The idea was to investigate the embedded moral decisions made by autonomous cars in dangerous situations.

DfMA itself can be based on a set of repeatable elements and processes to derive gains, and ultimately could transform the construction industry so that it more closely resembles manufacturing.With Industry 4.0 now a key part of many sectors, research and development into construction automation is also a rapidly growing area.

Additionally, the skill sets required to implement methods such as Discrete Event Simulation are becoming more commonplace as the industry steadily adopts more facets of digital design..Despite the advances, construction planning is still typically done using static Gantt charts which, although highly detailed, often have the potential to be inflexible, inefficient and inaccurate, and cannot allow stakeholders to explore fully and rapidly the ‘what if’ of projects and the effects of their decisions on the final product.A lack of clear visualisation can also limit the communication of the planning to the project team and again result in an unclear relationship between project briefing, design and execution.

With concept and design project stages – where this work is often done – being where the largest potential gains can be made, the power to positively influence a project with thorough optioneering to reduce risk and increase predictability is crucial..Creating flexible, digital models that reflect the world around us.

This is where the real strengths of Discrete Event Simulation (DES), or time-based process simulation, can be brought in.

Using tools such as Lanner Witness or AnyLogic, a digital model can be created from the macro to the micro scale, including global supply chain and logistics, down to individual site operations.As a multi-disciplinary company, Bryden Wood has the ability to collaborate across specialities to target each of the strands of social value we have identified, in a holistic approach to design.

Through analysing each project’s individual context and its data, we are able to continually iterate design responses, engaging with stakeholders to evaluate and develop our thinking..This open approach to design takes time, care and, ultimately, collaboration from our clients to help drive it forward.

With rising construction costs and an increased focus on decarbonising our built environment, it’s essential that we do not lose focus on improving the social value and impact of what we create..The pressure on development to design and construct at increasing speed must be balanced against the critical analysis of the design brief and problem statement, and engagement with stakeholders that is so essential to improving the quality of our surroundings.