_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Digital Tools
regulations. While many substitutions are well-intentioned, they’ re rarely risk-free.
As Cheri Haynes of the International Risk Management Institute put it:“ You can put your boots in the oven, but that don’ t make‘ em biscuits.” Not all materials are created equal, and swapping one for another under pressure often leads to unintended and costly consequences.
Improperly managed substitutions can introduce compliance failures, safety risks, certification issues, budget overruns, and rework. These risks are exacerbated by today’ s volatile market conditions, where global events, from inflation to geopolitical tensions, can rapidly impact material availability. When decisions are rushed, the chance of hidden risks only increases.
New regulations such as Gateway 2 further tighten expectations. Designs must match delivery precisely, or face significant penalties in the form of rework, delays, and compliance breaches. Mistakes made post-Gateway 2 can derail programmes, inflate costs, and push already tight margins over the edge.
Data as core project infrastructure
With regulation and scrutiny increasing, accurate and timely data is no longer a‘ nice to have’, it’ s fundamental to managing live compliance risk across the project lifecycle. Technology that captures and verifies data from the ground up empowers project teams to ensure that specifications, especially those relating to quality and compliance, are consistently delivered on-site. This assurance prevents costly surprises and ensures that the built asset matches the original design intent.
Treating data as part of the project’ s core infrastructure, on equal footing with materials, labour, and plant, enables better, faster decisions on substitutions, mitigates risk, and drives improvements in both sustainability and commercial performance. It reconnects design to delivery, unlocking a cycle of validation and continuous improvement.
Real-world examples demonstrate the benefits. On a £ 350 million highways project in Oxfordshire, Skanska implemented digital waste tracking that improved data capture by over 70 per cent, generating £ 295,000 in added annual value through reduced compliance risks and administrative efficiencies. These gains weren’ t driven by major investments, but by eliminating inefficiencies through smarter processes and better data.
Building resilience for the future
As the sector regains momentum, the opportunity to reset expectations and embed better practices is clear. Robust data strategies must become standard in how we design, procure, and deliver. The technology exists, and the business case is undeniable.
By harnessing accurate, real-time data and applying lessons from best practice, construction and civil engineering firms can not only mitigate the risks of waste and material substitution but also unlock opportunities for operational excellence, improved resilience, and enhanced profitability.
The future of this industry won’ t be shaped by bold claims, but by traceable performance and a commitment to ensuring every decision adds value- rather than risk. ■
Brittany Harris www. qualisflow. com
Brittany Harris is Co-Founder and CEO of Qflow. Qflow has a vision of a construction industry that uses only the resources it needs in the most efficient way possible – delivering a built environment that meets the needs of society without compromising future generations. With that, the company aims to be the simplest and quickest route to decarbonise construction through data driven insights and leadership across the UK, US and Australia.
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