Architects, engineers and construction (AEC) firms can all play a role in levelling up by embracing a more regional focus and harnessing technology without sacrificing the quality of their work, argues Tim Whiteley, co-founder of Inevidesk
Though London is the beating heart for much of the UK’s business, there are, of course, major cities such as Manchester and Birmingham that are larger, more economically self-sufficient areas.
However, there is still more to be done to distribute the economic opportunities of levelling up across the country. That’s what the government’s Levelling Up Fund, launched in 2020, sought to pave the way for. The thought being that investing in local infrastructure would positively impact people and their communities and, overall, support economic growth in those areas.
This initiative has met with some well-deserved criticism. Namely, that the government has made no real headway in levelling up and that the fund isn’t large enough to revitalise left behind areas. And that for it to succeed, we need to see more targeted support.
Having said this, it’s been positive to see strides taken by the private sector. Several companies have made commitments to opening regional offices, including the BBC, Atom Bank, Ocado and KMPG. And we’ve seen this from the AEC industry, too. For example, Cullinan Studio and Weston Williamson setting up shop in the Midlands and Manchester, respectively.
And when we’re talking infrastructure, it does stand to reason that the AEC industry should be setting an example. Therefore, should more organisations be setting up regional offices? And should these extend beyond other city hubs?
The business rationale for AEC expanding across the country
For smaller, more regionally focused projects – such as heritage, conservation or critical infrastructure work – location matters. Having a regional presence helps firms build expert local knowledge of areas outside of London, which may be a competitive advantage for architects in particular if they have employees that understand the real spirit of place and reflect this in their designs.
It also means talent isn’t pooled in London. With a regional office, there is an opportunity to tap into skilled workers that may not want to/can’t be located in the (let’s face it, insanely expensive) South East, while also providing employment opportunities to workers countrywide. Indeed, location shouldn’t be a reason to lose out on great talent or stop organisations from attracting skill sets from other parts of the country.
Added to that, many employees demonstrated during the pandemic that they could still work effectively when not in one central location. And, if not all your employees are based in a central city office, this means you can reduce or sublet expensive office space.
Are cost and culture holding AEC firms back?
The industry can certainly do more to play its part in levelling up the country. And I believe there are two major factors that have but shouldn’t be holding companies back from expanding to other parts of the country.
The first is cost. But expanding into new regions doesn’t require large and expensive office spaces. Smaller satellite offices and co-working spaces are both solid examples of how a company can spread their influence in a cost-efficient way.
They offer a fixed desk for a few hundred pounds a month and give employees a collaborative working environment that doesn’t cost the earth.
Second is the office culture. Central offices, of course, play a key role for architects; a place to foster ideas and culture. There’s no denying the need for face-to-face collaboration; as such, it is a concept that will never become obsolete.
But project teams can meet in regional areas. And evolving a culture that embraces modern communication possibilities is critical to future success.
How technology is part of the solution
Technology can help tackle both of these perceived issues. Architecture, engineering and construction sectors all require powerful computing capabilities for projects.
Traditionally, this has required large on-premises tower workstations, meaning employees using demanding graphical software like Revit or Bentley were essentially tethered to desks.
But new, emerging virtual desktop technology (VDI) platforms have revolutionised the industry by offering a flexible, cost-effective alternative to physical workstations without sacrificing on high-performance working (unlike legacy VDI services).
Employees can use inexpensive, lightweight devices to access and work on complex 3D models and renders. Using VDI, satellite teams have a seamless connection to centralised data and services.
And if a company’s IT infrastructure is fully hosted in an offsite data centre, organisations can incorporate significantly improved business resiliency, mitigating the disruptive potential of office-based power and internet outages.
Time for the AEC industry to play a bigger part in levelling up?
Over the years, the economy has become increasingly reliant on London but it’s critical we improve local economies and communities outside of the capital (speaking as a boy born in Burnley and raised in Blackpool).
The AEC industry definitely has an important role in leading by example. And while the concept of a “central office” will continue to play an important role in the profession, technology can now power and connect teams regionally – helping to level up the country, while also unlocking business opportunities like better access to skills and more regional work.
It’s possible. But we all have a responsibility to propel change.
Tim Whiteley
Co-founder
Inevidesk
Tel: +44 (0)203 747 3012
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