Since it was announced in 2005 that London will host the 2012 Olympics, it appears every architect and building contractor has been desperate to get involved with the new building project. Following the fiasco of Wembley Stadium, fears have been raised that the ambitious project may run over time and budget.

But just how realistic are such fears? The expected development spend for 2012 is between £1 billion and £1.8 billion – depending on interpretation. And this is to be achieved over six years. Yet £75 billion is spent on construction in the UK every year, so achieving the Olympic dream is far from being unrealistic or over-optimistic.

Given the scale of the project, there is simply no excuse for overrunning the deadline or the budget. London 2012 is indeed high profile, and many organisations will look to put forward their most innovative designs to gain prestige. It also has a focus on sustainability that will provide opportunities for the use of new materials.

But for any well-organised operation, with sound processes and information resources that ensure best practice, an Olympic contract should not represent a high risk project. Isn’t it time the industry stopped over-hyping the Olympic challenge and got down to delivering a showcase for British design?

Will Yandell, commercial director, Union Square Software, Nottingham

Source

Building Sustainable Design