Challenging the mindset in nuclear construction: ‘Construction Factory Thinking’

Constructing Excellence

The nuclear theme group of Constructing Excellence has published the first report in its Productivity Series. The report can be downloaded here.

In his Foreword, the chair of the group Adrian Worker writes:

“[Poor productivity] is not just a perception of the nuclear sector but of the wider construction sector… It needs to be urgently addressed by all involved at all levels if such perceptions are to be altered and greater value delivered to clients reliably and with confidence given to potential investors. It is a burning platform issue which is constraining the development and growth of the sector and therefore the national economy. Changes do need to be led by the major clients and without the creation of an environment where all parties can be successful nothing will change.

Productivity must be a high priority in any delivery model throughout the lifecycle. We also know productivity is an outcome of numerous factors including the environment and structures created by clients and the many inputs and constraints that impact the construction processes. There are views that client capabilities need to be strengthened, delivery models revised, the digital environment embraced and the other factors be improved. We are not seeking to address these aspects in this paper but to highlight the change in thinking required using the proven tools from other sectors could create a new mind set where productivity becomes the norm across all parts of the sector.”

Also in the Productivity Series, Simon Flint of Blu-3, another member of the Constructing Excellence nuclear theme group, has written a blog on the investors’ views of financing nuclear newbuild in the UK, highlighting the challenges including productivity improvement that must be addressed in the sector if it is to secure investment. The blog can be read here .

Report of the third conference of the #CEnuclear theme group
The third conference of the Constructing Excellence nuclear theme group was held in London on 10th May 2018. It addressed investors’ views of the sector, which are cautious based on the perceived high construction risk, and this discussion was followed by the launch of the first in the theme group’s Productivity Series. Read the event report here.

 

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