Productivity Initiative of the Year
Alice Technologies and Implenia
Windworks infrastructure wind farm project
Jelsa is the largest quarry in Europe. It is being repurposed into a production facility to build concrete foundations for floating offshore wind farms. Implenia enlisted support from AliceTechnologies, the provider of the world’s first AI-powered construction optioneering software, to optimise its site layout, test specific constraints and find the best solution that can be easily repeated each year. The team found that planning was ten times faster than their traditional methods. Through optimisation with Alice, Implenia was able to boost foundation production levels by more than 40%.
Balfour Beatty
Stratford Brook Underbridge
On the M25 Junction 10 scheme, a DfMA solution comprising a kit of parts for bridge substructures is being deployed on 8 bridges. The completed Stratford Brook Underbridge one of the structures assembled with the kit of parts. The project demonstrates the benefit and the consistency of outputs that come from this modern method of construction; it is as quick, high-quality, and has an improved environmental footprint. Underbridge spans Stratford Brook in an area of ecological significance with vulnerable species. Minimising disruption was a major priority.
BAM Nuttall, Morgan Sindall and Balfour Beatty Joint Venture
Tideway integrated temporary and permanent works truss solution
The Tideway integrated temporary and permanent works transfer truss solution was applied on the £750m Tideway West Project to accelerate the programme by six months, protecting the overall system preliminary commissioning commencement date. This was a significant challenge as the BMB JV was already working 24/7 with just two years left on the programme. Construction of the shaft internal structures at Carnwath Road Site (CARRR) was driving critical path, and redesigning the large elements of reinforced concrete remaining in the drop shaft was vital to improving project outcome, delivering a significant reduction in programme, and increasing safety during execution.
Heathrow Airport
Cargo Tunnel Refurbishment Project - Installing impact protection barriers
The scope of Heathrow’s cargo tunnel project was to refurbish the 870m-long, 10m diameter cargo tunnel, built in the 1960s, connecting Heathrow Airport’s centre to its South side. The tunnel is single-bore, with bi-directional traffic; and the work site is only accessible between the hours of 21:00-05:00 when flight operations pause overnight. These operational constraints prompted the implementation of off-site prefabrication, delivery, and installation of vehicle concrete barriers. As the space was limited, the project team worked together to develop a different method for both storing and installing these barriers.
WSP
FacilityFlex
FacilityFlex is a productivity tool developed by WSP to make the Environment Agency’s depot programme more predictable, focused, faster, future-ready and cost-effective. It enables programme-level decision-making on sustainability, modern methods of construction and other key drivers – underpinned by an offsite manufacturing strategy mobilised through innovative procurement approaches. The tool reduces the number of routine decisions made by the project team so they can address the unique challenges of each depot. By automating much of the process from briefing into design, and onwards to manufacturing and assembly, FacilityFlex improves productivity with its built-in feedback mechanism generating further programme-level efficiencies.