Representing for the Imperial College London’s Center for Systems Engineering and Innovation (CSEI), Prof. Jennifer Whyte and Dr Luigi Mosca are involved in the Transforming Construction Network Plus (N+) to conduct research about novel business and policy practices to better understand and address the challenges of the construction transformation.

With £1m to invest in a raft of new research projects over the next two years, the Transforming Construction Network Plus (N+) mobilises a new movement in the construction community, bringing together experts from a range of disciplines to tackle the most pressing problems across the digital, energy, construction, and manufacturing space.

The vision for the N+ is to deliver transformational impact by adopting an integrated approach, situating construction as a production system for built assets that adds value to cities and their infrastructures.

The N+ unites academic researchers with industry and policy representatives through networking and skills-building events, creating a new community and body of knowledge to inform future construction policy and practice.

The aim of the N+ is to provoke, enable and amplify innovation, through four main objectives: 

• Knowledge: to inform new research and development (R&D) models and government policy that link digital, construction, manufacturing and energy to improve productivity
• Community building: to advance collaborations through knowledge exchange and debate, beyond what is currently possible 
• Business models: to produce user-informed, practical resources that accelerate pathways to manufacture and delivery 
• Investment and legacy: to de-risk and increase construction sector business R&D spend and enable new R&D collaborations that outlive the grant

Outcome

In June 2020, the N+ team published the Guide: Creating Impact from Research. 

In March 2020, the N+ research team published their second digest, 'Platform Thinking for Construction'. 

In October 2019, the N+ research team published their first digest, ‘Changing Business Models: Implications for Construction’.

Upcoming events:

Constructive conversations: Platforms, platform thinking and the future of building- 25 June 2020, 11:00 am–12:00 pm

The Transforming Construction Network Plus is delighted to announce a new series of online events: Constructive Conversations. These webinars are designed to enhance the dialogue between academics, industry and policy-makers on areas of growing importance to the sector.

Building on our international academic webinars and our industry digests, the first in this series of conversations will explore the role of platforms in the transformation of construction. The event will consider the value that platform thinking can bring to organisations, the role of digital in delivering platform transformation, and what is happening in the industry around platforms right now.

Led by N+ Research Fellow Dr Kell Jones, from University College London, the event will feature guests from industry and academia:

• Dr Luigi Mosca, N+ Research Fellow, Imperial College London
• Trudi Sully, Impact Director for Manufacturing, the Construction Innovation Hub
• Toby Uppington, Senior Vice President, AECOM

Speakers will offer key insights on the ongoing transformation in the construction sector and the role of platforms. This will be followed by around 25 minutes of conversation exploring the topics raised, informed by audience Q&A, and moderated by the chair.

More info here

Past Events:

Round 2: Call for Small Projects

Join us for our webinar on Wednesday 25 September and learn more about the second funding call.

As part of this ambition and with up to £600,000 to invest in a raft of new research projects, the N+ will launch its next funding call on 19 September 2019. The N+ is looking to fund a number of 6 month projects, which will address the biggest problems facing the construction industry and in line with the expectations of the Industrial Strategy and the Construction Sector deal. Further information on the call outline will be provided at the N+ Annual Conference on 19 September 2019.

Creating a movement for change - Transforming Construction Network Plus Conference 2019

The Transforming Construction Network Plus (N+) is delighted to announce its 2019 Annual Conference, which will be held on Thursday 19 September at the Royal Society in London. This one-day conference seeks to stimulate new perspectives, new ideas and new projects which will contribute to the transformation of the UK construction sector.

The N+ conference will feature renowned speakers from the UK and beyond – some advocating for new thoughts on the way we should build, some suggesting alternative routes and unique opportunities, and some showcasing incredibly promising new projects

Webinar

Transforming Construction Network Plus webinar discusses uncertainty in project management, 27 May 2020

The Transforming Construction Network Plus held its third webinar on Wednesday 13 May. Addressing the question of uncertainty in project management, the webinar featured Professor Tyson Browning, Professor of Operations Management in the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University, and Dr Alicia Hennig, Associate Professor of Business Ethics at the Department of Philosophy at Southeast University in Nanjing, China.

The webinar considered the unknown-unknowns in project management – the critical surprises that have not been, and could not have been, imagined or anticipated. Bringing in their perspectives, first from an Operations perspective, and then from Eastern thinking, the speakers discussed how to reduce and address these unwelcomed surprises.  

Find out more here

The Business of Industrial Transformation - Wednesday 23 October

Featuring Dr Samuel C. MacAulay (UTS Business School, Sydney) and Dr Lena E. Bygballe (BI Norwegian Business School) and moderated by Prof Andrew Davies (SPRU, University of Sussex), the webinar will consider how the transformation of the industry impacts the way that we manage firms and deliver projects in construction. Dr Samuel C. MacAulay will first explore how the shift to the Industry 4.0 is generating new ways of creating and capturing value in construction. Dr Lena E. Bygballe will then address the gap between strategic intentions and change in practice in this sector.

Find out more here

Rethinking the business model for offsite construction - 3 June 2019

The Transforming Construction Network Plus (N+) webinar took place on Wednesday 29 May. Featuring Dr Daniel M. Hall and Dr Wei Pan and moderated by Professor Jennifer Whyte, the webinar explored how new business models for modern methods of construction are emerging throughout the world and how they are relevant to creating the ‘tipping point’ in the sector envisioned in the UK Transforming Construction Agenda.

From his research on construction firms in the USA, Dr Hall first introduced some of the emerging business models emerging from this region. He concluded with an overview of promising trends and technical opportunities which he has been working on in ETZ Zurich.

Find out more here