June, 2007: AUSTRALIA, Sydney: Rider Levett Bucknall Australia gets behind BAE Systems, one of Rider Levett Bucknall UK's major clients. This will ensure the successful development of BAE System's project business plans on Australian shores.
Rider Levett Bucknall NSW Director, Matt Harris said, "One of BAE Systems' current projects is the Deep Maintenance Hanger at RAAF Pearce, Perth. Planned projects include the potential defence related projects for the Next Generation Training Aircraft and the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) contracts".
Rider Hunt, one of Australia and New Zealand's largest construction cost consultancies recently formed a global practice with Levett & Bailey in Asia, Rider Hunt Levett & Bailey in North America and Bucknall Austin in the UK, together forming the third largest construction cost consultancy in the world - Rider Levett Bucknall.
Oceania and UK Rider Levett Bucknall staff recently showed their commitment to the global practice by joining forces in the gathering of local cost information throughout Perth and Newcastle.
Mr Harris said, "By using local information we are able to secure accurate modelling for BAE Systems, in particular for the overall business plan. In turn, a solid business plan will ensure cost effective methods for construction and more importantly the building's whole-of-life. Benefits include allowing BAE Systems to place facilities in regional areas adjacent to existing defence facilities. This also creates local jobs and ensures defence facilities are serviced on a local basis".
Rider Levett Bucknall in the UK have invested considerable time and resources into developing a specialised software package designed to model BAE Systems projects - 4DCM (four dimensional cost modelling). The software allows for modelling construction, maintenance and operational costs of hanger and facilities operated by BAE Systems.
Many Rider Levett Bucknall staff in Australia were trained in the use of this software. Mr Harris explains, "As buildings become more complex, the split between construction and operation has become harder to define. Any decision has a knock-on effect. The need is for an all-encompassing, collaborative capital and revenue budget plan."
4DCM dynamically incorporates time - the fourth dimension - into standard three-dimensional construction cost models. The key is that it's a fully dynamic model where all variables can impact on one another, allowing different ‘what if' scenarios to be rapidly costed by changing groups of related variables at the inception stage of a project, particularly appropriate for PPP (Public-Private Partnership projects) and for owner occupiers. UK's leading supermarket, Tesco is also using the system.
Mr Harris said, "The collaboration between Rider Levett Bucknall in Australia and the UK has seen projects such as those with BAE Systems come to fruition - projects worth several hundreds of millions of dollars are now going to be managed on a local level, but with direct links to global best practice".
Mr Harris also pointed out that the new relationship is a two way street, "Rider Levett Bucknall in Australia have recently introduced one of its major clients, Grosvenor, a property developer and investor, to the UK. The UK portfolio of this client is potentially worth billions of pounds".