Connected Conversations

"You can't build a 2030 project using 2020 assumptions." In the third episode of our 'State of the Nation' series, Emma Bedford, General Manager of Client Relations at Connected Workplaces, sits down with Barry Woollam from Genis Advisory. With over 20 years of experience as a quantity surveyor specialising in complex health and life sciences facilities, Barry breaks down the financial realities of today's construction market.For the last three years, the industry has been consumed by noise surrounding inflation, labor shortages, and supply chain volatility. This conversation cuts through that noise. Designed specifically for C-suite leaders, property directors, and capital planning executives, this episode provides a realistic look at how to structure robust business cases and share risk collaboratively.In this episode, we cover:Cost Escalation Realities: Why acute services building costs jumped from $6,000/sqm to over $12,500/sqm post-COVID, and how global instability is causing hyper-escalation spikes.Procurement Evolution: The critical shift away from adversarial, hard-dollar lump-sum contracts toward Early Contractor Involvement (ECI).Labor Market Capability: Why the industry isn't just facing a headcount issue, but a critical capability and fatigue challenge across competing sectors.AI & Automation: How Tier-1 contractors are actually using technology for forecasting, modular coordination, and safety—rather than just hype.Sustainability as BAU: The transition of ESG from a 10–15% upfront cost premium to a "business as usual" whole-of-life OpEx benefit.Protecting ROI: Why relying on outdated pre-COVID assumptions is the biggest threat to capital works feasibilities today.🎙️ Timestamps:00:00 - Opening00:58 - Introduction & Meet Barry Woollam02:20 - The Role of a Quantity Surveyor in Capital Works03:41 - Tracking Construction Cost Escalation & 2027 Predictions06:36 - Global Instability & Hyper-Escalation Spikes07:43 - Moving Away From Adversarial Lump-Sum Contracts09:36 - The Post-COVID Market Shift & Contractor Conservatism12:14 - Labor Shortages: Headcount vs. Capability Fatigue16:11 - The Reality of AI & Tech in Construction19:18 - Costing Hyperscale Data Centers & Emerging Tech21:51 - Bridging the Gap: Consultants, Contractors & ECI27:34 - Sustainability: From Cost Premium to Business as Usual30:42 - The Biggest Risk to ROI: Outdated Assumptions32:21 - Top Three Questions Boards Must Ask Before Committing34:34 - Optimism for Australia's Infrastructure Pipeline36:13 - Closing RemarksAbout Connected Workplaces:We bring smarter thinking, technical expertise, and real-world experience together to simplify complexity and deliver with certainty. We specialize in high-performance fit-outs and mission-critical construction environments.🌐 Explore our strategic insights: https://www.connectedworkplaces.com/💼 Follow Connected Workplaces on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/connected-wor...🔔 Don't forget to Subscribe for new episodes detailing the strategic outlook of the industry.

"If you get the early thinking wrong, most of the operation becomes more expensive later." In the second episode of our 'State of the Nation' series, Emma Bedford, General Manager of Client Relations at Connected Workplaces, sits down with Tertia Dex, a global biopharmaceutical manufacturing executive with over two decades of experience across Tier-1 firms including Lonza, Patheon (by Thermo Fisher Scientific), and DSM, as well as other CDMO and biotech organisations. They discuss facility lifetime economics and how to bridge the gap between capital works design and long-term operational success.Whether you’re embarking on a greenfield build or retrofitting a live environment, this conversation offers practical insights to help you align your business model with facility layout, avoid costly commissioning surprises, and maximize your asset’s long-term return on investment.In this episode, we cover:Why trying to be a "jack of all trades" facility often leads to underutilisation and regulatory risk.How early design decisions lock in the vast majority of an asset's lifetime economics and operational costs.Navigating unidirectional flow, clean room classifications, and strict GMP compliance.Preventing costly commissioning shocks caused by space constraints and poor digital integration.Managing construction in live environments through stringent change management and QA collaboration.Emerging trends in the APAC region, including cell and gene therapies and fully integrated robotic systems.🎙️ Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: The Cost of Poor Early Thinking01:00 - Introduction & Meet Tertia Dex02:35 - What Makes a Facility Succeed or Struggle?04:31 - The "Jack of All Trades" Trap & Market Disconnect07:31 - Design Decisions That Limit Throughput09:01 - Mastering Flow: Personnel, Materials & Regulations11:10 - How Design Locks In Lifetime ROI14:28 - Striking the Right Balance with Modularity15:30 - Early Decisions on Automation & Digital Integration17:35 - Locking in GMP & Compliance Risks18:44 - The Biggest Surprises During Commissioning21:20 - Why Long-Term Success Comes Down to People22:58 - Balancing Internal Knowledge with External Experts25:08 - Tips for Operating in Live Environments26:46 - Three Pieces of Advice for Boards & Executives28:01 - Small Mistakes With Massive Downstream Impacts28:33 - Macro Trends: Cell & Gene Therapies & APAC Growth30:43 - The Human Impact: Why We Do It32:18 - Closing Remarks🌐 Learn more about our approach: https://www.connectedworkplaces.com/💼 Follow us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/connected-wor...🔔 Don't forget to Subscribe for new episodes detailing the strategic outlook of the industry.

Minimal Disruption, Maximum Impact: Modern Project Leadership.In the inaugural episode of our 'State of the Nation' series, Emma Bedford, General Manager of Client Relations at Connected Workplaces, sits down with Greg Hunt, former Australian Federal Health Minister. They discuss leading during global crises and how to translate lessons from the COVID pandemic into strategic decision-making for today's complex capital works projects.Whether you’re leading major infrastructure rollouts or managing complex health and life sciences facilities, this conversation offers practical insights to help you future-proof your organization, navigate supply chain disruptions, and deliver high-value assets with minimal disruption to your daily operations.In this episode, we cover:How Australia scaled telehealth from 40,000 to 40 million consultations in just 10 days.Frameworks for iterative decision-making under extreme uncertainty.The shift towards on-shoring and sovereign manufacturing in Australia’s health and life sciences sectors.The undeniable impact of AI and automation on project planning, design, and rapid delivery.Practical frameworks for leaders: focusing on team, plan, process, and minimal disruption.Real-world case studies on laboratory consolidation, talent attraction & retention, and modular design.🎙️ Timestamps:00:00 - Intro00:52 - Introduction to Connected Workplaces01:54 - Meet Greg Hunt: Leading Through Crises04:31 - Sovereign Manufacturing & Onshoring Trends09:37 - AI, Automation & Productivity Leaps10:50 - The "Witches Hats" Philosophy (Minimal Disruption)12:02 - Future-Proofing with Modular Design15:47 - Decision-Making Frameworks for Leaders17:35 - Scaling Telehealth: 40k to 40M Consultations20:43 - Defining True ROI in Capital Works23:57 - Managing Risk in Complex Environments27:30 - Supply Chain Disruptions & Geopolitics29:19 - Portfolio Consolidation & Super Labs31:40 - The Rise of the AI "Co-Worker"33:52 - Final Advice for CEOs35:44 - Optimism for Australia's Future🌐 Learn more about our approach: https://www.connectedworkplaces.com/💼 Follow us on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/connected-wor...🔔 Don't forget to Subscribe for new episodes detailing the strategic outlook of the industry.