News
-
Empire State Building – 90 years old, designed and built in 20 months and still ahead of most of us on integration and efficiency 90 years on
When it opened in May 1931, the Empire State Building (ESB) in New York was the tallest building in the world. It had also been delivered in record time. “Within just twenty months – from the first signed contracts with the architect in September 1929 to opening-day ceremonies on May 1st 1931 – the Empire State Building was designed, engineered, erected and ready for tenants.”1 This challenging schedule included the demolition of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on whose site the ESB was built. It is tempting to argue that the construction of the ESB reflected conditions in the US in the early 1930s and cannot be used to benchmark the construction of tall buildings today. It was built at the beginning of the Great Depression, so there were no shortages of labour or materials. It was also built at a time when there was less concern with the health and safety of the workforce. Seven people were killed during the construction of the ESB – one of them was a young woman in the street below who was injured by a piece of wood that fell from the building and who subsequently died from sepsis. But by making these arguments, we ignore the fact that the design, engineering and construction of the ESB was delivered by an integrated team of experienced architects, contractors and suppliers using the most advanced production methods available at the time. Fortunately, we have accounts of the construction of the ESB that we can use to explore how this remarkable building was delivered. In 1928 William Starrett published Skyscrapers and The Men Who Build Them which is a personal and detailed account of the design and construction of tall buildings. Starrett was a partner in Starrett Brothers and Eken – the contractor that delivered the ESB. After the building was opened, staff in the contractor’s office wrote up detailed notes of the planning and construction of the building and these have been published by The Skyscraper Museum. Since then there have been several academic studies of the project including a recent paper from Indiana University. Taken together, these sources paint a picture of an approach to promoting, designing, engineering and constructing the building that is different to the approaches we use today. The promoters were a small group of wealthy men who had intimate knowledge of the economics of tall building and were clear about the outcomes they required. They appointed the architect and the contractor at about the same time and based on capability and experience rather than on price. And they engaged the key suppliers like the Otis Elevator Company at the outset in completing the design of the ESB and planning its construction. In many ways they were following the principles we advocate today through Project 13. Integrated processes and information Starrett Brothers and Eken were experts in the construction of tall buildings. It is clear from William Starrett’s book that they understood how every component in a tall building was made and how much labour, materials and plant were consumed in making it. The processes they used to plan and manage the construction of the ESB was based on this deep knowledge and reflected their culture and attitudes. They were respected as experts in their field and, although they sub-contracted large elements of the project, they took responsibility for its engineering and construction. In the accounts of the project, there is no mention of transferring risks to sub-contractors. Starrett Brothers and Eken took most of the risks and expected to keep most of the rewards. The estimates were developed from first principles using the contractor’s knowledge of the costs of materials, plant and labour. From their experiences of building similar skyscrapers, the contractor knew how much labour was needed to construct a cubic foot of concrete floor or a square foot of limestone cladding and this Labour Unit Cost was a key metric in monitoring construction and assessing whether the project was within budget. During construction, the contractor employed a team of inspectors that visited every part of the project several times a day and recorded the amount of work that had been done. This information was summarised in the Daily Construction Report and was used to calculate the actual labour unit cost for each element of work. If this number was above that used in the initial costs estimate, the contractor was losing money and if it was less, they were making money. And because the information was available within hours of the work being completed, the contractor was able to take action before any problems became too large. This approach to monitoring the construction also ensured that in respect of the current status of the project, there was one version of the truth that was available almost in real time. The inspectors measured the work that had been done that day, the staff in the project team consolidated it into a summary report and it was presented to the Superintendent and to Paul Starrett within hours of the work being completed. The whole team seemed to have been aligned towards achieving the targets rather than challenging the data. To read more from Simon on the Empire State Building click here
0 replies · Posted by Simon Murray,
- integration
-
Project 13 reveals the seven elements that drive integration
Analysis of seven major programmes by Project 13 has revealed a golden thread of seven key features that drive integration which it says is at the heart of improved decision making and better outcomes. This analysis features in the new Project 13 Integration paper discussing integrating processes and information within project teams. Click here to read the full Project 13 Integration Report The Project 13 Integration Board analysed how schemes, from construction of Stratford East Village to development of Highways England’s Business Information Framework successfully used integration to deliver better results. This revealed the elements that were common and that allowed the projects to successfully integrate their processes and information. These the board have categorised as enabling features or core technical features. Under enabling features, all of the programmes had: Capable owners that had clear business objectives that set out to adopt integrated approaches to delivery Governance and metrics were used to monitor the delivery of the programmes and satisfy owners that the business objectives were being achieved. Organisation and culture was established at the outset to support integrated working. Under governance and metrics for example, GSK’s Factory in a Box used full scale trials of the erection of a factory to demonstrate that the approach would work in a developing country using local labour. The core technical features are: Product development - the case studies suggesting that the first step in implementing integrated processes is to define a project as a set of products. Process development - successful integration meant teams developed their production processes in parallel with the detailed engineering of the projects. The emerging production process were usually led by the owner and its contractors which influenced the engineering, details of components and arrangement for transporting them and fixing them in place. Supply and logistics – where the case studies demonstrated that not only streamlined delivery of materials was critical but also the workforce. Information architecture – a common thread was the ability to access shared information that could be instantly consolidated to create real time data on progress. Under core technical features the Project 13 Development Board highlights as an example construction of HMS Queen Elizabeth. The warship was conceived as nine functional modules built in six different shipyards and then towed to Rosyth Dockyard for assembly. Programmes studied were: Empire State Building –opened in 1931 and still groundbreaking<br>Stratford East Village – two 23 storey residential towers build using production techniques developed by Mace<br>Factory in a Box – GSK’s development of pharmaceutical manufacturing plants using standard components<br>HMS Queen Elizabeth – production techniques to improve productivity in construction of a very large warship<br>Highways England Business Information Framework – development of standards and processing for integrating information across all its major programmes<br>Strategic Pipelines Alliance – Anglian Water’s strategy for delivering £650M investment in improving resilience of water supply<br>Construction to production – developed by Drees & Sommer of processes and systems for productionising design and construction. Click here to read the full Project 13 Integration Report
0 replies · Posted by Adam Kirkup,
- integration
-
Vision for the Built Environment aligned with core Project 13 Principles
Dale Evans, Chair Project 13 and member of the Vision Steering Group, explains how the Project 13 Principles align with the Vision and how Project 13 will play its part in making it a reality. ‘Our Vision for the built environment’ released today (22 April 2021), reinforces the direction advocated by Project 13. With contributions from over 75 industry leaders and endorsed by more than 35 industry bodies spanning the built environment, the vision describes the future we want: a built environment whose explicit purpose is to deliver better outcomes for people and nature. It recognises the significant opportunity we are presented with, in now having the tools, technology and delivery models to make this future vision a reality. Outcome-focused collaborative delivery models The Vision calls for ‘approaches to the delivery of interventions that are able to deal with complexity, and enable effective integration of new assets into the existing systems. Outcome-focused collaborative delivery models leverage input from across the supplier ecosystem, bringing together engineering and technology to deliver intelligent solutions.’ The built environment has traditionally been seen as a series of unconnected construction projects focused on short-term outputs. Suppliers construct individual assets, delivering solutions predetermined by the owner. The resulting delivery processes and relationships are formed narrowly around the scope of this new asset. By the time delivery teams are brought together, there is little recognition of the outcomes required of the solution. The Project 13 Principles require that the end-to-end process of development is focused on improving outcomes; so maintaining the focus on the purpose of the intervention, aligning teams around a common purpose and creating greater opportunity for creativity and innovation. This marks a significant shift from the traditional approach that focuses on projects and building stuff - and where success is defined in terms of project metrics and cost. The Project 13 Enterprise delivery model allows owners and operators to: Focus on the better outcomes we are trying to achieve for people and nature; Recognise that an understanding of the existing system increases the opportunity to achieve these outcomes through better and more efficient use of the system; Ensures that where the required intervention does include new assets, they are integrated effectively with the existing system. The Vision is aligned with Project 13 in calling for the alignment of outcomes; from global and national strategic priorities, through to investment decisions for individual interventions. The Project 13 Principles advocate owners developing processes that provide a clear understanding of local requirements; the voice of the customer, the communities and the environment. The dialogue that takes place to agree the desired outcomes is crucial in creating alignment and clearly articulating the outcomes required. Making the Vision a Reality The Vision calls for everyone involved in development of the built environment to contribute to this new approach. As the Project 13 Community, we aim to do just that. In 2020 the number of Project 13 Adopters doubled, and the Project 13 Network, launched in March 2021, already has over 750 registered members, demonstrating the commitment to leading the change required and to helping the industry make this shift. Project 13 is also contributing to the Infrastructure and Projects Authority on the Transforming Infrastructure Performance: Roadmap to 2030 to be published later this year, which will help to translate the Vision into policy.
0 replies · Posted by Melissa Zanocco,
- capable owner
- governance
- integration
- organisation
- digital transformation
-
Why is it more relevant than ever to develop capability?
Lucy Howard, Project 13 Capable Owner Development Group Co-Chair and Head of Infrastructure Markets at Turner & Townsend, discusses the need to focus on the core six areas of capability following the Covid crisis. 2020 has seen many owners around the world adapting to unique challenges to maintain productivity, sustain supply chains, and enact a step change in digital transformation in the face of a global pandemic. Project 13 Adopters have doubled in Number in 2020 with more owners recognising the value of the six core capabilities in making their organisations more resilient in the crisis and to deliver outcomes in the face of these challenges. These are the capabilities and how they are changing the landscape. Articulating the voice of operations requires enabling an equal voice for both operations and maintenance upfront in the enterprise. Covid-19 has shown us the importance of operational staff who have been working on the front lines during the pandemic. Capable Owners need to translate the experience of those staff in managing our assets in these times into project requirements so we build back with more resilient infrastructure. Articulating the voice of the customer requires identifying, engaging, and absorbing customer views into organisational goals and outcomes. Anglian Water’s innovative engagement with its customers is demonstrating how this can lead to a strong set of outcomes that deliver economically sustainable solutions for the environment, for the enterprise and ultimately for the customers. Recruiting and maintaining talent requires that we seek out those with the skills, desire to challenge, comfort with ambiguity, and business management. This means those in leadership roles have to be proactive in finding those people. As the industry emerges from Covid, owners and their supply chains will need to draw in new skills and thinking from beyond the sector. Value driven mindset requires re-focus from assets to the infrastructure services provided by those assets. Value is achieved through service provision outcomes, not asset delivery outputs. This means that what is required is an outcome focused strategic case that meets long term investment needs rather than the traditional short term, cost and output driven economic case. Relating to the ecosystem requires new commercial models that align suppliers to organisation and customer outcomes. There has to be a move away from the transactional approach towards that of a high performing value adding enterprise where strong relationships are developed between all parties who have the ability to affect the overall outcome. Risk also has to be appropriately proportioned and discussed in an open and transparent manner. As we emerge from these challenging times, this ethos is of increasing importance as we look to improve the industry’s resilience going forwards. Creating and maintaining complex systems requires the technology, structures and processes that fuel an enterprise perform at their best. Capable owners establishing new enterprises in the predominantly virtual environment created by Covid 19 have been required to develop new abilities and use new techniques. As my co-chair John Grimm observes: “Bringing together multiple organisations to create an aligned enterprise to deliver outcomes has historically been challenging, but trying to do this in a virtual environment poses a set of additional demands.” To overcome them takes commitment from all parties, some new skillsets and different approaches to the ways of working.
1 reply · Posted by Lucy Howard,
- capable owner
-
Project 13 adopters double in number in 2020
Melissa Zanocco, Head of Programmes, Project 13, provides an update on the growing number of Project 13 adopters. 2020 was an important year for Project 13: its partnership with the World Economic Forum, a growing community and, most significantly, the continued increase in Project 13 adopters. From the initial four early adopters I began working with shortly after the launch of the project in 2018, the adopter group has in 2020 expanded to 13 infrastructure programmes. The group now includes: Anglian Water Strategic Pipeline Alliance Environment Agency Next Generation Supplier Arrangements Heathrow Expansion National Grid London Power Tunnels Network Rail Transpennine Route Upgrade Sellafield Programme and Project Partners Sydney Water Partnering for Success Yorkshire Water Capital Programme Delivery British Antarctic Survey East West Rail Openreach Fibre First Devonport Royal Dockyard Anglian Water Cambridge Waste Water Treatment Plant relocation This is a fantastic cross-section of organisations that are all sharing their experiences and learning across the group as they adopt the Project 13 principles. A critical component of Project 13’s success is that it is sponsored by the Infrastructure Client Group (ICG), which ensures that we have owner organisations championing and driving the shift to new delivery models. More than half of the ICG’s members are Project 13 adopters. This significant increase in projects and programmes adopting Project 13 illustrates that the principles clearly resonate across infrastructure. From adopter group to community<br> As Project 13 transitions from a UK initiative to a global movement, the early adopter group is on its own transition to becoming the Project 13 adopter community. With its growing number of adopters, the community is looking forward to interacting across a wider group of stakeholders internationally – enriching the learning and sharing. Project 13 is about highly integrated enterprises working collaboratively across the supplier ecosystem to deliver better outcomes. It is therefore fitting that the community will now be made up of representatives from across the adopter enterprises rather than just the owner organisations. It will also be in regular contact with the Project 13 supplier readiness group and will nominate representatives to sit on it to ensure that suppliers who are not yet operating in an enterprise can benefit from their shared learning. In addition, the community provides important learning and feedback to the Project 13 development groups to ensure that the initiative is constantly evolving and reflecting best practice across the industry. Recap: what is Project 13?<br> Project 13 is an industry-led movement to improve the way in which high-performance infrastructure is delivered. It moves from transactional business models to collaborative operating models. Adopted by some of the UK’s largest infrastructure owners, it brings together skills and technologies in a collaborative environment. As well as creating a more highly skilled workforce and infrastructure that represents better value for all, it contributes to building a sustainable future for the construction industry. What is a Project 13 adopter?<br> They are organisations that intend to adopt Project 13 principles on a project or programme as part of a strategy to deliver better customer outcomes. Adopters become an integral part of the overall Project 13 initiative and benefit from being part of a shared best-practice community. The adopter programme provides Project 13 – and more broadly the ICG – with continued learning, enabling the continued development of Project 13 knowledge and tools. In applying the principles of Project 13, adopters get additional support from the ICG. What is the Project 13 adopter programme?<br> The purpose of the adopter community is to create a forum for the direct exchange of learning and best practice across owners or enterprises adopting Project 13 principles and to provide peer-to-peer guidance and support. The programme consists of: Project 13 adopter community forum Programme of themed workshops with topics decided by the adopters themselves Adopter/supplier readiness joint meetings Peer group hubs on specific topics or themes Peer review programme Site visits Events and workshops If you are interested in becoming a Project 13 adopter and joining the community then please contact me at melissa.zanocco@ice.org.uk
2 replies · Posted by Adam Kirkup,
- capable owner
- governance
- integration
- organisation
- digital transformation
-
The Construction Playbook: what it is and why it matters
Melissa Zanocco, Head of Programmes, Project 13, discusses the importance of the alignment between the Construction Playbook and the Project 13 Principles to the transformation of the industry. Project 13 welcomes the publication of the Construction Playbook, which aims to embed a new approach to the procurement and delivery of construction projects and programmes. As well as aligning with the overall Project 13 approach, the Project 13 principles are recommended in several places. The Playbook contains 14 main policy changes to drive the government’s agenda of "better, faster and greener delivery", including: Incentivising the industry to innovate by setting clear and appropriate outcome-based contract specifications, rather than defining upfront how infrastructure should be delivered Developing a consistent and mutually beneficial relationship with industry, moving away from a confrontational approach towards stronger relationship and contract management that will deliver continuous improvement over time Further embedding digital technologies to standardise the approach to generating and classifying data, data security and data exchange, and to support the adoption of the Information Management Framework and the creation of the National Digital Twin Better benchmarking to understand the whole life cost, value of a project and get an estimate range of what projects should cost Better allocation of risk between the sector and public buyers to mitigate risk being inappropriately managed or passed down the supply chain Based on the Outsourcing Playbook, the Construction Playbook has been developed over several months with industry and government collaborating through weekly workshops with Dale Evans, chair of Project 13. Implementation Project 13 is part of the Infrastructure Client Group (ICG) programme and is therefore a key vehicle for achieving the objectives of the Construction Leadership Council's Infrastructure Industry Working Group, led by the ICG. The group is governed by a programme group that includes senior representation from the Construction Playbook and so Project 13 will continue to play an active role in the extensive implementation plan. The Playbook is mandatory for all central government and arm’s length bodies (such as Highways England or Network Rail). It will be rolled out on a 'comply or explain' basis, with a Cabinet Office team monitoring and guiding implementation. It is therefore a significant step for Project 13’s aim of transforming the industry. Dale Evans, chair of Project 13, said: "The Construction Playbook is a really important step that provides clear and progressive direction on how government wants to work with construction. Project 13 is highly aligned with the principles set out in the Playbook and we look forward to supporting the next phase." Nirmal Kotecha, chair of the ICG management board and CLC task force member, said of its focus on an outcome-based approach:<br> "Defining clear outcomes from infrastructure investment is going to become a key competence for clients in future and this will form the basis for driving significant change in the way we procure and commercially incentivise organisations through the value chain to ensure they are fully aligned in the pursuit of the desired outcomes."
0 replies · Posted by Adam Kirkup,
- capable owner
- organisation
- governance
- integration
- digital transformation
What is Project 13?
Project 13 is an industry-led response to infrastructure delivery models that fail not just clients and their suppliers, but also the operators and users of our infrastructure systems and networks.
It seeks to develop a new business model – based on an enterprise, not on traditional transactional arrangements – to boost certainty and productivity in delivery, improve whole life outcomes in operation and support a more sustainable, innovative, highly skilled industry.
Recent Discussions
-
Peter Foxley replied to a discussion
Integrating processes and information
It seems to me that the Civils sector is getting the message with the likes of BAM and VINCI showing the way by obtaining Information Management ISO 19650 accreditation. Although from our experience the major technology contractors (such as the big 3 for railways), who often undertake the infrastructure system integrator role, appear reticent to investing their time, energy and cash to proactively support the construction transformation. ALIM Systems had some recent dialogue with one o- integration
- digital transformation
-
Neal Carter replied to a discussion
Defining Outcomes
Miles - connecting two different groups I'm in, but how about speaking to Sue McElroy at the MoJ - she was speaking yesterday about soem interesting outcomes at HMP Five Wells and other schemes in the portfolio. Five Wells has got awards for MMC deployment but from what Sue was saying a big focus has been social outcomes, including for example how the prison 'design' (ie not just the future use of its spaces) supports rehabilitation programmes.- governance
-
Simon Murray replied to a discussion
Being prepared for unforseen unknowns
Kevin, this is a great question. My three bits of advice are: Maintain diverse thinking - I agree with Tim and Greg about the importance of diversity of thought within the leadership of an organisation. We tend to talk about diversity in terms of gender and ethnicity and whilst these are important, they don't ensure diversity of knowledge and thought. It is this latter kind of diversity that ensures resilience in an organisation. Look after your networks - no organisation is an isla- organisation
-
Dale replied to a discussion
Initial engagement and under-performing partners
Commercial relationship are likely to be with the owner. As integration capability is established, which should still be early in the development phase, the ‘integrator would align and coordinate the overall enterprise, which is still the case when contractual relationships have been formed by the owner. Partners would generate a return through their share of the the value (or outperformance) created through delivery. Individual partners share, and hence return, would be moderated to reflec
