Current Affairs

Question 1

What has changed in the industry since Grenfell?

Answer 1

• No combustible materials over 18m
• Sprinklers for all buildings above 11m
• Hackitt review
• Compartmentalisation
• Fire rated walls / doors
• Fire safety bill

Question 2

Why did Carillion go into liquidation?

Answer 2

• Took unacceptable risk on PFI projects
• Very large debt pile which was unmanageable
• Very high liabilities (FM projects)

Question 3

What is the RICS doing about Covid19?

Answer 3

• Section on the RICS website
• Assessments by MS Teams
• Free training and CPD
• Advice for professions to return to work
• Providing research on Covid-19 (for eg. rethinking city centre living and reopening for businesses)

Question 4

How has Covid 19 affected the construction industry?

Answer 4

Increase on prelims due to requirement for Covid-19

Valuations at home

APC assessments at home

Disputes held online

New clauses in contracts

Contractors more risk adverse to F P L S projects due to unknown on inflation

Meeting held at home

Question 5

What does it mention in the latest Modus?

Answer 5

Covid-19 no recovery of property market until 2025
RICS response to Covid-19
Working from home
Homeless facilities
Metal wellbeing

Question 6

How do you think procurement routes may change due to Covid-19?

Answer 6

• Contract amendments to include risk transfer due to covid 19
• Contractors may be more risk adverse and opt for 2 stage routes or construction management
• As contractors are struggling, more simple works may be bid for a low cost due to contractors becoming desperate.

Question 7

What is happening in the industry right now?

Answer 7

Investment in infrastructure
Increase in residential builds
New restrictions and rules following covid-19
Brexit tariffs
Material Fluctuations 
Lack of labour
MMC

Question 8

What are the different categories of MMC?

Answer 8

• Category 1: Volumetric 3D box’s.
• Category 2: Large 2D, panelised systems such as CLT envelope can be as big as 10m a 4m
• Category 3: 2D small components, pre-cast columns off the shelf such as beams, pre-cast slabs, pre-cast stairs.
• Category 4: Adaptive manufacture 3D printing.
• Category 5: Non-structural modern methods, M&E sledges, pre-fabricated bathroom pods and kitchens.
• Category 6: Material, QR codes and logistic tracking.
• Category 7: Labour, QR coding and tracking, shows who has completed task and when and when ready for inspection.

Question 9

Can you tell me about what forms of modern methods of construction you are aware of?

Answer 9

Modular construction
Bathroom Pods
3D Printing
Modular grids (internal walls) 
Precast stairs
Utility cupboards

Question 10

Whats your view on inflation?

Answer 10

MATERIALS

Timber is seeing an increase by 20% due to the demand in China and the US leading to a lack of supply, in turn increasing costs

Scandinavian timber shortage due to a warmer winter

Steel material costs has increased by 35% in some cases, and British Steel has now closed their order books, meaning the supply will be very short in the near future

LABOUR

With the impact of covid / brexit, a lot of overseas labour have returned home, leading to more demand for labour, which has led to a cost increase, especially in London

PRELIMINARIES

BCIS

MACE

Question 11

What is the RICS Cost Prediction?

Answer 11

New Pro Statement aiming to:

Implement the ICMS
Clear and consistent terminology
Enable the use of digital technologies (BIM)
Recognised importance on the quality of QS

Question 12

What is BIM? and the levels?

Answer 12

Building Information Modelling - Process for creating and managing the design / project throughout its lifecycle

BIM L0 - No collaborated 2D
BIM L1 - 3D model
BIM L2 - 3D collaborated
BIM L3 - not yet defined

Question 13

What are the challenges of BIM?

Answer 13

Clashes between disciplines
Model not scaled
Comes at a premium
Size of the files
Training

Question 14

What is in the new Fire Safety Bill?

Answer 14

Changes to:
The structure and external walls of the building
Entrance doors to individual flats that open into communal areas
£1bn fund to tackle unsafe cladding