Transport for London considers pioneering consolidation centre for 2012 work

Transport for London has promised Olympics building will get an efficiency boost if a project to brings materials deliveries into line proves successful.

TfL is supporting the London Construction Consolidation Centre (LCCC), an initiative by Bovis Lend Lease, Stanhope, Wilson James and Constructing Excellence that it hopes will help cut waste and improve the delivery of materials.

Rather than delivering materials straight to the building sites, suppliers take them to the 45,000 sq ft warehouse at the 60,000 sq ft LCCC instead. Materials can then be stored safely before the right amount is delivered in time for the day's work.

The bodies in the partnership said this would save contractors money by reducing waste caused by over ordering or materials getting damaged on site. Peter Rogers, Stanhope technical director, said "it is the way business will be run in the future".

He added that the partnership is looking to get other firms on board.

Currently the LCCC is supplying materials to four sites for projects totalling £550m: Unilever House, Bow Bells House, 35 Basinghall Street and 1 Coleman Street.

The centre started in September 2005 because there was not enough space in the footprint of Unilever House to store materials during construction.

Peter Hendy, commissioner for TfL, said he thought the model would help Thames Gateway and Olympics work run more smoothly.

This is the way businesses will be run in the future

Peter Rogers, technical director Stanhope

He added that he wants to persuade Crossrail developers of the value of the approach. The concept was first used by BAA for building work at Heathrow Terminal 5.

Paul Sims, Bovis Lend Lease divisional director, said using the LCCC had helped cut injuries at Unilever House because there were fewer loose materials lying around causing potential hazards. Sims said the site had only seen one injury, and that was a sprained wrist when a worker opened a toolbox incorrectly.

Tests of the scheme are being carried out by independent construction consultancy BSRIA as well as Constructing Excellence.

However, the project's supporters claim it could almost double the efficiency of deliveries. When working from LCCC the number of deliveries that arrive right first time has gone up to 91% and its supporters claim this could reach 97%.

They added that on sites not using the model only half of materials deliveries in the building industry arrive right first time.

The LCCC officially opened on Tuesday.

Site savings

Safely storing materials also saves money by cutting down on over ordering. Currently building projects have to over order by up to 15%, but backers said the LCCC could cut this to just 3%.

Coordinating deliveries to central London has cut trips by 40%.

Drivers can save up to two hours per journey because the coordinated system means they are not left driving around while they wait to deliver materials.

The vehicles used for the deliveries use alternative fuels like LPG and Bio-diesel, cutting carbon emissions by 50%.

While the LCCC currently supports projects worth £550m, its advocates said it can manage with materials for projects totalling £1.5bn.

Source

QS News