The relationship between construction professionals and their clients is changing radically. Graham Owens, who became the 89th president of the institution of Structural Engineers in January 2009, says new competencies in sustainability are needed if professionals are to retain their value.
Society is complex, competitive, turbulent and uncertain – arguably more so today than for many decades past. The symptoms are everywhere: concerns over climate change, the near collapse of banking internationally, stalemate in the Middle East and Afghanistan Conflicts, terrorism and its extension to the sporting arena, and, nearer home, rapidly rising unemployment in the worst recession for many decades.
With all this turmoil, what is the future for the professions? How relevant are professional educational standards and carefully crafted qualifications? Do the professions' traditional privileged positions belong to an earlier, gentler age? Of course professionals offer value to society in exchange for their position but will they, should they, survive in today's turmoil?
Changing relationships with clients
The changing worlds of the professions are well illustrated by considering peoples' relationships with their doctors. Ten years ago, people would have gone to a doctor when ill with some vague symptom. The doctor was expected, by a logical series of questions and answers, to elicit other symptoms and potential causes before narrowing it down to a potential diagnosis, not always correct. Treatment was offered, followed by the instruction to come back if not feeling better, when the doctor would offer an alternative diagnosis and different treatment.
New IStructE president David Owens believes civil and structural engineers need to become experts in sustainability to ensure they continue to be valued by clients
New IStructE president David Owens believes civil and structural engineers need to become experts in sustainability to ensure they continue to be valued by clients
Today a perusal of the internet for half an hour follows the same process and also offers a probable cause and treatment. This is less time-consuming and more convenient than a visit to a doctor, so people do not go. In today's world, many people will only go to see their doctor if they either need a prescription, wish to be referred to specialist medical advice or think that their condition is in some way complex.
The relationship has changed from one where doctors could rely on their traditional professional knowledge and the relative ignorance of all things medical in the patients, to a more equal dialogue. Now both patient and doctor will contribute to a successful outcome. One way or another, this substantial evolution in the patient–doctor relationship is mirrored by changes in all the other client–professional relationships in society.
Helping make complex decisions
There was a very interesting paper on the future of the professions by Gold et al. in 2002.1 It captures the issue and set me thinking hard as I prepared for my year as president of the Institution of structural Engineers. The authors concluded that
society's traditional valuation of all professions is eroding
however, individuals and organisations will continue to need, and value, help with complex decision making
to thrive, professionals must therefore find ways of providing support to society, and their clients, on an ongoing basis, with such complex decision making
to achieve this, professionals must always be seeking to improve the quality of their existing competences and develop new competences that address society's current and evolving needs.
What do these general conclusions mean to the civil and structural engineers and other construction professionals?
There are two points: first, society will always need to invest in the built environment to meet its evolving needs; second, there are radical changes coming for all forms of construction, primarily driven by the overriding need for a more sustainable, less carbon-focused, future.
Cutting greenhouse gases by 80%
At present, the best realistic estimate of a sustainable carbon world is to reduce emission of greenhouse gases to 2 t per person per year. The figure for the UK is currently 10 t, hence the simple mathematics behind the UK government's target of an 80% reduction by 2050.
The built environment is responsible for 50% of all society's greenhouse-gas emissions, partially from construction but primarily during service. There is much complex decision-making to be addressed if the built environment is to make its fair contribution to the radical cuts, as it must.
An 80% reduction will not be achieved by improving existing techniques, although they will have their part to play. It urgently requires new products, systems and methodologies – and this is an outstanding opportunity for all construction professionals to develop the new competences that are needed and thereby ensure continuing value to, and valuation by, society.
Of course, the essential, rapid evolution will take place in the construction industry we all know and love: intense competition, low margins and an inability to protect intellectual property. However, we will be making an invaluable contribution to the future of humanity – what more can any professional ask?
Reference
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, Leigh Pitts, Tel +44 20 7201 9820, EMAIL leigh.pitts@istructe.org
