An opinion piece by Keith Waller, Programme Director, Construction Innovation Hub 

Last week, the Construction Innovation Hub launched the Construction Product Quality Planning (CPQP) framework. This is new quality-assurance framework that sets out a best-practice approach for manufacturers to follow during the creation of new platform systems and offsite manufactured construction products.

Aimed at driving improved quality and safety standards, CPQP sets out a five-phase process, ranging from product definition to product launch. It also includes the creation of a live control document, which provides a digital audit trail that forms the basis of a building safety case. A set of guideline documents has been made available, including the CPQP Guide, the Construction Product Approval Process (CPAP) Handbook and nine supporting guidelines to follow which help complete crucial aspects of the quality assurance process.

Amongst the benefits of using the new framework, CPQP will ensure that products and platforms are manufactured to the highest standards, in line with best practices and regulatory standards such as BSI 99001 and the Building Safety Act. It also provides means for effective change control measures to mitigate risk, and product journey mapping from design through to manufacturing. CPQP also ensures accurate product data is managed and maintained throughout as per the golden thread recommendations.

The CPQP framework is designed to complement the Hub’s Product Platform Rulebook and Value Toolkit. It aligns with the ambitions of the Construction Playbook, where the Government is enabling more investment in innovation by committing its buying power to encourage offsite and platform construction. As part of the Hub’s Platform Programme, CPQP aims to support this approach.

A guiding ethos of the Hub’s work has been to listen to professionals across the infrastructure and built environment sector and work with them to develop and launch products that deliver true value for those who use them. This approach, and its benefits, can be seen in the response to the CPQP framework.

Dame Judith Hackitt, chair of manufacturing trade body Make UK said CPQP was a “very positive response to the new regulatory requirements for quality assurance” and added that “learning good practice from manufacturing sectors is a smart way to accelerate the pace of change in construction”. Meanwhile, Brendan McMahon, head of quality at like Homes, one of the partners in a pilot programme to test the CPQP process, said that they “wanted to work with the Hub to see what other industries have been doing and help to develop a best practice approach for construction”.

He added: “Our customers deserve the highest quality and adopting the CPQP principles alongside our existing processes allows us to continue doing this, as we continue to develop and deliver more complex projects. CPQP has helped us to build in additional quality at the product stage, rather than relying on quality control at the end of manufacturing. Essentially, it moves the quality element further back in the process.”

Ultimately, CPQP provides tools that will enable the accelerated adoption of platform approaches by helping to ensure quality and consistency across all UK construction manufacturing. When applied in conjunction with the Product Platform Rulebook and Value Toolkit, the CPQP framework will improve the overall safety, performance, and quality of new construction products by identifying risks as early as possible in the design and development process, when the cost of change is lower.