On 27 and 28 March, the School of Applied Management worked in collaboration with Aurora Engagement Ltd to deliver two multi-stakeholder practitioner workshops in London and Manchester, exploring the social value in engaging with stakeholders and communities when developing net zero built environment projects.
The workshops were part of the Social Value of Inclusive Innovation and Stakeholder Engagement Project funded by the Quintin Hogg Trust and led by Dr Maria Christina Georgiadou, Reader in Sustainable Construction.
The two workshops were led by Westminster’s Dr Georgiadou, Sorin Zahan, Lecturer in Construction, Dr Afolabi Dania, Senior Lecturer in Construction Management and Dr Sarah Fitton, Director of the consultancy firm Aurora Engagement Ltd.
During both days, built environment professionals from the Environment Agency, ARUP, Deloitte, Useful Projects, Orbital Economics, Fillip Advisory Services, the Open University and local authority officers from Buckinghamshire and East Hertfordshire engaged in group activities to discuss the need for co-creation with end-users and local community groups affected by project delivery. Participants discussed the need for more dynamic stakeholder engagement methodologies, techniques and tools, as well as what role digital innovation can bring into the process.
Seven post-graduate students from the Construction Project Management MSc course were also involved through Westminster's Students as Co-creators scheme, helping the project team with the workshop delivery. This provided them with a unique opportunity to develop their network and employability skills as well as gain academic experience and research skills in stakeholder engagement, participatory design and inclusive innovation.
Drawing on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the research of Construction conducted at Westminster’s Centre of the Study of the Production of the Built Environment (ProBE), Dr Georgiadou, Co-Director of ProBE, said: “There is currently little research and evidence on inclusive, participatory engagement practices at an early design stage in construction projects. This is a great opportunity to reframe existing practices and further develop innovative tools and methodologies for inclusive stakeholder collaboration in the delivery of net zero/climate-resilient built environment projects. This will also inform curriculum design in Construction, Project Management and sustainability-related modules of our Construction Studies programme.”
Dr Fitton, added: “It was great to bring academia and practice together through these workshops. This is a multidimensional and complex problem and by using insights from both academia and practice, we have a better chance of finding a sustainable solution which provides a much more user focused experience.”
Aimee Calleja, Construction Project Management MSc student, said: "This real-life opportunity not only reframed my theoretical vision but also provided me with invaluable insights into effective stakeholder engagement, enhancing both my professional growth and academic training".
Reem Sayed, another Construction Project Management MSc student, added: “Exploring diverse viewpoints on stakeholder management illuminated the realisation that there's a wealth of untapped potential in the field. It's not merely about paperwork and construction; rather, it encompasses social value and emotional considerations, shedding light on the multifaceted nature of the discipline.”
Dr Fitton and Dr Georgiadou now hope to bring the insights of this pilot study to an Innovate UK grant application focusing on Net Zero and User-focused design in 2024/25.
These workshops directly contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities and 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about the Centre for the Study of the Production of the Built Environment at the University of Westminster.
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