The regulations impacting the construction industry are rarely static, instead existing in a state of constant change. At the same time the structure of the industry is becoming less and less collaborative, and it seems that more time is being spent defending costs than actually collaborating to achieve shared objectives.
The first is a shortage of skilled workers who also have the ability and desire to embrace the newer technologies.
The second is the slow pace of reinvestment in civil engineering projects which are core to the National Development Framework of Project Ireland 2040.
Third is the poor structure of the housing market in Ireland which is hampering both the industry and society.
Fourth, climate action and the rapid response necessary in this regard will require both housing and other infrastructural initiatives to deliver Ireland’s goals.
As a result of these challenges, the construction business environment must adapt. Standards such as BIM are gaining traction as enablers, and not-for-profit organisation Lean Construction Ireland is encouraging collaboration and the adoption of Lean techniques to improve the quality and efficiency of the industry.
Business Transformation and Digital Transformation Programmes are now commonplace within the leading construction companies and major projects. Techniques such as Last Planner, Integrated Project Development and Target Value Design are being adopted by developers and public organisations such as HS2 to ensure visibility and performance at all stages of projects.
To thrive in this sector in the future, organisations will need to transform their businesses and in some cases completely rethink their place in a supply chain that has become, at times, adversarial but will, in the future, be led by those who collaborate openly.
