Skip the NI Direct Bar
Skip navigation

Dodds backs Northern Ireland's Construction Industry

Thursday, 25 September 2008

Finance Minister Nigel Dodds today highlighted the potential economic, social and environmental benefits to Northern Ireland from off-site manufacturing and construction.

Addressing representatives from the construction industry at a conference in Belfast, Mr Dodds also underlined the importance of maintaining excellence and promoting modern methods in the Northern Ireland construction industry.

Acknowledging that the industry was experiencing uncertainty, the Minister stressed that the Executive will continue to focus on infrastructure delivery.  He said:

“Sustained investment in infrastructure is crucial for the future of Northern Ireland and essential to build an economy that will attract the inward investment that will benefit everyone.

“Whilst delivering this continuously increasing volume of work, Government remains committed to achieving best value for money.

“Modern methods of construction provide considerable opportunities to reduce carbon input, achieve faster construction and reduce waste.

“The current economic climate makes it even more important that we all make best use of our resources. We need to seek to place ourselves at the cutting edge of technological innovation to improve our position in the wider commercial context.”

Today’s conference, entitled ‘Modern Methods of Construction - Building without costing the Earth’, was aimed at creating awareness of the opportunities for ‘off-site manufacturing’ and ‘off-site construction’ in Northern Ireland. It was organised by ‘Constructing Excellence in Northern Ireland’, a project funded for a three year period by the Department of Finance and Personnel.

Praising the role of the project, Mr Dodds added:

“’Constructing Excellence’ offers the industry a unique portfolio of support. It provides a wide range of services including modern procurement training programmes, research, business performance improvement diagnostics, bench marking and key performance measurement tools - all geared towards improving competitiveness.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. ‘Constructing Excellence’ is a centre of professional construction expertise based at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown. It supports all sectors of the construction industry in the pursuit of excellence.  ‘Constructing Excellence’ is the banner under which the construction industry, its clients and Government are working to improve UK construction performance. It aims to showcase innovations in both products and performance and to highlight best practice. It also seeks to encourage the industry and its clients to adopt the principles of ‘Constructing Excellence’ to their mutual benefit. Further information can be obtained from:
    2. Constructing Excellence Northern IrelandRoom IK01
    University of Ulster
    Jordanstown
    Newtownabbey
    BT37 0QB

  2. www.constructingexcellence.ulster.ac.uk
    Email: c.smyth@ulster.ac.uk
    Telephone: 028 9036 6807
  3. Today’s conference, entitled ‘Modern Methods of Construction - Building without costing the Earth’ was held at the Stormont Hotel, Belfast.
  4. Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) is the term used to cover Off-Site Manufacturing (OSM) and Off-Site Construction (OSC). It includes the production of a wide range of individual components, building modules or entire buildings in a factory or other location remote from the actual building site. The components are then brought to site either as a complete building or as parts to be assembled to form the final building.

    A common example would be the off-site construction of a bathroom module for a hotel project. Once the module is completed in the factory (including all bathroom fittings etc) it is then delivered to site and set into the ‘gap’ in the building structure.
  5. Details on the Investment Strategy can be obtained from:
    6. Strategic Investment Board Ltd
    Clare House
    303 Airport Road West
    Belfast
    BT3 9ED
  6. Tel: 028 9081 6181
    Fax:028 9081 6181
    http://www.sibni.org
  7. Media enquiries only to DFP Press Office on 028 9052 7644 or 028 9052 7375. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.