Construction Disrupted Episode 115 - Leaky Roofs and Leaky Budgets (13.05.26) in partnership with Adobe Acrobat Studio. Check them out and show them some love. In this episode, we discuss new guidance for competency management, the financial case for transparency in infrastructure, and the ambitious restoration of Blenheim Palace. Let's go! Built environment competency guidance nears publication The Industry Task and Finish Group (ITFG) is set to release new guidance on managing competence in the built environment. This guidance aims to help organizations plan, monitor, and evidence competence, putting the Industry Competence Committee’s 15 principles into practice. Formed under the Building Safety Act 2022, the ICC focuses on improving competence, especially for higher-risk buildings. The guidance, developed collaboratively with over 40 professional bodies, reframes competency as both an individual and organizational responsibility, emphasizing leadership, governance, supervision, procurement, and ongoing development. It’s scalable for small and medium-sized organizations, supporting proportionate arrangements and building safety reforms post-Grenfell. Here's a link to the PDF Space for the ITFG's: Managing Competence in the Built Environment: An industry guide on how to meet the ICC principles Transparency in infrastructure needs a business case and this is how to make it Globally, governments lose a significant portion of infrastructure spending to inefficiency and corruption—up to one-third, according to the IMF. Transparency is more than a governance principle; it’s a tool for improving financial performance. The CoST Infrastructure Transparency Initiative, with the Government Transparency Institute, has developed a methodology to quantify the financial benefits of transparency, accountability, and participation. Examples include Thailand’s Ministry of Finance saving over £70M in one year and Uganda increasing tender bids sevenfold. The methodology assesses competition, corruption risks, efficiency, prices, and quality, showing that transparency leads to better markets, reduced risks, and improved value for money. Once its financial value is proven, transparency becomes essential for maximizing public investment. Fixing the roof while the sun is shining: Making Blenheim Palace fit for the next 300 years Blenheim Palace is undergoing a £12m restoration to repair its roof, stonework, and water-damaged painted ceilings, aiming to withstand a once-in-500-years storm and boost climate resilience. The project involves meticulous planning to stay on budget and minimize disruption to the palace’s one million annual visitors. Innovative solutions include opening the construction works to public view, retention tanks for rainwater, and laser cleaning for stonework to protect historic lichens. The restoration reinstates original roof structures, improves gutter and drainage design, and uses reclaimed lead for durability. Fire safety measures are strict, and the paintings are being restored with new cleaning methods. This project is part of a larger £40m, 10-year conservation plan to secure Blenheim’s future for centuries. Bios Ryan Jones - SLG Agency For almost 20 years, Ryan’s focus has been on helping brands in the construction and manufacturing sectors tell their story. His career began in PR, working for global businesses across a variety of sectors, before opting to focus on construction and the built environment. In his role as Managing Director, Ryan works to ensure that SLG Agency continues to be one of the construction industry's leading specialist strategic and creative agencies, having seen its work recognised by the likes of Campaign, Marketing Week and The Drum in recent years. Ryan is regularly asked to speak at trade shows and events, and to contribute thought leadership pieces to trade media. He is also a member of several industry advisory boards, including Constructing Excellence and the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce. His passion for the construction sector has seen him work with clients on CSR campaigns that tackle the sector’s public perception, culminating in him recently launching a not-for-profit called Deconstruction. Peter Sumpton - buildDifferent Peter is a construction–marketing strategist and co-host of Construction Disrupted. With two decades’ experience spanning manufacturers, contractors and agencies, he helps organisations swap scattergun activity for clear strategy, joined-up planning and measurable outcomes. His approach is practical and plain-spoken: cut the noise, focus on what moves the numbers, and build repeatable systems that teams can actually use. Having seen first-hand how unfocused tactics waste time and budget, Peter works with leaders to align commercial goals, customer insight and content so marketing supports delivery rather than distracting from it. Peter's passion lies in diagnosing organisations' marketing functions' capabilities and existing market, assembling what’s required to create a functional strategy, fit for purpose and scalable. Marketing should create value, not just cost, and Peter’s work is about making that the norm.
