Innovation - the key to success

Introduction

Architects, engineers and project managers in today’s world find innovation and new techniques everywhere they look, and it is sometimes hard to pick out the special ones that will make a step-change difference to the quality of delivery of building projects.

International Construction Project Management Association

The International Construction Project Management Association (ICPMA) works across different continents and seeks to find those new ideas that can be used by many, for the good of many. One way the organisation does this is to run an annual awards programme that celebrates innovation and quality.

The initial work and drive behind the awards came from former ICPMA president Wilhelm Reismann. It also included the first yearbook and the formation of YICPMA for young professionals. ICPMA’s international platform has helped it to create professional friendships that celebrate successes around the world.

2018 award - assessing risk

In 2018, we recognised the work of RiskConsult GmbH, from Innsbruck, who worked with John Reilly International from the USA and Lima Airport Partners from Peru, to devise a new process for assessing risk in mega projects. These partners realised that the management of cost and scheduling of time had mostly been treated separately, rather than in an integrated way. Knowing that time delays are often the root cause for severe cost overruns, an integrated innovative new process was needed to help those designing projects to plan for them in a more effective and accurate way.

The new methodology involved:

• An open risk culture.
• The separation of base cost, risk and escalation.
• A full account of cost and time uncertainties at the beginning of the process.
• Integration of cost and time schedules.
• A continuous monitoring of risk throughout the life of the project.

The software developed is called RIAAT and has also been used in several other projects including GKI (Gemeinschaftskraftwerk Inn) and the Brenner Base Tunnel in Austria and other examples in Germany, Switzerland, USA and Canada.

2018 award - 3D printing

2018 also witnessed ICPMA making a product innovation award to the 3D Printed Office in Dubai. 3D printing was adapted for construction and used for the first time in a commercial project.

The so called ‘Office of the Future’ consists of approximately 300sqm of space, printed layer by layer using a 20-foot-tall 3D printer located in Shanghai, China. Each structural component was built using innovative 3D printing technology, combining a mixture of Special Reinforced Concrete (SRC) and recycled construction material.

The completed building now serves as the management office for the Museum of the Future project being built on an adjacent site. It provides the headquarters for the Dubai Future Foundation, an organisation that will help to deliver smart technologies throughout the Emirates.

2019 award - REOS pilot project

2019 saw ICPMA reward the REOS Pilot Project Living House in Berlin. This project houses 172 students in 53 fully furnished shared apartments. It is Germany's first digital student residence and is based on the holistic digitalisation of marketing and operating processes via the REOS technology (Real Estate Operation System).

This cutting edge building allows ownership, expression of interest, payments, contracts, and handover to be handled entirely online. Living there is made easy by the simple to use management systems designed and engineered into the building from the outset, with the comfort of end user being the primary driver.

The reality is that each of these award winners used process, product and management innovation to different degrees to create special and cutting edge projects. With our fast-changing world, knowing that both clients and the whole professional team must ‘up their game’, the need to combine all three is now paramount in the quest to create successful places for future generations to live and work.

This article was written by Christina Stoltz ICPMA President, Philip Sander ICPMA Vice President and Nick Smith ICPMA Executive Officer.

--ICPMA

Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• 3D printing in construction.
• Advanced construction technology.
• Construction innovation.
• Risk assessment for construction.