The Defence Infrastructure Organisation has published improved building performance standards which could save the UK taxpayer between 15 and 20 percent on Ministry of Defence (MOD) construction projects.
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is responsible for the entire MOD estate. It delivers all of the necessary infrastructure – be it housing, training facilities or critical assets – to allow our Armed Forces to live, work, train and deploy effectively. Recent projects include the construction of a jetty at Portsmouth Naval Base to accommodate HMS Queen Elizabeth, and the resurfacing of runways at RAF Akrotiri, RAF Gibraltar, and RAF Valley.
The defence estate is large, diverse and widely dispersed however. UK-based training facilities, military ports, strategic airfields and supply depots collectively account for 230,000 hectares of land. But while construction on these sites is occasionally subject to specialist requirements, defence infrastructure isn’t all that different from the civilian kind.
As such, the new standards – Joint Services Publication (JSP) 315 – have been developed in collaboration with the construction industry and other government agencies. They will be used by MOD staff and any industry partner responsible for the planning, costing and delivery of MOD-funded infrastructure.
Up to 20% will be saved on construction costs thanks to greater efficiencies, meaning a much faster and more cost-effective project development and delivery phase. These measures also acknowledge the success and savings DIO has accomplished in recent years through the use of modular construction, standardized designs and 3D digital and interactive technology.
According to Graham Dalton, Chief Executive of DIO: “The new standards mark a step forward in how DIO enables our military to provide the most effective and efficient solutions and how we work better with the construction industry. The revised standards make it absolutely clear what our requirements are and will contribute to a significant cost and time saving on our infrastructure projects.”
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