Clearview National July 2017 - Issue 188 | Page 112

BUSINESSNEWS
BUILDINGS OF THE FUTURE:
SCIENCE FICTION OR SCIENCE FACT?
» » THE WORLD IS CHANGING AT AN
exponential rate and science fiction
is fast becoming science fact. We are
moving towards an increasingly digital,
interconnected society and with it comes
the realisation that everything we know will
change.
The built environment has been slower
than other industries to react to this change.
In some ways, it’s been in ‘catch-up’ mode,
clutching tightly to the ‘status quo’. The
reality is that operational construction
functions, activities and experiences, as
well as expectations around performance,
are evolving and so too must the built
environment.
Aurecon, a global engineering and
infrastructure advisory company, has released
a white paper inspired by interviews with a
broad group of professionals across the built
environment who were asked to imagine what
Buildings of the Future might look like and
how they might be created.
COULD BUILDINGS OF THE
FUTURE BE 3D PRINTED?
According to the paper, one of the biggest
disruptors to the design engineering industry is
that of new 3D printing technology. “The 3D
printer is significantly disrupting the traditional
design role held by the structural engineer but, at
the same time, presents exciting new opportunities
in how building designers will create, relocate and
shape Buildings of the Future,” said Peter Greaves,
Aurecon’s Buildings of the Future Leader.
The use of new, flexible construction
materials, including composite materials,
additive manufacturing concrete, solar polymers
and carbon fibre balsa, is fuelling new design
approaches.
“These options are unlocking the architectural
limitations of size, weight and shape that the
building and construction industry works within
today,” he claimed. “To bring this to life, the
thought processes, measurements and methods
commonly used in our industry will also have to
evolve.”
COULD THE ‘BUILDING
INTERNET OF THINGS’ (BIOT)
BECOME A ‘THING’?
Another opportunity highlighted by the
paper is further innovation in the building
management field by developing shared services
in facilities management within a precinct.
“Aurecon believes that the first real innovators
in the facilities management space are likely
to be those who explore the idea of shared
building maintenance hubs,” said Greaves.
“Such hubs would be designed to provide
facilities for all local buildings to centrally
monitor electricity, water, energy storage
common areas and integrate other aspects of
maintenance and management of operational
efficiencies.”
Read the white paper at
www.aurecongroup.com/en/markets/
property/buildings-of-the-future.aspx
Homeowners at
risk by not checking
tradesmen’s credentials
» » PER THE LATEST
research by home service
marketplace Plentific.com, nearly
four out of five homeowners
admit that they would hire a trade
professional without checking
for public liability or professional
indemnity insurance. Hiring a
trade professional who does not
have the appropriate insurance
cover can leave a homeowner
financially vulnerable if things go
wrong, or if they are dissatisfied
with the work carried out.
All home improvement or
renovation projects come with
some risk. Without public
liability insurance, any costs
arising from on-site injuries or
damaged property will fall to the
customer to pay. Similarly, if the
work carried out, advice given
or specialist services offered by a
Pro are unsatisfactory, without
professional indemnity insurance,
the financial costs to amend
the project will again fall to the
homeowner to organise.
The research shows that 57%
of homeowners believe checking
reviews from previous customers
is a must before hiring a trade
professional. Checking a trade
professional’s website also ranked
highly, with 43% of respondents
claiming that this was a key step
when hiring a professional. This
trend was stronger for younger
homeowners, with 63% of 18
to 34-year-olds following this
rule, compared to just 39% of
respondents aged 55 or over.
112 » JUL 2017 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
Knowing what to look for
when hiring a professional may
be daunting for some, so Plentific
does all the hard work for the
customer when it comes to checking
credentials. The ‘Verified Pros’
available through Plentific have been
thoroughly vetted to ensure that
they have all the appropriate cover
for their trades. With the added
backing of the Plentific Guarantee,
an industry first insurance policy
that comes as standard with Verified
Pros, homeowners can also benefit
from an extra layer of protection if
the job doesn’t go to plan.
Plentific has partnered with
several high-profile names in
the property industry, including
Simply Business, the UK’s biggest
business insurance broker. This
partnership makes it easier for Pros
to keep on top of their insurance
cover through automated
notifications that alert them when
their cover is due to expire, and
by comparing the best deals on
their behalf. For homeowners, this
provides further reassurance when
hiring a trade professional that
they will be protected if something
goes wrong.