The more consistent and proactive enablers, the better; they could create an environment where positive change can happen quickly within a clear, consistent economic playing field.. New technologies, including AI models to help predict the presence of harmful impurities alongside developments in impurity detection at parts per trillion levels, could be extremely useful.
TCN+ is part of the UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Transforming Construction Challenge, along with The Construction Innovation Hub, The Active Building Centre, and a raft of other UK based projects involving academic and industry stakeholders.TCN+ is focused on shaping the future of construction by tackling problems that have plagued the industry for years: how to take advantage of digital opportunities, solve productivity issues, move to a manufacturing mindset, and cut carbon through energy efficient buildings.. Over the last few years, TCN+ has invested over £1 million pounds of funding into 14 innovative research projects.
From digital twin initiatives to the evaluation of business models, the projects look to inform future practice and policy.When choosing who to fund, the TCN+ team sought projects targeting the construction industry’s pain points, as well as programs showing innovative potential.Ideas addressing small business and regional initiatives were particularly welcomed, as the team were keen to support lesser known voices outside of the big firms.
Some of the projects chosen were as follows:.Transitioning to an automated construction supply chain: future business model innovation for SMEs.
: This compelling project, led by The University of Reading, explored the opportunities and constraints for SMEs in the adoption of robotics and automation.
The work explored limitations posed by current business models and the changes that would be necessary to move towards automation of the supply chain, and the wider adoption of technology.. Design Optimisation and Prototyping for Affordable Rural Housing.The tool is also integrated into the Brick Link marketplace, so once a design is complete (and even as it is being developed) the price is constantly displayed, parts can be interrogated, and the bricks can be ordered direct from the marketplace.. What can we learn?.
The marketplace hosts its own configurator, making it possible to see how the price changes as design decisions are made, and then to procure the exact components needed.This capability would be enormously powerful for Platforms, helping clients and designers see the effect of decisions in real time, in terms of cost but also potentially carbon, social and other value criteria..
The configurator is a piece of software developed to leverage standard components made by the original manufacturer; for construction Platforms it is entirely possible that a range of configurators will be needed, albeit built on some common, open protocols and using common components.Repeat clients may want to create their own configurators linked to their internal business processes, for instance, but the ‘Spatial Analysis’ work could help create a common ‘operating system’ for construction.
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