Although offsite will certainly form part of the solution, we propose to use a full range of new techniques and technologies, including platform design.

The link from ‘Spatial Analysis’ to ‘Delivery’ is through accredited supply chain partners.The common standards referred to earlier will enable a more stable, engaged supply chain.

Rather than dealing with a huge volume of project-specific information and having to identify those parts which are ‘cut and paste’ requirements vs. those which are bespoke, supply chains could be working with a much smaller number of requirements, used at scale.This would enable partners to develop highly repeatable solutions and have them tested or certified or have themselves accredited and ‘pre-qualified’ to meet certain standards, making the entire procurement process more straightforward.. ‘Delivery’.is also linked to ‘Digital Tools’ though a digital marketplace which is very much the missing piece of the puzzle.

However, with the likes of the Hub’s Defining the Need workstream and with a number of digital configurators in use, we are starting to put the enablers in place to facilitate this.. Can we look to digital marketplaces that already exist?.There are plenty of examples from which we can learn; the combination of standard components, digital tools and e-commerce has numerous precedents.

While none of them is a perfect fit for construction procurement, they all have certain synergies with a potential marketplace for Platforms and it is worth exploring them.. Amazon.

Amazon is of course the most famous digital marketplace, and the one most people are familiar with (except Alibaba perhaps, depending on where you are reading this).http://bit.ly/BWNewsUpdatesResearch, standards and the digital generation.

As the construction industry embarks on a transformative journey of modernisation, Jacqui Glass offers a unique perspective.Currently Professor of Construction Management at The Bartlett, UCL, Glass has spent over twenty years in roles spanning academia, industry, government and its associated bodies.

She’s looked at construction through more lenses than most, and her ability to act as a conduit between practice, policy and the scholarly world is particularly valuable at this critical moment.As the construction eco-system leans into change and innovation, we’ll foster dramatic improvements to productivity, quality, safety and sustainability, creating a better built environment for ourselves and future generations.