present relatively strong impact.Research limitations/implicationsThis research does not differentiate delay types, such as excusable vs non-excusable ones and compensable vs non-compensable ones. The model nodes have been tested to be critical to construction delay, but the model structure is mostly based on previous literature and logical deduction. Further research could be done to accommodate delay types and test the relationships.Originality/valueThis research updates critical delay factor list for the UK construction projects, suggesting general rules for resource allocation concerning delay avoidance. Besides, this research establishes a predictive model, assisting delay avoidance strategies on a case-by-case basis.

Technological, Organisational and Environmental Determinants of Smart Contracts Adoption: UK Construction Sector Viewpoint

This study aims to identify the factors that influence the adoption of smart contracts in the UK construction sector. A deductive questionnaire-based approach informed by the technology- organisation-environment (TOE) model is adopted. The framework is comprised of twelve independent variables and one dependent variable of smart contracts use intention. Ten hypotheses are developed to statistically test the causal relationships between the eleven variables of the research model. The study adopts a convenience sampling approach, with the population of interest being primarily drawn from among UK construction practitioners. The results generated from linear regression analysis suggest that the following four factors have a significant influence on the adoption of smart contracts: supply chain pressure, competitive pressure, top management support, and observability. The descriptive statistics obtained also offer a greater understanding of the perceptions and attitudes towards smart contracts across the UK construction sector. The results demonstrate the usefulness of a perception-based model that utilises the TOE framework to assess facets that influence the adoption of smart contracts. The study contributes to innovation diffusion studies in construction project management and supports “early adopters” at the footfall of the technology’s diffusion curve.

Factors affecting the selection of effective cost control techniques in the UK construction industry

PurposeThis paper aims to identify and analyse the factors affecting the selection of effective cost control techniques in the UK construction industry and assess their importance. The study examines these key areas; the factors that have significant impacts on cost overruns, the most effective cost control techniques and the factors for selecting cost control techniques for a project.Design/methodology/approachThe study relies on a mixed-method research approach; a qualitative exploration of the most effective cost control techniques and the factors affecting the selection of cost control techniques, followed by a questionnaire survey and follow-up interviews. Relative importance index (RII) is used for ranking the factors.FindingsThe budgeting technique is ranked first with-0.821RII, followed by cost forecasting-0.800RII and cashflow monitoring-00.733RII, as the most effective cost control techniques. On factors that influenced the choice of the techniques used, cost information/cost-related factors are ranked first with-0.611RII, followed by the size of the company-0.509RII and the effectiveness of the technique-0.572RII.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the scope of the study was limited to the UK construction industry, the results could be interpreted for critical learning in other developed/developing countries.Originality/valueIdentifying and ranking the factors affecting the selection of effective cost control techniques in the UK construction industry has been the focal point of this study. The study also proposes a simple but effective model which can be used for critical learning on mitigating cost overruns and the effective use of cost control techniques in the construction industry.

Retrofitting traditional buildings: a risk-management framework integrating energy and moisture

Traditional buildings constitute a large proportion of the building stock in many countries worldwide; around 40% of the UK’s housing stock was built before 1940 and was primarily made with solid masonry walls. Only 11% of UK solid-walled dwellings had insulation installed, suggesting the high potential of the low-carbon retrofit of traditional buildings. However, there is evidence of the occurrence of unintended consequences, often associated with excess moisture. A method is presented for moisture risk management that includes the development of a process and a framework. These tools are then integrated into a novel framework for the combined energy and moisture performance retrofit of traditional buildings. An example of the framework’s practical application is provided, with a focus on retrofit measures for solid-wall insulation. The proposed systematic approach demonstrates the interconnected nature of energy and moisture. It harmonises the principles needed to support organisations in the delivery of robust retrofit of traditional buildings through the integration of pre-retrofit building assessment and post-retrofit monitoring in the process. The risk-management process and framework presented can be valuable tools to support designers in providing robust and scalable retrofit measures and strategies. Practice relevance An integrated energy and moisture risk-management process is presented to support designers in the retrofit of traditional buildings. This is accompanied by a framework that explains the steps required for moisture risk management at the various stages of the retrofit process. This systematic approach harmonises the principles needed to support organisations in delivering robust low-carbon retrofits and integrates pre- and post-retrofit building assessment in the process. While previous work has addressed energy and moisture management separately, this integrates the two aspects into a framework for risk management. An example illustrates the relevant modes and methods of assessment and monitoring in support of risk management. When combined with practical guidelines and training, the risk-management process and framework can be valuable tools to provide robust and scalable retrofit measures and strategies. The framework was developed within the context of the UK construction industry; it can be adapted to other contexts.

Briefing: Beyond Brexit: trade and procurement implications for the UK construction industry

The UK left the EU, commonly referred to as ‘Brexit’, on 31 January 2020. From 31 December 2020, new EU law does not apply and the European Court of Justice no longer has jurisdiction in the UK. The new EU–UK relationship, which began on 1 January 2021, is explained. The majority of the provisions of the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) came into force in the UK on 31 December 2020. Significant issues for the construction industry are detailed, including supply chain concerns, the ‘level-playing-field’ implications, restrictions on the movement of people, limitations on the recognition of professional qualifications and different product standards. Regarding procurement, the TCA has mandated consideration of environmental, labour and social issues and that UK and EU suppliers must be treated equally in both the UK and EU. The UK is now an independent signatory to the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Government Procurement. Northern Ireland, as an outcome of the Northern Ireland Protocol, has in effect remained in the EU’s single market for goods.

Blockchain-based Innovation in UK Construction: A User Perspective

Innovative blockchain-based technologies are promising tools to address issues of limited trust and transparency across the construction industry’s supply chains. To provide further insight on how to encourage blockchain-based technologies adoption in construction, this study examines the forces that enable and prevent blockchain adoption, in addition to the associated perceived benefits and perceived risks. Exploratory research is conducted involving eight frontier construction companies in the UK construction industry and includes consultants, architects and contractors. The findings have revealed that blockchain adoption in construction is driven by forces encouraging the change, including the pursuit of efficient technological solutions such as blockchain to overcome the declining economic environment in UK construction, a digitally savvy workforce (i.e. millennials) acting as change agents driving technological change, and the pursuit of more data availability to combat skill shortages worldwide. However, forces restraining the change also persist including the technological ambiguity of blockchain tools, lack of interoperability with enterprise systems and industry-wide misperceptions surrounding blockchain. The findings have also revealed discrepancies among the multi-disciplinary stakeholders regarding the perceived benefits and perceived risks of the technology. Lack of education, misuse of technology and financial losses are considered major risks, in addition to data security and management issues. On the other hand, major perceived benefits include increased cybersecurity, transparency and openness, and effective dispute resolution. Recommendations are developed to support blockchain-based innovations adoption in the construction industry. The main contribution of this research project is the development of a preliminary framework of potential risks and benefits of blockchain-based technologies which can assist advocates of blockchain in the development of strategies to increase the rate of adoption in the construction industry.

Timelines of Transportation Infrastructure Delivery 2000 to 2018 in Toronto, Canada and London, UK

This paper explores the timelines of large transportation infrastructure delivery, from first proposal to construction and opening in London, UK and Toronto, Canada. The goal of the paper is to identify both how long it takes projects to go from idea to delivery, the relative time of different stages in the delivery process, and if projects with long timelines see physical or technological changes in their design. This work contributes to two ongoing discussions around the speed of infrastructure delivery, one that argues infrastructure moves too slowly and major efforts are needed to speed delivery and another that argues that good infrastructure thinking requires time to breathe and care should be taken in rushing through the delivery process. Detailed delivery timelines from initial proposal to construction or operation are developed for 26 transportation projects (16 in Toronto and 10 in London) between the years 2000 and 2018. For each project the timelines of inception, approval, planning, procurement, environmental assessment, construction and operational phases are identified and compared. Long informal gestation periods are identified for many projects, particularly for linear projects. In many instances the informal gestation period dwarfs the time projects spent in formal planning. This research highlights the need to expand the conception of timeliness of infrastructure delivery to include the lengthy periods of informal debate and planning that can span years and build up community expectations about the imminence of a project, even before it has received formal assessment or approval. Detailed delivery timelines from initial proposal to construction or operation are developed for 26 transportation projects (16 in Toronto and 10 in London) between the years 2000 and 2018. For each project the timelines of inception, approval, planning, procurement, environmental assessment, construction and operational phases are identified and compared. Long informal gestational periods are identified for many projects, particularly for linear projects. In many instances the informal gestation period dwarfs the time projects spent in formal planning. This research highlights the need to expand the conception of timeliness of infrastructure delivery to include the lengthy periods of informal debate and planning that can span years and build up community expectations about the imminence of a project, even before it has received formal assessment or approval.

The UK construction and facilities management sector's response to the Modern Slavery Act: An intra‐industry initiative against modern slavery

AbstractThe United Kingdom's Modern Slavery Act exposed companies to a new ethical challenge in their supply chains. An estimated 40.3 million people worldwide are in modern slavery, working in a range of supply chains, including construction and facilities management. In this article, we show how the UK construction and facilities management sector responded to this challenge through an intra‐industry initiative and went through a process of collaborative sense‐making and sector‐wide agreement on a joint approach to challenge modern slavery in the sector's operations and supply chains. The research takes an engaged research approach whereby the researchers have been able to gain deep and continued access to the phenomenon from participation in a multi‐company initiative on the implementation of responses to the UK Modern Slavery Act in supply chain and procurement activities of their sector. We identify and discuss key areas for supply chain and procurement practitioners tasked with addressing a human rights topic in their operations and supply chains: Motivation, risk hot‐spots, challenges and response and provide a rich understanding of an intra‐industry initiative which creates a basis for further research on collective sustainability approaches by businesses who are otherwise commercial competitors. The study's results and insights are useful for policymakers and practitioners who are aiming to apply market‐based approaches for sustainability improvements in supply chains.

Evaluate the UK Construction Project Impact and Response Strategies during the Epidemic through Malaysia and China

2020 is a special year, this year the world’s economy has become extremely unstable because of the arrival of COVID-19. Idiosyncratic shocks have hit the global economy. The stock market has suspended, companies have closed, unemployment has soared, every industry has faced the biggest crisis since the Second World War. The British construction industry is certainly no exception. This time it will be the victim of this epidemic and the financial crisis. Compared with the European and American countries, the impact of the epidemic in Asia (Malaysia and China) is relatively light. The development of the epidemic situation in these countries has been controlled relatively effectively and strictly controlled. They are inextricably linked. However, the impact of construction projects in any area under the epidemic, the countermeasures adopted by the government, the epidemic prevention measures adopted by the company and the risk prevention strategy are very different. Therefore, under different circumstances, whether it is from the construction industry managers themselves or government policymakers, it is essential to apply correct and valid management measures to face the projects under construction under the epidemic actively. Simultaneously, collect statistics from questionnaire surveys of three countries in the region, then get an experimental result. Besides, different countries have different policies and forms of epidemic development. So, this research will summarize the corresponding policies and coping strategies of the project. It based on statistics of Malaysia and Chinese construction Projects, surveys for five projects to make comparisons than do statistics to the survey result.

The Effects of Pandemic on Construction Industry in the UK

Pandemics such as: Covid-19 virus have a major impact on the economy of the world and the construction industry has not been exempted. This research investigates the effects of pandemic on construction industry in the UK, and particularly, ways in which the UK construction industry stakeholders such as project managers, contractors, engineers and subcontractors have responded to these pandemics. The research involved a 30 study participants who comprised site engineers, project managers, construction teams, subcontractors and contractors. The findings reported construction companies both dealing with residential and commercial development were major affected by Covid-19 pandemic due to lockdown and social distancing in construction sites. The strategy that was applied by construction companies was maintaining a good relationship with their suppliers and the safety of construction teams. The findings of the research will offer construction companies in the UK insights on how to deal with such pandemics in future to become more resilient.

Status of building information modelling (BIM) in construction practice-UK context

This paper presents the level of Building Information Modelling (BIM) practices in the current UK construction industries. A survey was undertaken which contains a series of a self-explanatory questionnaire. The survey analysis provides an understanding of the level of BIM in practice and how BIM can be incorporated in the future construction industries from theory to practice. Findings suggest that most big companies are in the process of adopting BIM at some level of practice, while small companies are dropped behind. BIM is also very much depending on the clients’ demand and the project complexity. Overall, the infrastructure construction industry is moving forward in the direction of complete BIM in practice.

Test@Work Texts: Mobile Phone Messaging to Increase Awareness of HIV and HIV Testing in UK Construction Employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: HIV poses a threat to global health. With effective treatment options available, education and testing strategies are essential in preventing transmission. Text messaging is an effective tool for health promotion and can be used to target higher risk populations. This study reports on the design, delivery and testing of a mobile text messaging SMS intervention for HIV prevention and awareness, aimed at adults in the construction industry and delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Participants were recruited at Test@Work workplace health promotion events (21 sites, n = 464 employees), including health checks with HIV testing. Message development was based on a participatory design and included a focus group (n = 9) and message fidelity testing (n = 291) with assessment of intervention uptake, reach, acceptability, and engagement. Barriers to HIV testing were identified and mapped to the COM-B behavioural model. 23 one-way push SMS messages (19 included short web links) were generated and fidelity tested, then sent via automated SMS to two employee cohorts over a 10-week period during the COVID-19 pandemic. Engagement metrics measured were: opt-outs, SMS delivered/read, number of clicks per web link, four two-way pull messages exploring repeat HIV testing, learning new information, perceived usefulness and behaviour change. Results: 291 people participated (68.3% of eligible attendees). A total of 7726 messages were sent between March and June 2020, with 91.6% successfully delivered (100% read). 12.4% of participants opted out over 10 weeks. Of delivered messages, links were clicked an average of 14.4% times, max 24.1% for HIV related links. The number of clicks on web links declined over time (r = −6.24, p = 0.01). Response rate for two-way pull messages was 13.7% of participants. Since the workplace HIV test offer at recruitment, 21.6% reported having taken a further HIV test. Qualitative replies indicated behavioural influence of messaging on exercise, lifestyle behaviours and intention to HIV test. Conclusions: SMS messaging for HIV prevention and awareness is acceptable to adults in the construction industry, has high uptake, low attrition and good engagement with message content, when delivered during a global pandemic. Data collection methods may need refinement for audience, and effect of COVID-19 on results is yet to be understood.

Impact of a multi-media digital tool on identifying construction hazards under the UK construction design and management regulations

Research has shown that up to half of construction accidents in the UK had a link with design. The UK’s Construction, Design and Management Regulations, (CDM, 2015) place duties on designers of construction projects to consider the health and safety implications of their designs. However, the majority of designers fail to recognise the impact on health and safety that they can make. Previous work shows that visual methods have been used to develop shared mental models of construction safety and health hazards in construction and design teams. Potentially, these methods could also include links to alternative construction processes that may be utilized by designers to reduce the inherent hazards in the design, thereby enhancing their knowledge of construction and maintenance processes from the very people who are affected by the designs. The study reported in this paper aims to improve how designers involved in construction projects learn about how their design influences the management of occupational health and safety at the construction stage. The proposed approach involves the development of a multi-media digital tool for educating and assisting designers on typical design-related hazards. This prototype tool was used in an intervention study with novice and experienced designers, split evenly between experimental and control groups. These groups were assessed via a novel hazard test using fictitious Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawings. The results showed all experimental groups outperformed control groups, with the novice groups demonstrating the greatest increase in both hazards spotted and quality of alternative options recommended. Current research in this area promotes automated design systems for designers using Building Information Modelling (BIM). However, the research presented here advocates keeping the ‘human’ in control while supplementing designers’ knowledge with tacit knowledge gained from interaction from the developed digital tool, so that they can make informed design decisions potentially leading to safer designs.

Technological, organisational and environmental determinants of smart contracts adoption: UK construction sector viewpoint

This study aims to identify the factors that influence the adoption of smart contracts in the UK construction sector. A deductive questionnaire-based approach informed by the technology-organisation-environment (TOE) model is adopted. The framework is comprised of twelve independent variables and one dependent variable of smart contracts use intention. Ten hypotheses are developed to statistically test the causal relationships between the eleven variables of the research model. The study adopts a convenience sampling approach, with the population of interest being primarily drawn from among UK construction practitioners. The results generated from linear regression analysis suggest that the following four factors have a significant influence on the adoption of smart contracts: supply chain pressure, competitive pressure, top management support, and observability. The descriptive statistics obtained also offer a greater understanding of the perceptions and attitudes towards smart contracts across the UK construction sector. The results demonstrate the usefulness of a perception-based model that utilises the TOE framework to assess facets that influence the adoption of smart contracts. The study contributes to innovation diffusion studies in construction project management and supports “early adopters” at the footfall of the technology’s diffusion curve.

Managing workplace safety – an update following lockdown

Jon Cooper and Ashley Borthwick of law firm Womble Bond Dickinson summarise the key workplace safety guidance for the UK construction industry as Covid-19 restrictions are eased.