Did the Government Construction Strategy Deliver?
The construction industry is a major sector of the UK economy. However, the government was marked by the failure to gain economically from the public sector construction. Moreover, the government is accused of failing to exploit public procurement in the construction sector. In response to these allegations, the government formulated a strategy. The government, through its plan, promoted for a more efficient construction industry. The strategy aimed at reducing costs in the construction industry by 20 percent. Moreover, the strategy aimed to reduce the carbon pollution resulting from constructing and the operations of the constructions (Cabinet Office, 2011, P. 18). However, the government strategy has been faced with various challenges. This paper provides an evaluation of the current state of the government’s construction strategy. This evaluation provides an analysis of the areas the government has and has not achieved in pioneering for the construction strategy to assess whether it has been able to deliver its objectives.
Public procurement exploitation
The government stipulated for the exploitation of the public sector procurement (Cabinet Office, 2014, p. 2). Streamlining the procurement sector required the creation of efficient interrelationships between the clients and the construction industry. According to Fitzpatrick (2013, p. 1), there are strong collaborations and relations with the suppliers. The government has created three procurement models to achieve this need. The Cabinet Office (2014, p. 3) explains that these procurement models are diverse allowing for flexibility and create a platform for the public clients to make trials. The adoption of these models will result in the reduction in the construction of projects of in the public sector. The detailing in the models creates a less risky channel of procurements. The models also help to help to facilitate for more innovation. Moreover, the supply chain has been involved in the development of the designs.
Creation of Green Construction Board to reduce Carbon burden
The government strategy saw the creation of the Green Construction Board (GCB) (Cabinet Office, 2014, p. 4). This body was concerned with ensuring the reduction of carbon burden from buildings and infrastructure. This body has been able to maximize on achieving the objectives of the strategy. It has created various working groups with diverse objectives aiming to reduce carbon. The body has six groups, two focusing on buildings and infrastructure while another stimulates demand and concerns with the valuation process in the various market sectors. The last three groups deal with themes on greening the construction industry, promotion and promotion of knowledge and skills. This diversification in the activities of GCB has been crucial in ensuring a holistic approach that are effective in achieving the reduction of carbon emissions.
Promotion of initiatives by companies to reduce carbon emission
The government strategy initiated diverse activities aimed at reducing carbon used during construction and in the resulting infrastructure. For instance, stakeholders in the various industries launched Infrastructure Carbon Review (Cabinet Office, 2014, p. 3). This initiative aimed at using construction techniques, new technologies and use materials with low carbon. The government has backed and promoted for this initiative through GCB. The review will see the reduction of carbon and costs involved in the construction industry.
Use of BIM technology
The government has launched a four-year modernization program with BIM. The government advocated for the use of collaborative 3D BIM on public projects (BIM Task Group, 2013, p.1). This technology allows for all information on asset and projects documentation and electronic data storage. Adoption of BIMs technology will enable identification and creation of efficient ways during the life cycle of projects (Fitzpatrick, 2013, p. 1). BIM technology will test required data delivery, form a data exchange structure and encompass available PAS 1192 standards.
Involvement of Local Governments
The local governments has formulated construction strategies that complement those of the national government. The national government has promoted for efficient procurements in the local governments (Cabinet Office, 2014, p. 7). Cabinet Office Construction team uses representatives to evaluate the progress of shared services and collaborative working achieved at the local level. Such delegation of responsibilities allows for ensuring a holistic approach in the implementation of the national strategy.
Drawbacks
The government strategy has been revealed to have immense achievements. However, the strategy has failed to ensure sustainability of its achievements. According to Smulian (2012, p. 1), the achievements by the strategy are based on the current situation of the market. Short-term achievements will not translate to long-term sustainability. Moreover, Gardiner (2013, p. 1) accounts for other drawbacks in the strategy that include low innovation levels, poor integration between the supply chain and the contractors and lack of the workforce sector diversification
Conclusion
This article provides an evaluation of the areas in which the government strategy has achieved and failed. The strategy has been shown to promote the exploitation of the public sector procurement. The strategy has also overseen a decline in the carbon burden in the construction sector. Moreover. Various companies have been stimulated to launch initiatives for reducing carbon emission. The sensitization of the local governments has also been a realization of the strategy with the use of the BIM technology promoting data and information flow and management. Such information helps create more value for public money. The strategy has been shown to be faced by various drawbacks. However, it is evident that its effects are more beneficial to the country and hence has been able to deliver.
Bibliography
BIM Task Group, 2013. Building Information Modelling (BIM) Task Group. [Online] Available at: <http://www.bimtaskgroup.org/>[Accessed 1 Nov. 2015].
Cabinet Office, 2011. Government Construction Strategy. Government of the United Kingdom, [Online] Available at: <https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/61152/Government-Construction-Strategy_0.pdf>[Accessed 1 Nov. 2015].
Cabinet Office, 2014. Government construction newsletter – February 2014. Government of the United Kingdom, [Online] Available at: < https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/285408/201402_Construction_Newsletter.pdf>[Accessed 1 Nov. 2015].
Fitzpatrick, T., 2013. UK construction strategy aims to halve project lengths by 2025, Architects Journal, [Online] Available at: <http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/uk?construction?strategy?aims?to?halve?project?lengths?by?2025/8650131.article>[Accessed 1 Nov. 2015].
Gardiner, J., 2013. Government unveils construction strategy, Building.co.ke, [Online] Available at: < http://www.building.co.uk/government-unveils-construction-strategy/5057132.article>[Accessed 1 Nov. 2015].
Smulian, M., 2012. Procurement: construction strategy’s first year savings revealed, Architects Journal, [Online] Available at: < http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/daily-news/procurement-construction-strategys-first-year-savings-revealed/8632575.article>[Accessed 1 Nov. 2015].
