Currie & Brown

Our colleagues in the UK are excited to learn that we have been shortlisted for Construction Consultant/ Surveyor of the year (over 100 staff) at the 2024 Building Awards. The team has been focused on sustainability, training & development and improving diversity in our industry. We’ve also worked on many high-profile projects such as The River Thames Scheme and Great Ormond Street Hospital’s Cancer Centre (GOSH). This recognition comes thanks to the outstanding combined efforts of many teams across our business. The winner will be announced at the annual awards ceremony on 5 November.

Our team in Hong Kong recently provided a full range of quantity surveying services on the Blissful Place development in Hung Hom. The 29-storey building has 24 residential floors with 13 flats on each floor, while the other five floors house a sky garden, a clubhouse and a residential care home for the elderly. The project aims to achieve “Ageing in Place”, by addressing the needs of the middle-income elderly in housing, recreation, medical and care services all under the same roof. We were involved from the early stages, providing the pre-contract estimate and then going on to deliver tender documentation, post-contract supervision and final accounts. Learn more about our involvement in this award-winning development on our website: https://lnkd.in/dGFUHSxu

We are pleased to welcome back Kieran McManamon who rejoins Currie & Brown today as our new regional managing director for England and Wales. With over two decades of experience in operational and market-facing roles, Kieran brings a wealth of knowledge and proven success in diverse sectors including energy, public sector and commercial. Nick Gray, chief operating officer for UK and Europe, says: “This is an exciting moment for us, and I am delighted to welcome Kieran back to our team. The wealth of experience he brings strongly aligns with our growth strategy for the region and will enable us to better leverage our industry influence to deliver certainty to our clients.”

Scott Wilkinson from our U.S. team is taking part in a RICS webinar on decarbonization on July 9th. The expert panel will be talking about the regional demands for carbon measurement and the benefits for clients when making important financial decisions about their construction projects. Joining Scott on the panel are RICS Head of Sustainability, Anil Sawhney and industry leaders Chris Smith, MRICS, Alexandra Faciu, MA MRICS, and Maureen Ehrenberg. Learn how they are helping define embodied carbon through the Whole Life Carbon Assessment professional standard to effect positive change in the built and natural environments. This webinar will take place on July 9 at 1pm EDT https://lnkd.in/eQFQqp8V

Elizabeth Greenhill, associate director in our sustainability advisory team has contributed an article to IPE Real Assets (Investment & Pensions Europe (IPE)). The article discusses our recently launched report ‘Costing Energy Efficiency Improvements in Existing Commercial Property’. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/e9jtEiqQ

The election of a new Labour government in the UK marks a critical opportunity to unlock productivity and accelerate economic expansion. Having been stifled by high inflation and interest rates, supply chain volatility, shortages of skilled labour, and high materials costs, the UK construction industry now needs a prolonged period of stability and consistency. Our chief operating officer for UK and Europe, Nick Gray, outlines the key areas which the new government should prioritise to help the construction industry fully realise its potential. ✅ A clear long-term strategy for growth to give the industry the confidence to invest in itself – for example in key areas, such as modern methods of construction. The government must also commit to a properly costed infrastructure development plan and deliver against these commitments to avoid the volatility that has left earlier important initiatives, such as HS2, with unclear or ambiguous goals. ✅ The new government has committed to creating over a million new homes. But there’s a chronic shortage of skilled labour, which the industry can’t solve on its own. It's within the government's gift to consider how it can support the industry to invest in training and apprenticeships for tradespeople through fiscal concessions – notably tax breaks. ✅ There is a clear focus from government to deliver net zero. The costs associated with the development of technology and infrastructure to support wind, nuclear and solar energy generation and transmission are as substantial as the challenge. The new government needs to articulate a cogent plan for net zero. What’s urgently required is a detailed picture of the desired energy mix, achievable targets, and realistic timescales and costs. ✅ High levels of debt and a commitment to keeping the tax burden as low as possible creates a tricky conundrum. This could be resolved through public private partnerships. This could deliver obvious advantages for both the public purse and for institutional investors seeking long-term liability matching investment opportunities. For more of our insights on what the election of a new government means for the construction industry, stay tuned for our forthcoming UK Construction Market Outlook report.

Sustainability and having a positive impact on the world around us is at the heart of everything we do. Our latest social value report highlights our commitment to our people, the communities in which we operate and the environment. In 2023, our people spent 4,500 hours on social value activity. That's a 65% increase compared to 2022. This report highlights how we've given back to our communities, strengthened our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and focused on the wellbeing of our people. Read the full report now at https://lnkd.in/epuZedjh

Sustainability and having a positive impact on the world around us is at the heart of everything we do. Our latest social value report highlights our commitment to our people, the communities in which we operate and the environment. In 2023, our people spent 4,500 hours on social value activity. That's a 65% increase compared to 2022. This report highlights how we've given back to our communities, strengthened our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and focused on the wellbeing of our people. Read the full report now at https://lnkd.in/epuZedjh

Vincent Wong, associate director in our Seattle office, recently attended the 2024 Aviation Industry Day, hosted by the Port of Seattle. He was joined by Todd Wilkinson, P.E., ENV SP, Glenn Schwantes PE, and Jason Boyett from our fellow Sidara collaborative company TYLin. The Port of Seattle presented a detailed overview of their current and upcoming consultancy and construction projects. It was an excellent opportunity to learn about their ongoing commitment to reducing noise pollution and the upcoming improvements to their structures. They also spoke about their green initiatives, which are in line with our sustainability focus. We connected with project management companies and #WMBE (Women and Minority Business Enterprise) firms to share ideas, hear new perspectives, and discuss future collaborations. Get in touch with Vincent if you’d like to know more about the event or our expertise in aviation projects.

Our latest report on the hospitality industry shows that hotels could cut 75% of their carbon footprint by 2050. Compared to other commercial buildings, hotels are one of the highest energy consumers. So, what should hotel owners and operators do to meet this challenge? Our report offers practical tips on how to work towards net zero. #Hotels #NetZero #Sustainability