More Focus – Page 562

  • Features

    Cost model: Call centres

    1999-07-16T00:00:00Z

    Call centres, the new information factories, are evolving as employers recognise that the working environment can affect business efficiency and staff turnover. Cost consultants Davis Langdon Everest and Mott Green Wall examine the specification and costs of call centres

  • Features

    What difference does a year make?

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    Did the Egan report really announce a cultural revolution in construction? As a conference prepares to mull over the changes one year on, ¾«¶«Ó°ÊÓ analyses the response of both industry and clients.

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    John Hobson

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    The man charged with implementing Egan has a job-and-half on his hands. But with bosses John Prescott and Nick Raynsford respectively providing power and commitment, he believes he has the backing to do it

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    Measuring for real

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    The key performance indicators could change the way clients select firms, but are they up to the job? ¾«¶«Ó°ÊÓ asked Gardiner & Theobald to test them on real-life projects.

  • Features

    The benchmark [Asda superstore, Swansea]

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    The fourth in ¾«¶«Ó°ÊÓ s series highlighting best practice looks at how Kajima used prefabrication and performance monitoring to achieve major time and cost savings on Asda s new Swansea store. A panel of experts looks at how it was done.

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    On the right track

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    How Bovis is using bar coding technology from the retail sector to manage the supply chain on an Egan demonstration project.

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    How to do 32 jobs at once

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    The first standard form of contract for facilities management is here, and it covers everything from insurance to cleaning in terms that construction firms will find strangely familiar.

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    Relationship difficulties

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    There is a consensus that partnering is the way forward. But the concept is vague, and it may have unexpected effects on relationships within the project team it may even provide contractors with brand-new excuses.

  • Features

    Who do you think you are?

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    A JCT provision allows firms to sue employers that ultimately pay them but with which they have no contract. Is this really a good idea?

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    Clash points

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    Should natural justice apply to adjudication? If it does, you can kiss goodbye to the main purpose of the Construction Act. Fortunately, it doesn t. So that s OK then?

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    Clash points

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    Half right. In fact, natural justice does apply, albeit within the constraints of adjudication s statutory framework after all, a process that is obviously unfair will not attract many supporters.

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    Fighting terms

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    Performance specifications allow the industry to work together to produce optimal solutions - as long as the contract fosters teamwork. Unfortunately, JCT98 does not.

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    Materials life costs

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    The third in ¾«¶«Ó°ÊÓ s series of whole-life costs for materials focuses on double-glazed units. It is compiled by ¾«¶«Ó°ÊÓ Performance Group to help specifiers.

  • Features

    Best foot forward

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    Nancy Cavill meets Dr Jaz Saggu, the man in charge of Bovis' new best-practice training programme.

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    Appointments

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    Contractors Ian Smith , formerly with Bovis Construction, has joined building and civil engineering contractor Charles Le Quesne as managing director. John Mowlem has appointed Louisa Blair to its market management contracting and major projects division. Mansell has promoted Philip Cleaver to the newly ...

  • Features

    Have you got what it takes?

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    Are your projects models of best practice others could learn from? Egan called for firms to nominate their innovative schemes as demonstration projects. Here are four that made the grade.

  • Features

    Wessex Water, Bath

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    A client committed to reducing environmental impact, an architect known for low-energy design and a construction manager anxious to test green construction techniques form the team behind one of the most ambitious of the projects. The £22m operations centre for 550 Wessex Water staff, under way on a rare ...

  • Features

    Office development, Watford

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    True perfection or as near to it as imperfect construction professionals can get is the ambitious goal at the Radius project, a 5000 m 2 speculative office development in Watford. Developer Guardian Properties, architect Hurley Robertson Associates, consulting engineer WSP and contractor Wates have set ...

  • Features

    Science building, Bristol University

    1999-07-09T00:00:00Z

    Bristol University s new, £12m Synthetic Chemistry ¾«¶«Ó°ÊÓ embodies much of the construction industry s post-Latham, post-Egan gospel. Two-stage tendering, a non-adversarial contract, off-site fabrication and value engineering may not be ground-breaking in themselves. But, taken together, they represent a large part of the construction industry s New Testament. ...

  • Features

    Edinburgh’s Dynamic Earth museum opens

    1999-07-02T00:00:00Z

    Queen cuts ribbon at £34m, Hopkins-designed interactive visitor centre today.