Trust, open data sharing, early supply chain engagement and digital tools that provide real-time visibility are some of the keys to unlocking productivity improvements, according to the Construction Productivity Taskforce (CPT).
The CPT’s latest report draws on findings from three major projects:
- British Land’s £300m 1 Broadgate commercial and retail scheme in central London, delivered by Sir Robert McAlpine;
- Landsec’s £275m Timber Square office development, also in London, delivered by Mace; and
- the Defence Infrastructure Organisation’s £259m Vehicle Storage Support Programme (VSSP) in Tewkesbury, delivered by Skanska.
The CPT makes seven practical recommendations, the first four of which are stated as proven learnings, while the last three are stated as new learnings.
Trust
A culture of trust and open data sharing should be fostered across the supply chain, backed by strong commitment from senior leadership. “Build trust through transparent communication across the supply chain that explains the purpose of productivity data collection and highlights its mutual benefit – focusing on collaboratively identifying challenges rather than assigning blame,” the CPT stated.
It also noted: “The principal contractor or construction manager and most supply chain contractors collect progress data in some form, but the methodologies used are inconsistent, both within and between organisations and the data is often not shared.”
Early supply chain engagement
Early engagement with supply chain partners is critical to ensure certainty in design delivery, optimising offsite prefabrication opportunities and onsite buildability, and aligning construction methods with project timelines.
At 1 Broadgate, Morrisroe was involved nine months prior to construction of the concrete frame, enabling design for buildability input on the slipform approach and a two-week schedule gain.
Collaborative planning tools
The ‘last planner system’ principles should be implemented within digital platforms for short-to-medium term scheduling in both the design and construction stages of the project. “This improves communication about upcoming tasks between planners, contractors, and suppliers, ensuring realistic workflow commitments and minimising scheduling clashes,” the CPT said.
A digital design planning tool was adopted on VSSP, which enabled transparency in design reporting. This was based on managing two-week look-ahead work plans allocated to each designer. Using this tool, the project was able to better control the delivery of design to the agreed programme and maximise design productivity.
Digital tools for real-time visibility
Technologies such as access control systems, crane telematics, AI-driven photographic mapping, IoT sensors, digital tracking technologies and BIM-enabled collaboration platforms should be deployed. These provide granular insights into labour presence, equipment utilisation, progress tracking, and design coordination – enabling early identification of productivity disrupters and empowering timely mitigation actions.
The CPT noted: “There are great benefits to be gained through better cooperation on progress and productivity measurement and data capture between the parties – adopt one version of the truth with agreed measurement frameworks to avoid duplication of effort.”
Site-specific sequencing
The application of site-specific construction sequencing can decouple installation from tower crane (or similar heavily used plant and equipment) dependency and enables concurrent work across multiple floors, mitigating weather-related delays.
At 1 Broadgate, the implementation of a localised construction sequencing solution enabled a floor-by-floor facade assembly line. This system used a hoist for vertical distribution and a spider crane to position cladding units at their installation points, resulting in a 140% improvement in output compared to the crane-dependent strategies.
Modularisation and offsite manufacturing
Offsite manufacturing and modularisation should be maximised. “Offsite manufacturing reduces onsite labour dependencies that are vulnerable to weather or workforce variability, while improving quality control,” the CPT noted.
Urban site strategies
As well as the application of site-specific construction strategies, the use of consolidation centres, reusable delivery containers (to reduce lay down space and minimise packing waste) and integrated workflow strategies should be considered.
Katy Dowding, Skanska UK president and CEO, and CPT project sponsor, said: “This paper builds on the CPT’s work since 2019, where clients, consultants, contractors and the supply chain collaborate to boost industry growth and improve safety and quality through better productivity. Like the earlier seven-step framework and the Private Sector Playbook, it offers practical recommendations to enhance productivity and remove blockers. As project sponsor, I believe continued industrywide collaboration can drive a transformative shift in UK construction.”
James Rowbotham, Landsec head of workplace development and chair of the CPT, added: “It is imperative that we all work together as an industry to improve productivity. This requires more data collection, analysis and industrywide collaboration. That is what these three case studies do so effectively, by showcasing innovative construction, an open mind and a willingness to work collaboratively to find improvement. I hope they help and inspire further efforts across the industry to do likewise.”
