Stephen Trench, third generation project manager and Managing Partner at Onyx Partnership

[edit] Introducing our guest editor, Stephen Trench

From a family of project managers, Stephen Trench now represents the third generation. Qualified both in architectural design and project management, he advises on opportunities to enhance real estate performance and manage the execution of construction strategies. He is currently a managing partner at Onyx Partnership, which provides development and project management services as well as strategic advice, creating assets through the development lifecycle from feasibility through to business case, stakeholder engagement, construction, delivery, and operation.

Stephen was previously interviewed by Michael Brooks from designing buildings (interview with Stephen Trench - Project Manager) as part of the student resources programme on November 11, 2016, so inviting him as our next guest editor has been a nice opportunity to catch up and see what and how things have changed.

[edit] Selected articles from Designing Buildings

Here are some of the recent features from the home page and why I found them particularly relevant and interesting.

CIOB joins forces to urge Government to regulate embodied carbon The built environment contributes to 40% of the world's carbon emissions, and embodied carbon, stemming from construction materials, contributes to one in ten metric tonnes of the UK's total greenhouse gas emissions. In an effort to drive change, the CIOB and 10 key organisations are urging political leaders to regulate embodied carbon emissions in construction due to their significant impact on the UK's greenhouse gas emissions. This article is a good news story illustrating a positive step forward in efforts to mitigate the construction industry's environmental footprint.

Biodiversity net gain and related terminologies explained This article identifies that as of February 12th, biodiversity net gain (BNG) is mandatory for major developments in England for projects with +10 dwellings or 0.5+ hectares. In these instances, developers must achieve a 10% BNG to replace biodiversity lost during construction. This mandate will bring biodiversity firmly into the foreground of development consideration.

Here are some other articles from the site that link to some of my answers.

Housing minister This article is a simple record of this unsettled role and one that can significantly effect development and dealing with the housing crisis. Rachel Maclean, appointed as housing minister in February last year and now Lee Rowley as of the end of 2023. This is the 16th minister taking on this role since the Tories came to power.

Expectation management in building design During the early stages of appraisal and design, it's crucial to grasp the client's needs and establish their objectives. Throughout the procurement and construction phases, maintaining transparent communication and promptly addressing changes are essential for ensuring quality standards are met. As the project nears completion, conducting final inspections, organising documentation, and collecting performance feedback become the priority. Employing a structured approach helps align the delivered outcome with expectations, especially crucial amidst a volatile marketplace marked by material cost escalations and skills shortages in the procurement chain. Design agility, coupled with effective communication throughout the program is paramount.

From self-build to self-development With the housing crisis and traditional development procurement models, there need to be alternative, more efficient procurement models for development. By streamlining transaction points, reducing risk and profit margins the benefits of self-development can be passed on to potential homeowners in cost savings.

[edit] Selected articles from around the web

Here are some articles from the web that recently caught my attention.

Soho House ‘facing same fate as WeWork’ This article sheds light on the financial woes plaguing Soho House & Co. The piece highlighted the company's struggle with inadequate financial controls, resulting in a significant decline in its stock price from $14 to $5 per share, drastically reducing their market value from $2.8 billion to $975.1 million within a short span. There are parallels to be drawn between Soho House's accounting practices and those of WeWork, and this article paints a grim picture of its future prospects. With a track record of continuous losses and mounting debt, it poses the question whether we should question the motives behind the company going public. Perhaps a lesson learned in transparency and financial prudence in today's volatile market place.

The end is nigh for printed O&M manuals The article stresses the urgent need for the construction industry to shift away from printing Operations & Maintenance (O&M) manuals, as advocated by Scott Pilgrim from Operance. Pilgrim highlights the significant environmental and financial costs, emphasising carbon emissions, deforestation, and wasted resources. He argues for the transition to digital manuals, citing potential savings in time and money. Examples from industry leaders like Balfour Beatty and Skanska illustrate the benefits. The article concludes with a call to action for the industry to demand digital O&M manuals, promoting sustainability and efficiency in building information management

[edit] Background, activities and interest in buildings

I’m a third-generation project manager with a degree in architecture and a master’s degree in project management.

I started my career at JLL, where I oversaw fit-out projects for commercial tenants. Following this, I worked at Mace, where I undertook a number of client-side secondments, helping companies optimise their real estate through property repositioning and refurbishment.

The challenge and independence of self-employment have always interested me, and in 2018, I co-founded Onyx. Along with my business partners, we felt there was a gap in the market for a hands-on, partner-led management consultancy that could help building owners, tenants, funding institutions, and developers define their real estate strategies and a continued offering that could then help manage the delivery of the construction solutions required.

Today, I continue to actively manage projects as well as oversee the daily functions of our lean and agile practices. My interest in the built environment stems partly from my upbringing but is also fueled by my interest in collaborative problem solving to create tangible outcomes. The intersection of aesthetics and function.

Outside of work, I enjoy DIY, sports, and exploring the outdoors with my wife and daughter.

[edit] Areas of knowledge that are lacking across the industry currently

We face a housing crisis. Rachel Maclean was appointed as housing minister in February last year and now we have Lee Rowley as of the end of 2023, the 16th since the Tories came to power. Predecessors have either been unable to grasp policy responsibilities or unable to work with the civil servants to incorporate their particular priorities and their preferred ways of working. Either way, knowledge and effective action in this post have been lacking.

The UK planning process is recognised as outdated and unclear. There is little agility in the process, and it is inefficient. Local authorities are famously underfunded and under-resourced, which has contributed to the ever-growing backlog of applications and a critical undersupply of new housing.

This said, the finger cannot be solely pointed at local authorities. Due to current market forces, there is insufficient development funding available, construction material costs have escalated, and there is a skills shortage. This has unwound the financial viability of numerous schemes across the UK, resulting in circa 300,000 homes (in London alone) that have received planning but not commenced construction.

In short, we are not granting or delivering enough homes in the UK to meet demand. This is being compounded year on year, and the lack of supply has driven rarity, which in turn contributes to the swelling of property prices. We have a whole generation that can't afford to get on the housing ladder. Top-down change is needed, and this starts with strong and effective leadership.

Consensus between the main political parties is required. While Gove and Sunak are reportedly lobbying the Chancellor, I can't help but think that this is a last-gasp attempt to secure the younger floating vote in the upcoming election after 12 years of procrastination.

Adequate funding and resourcing for the local boroughs is needed to act as catalysts for submission, review, dialogue and to repair strained relations between the public and private sectors. The combination of this and the relaxation of economic market forces will unlock approvals and the delivery of much needed homes across the UK.

[edit] The value in sharing knowledge across disciplines and institutions

Operational considerations are often ill-considered at the early design stages of construction.

Traditionally, the handover of Operation and Management folders (O&Ms) following the completion of a construction project has been issued in paper form from the contractor to the client. The COBie approach is to enter the data information when it is created during the design, construction, and commissioning stages rather than upon completion in an interactive soft copy. The majority of this data originates directly from the product manufacturers, who are also able to participate in COBie, which is a means of sharing structured information that will prove far more accurate and useful for the Facilities Management Team during the building's operational stage.

[edit] Barriers and possible solutions to sharing and applying knowledge

Historically, access to knowledge in our industry was like surveying an iceberg. There was a lot below the waterline, hidden away and guarded by the long-established institutions. In recent years, this information has been disseminated, attitudes have changed, and technology has put smartphones in our pockets. Now the issue isn’t that information isn’t fully available; it's that the information is unchecked, inaccurate, and often masks a hidden agenda. We do, after all, live in an Instagram age where being popular is given more credence than being correct.

The new wave of interactive AI often draws on these unchecked data sources to arrive at seemingly elegant solutions. It is therefore imperative that fact-checked information that is unsullied by manipulation is made freely available in an interactive and intuitive way to ensure correct decisions are made based on solid evidence that is evaluated.

As the ability to create fake realities grows, so does the challenge of distinguishing truth from fabrication. To address this, we need to make sure that essential tools are in reach of those who need them most (journalists, community leaders, and election officials). Furthermore, we need to enhance our understanding of consumed content through methods like content provenance and disclosure, and our government needs to prioritise transparency, accountability, and liability in AI use.

Failing to act risks amplifying the ease of fabricating reality and eroding trust in authentic information.

[edit] Discovering and using Designing Buildings

When studying for my Masters in Project Management, which I did whilst embarking on my career at JLL. I needed readily available, accurate information on the go. A mobile-friendly, accurate construction wiki was exactly what I was after. I found that other information sources often tended to push an agenda, which rendered their information inaccurate. This was something that I was acutely aware of at a point in my career when I was impressionable and without the benefit of industry experience to draw from.

[edit] Impressions of Designing Buildings site and microsites

Intuitive, accurate, and concise. I've recently come across the Circular Economy Wiki embedded within the website, which I've found particularly thought provoking. If the industry can move towards an approach where building material loops are closed rather than a traditional take-make-consume-dispose process, then the industry and the world would be a better place for it.

[edit] Favourite themes relating to buildings and construction

Anything or anyone that disrupts traditional approaches with viable alternative solutions interests me. I have a particular interest in modern methods of construction and their application, having written my Master’s dissertation on BIM and its effect on computer-aided manufacturing in UK construction. Our industry remains ripe for innovation, and we still generally operate in a fragmented and sequential way.

At Onyx, we are developing an initiative that looks to disrupt the house building development model by allowing individuals to procure an enabled plot of land directly from a land owner and then commission a pre-approved modular self-build home. We call it Onyx Living.

By boiling the development process down to the minimum transaction points, it effectively makes the individual the developer, and by doing so, it allows them to commission a quality, tailored eco-house at an affordable price. A similar principle to how Uber disrupted the taxi sector. Uber doesn’t own the car. Instead, they connect you directly to the driver, and the end result is that you get the same required outcome but at a cheaper price. Why can’t we apply this principle to home ownership, and if so, why aren’t we doing it?

[edit] Feedback and nominated future guest candidate

Thank you for approaching me to be a guest editor. Hopefully the articles I selected and the thoughts shared are of interest to your readers. The experience has forced me to look up from my feet and survey the industry around me with a critical but hopefully constructive eye.

I think Tor Burrows would make a fantastic guest editor. She is a leading champion of sustainability, and her perspective on how to shift mindsets and drive innovation would make for interesting reading.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Affordable housing.
• Agile construction.
• BIM Task Group.
• BSRIA guidance on project information process BG 78/2021.
• BSRIA Soft Landings Awards.
• BSRIA updates Handover and O&M manuals.
• Building Information Modelling.
• Building log book.
• Building performance evaluation.
• Building performance evaluation in non-domestic buildings guide – an introduction to the tests and methods in non-domestic buildings
• CIC BIM Protocol.
• Collaborative practices.
• Computer Aided Design.
• Creating an asset register for construction projects.
• Client commissioning.
• COBie.
• Commercial management.
• Commercial manager.
• Construction project manager - morning tasks.
• Data drops for BIM.
• Design management.
• Dynamic conditions for project success.
• Extended aftercare.
• Housing minister.
• Initial aftercare.
• Independent client advisor.
• Interview with Stephen Trench - Project manager.
• Lead consultant.
• Lead designer.
• Lessons learned report.
• O and M manual.
• Post occupancy evaluation.
• Performance in use.
• Performance of exemplar buildings in use: Bridging the performance gap FB 78.
• Project manager.
• Project manager's report.
• Project sponsor.
• Soft landings and business-focused maintenance.
• Soft Landings for owners.
• Taking action on climate change.