Confederation of Construction Clients chief executive Zara Lamont this week criticised architects, QSs and contractors for offering clients poor advice.
At a reception organised by the Chartered Institute of Marketing's construction and engineering group this week, Lamont said construction needed to consider the priorities of its clients if its reputation was to improve.

She said: "We've all heard the talk about partnering. But there still needs to be more integration between the client, the contractor and the supply chain.

"Not enough architects, consultants and contractors properly consider their client's business needs, or that of the end users," she added. "How can you provide a good product if you don't understand the client's business?"

Lamont said Will Alsop's Peckham Library, winner of last year's Stirling Prize, was an example of a building that had been designed without adequate regard for its clients or end users.

She said: "How many awards did that building win? Plenty. And how many people does it take to change a light bulb in that place? Plenty. In order to change one light bulb, the building has to be closed to the public for a day and scaffolding has to be put up. How can this be good value for the client?"

Lamont said clients were losing patience with contractors that had the industry's productivity average of 40%, finished work late and left a long snagging lists.

She said more clients were likely to follow the example of BAA and insist on a higher level of standardisation. BAA, a member of the CCC, has said that 65% of all its construction work must be standardised by 2005.