Show Notes
In the latest episode of the 21CC podcast, three leaders of successful megaprojects delve into the nitty gritty of what it takes to lead them. On the panel are: • Jake Mumm, head of Bechtel’s global Public Infrastructure division, whose projects include the Keeyask hydropower project in northern Canada, and the new metro system for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; • Davendra Dabasia, CEO of Mace Consult, whose portfolio includes the 2012 London Olympics, the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, and Toronto’s ongoing, multi-billion-dollar subway extension; • Ambrose McGuire, Aecom’s Europe Programme Management Lead, who helped deliver many billions worth of infrastructure in Qatar ahead of the 2022 World Cup, and who has been programme director of the joint venture delivering the twin-tunnel Lower Thames Crossing in London, UK. In this frank and pacey discussion full of examples from their own experience, the panellists explore: What behaviour they’d nominate as the most helpful in getting megaprojects over the line; What a winning culture in the leadership team looks like, and how to foster it; How to cascade that culture all down through the megaproject’s total organisation; How to manage stress in the full glare of public and political attention.
Megaprojects have a reputation for overruns and delays but, as the panel finds, success is achievable with the correct mindset, preparation, and diligent practice. With megaprojects increasing in number and scale around the world, this discussion will help anyone who aspires to take part in what Jacob Mumm believes are among “the last great human endeavours”.
More from 21st Century Construction
It’s been a year since Awaab’s Law came into force, setting strict new rules that registered social landlords must follow in dealing with damp and mould. The law was named after 2-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died in 2020 of severe respiratory failure as a result of prolonged exposure to mould in his home in Rochdale. In the three years leading up to his death, the housing association took no action to deal with the mould, despite repeated notifications. Now, under Awaab’s Law, landlords have to respond to “emergency” mould hazards within 24 hours, and “significant” hazards within 15 days. Serious challenges Complying with the law poses serious technical, resource and public engagement challenges for landlords, and the sector is still feeling its way. To help, CIOB and the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) joined forces to publish a useful playbook – Tackling damp and mould: Professional practice, cultural change and regulation in social housing – providing landlords with advice on recognising damp and mould, problem solving with residents and taking steps to resolve root causes. Update from the front In this month’s 21CC podcast, we speak to experts who contributed to the playbook, and provide an update from the frontline in the ongoing battle against this serious problem. We hear from Professor John Edwards FCIOB, who wrote the section on how to inspect properties for the hazard, and CIH policy lead Dr Eve Blezard on the need to avoid scapegoating residents. Claire Hawley and Leon Sidebottom, who lead customer engagement for Berneslai Homes, share what they learned about what works and what doesn’t in engaging tenants. And researchers Dr Graeme Sherriff and Philip Martin from the University of Salford’s Sustainable Housing and Urban Studies Unit share insights from their extensive research into how damp and mould affects households in Greater Manchester. We think this pacey podcast will interest people across a wide range of roles and responsibilities in the housing sector.
This month marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City.
Plant trees down high streets. Retrofit schools, hospitals and care homes with external shading. Cool down beds and install ceiling fans. Legislate for minimum indoor temperatures. Ban glass towers. Paint roofs white. Set up a cooling refuge in every community. Reduce glazing and install windows that open.
For the last three years, DragonHeart Homes, a CIOB company in Peterborough that makes modular units for public-sector housing, has employed prisoners from HMP North Sea Camp, a Category-D open men’s prison outside Boston in Lincolnshire.
The end of April saw two major announcements regarding humanoid robots, a technology the construction sector hopes can work with the human workforce to improve productivity.