JCT 2016 Edition, BIM and Farmer Review on the agenda at SBCC 2016 Conference

JCT Chair, Richard Saxon CBE, provided an update on JCT contracts for delegates at the Scottish Building Contract Committee (SBCC) annual conference on 9 November 2016.

Richard Saxon’s presentation included providing an update of the JCT 2016 Edition of contracts, of which the Standard Building, Minor Works, Design and Build, Generic Sub-Contract and Collateral Warranty families are currently available via JCT’s online store, www.jctltd.co.uk.

The Intermediate Contract family will be published early in December, with remaining contracts following in the spring. In addition to the 2016 Edition, Richard also discussed JCT’s investigatory work in producing a new FM form of contract.

Richard also talked about JCT’s current work on BIM, in particular the activities of JCT’s BIM Working Group. The Group is currently seeking to assist the Construction Industry Council (CIC) in updating the CIC BIM Protocol for level 2, including addressing differences between its wording and JCT contracts. The Group is also investigating future forms of contract that will operate at BIM level 3.

JCT’s current communication drive was also on the agenda, particularly with regard to online working and communications. Users are encouraged to join JCT’s new initiative, the JCT Network (corporate.jctltd.co.uk/jct-network), which provides users with early notification of new JCT products and services, as well as exclusive information about the JCT 2016 Edition, and a range of other benefits.

Finally, Richard gave the delegates an update concerning the recent publication of the Farmer review, Modernise or Die, and its implications not only for JCT and other contract authoring bodies, but for the wider industry. On the report, Richard Saxon said:

“It reinforces the view that our industry must change its methods to avoid being unable to meet society’s needs. Digital methods will be one dimension; collaborative working and longer-term supply relationships will be others.”