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Data: From hindsight to foresight
Data is construction’s most underused asset. Most organisations use data to explain failure, rather than prevent it.
Data should be our strongest defence against uncertainty. But to unlock that, we need to:
— Focus on quality over quantity
— Ask the right questions to get the right insights
— Link data across programmes, not just projects
— Interpret data through the lens of real-world experience
When data is structured, consistent, and well-applied, it transforms decision-making. It gives leaders a view across portfolios and allows benchmarking across entire markets. It shows risks earlier. It makes planning sharper and action faster.
We must think beyond the spreadsheet or current project. Use data to:
— Forecast potential cost, carbon and schedule impacts
— See how small changes impact performance and price—even before design
— Model risk, adapt scope, and reassess strategies in real-time as external conditions shift
— Benchmark across programmes and portfolios rather than individual projects
Data alone isn’t knowledge. But, with insight shaped by expertise and experience, it becomes a powerful tool for better decisions.
“Too often, data sits unused or misunderstood. This is where real certainty is built. Not in spreadsheets, but in insight, applied at the right moment.”
Rachel Personius
Director and Global Data Lead Currie & Brown
“ The construction industry has got used to delivering bronze-level performance. Delays, cost overruns, and project cancellations are seen as inevitable. But that mindset is no longer acceptable. While other sectors are innovating, digitising, and lifting productivity, construction risks being left behind. This is an industry that underpins the wellbeing of societies and the strength of economies. It shouldn’t just be in the race, it should be going for gold.”
Sean Cole
Senior Director and Global Tech Sector Lead Currie & Brown
Case study
Better data. Smarter decisions. Lower costs.
A major data centre developer in North America recently reassessed their capital programme. Currie & Brown led a detailed benchmarking analysis, drawing on our extensive database and experience to provide a clearer picture of performance, risk, and opportunity.
By comparing the client’s existing design and delivery model with relevant market intelligence, we identified opportunities to enhance design efficiency and overall value. This prompted the client to explore alternative design options side by side, with Currie & Brown independently pricing each scenario to support confident, evidence-based decision-making before construction began.
The result? A significant cost saving across their portfolio, with no compromise on quality or schedule. A clear example of how the right data, used in the right way, can unlock smarter, more certain investment decisions.