This area of work will directly impact the themes being delivered by the Construction Sector Network. We will consider what approaches can be effective to establish effective SME and supply chain engagement to ensure that we maximise economic impact.
The use of value procurement is becoming increasingly prevalent and is derived in different topics and procurement strategies. We will investigate:
- How contracts can drive innovation
- Strengthening the link between contract management and zero carbon / zero to landfill
- How employment and skills planning can be embedded into procurement process to bring added value
The CSN has already run several highly successful events in collaboration with YORbuild, meet the buyer events that took place in 2010.
The event had the purpose of ensuring local SME’s gained access to procurement opportunities within the construction sector currently worth a cumulative value of £150m and attracted over 400 delegates. Similar events are planned for 2011.
The CSN will also imminently be launching Construction Target, a much needed project that will provide the tools that buyers and suppliers need to engage more effectively with one another.
Construction Target offers a range of information and a procurement development services for businesses in the construction industry who are seeking new business opportunities. The initiative supports those who wish improve their procurement expertise, and who may want to develop their supply-chain or perhaps just improve their own ability to respond effectively to tender opportunities within the public & private sectors.
Construction Target has been established in response to the economic need to address the impact of the recent recession on the Construction and Built Environment industry by helping businesses to increase their chances of gaining more work.
Members of Construction Target will be kept up to date with commercial opportunities in the construction industry through events, practical development workshops news feeds & the provision of commercial opportunities posted directly on the website.
To become a member of Construction Target please follow the link to find out more.
Innovation has quickly become a key focus for the construction industry, particularly following the Rethinking Construction report produced by Sir John Egan and more recently Chief Advisor Paul Morrell’s recommendations made in the IGT’s ‘Emerging Findings’ Report in 2010.
As a result of these findings and recommendations, and more importantly having listened to the difficulties that the construction industry face implementing and initiating innovation, the Construction Sector Network will set out to explore ways in which new thinking, new products and processes, new approaches and new technologies can bring improvement and introduce efficiency.
The CSN will actively engage in areas such as:
- Offsite Construction
- New management approaches and concepts
- The application of new technology
- New production processes and materials.
If you have a specific interest or query related to innovation, please contact us and we would be delighted to discuss ideas or concerns with you.
The construction industry contributes higher amounts of waste than all of the households put together, and buildings account for nearly half of all our energy use.
Supporting both clients and delivery teams, the network will introduce a better understanding of how we design, deliver and use buildings so that we can reduce the impact that we have.
By exploring ways that reduce the carbon impact of the construction and operation of buildings we will endeavour to:
- Improve thermal efficiency / airtightness of buildings
- Consider renewable energy solutions
- Look to how we can improve manufacturing and logistics
- Effective site waste management
- Segregation and recycling
- The integration of design / manufacturing
We will work with partner organisations in the sector to help disseminate information about low carbon construction and incoming government legislation.
Working in partnership with one of our partners, the Centre for Knowledge Exchange (CKE), the low carbon agenda is being addressed through the Green Vision seminar and conference series. Over the last three years Green Vision has become a strong focus for low carbon knowledge in the local region, support from the CSN is helping to develop the programme to cover a wider range of topics and spread the reach of Green Vision to a larger audience. A new Green Vision Information Platform has been created to serve as a hub for low carbon information online, it features news and up to date information on low carbon initiatives and information on Green Vision events – www.green-vision.org.uk
We all recognise that skills training is essential to ensure a sustainable construction sector. We are all also aware however that the economic downturn has had a huge impact on the recruitment of new members to an industry that previously suffered from a skills shortage.
The Construction Sector Network is aware of the skill shortage and the challenges the industry face attracting people to the sector, which in turn could have a knock on effect to the recovery of the industry when the economy recovers.
Therefore the CSN endeavours to broker an industry response to skills planning the new network will explore ways that aims and objectives can be improved to bring about a strong and sustainable workforce in areas such as:
- The development of shared skills pools
- Improved access to training programmes
- Effective introduction of employment and skills plans
- Co-ordination of the Sector Skills Councils
One of the key aims of the Construction Sector Network is to explore ways to connect the investment in construction projects to the growth of local and regional micro and macro economies.
The CSN endeavours to ensure any project that would fall into one of the other Key Themes of the CSN, has a positive economic impact on local businesses and communities.
The development of specific projects will drive this agenda to inform the industry of supply chain opportunities.
- Improving the pass through rate of commercial opportunities
- Connecting Small & medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to larger commercial opportunities
- Stimulate investment in markets and technologies which has a knock on effect on the whole industry and community.
