In other words, what’s important here is where the construction technology lands, and why that’s effective.. On a broader level, this type of construction technology work relates to the current industry conversation surrounding the ecosystem of connected digital platforms that are starting to emerge in construction, with core connective pieces beginning to come together.
Next came the question of how best to approach obtaining the information.Ricketts says local authorities were using a combination of approaches, from trawling through records (building control, planning and housing), to looking at GIS mapping, and even cycling the borough.
In the end, his team used 3D modelling to help them identify the buildings above 18 metres, but many of them turned out to be private buildings, making it necessary to link with Land Registry and Companies House in order to find and contact the owners to obtain the data.He adds that it’s difficult to make sense of so much information in a single Excel spreadsheet, and says it ended up multiplying exponentially..Although Ricketts is keen to begin to harness the benefits and opportunities that will come from digitising the planning system, he agrees with Sharp’s observations about security and the possibility of accidentally sharing too much.
He believes it will be much better to build in the necessary data security right from the beginning of the process, and says that will be a key next step to address.This will mean that applicants will share with the local planning authority only as much as is actually needed.
Unlike the 2D plans and PDF documents currently in use, BIM and digital technology enable applicants to segment their designs, making this possible and less prone to mistakes.. Ricketts says that next steps will revolve around using the Gateway One process that’s come out of the Hackitt Report and the Building Safety Bill, and will involve extracting and digitising important fire safety information from architecture and engineering models.
The Building Safety Bill specifies that information must be held securely on a digital platform, and it’s much more sensible to start doing it now, rather than having to catch up later once it’s all gone through the paper-based planning system.For a long time, we’ve been chasing capital cost, regardless of carbon emissions or societal outcomes.
We haven’t previously placed value on things like sustainable design and this has led us into some of the issues we’re now facing, like climate change.As a result, we need to look at broadening out the outcomes we expect to get from construction projects, both now and in the future.
We need to focus on the wider value piece.We’ve got to get under the skin of the client, or Government department, and understand what’s really valuable.