Sourcing in the construction industry
Sourcing is an activity that involves looking for suppliers of goods and services required to achieve a particular end. Taken literally, the term means finding the source of something. So, in construction, the source of the reinforced concrete floor planks that are required will be either the manufacturer or the supplier of those planks. When a party is awarded the contract, they then become a part of the overall supply chain for the project.
Sourcing of materials, labour and services may be undertaken by any of the stakeholders during the project:
- An architect may wish to source suppliers of glazed bricks.
- An engineer may require to source manufacturers of steel angles.
- A contractor may want to source agencies that supply labourers.
In all cases on a project, sourcing will usually aim to complete one part of the project, so a building project will comprise multiple acts of sourcing.
The process of identifying a specific supplier that will be contracted, and then agreeing terms with them, is generally referred to as procurement.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Action programme for responsible and ethical sourcing.
- Australian ethical labour sourcing standard.
- Code of conduct.
- Corporate social responsibility in construction.
- Ethical labour sourcing standard.
- International Ethics Standards Coalition.
- Modern Slavery Act and sustainable supply chains.
- Modern slavery and the supply chain.
- Recyclable construction materials.
Featured articles and news
Compressor market trends for the EMEA region
Report includes sales vs production of compressors by type.
Government announces latest plans for growth.
Changes to product testing under the Building Safety Bill
Will the new requirements - once passed - go far enough?
HORSA huts - prefab school structures
These post-WWII modular buildings were unpopular, yet ubiquitous.
A bridge between Scotland and Northern Ireland
What's the verdict from the court of public opinion?
Open plan living falls out of fashion
Shift to home-based work influences closed plan preferences.
The UK heating industry and the Brexit transition
An overview of the current state of the market.
UEFA guide to renovating football training facilities
Organisation offers best practices for construction and modification.
Heritage on the edge?
Prioritising tax considerations.
Reviewing the Double Diamond Design model
The four D creative process: discover, define, develop and deliver.
National Cyber Security Centre initiative is announced.
The impact of COVID-19 on global HVAC&R markets
Reviewing trends and projections.
Legislation will establish initiatives to move towards net zero.