Qflow's Expansion on HS2

ABOUT QFLOW

Qflow is a cutting-edge software solution that leverages machine learning to help developers and construction teams track and manage waste and materials on live construction and renovation sites. Traditionally, this process has been manual, leading to incomplete and low-quality data, wasted time, and increased project costs.

With Qflow, materials and waste are digitally logged through simple photographs eliminating the need for hardware, barcodes, manual data entry, and ensuring complete supply chain independence. This innovation has saved project teams 80% of site administration time and on average £200,000 per project annually. Qflow supports cost and quality control, ESG and environmental reporting, and improves waste compliance by over 70%. It also provides valuable insights that help construction teams reduce carbon emissions in real-time.

Currently, Qflow is used on more than 200 construction sites across the UK and USA, serving major contractors and developers such as HS2, Landsec, GPE, Bouygues, and Berkeley Homes, among others.

Founded in 2018 by a civil engineer and an environmental scientist with backgrounds in construction, Qflow has expanded to a team of 50 professionals, including software engineers, data analysts, and construction experts, all dedicated to building a more sustainable future.

CONTEXT

Skanska Costain STRABAG (SCS) and Qflow initially secured funding through an SBRI grant to support the first year of deploying Qflow’s innovative environmental monitoring technology. Within just six months, Qflow demonstrated significant value on one of the SCS Joint Venture (JV) sections. This success led to developement of a case study that quantified and qualified Qflow’s impact. The findings were presented to HS2 delivery partners at an innovation expo day, impressing stakeholders with the data insights generated from simple on-site photographs.

Following this success, Align and BBVS procured Qflow for their respective sections, and SCS expanded its use to include an additional section. This resulted in a fourfold increase in Qflow’s deployment across the HS2 project and established connections with contractors involved in these Joint Ventures (JV). Qflow continues to support multiple HS2 JVs and has successfully extended its proven value and learnings to the highways, critical infrastructure (such as flood defences), and utilities sectors.

CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

• Innovation Procurement: Traditional construction contracts aren’t designed to procure software subscriptions. Collaborating with the project team and legal, to come to an appropriate contract arrangement was vital to developing a successful procurement approach that protected all parties.
• Empowering with ownership: One of the problems we came across was that the procurement decision wasn’t clearly owned by a single department or team. It meant that the buying of a licence to software such as Qflow sat between multiple parties, which created a delay in the overall procurement. It can be expected to get buy-in from multiple stakeholders, especially for us as the value case spans different use cases across a business. However there still needs to be clear ownership of buying decisions and for the responsible team to be empowered to make this.
• Building a Business Case: Developing a robust business case based on preventing potential risks was challenging. Collaborating with the project team to identify past challenges and their impacts on the project was vital for quantifying the value of Qflow in preventing future risks. The case study demonstrated how Qflow’s technology provided significant insights and data from on-site activities, which helped in risk mitigation and informed decision-making. The tangible results and proactive approach in managing environmental impact solidified the business case for broader deployment.

SUCCESSES:

• Easy and Effective On-Site Deployment and Adoption: Qflow’s technology was straightforward to deploy and quickly adopted by site teams. The ability to capture and analyse environmental data with just a photograph made it a valuable tool for on-site personnel. The use of machine learning to scan waste transfer notes (WTN) and delivery tickets (GRNs) digitises key data automatically, reducing manual effort and increasing efficiency. For instance, Qflow’s deployment on SCS JV’s sites resulted in significant time savings, with over 208 days saved per year and 10,500+ tickets digitised, translating into direct financial savings.
• Resilient and Long-Lasting Engagement: The successful deployment on HS2 sections led to sustained engagement with multiple JVs. Qflow has translated its learnings and value to other sectors, including highways, critical infrastructure, and utilities, showcasing its versatility and broad applicability.
• Robust business case: The compelling data insights and risk mitigation provided by Qflow established a strong business case for its continued and expanded use. By validating delivery data against sustainability certifications such as ISO14001, BES6001, CARES, PEFC, and FSC, Qflow ensures compliance and reduces the administrative burden on assurance teams. The technology’s ability to provide real-time, actionable data proved crucial in maintaining environmental compliance and improving operational efficiency.  

PROCUREMENT:

We initially began working with the HS2 innovation team, where Qflow’s potential was trialled through a small pilot with CSJV (Costain Skanska JV) during the Enabling Works phase. This early success provided proof of concept, which led HS2 to offer a part-funded, one-year extension to encourage uptake among the Main Works Joint Ventures. This crucial support allowed further testing and validation of Qflow’s technology, which eventually led to broader deployment.

From there, each JV partner proceeded with their own procurement process. By this point, Qflow had clearly demonstrated value and delivered a return on investment, making the case for direct procurement by the Joint Ventures themselves.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Collaboration with internal and external stakeholders is essential for overcoming innovation barriers in procurement.
• Building a business case on proactive risk management can drive adoption and expansion of innovative technologies.
• Effective market engagement and feedback contribute to successful procurement outcomes and project delivery.
• Versatile and easy-to-deploy technologies can achieve strong and lasting engagement across multiple sectors.

Conclusion:

Qflow’s deployment on the HS2 project highlights the importance of collaboration, flexibility, and innovation in delivering successful projects. By addressing procurement challenges, building a robust business case, and engaging effectively with stakeholders, Qflow expanded its footprint significantly. The technology’s ease of use, strong engagement, and broad applicability underscore its value across various sectors, ensuring continued growth and impact.

LESSONS LEARNT:

One of the problems we came across was that the procurement decision wasn’t clearly owned by a single department or team. It meant that the buying of a licence to software such as Qflow sat between multiple parties, which created a delay in the overall procurement. It can be expected to get buy-in from multiple stakeholders, especially for us as the value case spans different use cases across a business, however there still needs to be clear ownership of buying decisions and for the responsible team to be empowered to make this.

Jade Cohen
Co-Founder and CPO at Qflow