This month's issue carries an exclusive report on a study into m&e site productivity by the Building Services Research and Information Association.
While hardly giving the industry top marks, there are signs that some have pulled their socks up since BSRIA hauled the industry in for detention after its last study in 1997.

Nothing in the new report will come as a shock to m&e contractors; after all, surely prefabrication, collaborative working, use of innovative components and tools and minimisation of site activities are all common sense?

So why aren't such practices more widespread? BSRIA concludes that the industry is crying out for investment in education and training to facilitate greater awareness of innovative products and processes. This should be underpinned by enabling technologies such as bar coding, wearable notebook computers and radio frequency identification tools.

There could be a sound reason why this isn't happening. At an average of well under 5%, the profit margins are simply not there in the industry to support such investment. Yet another reason, if one were needed, why the campaign to abolish retentions should be supported.

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor

Postscript

Andrew Brister, Editor