QS Comment
Way out west
WSP’s decision to submit to the charms of an overseas suitor is not surprising given the chief executive’s belief that the firm needed to grow fast
Consultants: Little and large
From leviathans to boutique specialists, what will clients be looking for from the consultancy market in 2013?
What's the future of nuclear decommissioning?
Last week’s devastating National Audit Office report on decommissioning facilities at Sellafield has led many to question whether the UK has the skills needed to deal with nuclear waste. But does the problem really lie with a Nuclear Decommissioning Authority overly occupied with cutting costs? Will Hurst investigates
Cost of the Olympics: Was it worth it?
Everyone’s agreed that the Olympic park was hugely successful. But with questions raised over the cost of procuring the Games, is this a model other public sector projects should follow?
Olympic marketing rights: Time’s running out
Is it too late for UK construction to benefit from the Olympics?
Which consultants will thrive?
Simon Rawlinson on the opportunities and challenges facing quantity surveyors and engineers and why the middle man may get squeezed out
Quantity Surveyors: A must-have accessory
At long last, it looks like the humble quantity surveyor is being recognised in the global market and is on everyone’s shopping list, writes Richard Steer
Arcadis' Neil McArthur: This is just the start
When Arcadis bought EC Harris last year, it became the 10th largest design consultant in the UK and gained leverage in Asia and the Middle East. Now it’s brought in Neil McArthur to spend a further £100m on acquisitions and turn it into an even bigger global player. Building asked him if he was up to the job. Portrait by Jon Enoch
Where should the government spend to drive growth?
With the Budget just six weeks away, the chancellor must ensure that what money he has to invest will lead to growth - and not in 20 years’ time either
We can deliver cost-effective schools while keeping BREEAM
The subtext to the debate over scrapping the BREEAM standard for school buildings is that it costs too much, but, says Sean Lockie, that ignores our ability to deliver schools efficiently
The economy: Bleak midwinter
Christmas is approaching, and not in a good way. In fact, says Richard Steer, it just reminds us of the wretched state of Europe’s finances and how we need China to come to our rescue
Why BIM doesn't have to be 3D
QSs may adopt BIM more quickly if they stopped thinking of it as a 3D tool. BIM’s about more efficient ways of working not just computer models
EC Harris: Bigger is not always better
Richard Steer, chairman of EC Harris rival Gleeds, says why the latest takeover is bad news for clients and the industry
Our qualifications must move with the times
RICS director of corporate affairs Gillian Charlesworth explains why RICS is reforming its qualifications
Simon Rawlinson on project finance
The commercial sector is recovering slower than anticipated, with the availability of finance being one cause
It's all pants: Unreliable economic indicators
We keep being fed confusing, contradictory, even wrong industry figures - often based on something as haphazard as the sale of underwear. You may as well ask Mystic Meg
Aecom/Davis Langdon: Culture shock
Aecom bought Davis Langdon in 2010. Building talks to those who left, those who stayed, and the firm’s clients on what has changed - and what the future holds
Cabinet reshuffle: The pain game
Despite firms going bust, and young people being denied entry to the industry, the government is still posturing. It needs to act
Should we work all hours?
Ray O’Rourke has said a 35-hour week would make the industry more attractive to recruits. How realistic is a shorter working week is - and does anyone really want it?
Pension problems: Don't look now
Construction firms’ final salary pension liabilities of £33bn are set to attack their balance sheets, stop investment and hold back growth for years to come. Yet far from confronting the problem, many are simply ignoring it and hoping it will go away. Will Hurst reports
What's next for consultants?
Find out what five consultancy chief execs think the future holds for quantity surveyors and engineers
Working in Asia: Rush to the East
Suddenly Asia is the place to be - witness Arcadis’ dramatic expansion into the area with its purchase of Davis Langdon & Seah last week. But with so many players moving into the market, what can they do to ensure they survive? Iain Withers reports
Sustainability: Nothing but 'faddy ideology' for the government?
Verbal faux pas are just one symptom of the coalition’s growing apathy towards the promotion of the green agenda in construction, says Richard Steer
Legal issues with electronic documents
Lawyers are increasingly dealing with electronic documents. But for this data to have any authority, it needs to be carefully stored and managed
RICS investigation: Who is First4ADR.com?
The promotional website for adjudicators’ and arbitrators’ services is now the subject of an independent inquiry over its alleged links to two senior RICS staff, but much about it is still shrouded in mystery - leaving many in the dispute-resolution community more concerned than ever. Building reports
Cost insight: feeding the beast
For 50 years QSs have relied on the BCIS as a vital data source, but their hunger for insights into costs just keeps growing. Who can capture all that information?
BIM and the QS: Better late than never
Why are the majority of QSs reluctant to use BIM? It’s time to get on board before early adopters in the contracting market get too far ahead
Economic crisis: The battle for Britain
The business secretary reckons we face a crisis that is the economic equivalent of war. Shame then that politicians have all but surrendered our future to the pluck of bankers
Construction and finance: Where's the money?
Construction’s recovery depends on finding finance for major projects and infrastructure. But the banks are risk averse and investors are lacking in long-term vision
RICS predicts the year ahead in construction
A senior economist at the RICS looks at the year ahead for the industry
