Mr K Moodley

Deputy Admissions Tutor

Course Leader M Sc International Construction Management and Engineering

Lecturer , Department of Building Engineering and Surveying, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 1990-1994.

Lecturer, School of Civil Engineering University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom, 1994 - present

Reviewer for Construction Management and Economics, Engineering Construction and Architectural Management , Journal of Environmental Management and Institute of Asset Management Research Conference.

Asset Management -The OECD estimates that around $40 trillion of investment in new and existing physical infrastructure will be required globally between now and 2030[i]. Two significant trends underlie this global need. First, the investment needs of developing countries associated with their growing economies, rapid urbanisation and expanding wealthier populations. Second, the investment needs of developed economies arising from a legacy of under-investment in aging infrastructure which is at increasing risk of failure. The investment in and management of physical infrastructure assets at its simplest level focuses on answering the question of why invest in physical assets, for what purpose, over what timescale, and, are there alternatives that can better achieve service delivery that are non-physical asset dependent or can reduce asset dependency[ii].The accumulated value of public and private infrastructure, its maintenance needs and the investment demands associated with upgrading, renewing or creating new infrastructure are significant, especially in an era of paucity of national and international public sector investment. With scarce resources, prioritisation of available funds into infrastructure becomes paramount at a policy level; at the level of infrastructure systems, networks and at an individual physical asset level. Related issues of criticality, vulnerability and resilience of infrastructure also come to the fore when set within the wider context of global shifts in economic prosperity, sustainability, and in an era of financial and climatic uncertainty. Projects in this sector were undertaken for CABE, OGC, London Underground and the Environment Agency

Current projects include "Intelligent Asset Management" in conjunction with Arup. This project is looking at the enhancement of existing Asset Management approaches within a socio-technical context, the development of competency matrices for organisations and individuals and a socio- technical asset management toolbox.

Projects are also being undertaken in the development of formalised approaches to asset management in the public sector in developing countries. These relate to formalised decision systems and pathways. Policy development for public sector management of heritage assets is also taking place. Projects are also being developed in the integration of BIM into Asset management and active monitoring of assets.

[i] OECD Infrastructure to 2030 – Telecom, Land Transport, Water and Electricity ISBN 9264023984 2006 and Infrastructure to 2030 (Volume 2): Mapping Policy for Electricity, Water and Transport 2007 ISBN 9789264031319 both OECD Publications, 2006 & 2007[ii] Total Asset Management Manual, New South Wales Government Asset Management Committee (GAMC), NSW Government, August 2003.

 The Management of Safety in Complex Built Environments/Urban Resilience The interaction between a mass of people and the surrounding built environment creates a risk context. The risk can be amplified through the interactions that can lead to disaster. The objective is to develop a range of generic approaches, tools, techniques and references to assist all parties that have responsibilities for safety in complex built environments. Cross disciplinary thinking in design, crowd dynamics, security, materials, risk identification and emergency planning are being considered.

Urban Resilience is the degree to which urban areas can tolerate change before reorganising around a new set of structures, systems and processes which may be less desirable. Systems underpin the urban environment. As these systems interact we become more dependent on them for social continuity. Research into the criticality and vulnerability of these systems are being conducted. Current projects include modelling of systemic risk from the failure of water treatment systems.  

Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics in Construction The re-emergence of ethics as subject of interest the engineering professions is a reflection of the changing times we live in. There is a broader public interest in the way we behave, as engineering professionals and companies. Increased pressure is being brought to bear on the performance of engineering organisations and the individuals that lead and populate them. There is also a significant danger with the continued erosion of professionalism within the UK. The future of professional ethics and CSR in construction is being considered. The impact of ethics on areas such as procurement, collaborations and value management is also being investigated.

Competition and Business Modelling in Construction The manner in which a company intends to create value in the marketplace is central to its survival. It has to create a unique combination of products, services, image and distribution that drives the company forward. It also has to consider the underlying organisation of people and the operational infrastructure that they use to accomplish their goals. New business models are created by entrepreneurs. Construction is facing challenges in the way its business models are constructed. New forms of procurement and organisation are forcing construction companies to re-examine underlying business assumptions. This project is looking at how new business models are emerging and their impact on competition.

Research Institute Membership

• Institute for Resilient Infrastructure