TIES Living Lab
“As we begin our green recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, the need to level-up our country and boost economic prosperity has only increased – and we are determined that we don't just rebuild, we rebuild smarter. The Living Lab is a great opportunity for industry and academics to work together to embrace new, more productive, more efficient and more sustainable ways of delivering transport infrastructure."
“Limberger Associates provided strong programme management services to the TIES Living Lab: always friendly and approachable, Tim and the team were quick to respond to any queries and made every effort to resolve outstanding issues.”
Next steps
- Asked by a project partner to be partner for Government-funded Modern Methods of Construction Kit of Parts project (next assignment)
About the Project
The Transport Infrastructure Efficiency Strategy (TIES) Living Lab was a 2-year, 25-party collaboration programme, funded through Innovate UK as part of the Transforming Construction Challenge, with co-funding from the Department for Transport (DfT), as well as in-kind and cash contributions from the Arm’s Length Bodies (National Highways, HS2, Network Rail, Transport for London). The 25 partners worked with Government, I3P and the Construction Innovation Hub to use data, utilising Modern Methods of Construction, driving down delivery times, reducing carbon footprint and improving safety and skills for construction workers across transport infrastructure projects.
This programme was part of the execution of the Transport Infrastructure Efficiency Strategy (launched by UK Government in 2017), which outlined several challenges that the Living Lab tackled whilst improving integration, productivity and driving wider social benefit through major construction schemes. This programme was a catalyst for cultural change, shifting focus with infrastructure delivery decision making from the cost of construction to an understanding of whole life cost and performance.
Our Role
Limberger Associates were assigned to lead the PMO on this project from launch, which included:
- Project and programme management, administration and financial management
- Coordination of 11 projects led by several different partners in the programme
- Facilitate integration with key groups within the over-arching TIES programme
- Coordination and facilitation of monthly and quarterly reviews with the Innovate UK Monitoring Officer and DfT sponsor
- Implementation of a robust programme management structure incorporating; scope, schedule, risk, finance, reporting and change control
- Management of a PMO made up of team members from several organisations, working remotely
Achievements and outcome
TIES Living Lab was a flagship programme with significant exploitation opportunities. The legacy of this project is phenomenal: aside from costs savings and creating value for public money, the TIES Living Lab can help deliver the Government’s ambition to transform infrastructure delivery, by enabling the construction sector to be more productive, more sustainable, and more internationally competitive, with better use of data and MMC.
Bryden Wood Technology received the ‘Transport Infrastructure Champion’ award at the New Civil Engineer TechFest Awards 2021 for their work within the TIES Living Lab projects.
Challenges overcome
- Management of a highly complex programme, with several funding sources and a huge number of interfaces
- Dealing with significant interdependencies between multiple partners
- Implementation of improved programme structure
- Managing through the significant impact of COVID: the project was launched during lockdown, with some resources furloughed and subsequently constrained
- Managing the programme under significant government focus
