Constructive Voices

Henry Interviews Top Architect James Mary O’Connor.

Following one of our most important episodes to date, James Mary O’Connor, Principal-in-Charge at Moore Ruble Yudell, talks to Henry McDonald about the importance of affordable social housing and sustainability.

About James Mary O’Connor

Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, James Mary O’Connor came to Charles Moore’s Master Studios at UCLA in 1982 as a Fulbright Scholar. James received his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Trinity College in Dublin, his Diploma in Architecture from the Dublin Institute of Technology, and his Master of Architecture from UCLA.

As Principal-in-Charge of Moore Ruble Yudell, James has provided spirited design and project management for residential, academic and mixed-use urban projects, including Kobe Nishiokamoto Housing in Japan, the Horace Mann Elementary School and Fairmont Towers Hotel Addition, both in San Jose, California. 

International work has become a focus, with large-scale housing and planning projects such as the Potatisåkern and Tango projects in Malmö, Sweden, the mixed-use development Project Yoda in Manila, and Tianjin-Xinhe New Town in Tianjin, People’s Republic of China.

His interest in uncommon building types is reflected in the Sunlaw Power Plant Prototype in Los Angeles, and the Santa Monica Civic Center Parking Structure.

With irrepressible energy, James has also led Moore Ruble Yudell teams in national and international design competitions, such as the Beijing Wanhao Century Center, and the winning design for the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in College Park, Maryland. Over the past 15 years, James has taught design studio, lectured, and has been invited as a guest critic at UCLA, USC, SCI-Arc, University of Calgary, Alberta, University of Hawaii, Manoa, Tianjin University School of Architecture, China, and Tongji University School of Architecture, Shanghai, China.

Pete Ireland’s Favourite TV Builder Talks About the Global Movement To The Countryside and Sustainability.

Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors

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In Episode Thirteen, Henry McDonald interviews two women who are leading lights when it comes to creating sustainable change within the construction industry, especially in light of the IPCC Report of August 2021.

Emma Nicholson, B.A, MSc, FCIOB, FIEMA, FWES, CEnv, FAPM, the Founding Director of Women in Sustainable Construction and Property

Emma is an accomplished and skilled Chartered Construction Manager and Chartered Environmentalist with Board level experience. She is passionate about achieving quality projects and was nominated in 2018 for an Excellence Award in quality of project delivery of Leeds Art Gallery and Leeds Library roof restoration.

Some quotes from Emma from the interview:

Click here to discover more about Emma Nicholson.

Sumele Aruofor, Senior Strategic Marketing Manager for SketchUp at Trimble

Sumele Aruofor (RIBA Associate) uses her training and experience in architecture, interior architecture, and building performance design to create content that enables professionals in the AEC industry to leverage innovative technologies for better design and a more sustainable built environment. She applies this knowledge in her role as the Senior Strategic Marketing Manager at Trimble’s SketchUp and in designing residential projects in the UK.

Sumele believes that architects are uniquely positioned to positively impact the day-to-day experience of people, communities, economies, and the global climate. Through her work, she advocates for architects to see occupant comfort and building performance as a distinct criterion of great design, and for all AEC professionals to go beyond minimum regulatory requirements by analyzing energy and daylight early and often as part of the design process.

Some quotes from Sumele from the interview:

Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors

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Henry McDonald talks to Kevin McLoughlin MBE about how we can attract workers into the industry.

Kevin owns K&M McLoughlin Decorating, which has a turnover of £6m+ and a company that heavily invests in the apprenticeship scheme. In 2010 he created K&M Painting & Decorating College as his business needs were not being met by the local colleges.

In 2012, he helped to develop a CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility – program targeted on work skills, giving unemployed youngsters work experience whilst instilling in them basic work ethics.

In 2014 he was awarded an MBE for his services to training. Kevin is a National Apprenticeship Ambassador, he sits on the Islington Business Board and the LCCI Property & Construction Committee.

Peter Finn, Ireland’s favourite TV builder talks to Steve Randall about how getting into construction is a great way to travel.

Pete chats to Steve about how construction is an amazing path to take not only for getting work easily these days but also as a way to travel and work abroad in other countries. As always, Pete and Steve are fun and entertaining to listen to!

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Henry McDonald interviews Gavin Tonnet of utecture about city-changing urban renewal projects and transformational virtual pre-construction technology.

Who is Gavin Tonnet?

Gavin is a recognised expert and leader in the property space having created and led businesses for Mirvac, Leighton, Stockland and Japanese giant, Sekisui House. He was responsible for many significant city-changing urban renewal projects. He has been involved and led over USD$20b of major renewal. Some of those that really changed and shaped city fabric and culture include:

• Sydney Olympic Village (Newington) Sydney
• Walsh Bay Redevelopment Sydney
• Perth City Link Perth
• Green Square Sydney
• Jacksons Landing Sydney
• Liverpool Civic Place Sydney

What is utecture?

He’s now turned his attention to utecture which is carving out a new category in building technology that uses digitisation, visualisation and data to lower costs for builders and consumers and drive climate impact.

After being introduced to the team behind the utecture technology, Gavin spent the better part of the year travelling around the world trying to poke holes in it.

Instead, he realised that there were no holes to poke and he joined the team because he believed it is the next big thing with ramifications not only for the commercial health of the building industry, the well-being of the house-buying public, but also our shared environmental future.

utecture is carving out a new construction technology category called Virtual Pre-Construction. Virtual Pre-Construction requires digital twinning technology to deliver on four distinct pillars: Design, Real-time Pricing; Visualisation and Management.

Existing construction design platforms share some of utecture’s features superficially, but compared to utecture they are basically only cosmetic tools. They use CAD design window-dressing, but fail to address the significant pain points that have held back the construction industry for years.

Pete The Builder talks aboutThe Tool Revolution

Pete talks to Steve Randall about tools and how they have evolved since his early days working in construction. As always, Pete injects plenty of knowledge with his unique sense of humour.

Discover more about this and other episodes on the Constructive Voices website.

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Henry McDonald talks to sustainable architect, Daniel Jaconetti, about his work and how Europe compares to the USA when it comes to green building. Daniel’s passion lies in biomimetic concepts and how technologies inspired by nature can create responsive environmental that coexist with their ecologies. His chat with Henry is a real eye-opener.

Pete The Builder discusses the day-to-day reality of the industry’s challenges of a shortage of both materials and workers.

This episode of Constructive Voices is sponsored by Viewpoint, a Trimble Company.

Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors

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At the time of releasing this episode, wildfires have been raging again in Greece and temperatures have become unbearable across parts of the States, it really is impossible to avoid the issue of climate change. Pete The Builder talks to Steve Randall about how this affects the construction industry and how you and your team can best deal with this huge issue.

Skanska’s Director of Health, Safety and Well Being, Dylan Roberts, joins us but wearing a slightly different hat. Dylan is part of an industry group steering health in the construction industry. Did you know that:

“It’s time for change … construction workers in the UK are 100 times more likely to die from an occupational disease than a workplace accident.”

Health in Construction Group

Dylan talks about how we need to Think Health. The Health in Construction Leadership Group (HCLG) was formed in 2014 after a challenge from HSE’s Construction Industry Advisory Committee (ConIAC) for the industry to do more to ‘Think Health’ and responding to the influence of ‘Construction 2025’, the Industry Strategy for Construction.​

The group is comprised of contractors, clients, the Health and Safety Executive, professional bodies, trade associations and trade unions.

The role of the HCLG is to act as both a stimulus and a catalyst in helping unify the industry in its approach to worker health protection and the promotion, adoption and implementation of best practice processes and initiatives.​

The HCLG has engaged key business leaders and industry influencers in the construction sector through its Health in Construction CEO Summit events in 2016 and 2017.​

At these events, CEOs made a commitment to eradicate the thousands of cases of ill health and disease caused every year as a result of exposure to health hazards during construction work, as well as to address the growing incidence of mental ill-health in our workforce. ​

There is much to achieve by the overall target date of 2025. From 2021, the HCLG will focus on the key areas of promoting good mental health, the prevention of respiratory disease and the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders. These focus areas will be reflected in the revised strategy which will be published here shortly.

This episode of Constructive Voices is sponsored by Viewpoint, a Trimble Company.

Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors

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Architect, James Lee Burgess, explains what is Mixed Reality in an accessible way. If you are hoping to understand MR this is an easy way to absorb it.

James, who is super enthusiastic about Mixed Reality along with mentoring, collaboration and sustainability, also covers the Microsoft HoloLens and Trimble Connect.

By the end of his interview, you will really get Mixed Reality, Plus you will understand how it is different from Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. James illustrates perfectly how MR can be applied effectively in a commercial setting.

The Mixed Reality interview is followed by our man on the ground, Pete The Builder. Ireland’s favourite TV builder, Pete Finn, will be discussing one of the biggest challenges of the moment – the rising costs of materials.

This episode of Constructive Voices is sponsored by Viewpoint, a Trimble Company.

Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors

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If you are Irish of a certain age, you will remember when the Pope visited Ireland in 1979. The same age group will also remember the famous Rumble in the Jungle in 1974. Whether an event is organised because of culture, sport or religion, the effect on the local area is similar. In many cases, it changes the city or place’s story and potential beyond recognition.

In this episode of Constructive Voices, Pete the Builder discusses this topic with Steve Randall. Henry McDonald chats to the Creative Director of Coventry 2021, Chenine Bhathena, in a wonderful interview that explores construction, old meets new, the integration of people and art into the heart of the place and its plans.

Image credits:

Poster for The Rumble in the Jungle - By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42234585

Chenine Bhathena - By Ahsen Sayeed

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This cutting-edge episode of Constructive Voice is looking at Artificial Intelligence (AI); technology that is being adopted by different sectors, from auto manufacturing to consumer products, including one of the world’s largest industries – construction! You will hear from leaders in this space – Stanford Professor and ALICE Technologies, CEO René Morkos, who gives a real insight into how AI is being used to build big structures that range from airports to office towers, and how AI can be used to radically reduce construction costs that overrun.

ALICE Technologies’ vision is to harness AI to reduce the cost of construction by 25 per cent globally; a big goal. According to McKinsey & Company, large projects typically take 20 per cent longer to finish than scheduled and are up to 80 per cent over budget.

Our man on the ground, Pete The Builder, takes a look at the construction scene in America with his mate, Steve Randall.

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Talking to top journalist and presenter, Henry McDonald. Prof. Michael Parkinson C.B.E. delivers a superb interview that investigates the proposed Everton stadium project as well as delving into Liverpool’s regeneration.

This exceptional interview is followed by a very interesting look at The Green Scene in Ireland with our man on the ground, Pete the Builder, and Steve Randall.

Prof. Michael Parkinson’s Biography Courtesy of Liverpool University

Michael is an Honorary Professor at the University of Liverpool and Ambassador for its Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place. He was made Commander of the British Empire for services to urban regeneration in 2007 and Citizen of Honour of Liverpool in 2016.

He received his BA (Hons) from the University of Liverpool in 1965, his MA Economics (with Distinction) from the University of Manchester in 1968 and his PhD from Liverpool John Moores University in 2002. He was a Lecturer in Politics at the University of Liverpool 1970-1992; Professor of Political Science 1972-3 and Director of the Urban Studies Programme 1976-79 at Washington University in St Louis. He was Director of The European Institute for Urban Affairs 1992-2013 at Liverpool John Moores University and Adviser to its Vice-Chancellor 2012-2013. At the University of Liverpool, he was Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor 2013-14 and Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Civic Engagement 2014-2020.

Michael has acted as adviser on urban affairs to UN-Habitat, the European Commission, the European Parliament, OECD, EUROCITIES, the Department for Communities and Local Government, the National Audit Office, the House of Commons Select Committees, the Core Cities, and a range of cities in the UK and Europe. He has held board positions in many local, national and international organisations. He most recently served as a Board member of the Prime Minister’s Regeneration Investment Organisation and of the Special Olympics Great Britain 2021 and Trustee of the Centre for Cities and Alternative Futures Group. He is currently a member of the Mayor’s Advisory Board on Liverpool’s World Heritage Status, a member of the Liverpool Brand Committee and Special Adviser to Procure Plus Group.

To continue to read Prof. Michael Parkinson's bio, click here on Constructive Voices Episode Five.

Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors

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