Hypervine (a consultancy working on behalf of the Scottish Government) have asked FMB members for their help in shaping a new product called Build Once. The product is aimed at helping homeowners to meet their responsibilities when building or carrying out extensions and alterations to their homes.
Given that FMB members have vast experience across Scotland in delivering building projects for homeowners, it is vital that we help shape how the new product will work to assist both homeowners and building contractors.
In short, we need to ensure that before the product is released, it has been sense checked by our members.
What do I need to do?
At this stage, just email [email protected] to express your interest in attending a 40-minute online workshop. Here the product will be demonstrated to you and you can ask questions about it and the role of Building Standards Scotland. You may be able to have full early access to Build Once after the workshop.
When is the online workshop?
Hypervine are flexible: it depends on your availability. However we are looking at later in January and into February.
What is the background to this?
The FMB works to ensure that the views and voice of our members: as local construction firms, is heard. In this case, FMB’s Scotland Director Gordon Nelson is engaged with policy makers seeking to improve the building standards system in Scotland. Gordon is on the Building Standards Division Futures Board and Scotland Board member Ryan Fair is also on the Building Standards Scotland Stakeholder Group.
Could the product help the FMB?
Yes. There is the potential for the FMB to educate consumers and clients about quality and compliance matters via Build Once. Gordon intends to promote the FMB brand and the work of our members as ‘certified builders’ in Scotland once the Build Once product has been fully tested and developed.
Tell me more about what Hypervine are planning to do with Build Once
Hypervine will design Build Once to create and manage schedules, send reminders, notify stakeholders and record vital pieces of information for every single specific building project. It will be used to automatically communicate with stakeholders at different stages of application and construction projects. It can augment the management of critical points in the Construction Compliance and Notification Plan (CCNP) as well as generate schedules and reminders for key stakeholders to notify users of the critical points in the project.
By virtue of the owner (or client) and construction firms following the CCNP, they will be constructing safer and more energy efficient buildings than they would be without it. This will have a compounding effect over time, as less rework and less energy is needed to keep homes in Scotland warm and comfortable.
Authors
Gordon Nelson
Director, Federation of Master Builders Scotland
