Most construction problems are created before a project even reaches site.

In this episode of Behind the Built Environment, BESA Chief Executive David Frise speaks with Beth West, founder and director of Navigate Advisory and former Chief Executive of East West Railway Company, about why construction projects fail at the earliest stages.

Drawing on experience across HS2, Thames Tideway, Transport for London and East West Rail, Beth explains how poor client capability, weak project definition and misaligned incentives drive cost escalation and inefficiency across the UK built environment.

Rather than focusing on delivery alone, this episode examines the decisions that shape outcomes long before construction begins. It challenges the assumption that building is always the answer, explores the risks of uncontrolled design development, and highlights how procurement models, culture and lack of trust continue to limit performance across the industry.

This episode explores:

• Why construction projects fail due to poor early decision making
• The role of the client in defining scope, outcomes and value
• Why building is not always the right solution
• How procurement models limit innovation and productivity
• The impact of complexity and uncontrolled design development on cost
• How trust, culture and data transparency shape project outcomes

From housing policy and infrastructure delivery to procurement reform and the Building Safety Act, this is a practical discussion about how early decisions shape outcomes across the UK built environment. It also raises fundamental questions about capacity, skills and whether the industry is solving the right problems in the first place.

If you work in construction, infrastructure, building services engineering or public sector procurement, this episode is a direct and practical examination of why the industry keeps repeating the same mistakes and what it would take to stop.

Behind The Built Environment is the official podcast of BESA (Building Engineering Services Association). We dive into the regulations, challenges, and innovations shaping the future of UK construction and HVAC.

https://www.thebesa.com/behind-the-built-environment

#UKConstruction #ConstructionIndustry #ProjectManagement #Procurement #BuildingSafetyAct