NORTHERN BUSINESS: Consultants, clients and contractors will work together to improve the performance of Northern Ireland's construction industry under an initiative to be introduced today.
The "Rethinking Construction" centre partnership links the University of Ulster with government agencies to transform the way business is done in the sector. It will be opened this afternoon by Sir John Egan, a leading figure in the UK construction industry and author of the report Rethinking Construction, which inspired this latest initiative.
According to the centre's chairman, Mr Sid McDowell, the aim is to start a revolution in construction in which new partnerships are developed between government, construction clients, suppliers, consultants and the industry itself.
"As a result of this initiative, the industry is already on the way to forging a new set of relationships which will deliver better quality products, better suited buildings for the clients, constructed within budget and developed well on time and with all the participants, including employees, being the winners," he said.
Based on the University of Ulster's Jordanstown campus, the centre is expected to be a hub for development and innovation in the sector.
The director of the centre is Mr George Heaney, a senior lecturer in the University's School of the Built Environment.
"Our partner project teams will be showcasing innovations in products, performance and best practice," he said. "We will also be seeking to encourage everyone in the industry to adopt the principles of Rethinking Construction for the benefit of all."
