Minister announces Independent Review of the Design and Build Construction Model for School Buildings Internationally

Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh TD, has today (Monday September 16) announced that the independent review of current use and practices in the Design and Build Procurement/Construction Model for the delivery of school building internationally has been awarded to the School of Surveying and Construction Management, Technological University Dublin.

The research team will be led by Professor Lloyd Scott supported by Dr Alan Hore. It is expected that the report will be finalised by the end of the year.

Minister McHugh said:

The purpose of the independent review is to establish the current use and practices in the Design and Build Procurement/Construction Model for the delivery of school buildings (or other similar public buildings) in a number of relevant countries. The review team’s work will involve a desktop review of relevant available reports on the subject and other sources of information.

The scope and nature of the review is designed to ensure that it does not prejudice the on-going legal process initiated by the department against Western Building Systems (WBS) and others.

ENDS

Independent Review of D&B Construction Model for School Buildings Internationally

This Independent Review arises from a commitment given by the Minister to undertake a planned review of the department’s Design and Build Programme following a programme of initial structural assessments carried out in October and November 2018 at 42 schools constructed by Western Building Systems.

Legal processes have been initiated by the department against Western Building Systems (WBS) and others and these are ongoing. The department continues to liaise with the Chief State Solicitor’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office in this regard.

Following advice from the Attorney General Office, the planned review of the department’s Design and Build Programme will not commence until the ongoing legal process has concluded.

The Minister commissioned an Independent Review of D&B Construction Model for School Buildings Internationally as a precursor to a planned review of the department’s Design and Build Programme. The terms of reference of the independent review is to establish an overview of current use and practices in the Design and Build Procurement/Construction Model for the delivery of school buildings (or other similar public buildings) in a number of relevant countries following a desktop review of relevant available reports and other sources of information.

In particular the review will identify the following in each of the relevant countries:

• the Procurement Process undertaken by the public entity
• the Form of D&B Contract typically used and key aspects of this
• the operation of the D&B contracts
• the Certification and Quality Assurance Methods utilised during and on completion of the design and construction phases of such projects
• any post occupancy evaluation processes

The scope and nature of the review is designed to ensure that it does not prejudice the on-going legal process initiated by the department against Western Building Systems and others.

The department undertook a procurement process during summer 2019 seeking tenders from interested research bodies in the construction schools in Irish Universities to carry out this Independent Review. Following receipt of and evaluation of the tenders the contract has been awarded to the School of Surveying and Construction Management, Technological University Dublin. The research team will be led by Professor Lloyd Scott supported by Dr. Alan Hore. It is expected that the report arising from this review will be finalised by the end of Quarter 4 this year.

Biography: Professor Lloyd Scott

Professor Scott is based in TU Dublin, Bolton Street Campus with significant experience of working in the built environment higher education sector. He is also a Professor of Practice at University of Oklahoma.

Qualifications:

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research at the University of Salford
• Master of Arts (MA) Management at Waterford Institute of Technology
• Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) (Hons) in Wood and Building Technology Built Environment Honours classification at the University of Limerick

Biography: Dr. Alan Hore

Qualifications:

• PhD Construction ICT at Trinity College Dublin
• Masters Construction Law and Arbitration at King's College, London
• Higher National Diploma Building Studies at Willesden College of Technology, London