Success to me is defined by the value we deliver to our clients and how we help them to achieve their long-term goals. Many construction sites still use traditional methodology and processes, because of the industry’s resistance to change and adaption to new ways of working. But these processes are outdated, inefficient, and prone to producing large amounts of waste. Instead, we should embrace modern methods, strive to innovate, and improve how we do things to deliver on sustainability, productivity, programme and cost. By transitioning to digital construction and Platform Based Approach, I believe we can embed value-based outcomes from the outset.
Why I was drawn to digital construction
I started my journey in the construction industry during the summer breaks when I was 16 years old. I was always amazed by the construction industry's positive impact on society. But I was perplexed by the amount of waste and inefficiencies on a construction site – I noticed that every time the client commissioned a new construction, the design process started from scratch, and I immediately thought it was strange.
Can you imagine if every time you bought a car, you wouldn’t have it designed and made from scratch? It would be massively inefficient, really costly, and high risk. But that is what was happening and still happens in the construction industry today. Project teams are working in isolation and not learning from previous experiences or improving products, designs and processes along the way.
Now, as Digital Construction Consultant, I’ve made it my mission to learn from other industries, help clients to streamline their processes and embrace digital tools to deliver value from the beginning.
Implementing a successful MMC strategy
To implement a successful MMC strategy, where components are built off-site in a controlled environment, a robust level of digitisation is required. We capture information through engagement with contractors, clients, and suppliers. This helps us to make important decisions early in the project, when the impact is high and the cost of change is low. It also enables us to use this information to feed into digital models and simulate how we manufacture, ship, and assemble things on-site, reducing risk, eliminating reworks and waste, and saving time and money for our clients.
Working smarter with a Platform Approach
The industry is taking MMC one step further with a Platform Approach, a new methodology which allows us to standardise processes, components, and designs on scale. The aim is to produce everything in the most carbon and cost-efficient, safe, and quickest way, using the least number of components by standardising dimensions and interfaces, while delivering on the client’s value objectives. A high level of standardisation allows the components to be interchangeable and assembled in virtually infinite configurations to fit the site layout and leverage economy of scale.
How we are helping the engineering industry to transform
We are currently observing methodologies from other sectors and developing them into a WSP Playbook to make platform-based design accessible to everyone. We hope this guide and our innovative approach will give people the confidence to think about their projects differently, encourage them to take action, and help the industry to transform.
