(still developing article)
You can learn a lot from Nick Fleming and Susanne Cooper's 2013 book Insight Trading: Collaborating to transform the infrastructure that shapes society [1]. Key points and figures jump off the page. Its business book style and length make for a quick read. You can see perspective from another resource-industry nation in the stories from practising in Australia.
When the Fédération Internationale des Ingénieurs-Conseils (International Federation of Consulting Engineers) was promoting the second edition project sustainability management, I listened to the webinar on 10 September 2014 [2]. Fleming shared his key idea; you get much clearer understanding and guidance on ways forward in your practice in the book.
Sustainability is not relevant to us. Our clients don't want it. .... Are you saying our clients don't want to lessen their risks, lower whole-of-life costs, or gain a stronger social licence to operate? What about reduced project approvals times, or project designs that are more resilient and adaptable over time?
Coarse Notes to smooth out
Collaborate in integrated teams that can step back to ask the right questions so that we can develop fit for purpose and fit for future projects and meet the needs of business and community.
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Increasing complexity and changing expectations demand effective solutions
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Sustainability initiatives improve business success [3]
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Fit-for-purpose results transcend simply applying technologies and arises from asking the right questions
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Sustainable systems have three attributes: resilience, efficiency, adaptability and well-functioning integrity
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Right questions arise from up-front thinking-- involving stakeholders and engineers during the idea-generating phase, before fixating on developing or evaluating the ideas
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Right questions arise from taking a step back to understand the full context of the design problem
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Right questions arise from a collaborative integrated team
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Right questions yield new insights, ideas and solutions; unpack the problem; build understanding; circumvent fear; build common ground and purpose
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Collaborative spectrum delivers best business and community value beyond partnering and into sharing and co-design
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Sustainability approaches evolve through 5 stages: transaction, cooperation, partnering, sharing, co-designing
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Leadership from owners and engineers matters
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6 rules for building sustainability tools that suit your team: logical structure is everything; apply a tool early for best results; process is vital; avoid hardwiring and complex software; one size does not fit all; communicate for impact
- Reporting your success matters
Do we have a way to deliver projects that creates deeper collaboration?
[1]:Insight Trading 2013
[2]:FIDIC Webinar