The CIOB is staging its most ambitious event to date on 25-26 November when 500 construction managers are expected to join an impressive line-up of speakers to “Talk Construction” at the QEII Conference Centre in London. CIOB chief executive Chris Blythe tells CM why it will be a must-attend event, not just for CIOB members, but for the whole industry.
Working in construction has never been more challenging, nor the pace of change so great. As the industry begins to climb out of one of the worst recessions on record, the pressure is on to deliver buildings that provide better value for money for both private and public sector clients that also meet tougher environmental obligations.
The government’s Industrial Strategy for Construction sets out an ambitious vision for the industry in 2025: by then it should be delivering buildings at 33% less than current prices in both the initial costs and whole life cost, with project delivery times from inception to completion cut by 50%. In addition, there is to be a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions linked to the built environment, which contribute around 40% of total emissions currently.
"Talk Construction is extremely relevant. People haven’t got time to waste. But if you get the right people in the right place for the right amount of time it’s very effective."
But how do we get there? New forms of finance, integrated working, project bank accounts and BIM form part of the delivery toolkit. But if the strategy is to be realised then everyone from chief executive to project manager will need to understand what’s needed and develop a greater breadth of knowledge and skills.
It is against this backdrop that the CIOB has launched Talk Construction. This two-day conference is intended to bring together all of those responsible for the delivery of projects to debate, interrogate and share solutions to these tough and exciting goals and opportunities.
CM invited CIOB chief executive Chris Blythe to tell us more about the event.
Can you expand on the thinking behind Talk Construction?
We’re fully supportive of the government’s new Industrial Strategy and the point about this event is that it not trying to come up with an alternative. But if the strategy is going to work then it has to carry the breadth of people with it, and people involved at all levels of the industry. This event is all about bringing those people together to bring out practical solutions. We’ve heard enough homilies: we’ve got to get on with it. For the government, it’s an opportunity to showcase quick wins, and talk with those responsible for delivery.
That’s where the game to be played is at the moment – it’s all about delivery. CIOB members have a lot to say and contribute to this. And there will certainly be lots of opportunities to be part of the conversation.
How does it fit in with the broader CIOB strategy?
As a professional body our role is to drive up standards and performance. Staging this event is very much a key part of our external-facing role and broader membership debate of how to improve the construction industry.
What’s the long-term plan for Talk Construction?
We see this first event as a starting point and we’re very much in this for the long term. There is a commitment to make this a regular event and we have provisionally booked the QEII Conference Centre until 2017. Next year we will be running an exhibition as part of the event and we’ve already had a great deal of interest in this.
How should I sell it to my boss?
It provides a toolkit of everything the construction manager needs to know to deliver a modern construction industry. It’s not just about having good technical skills: today’s construction manager needs to be a good business manager as well. Attending this conference is one way of increasing that breadth and understanding. The key thing about our event as well is that it’s priced in a way that enables it to be inclusive. No one should be ruled out from attending because of cost. Attending the conference meets CPD criteria as well.
What can we expect in terms of government involvement?
We’re certainly expecting to have senior policy-makers as part of our line-up of speakers and we expect to announce shortly who will be speaking.
How else is Talk Construction different?
A key thing is that this event is being held to develop the industry, not to make profit. Any surpluses we make will be ploughed back into the CIOB for us to reinvest in developing skills and knowledge.
The programme has been heavily researched. We consulted widely on the content and the format with our members all around the country and the programme reflects what’s on their agendas – such as making BIM work in your business, effective supply chain management and attracting private finance into the sector.
Through our research we have seen a large shift in terms of influence on medium to large construction projects away from the architects and towards the construction manager. In the past the architect was always viewed as the ultimate specifier, but now more than ever the construction managers are assuming overall responsibility for the entire construction process, including the design and specification.
There are a number of reasons for this, including the tighter control that can be achieved with BIM and the risk and reward structure that contractors find themselves in, where project overruns lead to severe financial penalties. For this reason this event is aimed mainly at the construction managers who we see as the key to the future of the industry in the UK.
Who are your partners?
We’re delighted that Talk Construction has the support of the UK Contractors Group, which represents more than 30 leading contractors operating in the UK on construction-specific issues and also has attracted four headline sponsors
(see below).
Between them UKCG members account for £33bn of construction turnover, which is a third of UK construction total output. UKCG’s mission is to promote the UK construction industry and to support its members in delivering excellence by encouraging contractors to work together with their clients and supply chains to promote change and best practice – which very much dovetails with our agenda and values.
We’re also working with specialist conference and event organisers in the built environment who have a wealth of experience putting events together.
How did you select the venue?
We chose the QEII conference centre in Westminster for a number of reasons. It’s the sort of venue a conference like this deserves and it demonstrates that what we’re dealing with is important. It’s very close to government. And as a central location, it’s easy to get to.
So what’s the one reason I should make time for it in my diary?
Talk Construction is extremely relevant and that’s the key. People haven’t got time to waste. But if you get the right people in the right place for the right amount of time it’s very effective. There is a precision in what we are trying to do, and precision has value.
Broad programme covers skills and strategies for project delivery
The programme will be split into five themed sessions over two days, each with an array of different topics and speakers and panel discussions where we will be promoting audience participation.
Our speakers are diverse, ranging from chief executives of the construction companies to financial experts including KPMG and leading clients including Tesco.
Topics include:
- What is needed to deliver competitiveness in UK construction now and in the long-term?
- Are the government’s current policies enough to stimulate activity and investment? What more needs to be done?
- How can cooperation and communication be improved between the industry and government to secure the future of construction?
- What is the latest update on the pipeline for public infrastructure projects for 2014 and beyond? To what extent is the National Infrastructure Plan being delivered? And how is the £40bn UK Guarantees Scheme working in practice?
- What is the long-term goal of the Industrial Strategy for Construction?
- How will the strategy impact and support key areas including supply chain, SMEs, access to finance, global competitiveness?
- Tackling the problem of finance. Where will the money come from? The challenge of meeting client expectations in the current environment.
- Tackling the challenges of attracting private finance into the sector.
- Can UK construction be competitive and green?
- Cost v quality – does price always win out?
- Effective supply chain management to deliver on time and on budget.
Sponsors
Four key suppliers to the construction industry are to be headline supporters of the event, underlining what they see as the importance and focus of the delegates. These are: Autodesk, the leading 3D design software specialist; project collaboration specialist Asite; building products manufacturer Celotex; and recruitment consultant Hays.
The latest programme, list of speakers and registration package can be found at www.talkconstruction.co.uk
