Abstract​
The Power of Now: People endlessly talk about the changing world of construction. Change is now a constant, what is needed is to have vision, a strategy, and a plan and to make change happen, which benefits the people, the professions, the construction industry, and the public at large, but it needs to happen faster than is currently the case.

Fast Changing World: The digital revolution is affecting every aspect of design, planning, and the process of making a project shovel ready. Blockchain, immersive reality, cognitive technology, and a host of new digital technologies are fueling the digital revolution. Automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning, robotics, on and off-site construction with flying factories, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), internet of things with the merging of the physical and digital world, and a host of other technologies are being used across many industry sectors. The construction sector has been slow to respond to the change - often for good reason. Cost management, time management and production management processes and systems have not kept pace with the change. The new millennial generation are less tolerant and more impulsive, they want to use digital tools, and technology, they want stimulation, not working on repetitive tasks that could be done by machines. Clients want more for less, they want better value, not more paperwork and excuses; they want more certainty. Complexity and risk are major issues on all projects. Competition has become more international as Chinese companies seek to expand overseas. Consultant, construction companies, and material and component manufacturers have become larger, with the big getting bigger to cope with the risk and complexity.

Feeling More Comfortable with being Uncomfortable: The presentation will explore what is happening in the construction sector, the drivers, issues, inhibitors, enablers, and actions that can change the process of designing and delivering projects in Malaysia. Not more rhetoric or more “could” – a reality check.

Biography Roger Flanagan is Professor at the School of Construction Management and Engineering, University of Reading, UK, working in the area of international construction. He is a Visiting Professor at Tsinghua University, Beijing, Chongqing University, Guizhou Institute of Technology, and University of New South Wales, Australia. Previously Visiting Professor in Hong Kong, Malaysia, USA, Sweden, Norway, Kenya, South Africa, Turkey, and Croatia. He was President of the Chartered Institute of Building in 2007. Roger’s industrial experience includes previously being a member of the Board of Directors of Skanska AB and a non-executive member of the Board of Directors of Halcrow Group. He has been a member of Board of Directors and Advisory Board member in USA, Hong Kong, South Africa, Switzerland, Canada, and UK.

• Admission is free.​
• UoRM staff RSVP by responding to the internal event invitation.
• All are welcome, RSVP by 15 October 2018.