Counting cranes: construction challenges and the transformational power of innovation

Counting cranes: construction challenges and the transformational power of innovation

The UK’s Transforming Construction Challenge is arguably the most significant call to arms the construction industry has seen for decades. By focusing on the four themes of digital, manufacturing, energy and construction operations, and placing a strong policy emphasis on the power of innovation, there is a groundswell of activity to transform the sector into a world-beater. But are businesses ready to accept this? And is the academic community ready to step up to the challenge?

This inaugural lecture with Professor Jacqueline Glass – Professor in Construction Management - will focus on the contribution that scholars and their collaborators in industry can make to transform the way we build. She will explain why different disciplines need to come together urgently to tackle challenges in procurement, productivity and performance, reflecting on her own activities in these areas and beyond, and offering some key insights for academic and industry leaders alike.  

The lecture will begin at 18:30 and will be followed by a networking reception from 19:30. 

About our speaker

Professor Jacqueline Glass is Professor in Construction Management, at The Bartlett School of Construction and Project Management, at UCL. She is Principal Investigator of the Transforming Construction Network Plus, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), an investment supported by the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF), and is collaborating on two research projects on autonomous aerial robotics – aka ‘swarm’ construction.

Prof Jacqui Glass has published over 150 papers, managed around £10m of research funding, and supervised more than 20 doctoral students to completion. In doing so, she has attended to research spanning strategy, innovation, procurement, standards, values, and accounting for sustainability. Her specialism is responsible and ethical sourcing, which relates to material and product supply chains, and in 2018 she was named among the Top 100 Corporate Modern Slavery Influencers. Prof Glass is chair of BSI Committee SDS/3 Sustainable Consumption and Production and is the founder of the Action Programme for Responsible and Ethical Sourcing (APRES).

You can follow her updates on Twitter: @profjacquiglass

Book now

Access information

• Step free access is available at this venue
• Please let us know about any specfic access requirements when registering

Registration enquiries
bscpm.comms@ucl.ac.uk

Learn more about Prof Jacqui Glass and her research

• Jacqui founded the Action Programme for Responsible and Ethical Sourcing (APRES), a group of industry and academic partners committed to embedding the responsible and ethical sourcing of materials, products and services into the construction industry
• Jacqui was recently ranked 30th in the 2018 Top 100 Corporate Modern Slavery Influencers Index 
• Read Jacqui's latest research article in the Energy and Buildings journal titled Empirical and computational evidence for thermal mass assessment: the example of insulating concrete framework 
• View Jacqui's' academic profile

Transforming Construction Network Plus

Prof Jacqui Glass is Principal Investigator of the Transforming Construction Network Plus (N+)  which brings together academics, policy makers and industrial partners to transform the construction sector. N+ is part of the Transforming Construction Challenge, a UK-wide programme of activity to make buildings more affordable, efficient, safer and healthier.

• Learn more about the N+
• Sign up to the mailing list to hear about the latest N+ news, upcoming events and funding opportunities