Incremental Innovation Techniques in Construction Industry: A Case Study of Vinci Construction UK

This study discusses about eureka moments and its importance in the context of implementing innovation techniques in the construction industry focusing upon the Vinci Construction UK. The study highlights upon the innovation techniques that will be implemented by the given organization to bring about improvement in the construction industry.

Running head: CREATIVITY AND BUSINESS WEALTH
Creativity and business wealth
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Notes

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Incremental innovation can be defined as the process of small and essential
improvements that are done within the existing products and services. The purpose of the
improvement is to bring out efficiency within the user experience. The private business
organizations attempt to implement this innovation with better quality and cost effective products
and services. The aim of the current study is to discuss about eureka moments and its importance
in the context of implementing innovation techniques. The innovation techniques will be
discussed in the context of the construction industry focusing upon the Vinci Construction UK.
Hence, the study will highlight upon the innovation techniques that will be implemented by the
given organization to bring about improvement in the construction industry.
With the demand within the construction industry going up, application of the latest
innovation can help the construction companies to gain significant competitive advantage. The
Vinci Construction of UK is famous for their innovation and creativity within the technological
terms and process. The company has currently 9,000 employees and is famous the skill
development programs. This has helped them to gain make use of the modern technology and
bring about the process of innovation within the construction industry (Vinciconstruction.co.uk,
2018)
The current and the latest innovation process are dependent upon improvement within the
supply chain process. This is essential in the context of dealing with the issues within the
construction industry. It is therefore possible to deal with the issues of sustainability within the
construction industry (Bygballe and Ingemansson 2014). The modern day construction industry
is believed to have the potential to improve with the application of the augmented reality
technology. With the help of the augmented reality technology, it is possible to get the real
picture of the practical world scenario. 3D images and models of the construction projects are

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generated with the help of the augmented reality program. The programming software helps in
setting up the coordination in the augmented reality units that are synced up with the real world
coordination. 3D models are used in the given case, which are needed to improve the overall
design of the building for better levels of sustainability (Reiman et al. 2015). The Vinci
Construction has implemented the technology of smart reality that is considered to be a part of
making use of the real 3D images.
The design of the construction projects with the help of the augmented reality can also
help to deal with better quality of construction that are needed as part of the earthquakes. The
overall design analysis of the building is done with 3D images of the augmented reality.
Murphy et al.(2015), have mentioned about the importance of Building Information
modeling (BIM) that are used in the digital representation of the models within the construction
works. The BIM uses the existing resources within the industry to share important information
related to advanced levels of construction. Similar to the augmented reality, BIM technology can
also help to provide the detailed information through 3D picture representation. The technology
uses the functional characteristics of a facility. This helps them within the process of sharing
essential information related to the resources with the construction projects. The construction
industry is making use of BIM to detect the loopholes that can cause future damage within the
constructional works. With the help of details data that are obtained from the virtual image of
BIM, it is possible to get the details of the final construction work along with that of the
architectural design (Volk et al. 2014).
The innovative technique of BIM has helped to Vinci Construction of UK to make use of
high levels of architectural designs. This is necessary for all advanced styles of international

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buildings. The company has made concerted efforts to make use of the digital design, in order to
make use of the BIM technology. The firm also promotes the usages of BIM technology that can
help to deal with the environmental issues caused due to the construction works. The advanced
forms of data are believed to be the key for the information modelling projects. The stakeholders
within the construction work can help to deal with the issues that are related to that of the
documentation process. The advanced levels of data related to that of the project teams can be
stored effectively to for future advancement.
Graphisoft is considered to be the first BIM development firm that has established the 3D
virtual software. This software helped in the process of implementing the models that are
relevant to the high collecting levels of data related to that of the 3D modelling. According to
Lindgren et al.(2018), procurement of advanced levels of resources is considered to be one of the
biggest advantages of BIM. This is mainly possible due to advanced level of technological
information that is available with the application of BIM. 75% of the construction companies in
the UK are dependent upon the usage of BIM for better and faster construction works. It is also
possible to optimize the available resources (Alwan et al. 2017).
Han et al. (2017), have mentioned about the importance of self-healing concrete that is
also considered as one of the significant innovation within the construction industry. Crack in the
construction work is one of the major issues, which is caused due to exposure to water and
Chemicals. The self-healing concrete is prepared with the help of bacterial microcapsules that
has the ability to germinate water, entering the concrete. Limestone is produced in the process
that can help in plugging the crack, thereby preventing the negative effects of water and oxygen.

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With the help of self-healing concrete it is now possible to significantly reduce the total number
of cases that are caused due to crack. The durability of particular concrete can also increase that
can provide easy transportation of construction materials.
The bacteria that are selected for the self-healing concrete have the ability to produce
calcium carbonate. The calcium carbonate precipitate can help the concrete to be more
sustainable and deal with rough environmental situations (Wang et al. 2014).
With the application of the self-healing concrete, Vinci Construction of UK has been able
to deal with the issues of financial loss that are caused due to the cracks in all types of
construction works. Hence, the healing concrete can be considered as one of the major leaps in
the construction project works that has helped in proper utilization of all types of resources.
Effective insulating material are one of the popular innovative techniques used in
construction firms. Heat are transferred directly through the building envelope to the dimensional
block in order to improve the strength of the overall building construction. In this type of
situation, the building is in direct contact with inside and outside elements that are evolved as
major constructional innovation in order to insulate the layers of building. In a modern day
construction, thermal bridging can act as major advantage for dealing with the challenges related
to insulation of buildings.
The major advantage of thermal bridging is the fact that it does not allow it to directly
pass from outside of the building to inside. Hence, it is possible to control the temperature of
inside building. This type of innovative techniques is most important in cold regions, wherein the
houses need to be insulated in order to prevent loss of heat from inside.
Nevertheless, there has to be a strict regulation that needs to be maintained by the
construction firms. Improper thermal bridging can result in loopholes in the construction work

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thereby damaging the materials that are used in the building process.Thermal bridging can be
categorised as repeating, where the wall ties regularly Bridge between the cavities of the building
walls. There is also non-repeating, where the wall junction consists of different materials
consisting of diverse items that can help in the process of insulation. The non-repeating time is
more effective due to the fact that it can enhance the process of insulation and long lasting
capability of the building. It is also possible to deal with the gaps that are generated within the
construction walls thereby improving the overall structure.
In the modern day global society one of the major issues that are encountered in most of
buildings is due to shortage of energy supply. In the given context building integrated
photovoltaic glazing are aimed at the building to generate their electricity with the help of solar
panel. As the whole building is converted into solar panel chamber, it is possible to trap the
energy from the sun that is letter used to generate electricity. The Vinci Construction has set up
business partnership with solar panel producing firms to get the materials that are used in
photovoltaic glazing. Transparent glasses are used in walls and Windows of the building that act
as solar energy trapping materials. This is also considered to be one of the effective ways to
control the temperature of the building as the solar energy is able to protect the heat from inside
building (Yang and Athienitis 2014).
This innovation technique has helped to save the overall cost of energy consumption of
the building. The photovoltaic glazing is mainly used in commercial buildings, where the
demand for energy is generally huge.
The modular Construction Techniques are also becoming one of the most popularly used
processes. This technique is mainly used as a Pre Engineering concept that is used in
construction sites to properly deliver all type of materials. The main purpose of this innovative

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technique is to minimise the environmental damage that is caused in every construction projects.
Proper Logistic exercise is also implemented, which makes it possible to easily deliver all type of
materials used in the construction work. The sustainability of building materials is considered to
be the major advantage of modular construction (Lawson et al. 2014). The Vinci Construction
has used this technique in order to complete large-scale projects in UK construction industry.
The use of Sustainable materials has helped to reduce the cost of building maintenance. It is also
possible to protect the harmful effects of environmental degradation that are generally caused by
constructional waste disposals.
The technique of asset mapping has also been implemented in the recent time, where
advanced level of operational equipment is used to enhance the security system in construction
works. Essential data are collected as a part of asset mapping technique that is used in security
protocols. With detailed information it is possible for the constructional engineers to locate the
place of installing equipment thereby helping to improve the process of building security. This
innovative process can help in installing advanced level of database which can act as proactive
maintenance component of the building (Green and Haines 2015).
The process of BIM can be regarded as one of the major incremental innovation for the
construction industry that is also considered as one of the major radial innovation. This is evident
from the business expansion that are done by the Vinci Construction. The techniques of modular
Construction Techniques has helped the company to expand the market at the global platform.
This can therefore can be regarded as a part of the disruptive innovation that has rapidly created
new marketing opportunity for the respective industry. Overall the overall innovation process
and techniques has been able to bring about revolution in the construction industry in the UK
market.

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These innovative techniques that are mentioned in the above section as help to improve
upon the constructional process used by the respective industry. The Vinci Construction has been
able to popularize and use the same at a commercial scale. With the application of the techniques
like the augmented reality, it is possible to make use of large scale of changes within the
respective industry. There are also the elements of BIM that can help in implementing the
innovation techniques for advanced levels of information needed for the construction works and
improve upon the building materials. The advanced levels of utility software that are used within
the management of the Vinci Construction have helped them to take advanced levels of project
for the international market. With the introduction of the materials like that of the self-healing
concrete, it is possible to save the expenses that are caused due to constructional damages. There
is also the technique of thermal bridging and building integrated photovoltaic glazing that can
help in the process of conservation energy. These innovative techniques can help to improve the
efficiency of the construction industry. This can be regarded as the series of incremental
innovation that has mainly focused on the sustainability of the industry. The existing techniques
have been improved effectively to make optimized use of the available resources. The Vinci
Construction has been able to gain significant competitive advantage in the respective industry as
they have been able to implement the process of incremental innovation.

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