The next round of Innovation Vouchers closes on the 22nd January, so what are they and how do you get yours?

 

The Scheme
The technology Strategy Board (TSB) funds Innovation Vouchers to the value of 5k to help SME's in the Built Environment adapt their working methods and develop innovative processes.
When facing narrowing margins and ever increasing demands this funding allows companies not only to raise their ability to compete, but also to find and build new ways to stride ahead of the competition that may otherwise have been sidelined. 
This may be done by simply adopting new strategies to make your company more efficient and Lean, or by developing a new product or service, and many more in between.


Our Offer
We are offering to assist companies in preparing and submitting voucher applications for innovation projects that require the specialist assistance of Room4. We are offering to do this free of charge subject to availability 


Interest Areas
We are interested in supporting projects in the following areas:

- Lean and efficiency

- Sustainable construction including waste, water and carbon reduction
- Sustainable building technologies
- Building Information Modelling (BIM) - Other new product or process ideas that improve the efficiency and environmental impact of construction.
 

Who is Eligible?
In general to be eligible for the scheme you must:
- be a startup, micro, small or medium sized business operating in the UK,
- not have received an innovation voucher before,
- not have worked with Room4 Consulting Ltd before,
- not have recieved more than £165k of public sector support in the past three years.
 


Next Step
Please contact us for a no obligation discussion about the opportunities for innovation in your business. We will sign to confidentiality agreements where required.

> Call 0151 339 9355
> Email Tim Whitehill
> Visit our website

Innovation comes from the producer - not the customer

WE Deming

  

BIM - Psychology not Technology is the Key to Success

The UK Government’s chief construction adviser has characterised BIM as unstoppable.  There is no doubt that BIM is certainly the ‘buzz word’ of the moment.  Many polarised views have arisen as to BIMs arrival with some seeing it as the ‘silver bullet’ for construction and others of a somewhat pessimistic outlook.  Whatever your view of BIM there is no doubt that it is rapidly reshaping the construction industry and changing the way construction is carried out.

Recent reports indicate that the UK is fast becoming the market leader in BIM gaining recognition not only in the UK but the EU, meaning the work opportunities are perhaps far greater than envisaged.  Those wanting a slice of the BIM pie need to put themselves ahead of the game.  With Government mandating all public work to be completed through BIM by 2016, those that don’t may find themselves at a significant loss of business opportunities and market competitiveness.   BIM is not only for the public sector however and Peter Hansford at a recent address at the ARCOM conference held in Reading earlier this month stated that the private sector are following suit, and are even perhaps ahead. Despite ever increasing awareness and the looming 2016 deadline, the majority however are still yet to engage with BIM.

Back in 2012 we reported on research conducted by Room4 on behalf of the NFB which evidenced that whilst most  construction contractors are not engaging, those that are, are noticing considerable benefits.  In some instances, 20% costs savings have been demonstrated as well significant time savings.  The report also identified that whilst there is concern that SME’s will be left behind with only the big contractors being able to afford and carry out BIM, many are actually bucking the trend with the report finding that contractors with 51-100 employees reported working on more projects utilising BIM tools than their larger counter-parts.
 

Across the pond, McGraw Hill conducted an internet survey to gauge the practitioner perception of the value of BIM which elicited 2,228 completed responses from a variety of professions including, 598 Architects, 326 Engineers, 817 Contractors, 118 owners, 73 Building product manufacturers and 296 other industry respondents.  The findings revealed that 77% of users perceived a positive ROI on their investment, 87% were experiencing a positive ROI and 93% believed there is more value to be realised in the future. Given the positive feedback from the US, engaging with BIM might therefore help put us ahead not only at UK and EU level but also worldwide.

Collaboration is Key - Psychology not Technology

There has been a tendency to focus on the technological implications of BIM leading to some misconceptions. Having attended a number of various sessions on BIM during the last few weeks, including a number of research presentations and the BIM Task Group meeting, what is becoming increasingly apparent to me as I try to grapple with the underpinnings of BIM myself, is that it is (not at the moment at least) not just about technology.  It is the knowledge sharing platform that BIM creates that is the key component.  In essence BIM is just a process but one that requires people at the forefront to drive it.  It requires people foremost, process second and technology last. 

Collaborative relationships are vital to the successful delivery of projects and thus the knowledge platform will only be successful if there is mutual adjustment by all parties involved.  This for some may be harder to get to grips with than the technology aspect. Whilst collaborative working has improved within industry in recent years, BIM requires taking this to another level. Trust must be developed and relationships nurtured. This requires a significant change in mind-set.  The silo mentality currently adopted by industry is the biggest barrier to adoption.  It could be said that the business case for BIM has been made.  The biggest challenge is changing the mind-set of industry to get on board.  The industry is on a transformational journey whether it likes it or not and in order to see BIM implementation through, managing change at both cultural and operational level is paramount.  To stay competitive companies have to be mentally prepared for the upcoming transformation. 

BIM will no doubt be a dynamic process, updated frequently resulting in a constantly evolving business environment.  Adopting a proactive approach and ingraining it as part of your company strategy now will ensure minimum impact when and if change does occur and that you are mentally ready for the challenges that lie ahead.

There is no doubt there is still a long way to go with BIM.  Many clients asking for BIM are unsure of what it actually entails and how it can be used to deliver their projects and so for industry this creates further challenges! Those engaging with BIM however will be better informed to inform the uninformed when they come knocking requiring BIM on projects. The earlier companies adopt BIM, the greater their catalogue of evidence demonstrating BIM capability will be. A critical success factor for collaborative working is also early involvement.  In a fast growing market, those wanting to be at the top of tender lists need to start making headway.  This takes more than just technological learning.  It requires a shift in mind-set, not on an individual level but on an organisational level. 

Want to get 'BIM ready'? Why not start by taking our BIM diagnostic ?

BIM - 2 day Programme

 


The University of Ulster's school of the Built Environment in cooperation with Constructing Excellence Northern Ireland are offering a two day programme held on the 20th and 28th August, to gain an in-depth overview on BIM - one of the increasingly predominant ares of interest within the construciton industry and widely acknowledged as the future of project information.

The two day programme - worth 16hrs CPD- is led by the Schools academic staff Mark McKane, Robert Weatherup and Dr Robert Eadie. All of whom are influential voices in the growing BIM circles of the NI construction industry. As well as Room4's very own Professor Andrew Thomas, considered one of the leading authorities on BIM internationally, as well as co-author of the UK mandated BIM report and a Member of BIM4SME  board.

The two days are split into four modules covering BIM overview, BIM roles and BIM protocols, BIM standards and BIM in practice. Giving you all the information you need on a topic that cannot be ignored, by some of the leading voices in sector.

For more information and for booking click here.

BIM: “Contractors with 51-100 employees report working on more projects utilising BIM tools than bigger contractors”

I’m really proud to have been involved in the research, analysis and drafting of the NFB’s ‘BIM: Ready or Not?’ report. The key message is that although many (but not all) contractors recognise the business case for BIM, fewer SMEs (businesses with less than 250 full-time employees) appear to have the necessary technical skills to take up BIM, have considered how to implement it on projects or are planning to invest in training. Amongst those who don’t perceive there to be a business case for BIM, there is a call for more evidence in order for them to be able to make an informed decision. Fair enough. On the basis of these findings, the NFB calls for stronger communication and discussion of the business benefits for SMEs and support for those who think there are business benefits to be had to think more practically about the implications for their projects.

However, one of the most interesting results for me was the finding that contractors with 51-100 employees reported working on more projects utilising BIM tools than their larger counter-parts. It appears this might be down to the greater degree of subcontracting in this group than in the 101-250 employees group. In other words, you’re more likely to have experienced a BIM-enabled project if you subcontract to a large main contractor that has already adopted BIM than if you’re a large SME tier-one supplier that hasn’t adopted BIM. Sounds logical. Explanations aside, I think it’s worth shouting about this important group of smaller contractors that is bucking the trend, will be learning-by-doing, and may well be helping lead the BIM way in future.