21 Sep 2026: Mace Tears Up the Plan, New Jersey Clears the Backlog, and Construction Data Gets Connected

01) Project Delivery: Mace returns to Oxford, but some of the building has to come down first

A £200m laboratory project is restarting after a change of ownership and a major design rethink

Mace is preparing to return to the Daubeny Buildings project at Oxford Science Park, almost a year after construction stopped in October 2025. The Ellison Institute of Technology bought the site halfway through construction and brought in Foster + Partners to rethink the design. The revised scheme has now secured planning approval, replacing three separate six-storey buildings with a single connected research complex.

The problem is that much of the original structure is already there. Two of the three buildings had topped out before work stopped, and parts of the completed concrete frame, upper floors and building envelope must now be removed to accommodate the new design. The revised complex will include two atriums connecting the buildings, alongside auditoriums with seating for 175 and 250 people.

This is more than a design change on paper. It means demolishing work that has already been paid for, coordinating new construction around retained structures and revisiting a programme that was already well into delivery. No new completion date has been announced.

The building may ultimately be better suited to its new owner. But when two structures have already topped out, changing your mind comes at a price. Who pays for demolishing yesterday’s progress? (Construction Enquirer)

02) Data Standards: construction product information gets a common connection

The Manufacturer’s Information Hub aims to make reliable product data easier to share across the industry

A UKRI-backed project to improve the way construction product information is shared has completed its proof-of-concept testing. The Manufacturer’s Information Hub is designed to connect manufacturers, designers, contractors and asset owners through a common data dictionary and standard API. Rather than relying on everyone downloading, copying and updating their own product information, the system aims to provide a trusted connection to data held by the manufacturer.

The distinction matters. Product specifications, certificates and technical details currently move through a mixture of PDFs, BIM objects, spreadsheets and separate online platforms. When information changes, keeping every copy up to date becomes a challenge. The proposed hub aims to make that exchange more consistent while laying the groundwork for future digital product passports, which would provide structured information about individual construction products.

A working prototype is targeted for spring 2027, with early adopters involved in testing. The first platform functionality is currently planned for 2028.

If the hub works, product information could become something the industry connects to rather than repeatedly copies. But will manufacturers and software providers do the work needed to make that connection useful? (The Construction Index)

03) Roads & Procurement: Western Sydney’s airport boom moves beyond the terminal

Five major road contracts are signed as infrastructure investment spreads across the region

New South Wales has signed contracts for five major road projects across Western Sydney, with construction expected to begin later in 2026. The programme forms part of a wider investment in transport connections around Western Sydney International Airport and the growing industrial and logistics areas surrounding it. Among the projects is Mamre Road Stage 2, where the Gamuda-BMD joint venture will upgrade a 6.1 km section of road serving a key freight and industrial corridor.

The airport is the obvious centrepiece, but it is only one part of the infrastructure needed to support the region. Warehouses need freight access, industrial estates need reliable transport connections, and expanding residential and commercial areas need roads capable of accommodating new demand. The latest contracts move another part of that supporting infrastructure from planning into procurement and delivery.

For contractors and suppliers, the opportunity extends well beyond the airport boundary. Road construction brings demand for earthworks, drainage, utilities, traffic management, materials and specialist subcontractors, with multiple projects competing for capacity across the same regional market.

The airport may be the headline project, but the surrounding infrastructure is becoming a construction market in its own right. Which contractors will be positioned to capture the work that follows? (NSW Government)

04) Marine Infrastructure: Thessaloniki’s port expansion finds its construction rhythm

Pier 6 reaches its seventh caisson, with three giant concrete units now being placed each month

Construction of the Pier 6 expansion at Thessaloniki Port in Greece has reached its seventh caisson, with the marine works progressing at a reported rate of approximately three installations per month. The full scheme is planned around 21 caissons, the large concrete structures used to form the foundations and retaining walls of the expanded port infrastructure.

The installation rate is the interesting part. Marine construction involves substantial logistical and technical challenges, from preparing foundations to handling enormous concrete structures and coordinating specialist equipment. Establishing a repeatable installation process gives the project team a clearer picture of what it can deliver each month.

With seven caissons reached and 21 planned in total, the project has a measurable production rate against which future progress can be tracked. Maintaining that pace will depend on the availability of equipment, materials, suitable marine conditions and the coordination of the remaining works.

Three caissons a month is a more useful delivery signal than another announcement that construction is progressing. The question now is whether Thessaloniki can maintain that rate as the remaining structures go in. (Ports Europe)

05) Permitting & Infrastructure: New Jersey cuts its permit backlog by 72% without changing the rules

Operation FAST shows how staffing and better processes can improve permitting performance

New Jersey has reported a 72% reduction in its permit backlog over just two months through Operation FAST, an initiative focused on improving the state’s permitting process. According to the state’s environmental commissioner, the reduction was achieved without changing the underlying permitting rules. The programme has also moved close to fully staffing its budgeted 49-person permitting team.

That distinction matters for infrastructure delivery. Permitting delays are often discussed as a problem that requires major changes to regulation, but New Jersey’s reported results suggest that staffing, clearer processes and better management can also make a substantial difference. The environmental requirements remain in place, while the administrative process for dealing with applications becomes more efficient.

Pennsylvania is exploring a related approach, including a central permit database and a money-back guarantee. Both initiatives put attention on how permitting agencies manage applications, track progress and provide applicants with clearer expectations.

New Jersey’s reported results suggest that faster permitting does not always require changing the rules. Could improving the way applications are managed unlock more construction capacity than another round of regulatory reform? (Engineering News-Record)

The connective tissue: better delivery starts before the work begins

These five stories show different sides of the same problem. In Oxford, changing the design halfway through construction is forcing completed work to be removed. The Manufacturer’s Information Hub is trying to make product information more reliable and easier to share before decisions reach the site. Western Sydney’s road contracts show how major investments create a chain of supporting infrastructure projects, each with its own delivery requirements. Thessaloniki demonstrates the value of establishing a repeatable production process, while New Jersey’s permitting results show what can happen when an administrative bottleneck receives the staffing and attention it needs.

The common lesson is that construction productivity is not just about how quickly people and machines work on site. It is also about the quality of the decisions, information and processes that determine whether they can work efficiently in the first place. Getting those foundations right can be just as valuable as adding more labour, equipment or technology.

Date stamped briefing: 21 September 2026