LEXiCON project takes a significant step toward a common approach to construction product information

LEXiCON project takes a significant step toward a common approach to construction product information

The conclusion of LEXiCON’s first phase is a major step toward creating trustworthy and reliable, digital structured product information in a standardised way across the industry.

Developed by the Construction Innovation Hub (the Hub), in partnership with the Construction Products Association (CPA), the LEXiCON project is seeking to standardise construction product information and support manufacturers in sharing product information freely across the industry.

Detailed in a report published today, the first phase of LEXiCON sets out a methodology for the creation and ongoing management of ‘Product Data Templates’. By creating a consistent approach across the building industry, LEXiCON will make it easier for people to upload, categorise and compare data between products. You can find out more information about this latest step from LEXiCON here.

Help to Grow Digital aims to help businesses adopt new digital technologies

Help to Grow Digital aims to help businesses adopt new digital technologies

Help to Grow: Digital (HtGD) is a UK-wide government-backed scheme that aims to help SMEs choose, buy and adopt digital technologies that will help them grow their business. The initiative will be launched in December 2021 and could help up to 100,000 businesses adopt new digital technologies over three years.

The Help to Grow: Digital scheme will offer businesses:

  • Free, impartial advice and guidance about what digital technology is best suited to their business and how it can boost their business’ performance
  • Targeted financial support for eligible businesses, worth up to £5,000, towards the costs of buying approved digital technologies for the first year.

To register your interest visit https://register-help-to-grow-scheme.service.gov.uk/

Do you have what it takes to help save the world?

Do you have what it takes to help save the world?

  • Do you have what it takes to help save the world?
  • Can you bring your creativity to solve the biggest question faced by the construction sector?
  • Are you itching to be at the heart of efforts to deliver net zero carbon?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to all of these questions, and you are a young professional working in construction then you are invited to take part in the Construction Leadership Council’s Dragons’ Den competition for proposals to crack down on carbon.

Your ideas are needed for how the industry can make a step change in its carbon performance. All proposals are welcome and encouraged.

If you have a proposal that is developed to the point where it could potentially be rolled out with industry with the right backing, then the CLC can bring that. The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) reaches into every part of our great industry, and it can leverage its power to make your proposal a reality.

To secure this support, you are invited to step into the CLC’s Dragons’ Den where shortlisted applicants will be able to present their proposals to industry leaders.

Alongside support to get your idea off the ground the winning proposal will also bag a £1000 cash award donated by the Builders Merchants Federation, and mentoring with a CLC Business Leader.

Are you ready to that enter the CLC Dragons’ Den? If so, please go here for more details.  Closing date midday 8 October.

 

New FIS Course:  Getting Started with Digital Construction

New FIS Course: Getting Started with Digital Construction

To support the digital revolution in the finishes and interiors sector, FIS has team up with digital specialists Digital Construction Skills to deliver a new course – Getting Started with Digital Construction, designed to help FIS Members pick through the vast array of digital tools available and to help you make sense of them and work out which ones will have the most positive impact on your business, aligned with your business goals.  This targeted is backed by a strategy support toolkit, that will help you develop a structured digital construction strategy and give your teams the skills and confidence they need to drive change in your business.

This CITB Assured course (Grant Tier 1) is aimed at construction professionals in the Finishes and Interiors sector who would like to learn how digital technologies can benefit their business and to explore the factors they should take into account when considering possible digital solutions. It will help delegates to implement new digital technologies whilst ensuring the greatest chance of successful implementation and avoiding common pitfalls.

Who the course is aimed at:

  • Managers and decision makers
  • Business owners
  • Directors
  • Engineers
  • Project Managers
  • Quantity Surveyors/Commercial Functions
  • SHEQ Staff
  • Team Leaders

Course Content

By the end of the course, delegates will be able to:

  • List the broad categories of digital tools available
  • Describe the possible benefits of implementing digital solutions
  • List the factors they need to take into account when selecting a new digital solution
  • Identify areas of strengths and weakness within their business in terms of readiness for implementing digital construction
  • Identify the supporting skills required to successfully implement the digital tools identified for their business
  • Explain how to identify specific problems within their business which could be solved with digital solutions

The course is split over two consecutive afternoons and will take place on Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th October 2021 and 2-5pm

To reserve you slot click here

 

Embracing Change – the story so far

Embracing Change – the story so far

The FIS Conference has been focussing on levers for change in the construction sector, how we rechart a course and go through the gears to delivering a better construction product in a healthier and sustainable supply chain.  Each week we are debating the levers and barriers to change and two of the five virtual roundtables that we are hosting are now available for members to “listen again”.

Key themes explored in our first session Building Trends in the finishes and interiors sector were how sustainable the recovery is, what is driving investment, regulatory change, how the office is really likely to change from a practical perspective and what this means to construction and how wider design and specification trends are likely to be impacting on future works.  Without spoiling the ending, there was some cause for optimism from most of the panel.

In the second session A Path to Net Zero we explored whether sustainability is driving change and the pressure that is washing through the supply chain, focussing not just on how we react, but the need to be proactive as a supply chain.  “Don’t wait” was a key message as was the theme, which is further developing through our upcoming sessions, “how do we collaborate outside of the project” and focus on what is important and we can change.

This week our focus was Shortages, Employment Models, Recruitment and Competence and we move to Procurement and Contracts next week and finish looking at Innovation in the finishes and interiors sector.

You can get early access and engage in the debate by booking your place here.

Sector experts debate the benefits of flexible working

Sector experts debate the benefits of flexible working

‘Worth more than pay’ – sector experts debate the benefits of flexible working

Demand for flexible working has grown in the wake of the pandemic, but does flexibility fit with construction, and can it ease the sector’s gender balance and skills issues? Recently Build UK Chief Executive Suzannah Nichol joined a Construction News roundtable to highlight how it is key to retaining a more diverse workforce.

Suzannah said:

“We keep talking about more diversity in construction but we’ve actually got to do things differently to make a difference”.

“It feels like we’ve been through a massive social experiment over the last 18 months and the virus crisis has instigated many conversations about people, processes and productivity “that we’re not generally very good at having in construction”.

You can read the full aticle at https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/agenda/worth-more-than-pay-sector-experts-debate-the-benefits-of-flexible-working-24-08-2021/

Build UK has created a toolkit to assist businesses in implementing flexible working across your business, which includes a 10‐point action plan that companies of all sizes can use.