Construction Blueprints Podcast

In this episode of Construction Blueprints, Bill Creedon, Global Head of Construction, is joined by Rupert Mackenzie, Global Head of Natural Resources, to explore the current state of renewables – the future, the evolving opportunities and the changing market dynamics.

In this episode of Construction Blueprints, our experts dive into the world of latent defect insurance, exploring its benefits in the wake of high-profile contractor demise and how it can protect developers and owners. They also discuss the best time to secure a latent defect insurance (LDI) policy and the extra safeguards it provides against contractor insolvency.

In this episode of Construction Blueprints, our experts discuss the evolution and opportunities presented by nuclear energy in global decarbonization efforts amidst the growing needs to power data centers and artificial intelligence technologies. Within this episode hosted by Tom Grandmaison, Chief Client Officer – Construction, panelists Gary Rodrigues, Nuclear Lead, and Joe Hurley, TMT Industry Leader – Western NA focus on the fundamentals of nuclear energy, its resurgence as a clean energy source and the innovative applications occurring in this sector. They further explore the risk and insurance issues that companies embarking on nuclear-powered projects should consider.

In this episode of Construction Blueprints our experts discuss the financial impact presented to the construction sector deriving from the transition to a lower carbon economy. Within this episode Maria and Will focus on some of the significant financial risk and opportunities being presented to the construction industry through this transition period, their insight provides useful perspective for construction companies when planning for a lower carbon economy. 

In this episode of Construction Blueprints our experts discuss the impact of climate change on the construction industry. Our Climate Practice leaders focus on the most significant climate-related risks for construction projects and provide useful perspective on what construction companies can do to incorporate climate change considerations into their long-term planning.  In this episode, you can also expect to hear helpful insight into the level of preparation required to meet stricter environmental regulations in a constantly evolving environment. 

In this episode of Construction Blueprints, Iris Chan, Head of Corporate Risk and Broking, Hong Kong & Macau and Executive Director, Construction Hong Kong & Macau, is joined by Mike Wyatt, Associate Director, Global Marine, International Trade & Logistics. Our experts take a deep dive into the what is modular construction, the drivers behind its significant growth, the associated risks and how companies can mitigate those risks.  When thinking about modular construction, it's important to take into consideration factors such as transportation and project delays, which is why in this episode we also explore project cargo insurance, which is insuring goods in transit from the supplier through to the project site. 

Some construction sites might falsely believe that since narcotics are forbidden at the work site, this just simply shouldn't be a problem, or they might even think that having Naloxone might make people feel more of a sense of license that they can misuse narcotics at or near the workplace.  In this episode of Construction Blueprints, Jonathan Oppenheim, North America Regional Construction Leader, is joined by Jeff Levin Schurz, a Physician, Managing Director at WTW, and our North American Population Health Leader.  In the podcast, we explore the use of Naloxone as a potential life saving practice in the construction industry. This is an incredibly important topic as fatal drug overdoses have doubled in the U.S. since 2015. For more information on the topic discussed in the podcast, please visit the following sources: Surgeon General Advisory on Naloxone and Opioid Overdose (2022)

The economic and societal impacts of secondary perils has become a concern for risk managers following a year dominated by extreme weather conditions, wildfires, droughts and floods. Beyond economic damages, numerous disasters in 2023 highlighted the need for a proactive approach to risk identification, mitigation and adaptation. In this episode of Construction Blueprints, John Marsicano, Senior Director of SDI Claims and Financial Advisory Services, is joined by Kishan Dasan, Director of Strategic Growth – Construction and Natural Resources, and Todd MacDermott, Regional Construction Claim Director, to discuss the shifting dynamics of natural catastrophe coverage in Australia and how we can draw lessons from more established Nat-Cat markets like the US.

Since the CHIPS Act of 2022, the activity in the technology sector has seen a significant increase. Undoubtedly, the global chip shortage in 2021 and 2022 disrupted a lot of supply chains and it caused subsequent product shortages in many industries. Naturally, the size of tech projects has mostly impacted the construction industry. These mega projects will take years to complete and they are going to be repositioning a lot of the major technology players' entire supply chain and distribution model. The construction industry has quickly adapted to the changing demands and requirements of these mega projects. In the insurance marketplace, we are seeing capacity being both provided by domestic markets and international markets as they see it as a great opportunity to support this rapidly expanding sector. In this episode of Construction Blueprints, Bill Creedon, Global Head of Construction, is joined by George Haitsch, Technology, Media and Telecom Industry Leader, as well as Jennifer Cate, Senior Construction Casualty Leader, and Edward Holland, Lead Technology Broker. Learn more about the 2024 outlook of the technology sector and the mega projects which are impacting the construction industry.

Professional liability (PL) markets have experienced dramatic changes in recent years and the construction industry was significantly impacted by those shifting market conditions. In this episode of Construction Blueprints, Maria Sanchis, Global Construction Broking Leader, Roberto Felipe, Client Management Director, and Cynthia Olinger, North American Construction Professional Liability Practice Leader, discuss the current state of the PL market and the latest trends impacting construction projects.

Historically, the construction industry has been behind compared to other industries in terms of embracing technology. But things are changing, and construction companies are starting to utilize technology in a variety of different ways and creating their own intellectual property, their own solutions, leveraging technology in a variety of different ways. By definition, intangible assets are those that are not physical in nature, or identifiable, and can be bought and sold independently of the owner. In this podcast, we discuss a first party product that is meant to ensure the intangible assets themselves and the specific intangible assets that we're focused on are the non-public proprietary intangible assets owned by companies. In this episode of Construction Blueprints, Tom Grandmaison, Construction Chief Client Officer, is discussing with our special guest Kim Cauthorn, Global Intellectual Property Leader, how organizations can protect themselves against financial loss resulting from accidental or malicious insider actions that cause loss, or leakage, or damage, or destruction of those intangible assets. You will also hear more about WTW's new construction offering - an intangible asset protection solution.

High inflation is undoubtedly putting more pressure on all businesses and the construction industry is no different. We're starting to see a gradual upward trend in disputes driven by high inflation. Naturally, inflation impacts require more attention to the level of current and requested escalation and final adjustment clauses to assure proper recovery in the event of a claim at any point in the construction schedule. In this episode of Construction Blueprints, Philippa Pearce, Project Management Lead, GB Construction, is discussing with our special guest Dr Kieran Dineen, Civil Engineer and an independent consultant, the impact of inflation on construction contracts and disputes. Dr Kieran Dineen also provides helpful perspective on the effect of inflation on pricing and explains the three key ways contracts are priced. We also dive into the methods that can help deal with inflation outside contracts such as better design phase, offsite construction, modular build options and more.

It's no surprise that many industries are experiencing severe labor and skills shortages on a global scale. This of course is a complex issue with multiple root causes, some of which are shorter term and others more structure in nature.  In this episode of Construction Blueprints, Julie Ragsdale, Director, Construction and Real Estate, is joined by Adam Hall, Senior Director, Employee Experience, to discuss some of the more specific causes of labor shortage that are impacting the construction industries. Dr Adam Hall also provides helpful perspective on the potential solutions that are driving transformational change such as shifting the immigration restrictions in some markets.

As industry leaders we need to think proactively about how women within construction can feel supported and encouraged to build their long-term careers. Creating a more diverse and inclusive construction workforce takes time but there are actions we can take now to inspire the next generation. The industry has a great number of career and educational pathways that lead to success.  In this episode of Construction Blueprints, Jennifer Cate, Midwest Construction Broking Leader, is joined by Manuela Spyrka, Canadian Construction Broking Leader, and Jessica Rasulo, Northeast Construction Practice Growth Leader, to discuss why representation and diversity in construction are so important. Hear what actions organizations can take to help nurture an inclusive workplace culture.

As we continue our journey towards net zero, the energy industry is evolving at a faster rate than ever to get us there, by producing and connecting more clean energy. This means more innovation, more technology and a lot of creativity. In this episode of Construction Blueprints, Michael Venables, Head of GB Broking Construction, is joined by Maria Sanchis, Global Construction Exec, Steve Munday, Global Renewable Energy Leader Natural Resources, and Alan McShane, Global Head of Engineering Natural Resources, to discuss the challenges in the Renewable Energy Sector that wwners, operators, underwriters and brokers alike experience from both a technology and project risk standpoint.

As we continue our journey towards net zero, the energy industry is evolving at a faster rate than ever to get us there, by producing and connecting more clean energy. This means more innovation, more technology and a lot of creativity. In this episode of Construction Blueprints, Michael Venables, Head of GB Broking Construction, is joined by Maria Sanchis, Global Construction Exec, Steve Munday, Global Renewable Energy Leader Natural Resources, and Alan McShane, Global Head of Engineering Natural Resources, to discuss the challenges in the Renewable Energy Sector that wwners, operators, underwriters and brokers alike experience from both a technology and project risk standpoint.

Current global conditions and high inflation are having serious impacts on the construction industry. From supply chain issues, rising costs of materials and commodities, to labor shortages and project delays. In this episode of Construction Blueprints, Mike Scott, Managing Director, Global Construction is joined by industry experts John Marsicano, Senior Director of SDI Claims and Financial Advisory Services, and Adam Denno, Technical Services Lead, to discuss what should businesses be doing to mitigate the impact of inflation and ensure they continue to get the cover they require. Our experts also shed light on what they are currently seeing in the market as well as their predictions on what's coming in Q2 and Q3.

A multifaceted challenge and opportunity, ESG requires a multidimensional approach. The environmental agenda is a high priority across all industries and as you connect your ESG and sustainability efforts to company purpose and business priorities, the opportunity to reflect that commitment in your people, risk and capital strategies will become increasingly urgent. But what does ESG mean for the global construction industry? In this episode of Construction Blueprints, our Global Head of Construction, Bill Creedon is joined by ESG experts Lisa Lipuma and Julien Hornacek, to explore the global ESG opportunities for organizations and what it means for the construction industry in the long term.

We are delighted to launch the WTW Construction Blueprints podcast series and have dedicated our first episode to mental health in the industry. Did you know that the number one reason people don't seek help is because of stigma and fear of judgement by peers? Mental health should be a priority across all industries, but due to the nature of the construction sector it ranks as the second highest in suicide rates among major industries. Traditional industry risk control efforts focus entirely on physical loss and greatly ignore mental health. Safety professionals in the construction industry can create and foster a culture that puts psychological safety first.