How A Product Mindset Reduces Education Construction Risks

To reduce risks and improve productivity you need repeatability – that applies in just about any industry. Repeatability also brings consistency in output and performance. And to achieve repeatability you need to move from a process to a product mindset.

In education construction the usual project risks of cost overruns, quality issues and delays are joined by the absolute need to comply with the Output Specification and performance requirements. The traditional process-based approach to construction doesn’t have a great track record in any of these areas.

Osborne’s InForm product is the modern way to deliver school building programmes. It provides off-the-shelf school building solutions that meet the Output Specification. The product also offers plenty of flexibility to meet scheme and framework user needs. And because it’s a largely manufactured solution, high levels of quality assurance are built-in.

Projects delivered using InForm feature a minimum 68% of premanufactured value including SIPs and precast staircases, floor and roof slabs. InForm brings the capability to deliver ‘batched’ school programmes that use a standardised modular grid into which different modules can be placed to suit individual learning activities.

Digital Design Environments

A digital design environment lends itself perfectly to a product-based approach as standard elements and plans can be held in a BIM 360 Common Data Environment (CDE). Once detailed plans are created and all clashes eliminated, delivery is largely a matter of standardised production and assembly processes.

Integrated workflows eliminate the on-site interpretation of plans and late design changes that are the source of so many project risks.

Operational and Performance Risks

Variability between modelled performance and real world performance is another significant area of risk. This can affect thermal performance, air permeability and acoustics – all of which are vital for creating a top class learning environment.

Premanufactured panels have proven in-built thermal and acoustic properties. The performance data is readily available for designers to download and use. Production tolerances are also carefully controlled to deliver the specified levels of air permeability.

To find out more take a look at our resource centre, browse our case studies or contact Richard King ([email protected]).