Construction Product Quality Planning (CPQP) Consultation findings

What is Construction Product Quality Planning?

Construction Product Quality Planning (CPQP) is the first in a new ecosystem of quality management tools and processes being developed by the Construction Innovation Hub. CPQP is intended to help the sector embrace high quality, safe and assured manufactured solutions. It will provide confidence to clients, users and society that new products and sub-assemblies conform to the fit, form, and function needed as well as uphold the required standards and regulations.

Also being developed as part of this ecosystem are tools to support Quality Assurance and Route to Compliance. The teams developing these tools are working to ensure effective integration with other key Hub initiatives including:

• Our Platform Programme particularly around the development of interface standards, digital configurators and installation process;
• The Value Toolkit to ensure clients and industry can select products and solutions that deliver against their value drivers; and,
• Information Management to ensure that the data and digital models created support effective operation and integration.

By ensuring close integration and interoperability between these Hub-led initiatives, we are aiming to support the development of the ‘Golden Thread’ of information needed to instil trust and confidence across the built environment.

Applying best practice from leading manufacturing sectors

CPQP is modelled on Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), an established and recognised methodology widely used across other manufacturing industries. Like APQP, Construction Product Quality Planning focuses on the concept, design, manufacture, and first-time installation/assembly, but adapts the methodology so it is applicable for new products and sub-assemblies in the construction sector.

Supporting quality and assurance throughout the lifecycle

CPQP will support businesses to effectively “build in” quality when developing new solutions. Crucially, clients that apply CPQP will be able to demonstrate not only that individual components used in build projects are manufactured to standards and regulations, but that performance is achieved when they have been installed and connected in integrated buildings. By implementing a standardised approach to quality, the industry will deliver safe, assured and high performing buildings and infrastructure.

Consultation findings: focus on skills & cultural shift needed

As with all our programme outputs, engagement with industry and Government is critical to the success of CPQP. Between 13 May and 31 August 2020, the Hub carried out a consultation on the applicability of the CQP process within the UK construction industry.

Feedback from participants, who included industry professionals, Government and the academic community, indicated strong support for the quality management approach proposed in CPQP. There was also however, a clear consensus around the need for a culture shift and a greater focus on the skills and competencies needed to ensure successful implementation of CPQP at scale.

Next steps 

Building on the consultation feedback received and the Hub’s ongoing engagement with key stakeholders, the final versions of the CPQP Guide, Construction Product Approval Process (CPAP) Handbook and a full set of comprehensive toolsets are being reviewed.

Collaboration and engagement with industry to increase the awareness and foster the implementation and adoption of CPQP will continue, and we invite interested parties to get in touch and discuss how to take part in the implementation phase.

Click here to read the findings of our CPQP consultation in full and to find out more about the next steps for this crucial project.