History and Biography
Odessey International was setup due to the systematic racism of construction companies and recruitment agencies in the UK and UAE/Middle East. I started my working career with Heron Services Stations at a very young age (with Gerald Ronson as CEO) and J Sainsburys both family orientated Jewish owned companies. There is only so much an organisation can do for you before you have to embark on a professional career of your own. I have fond memories of both organisations. The key to driving these companies was hard work. Both organizations instilled a hard work ethic, with the emphasis of collaborating and working with others regardless of ethnicity to achieve targets and goals. Times have changed, unfortunately racism and antisemitism is a major problem in the construction sector, with certain races and religions completely unwilling to work with others. As you can see this was not the way I started my career. If you are racist/antisemitic you have no business working in the construction industry, it does not matter what ethnic/religious background you are from: black (in the main West Indian, Nigerian(Ibo/Yoruba), those from Ghana and Serra Leon) , white, Muslim, Asian (Hindu/Sikh), Oriental. The driving force for this company is to stamp this problem out for good. Not all stated minority groups who work in the UK are racist. But it is very difficult to find the ones who are not, it is that bad in the UK. As a student at Greenwich University studying my HND and degree in Construction Management and Design I found the campus to be highly segregated between the whites and other ethnic minorities: Greeks, Blacks, Asians, Muslims, Turks etc .The white students did not want to work with us at all, they were that racist. This was very shocking, since almost all my friends I grew up with were white. During the final year of my degree, I was confronted with a major problem. A number of students from a range of ethnic back grounds did not want me to complete my degree. They were offended about the possibility of me finishing my final year and wanted to stop it straight away. They had a mini riot and tried to force me out of the university. The reason for this, I was not of the same ethnic back ground as them. All were offended at the possibility of me being a construction professional. They included West Indians, Asians (Sikhs/Hindus), Muslims, British Nigerian Ibo/Yoruba, Ghanaian’s, those Serra Leon and Greeks (some students were carrying fire arms), they were high on drugs. Two of these students are now Directors of Construction companies, Vasos Vasiliou – Managing Director, GV Construction and Panos Panayioutu – Construction Director, Coinford Construction. Drugs is a major problem in the construction industry, companies seem to be securing large scale contracts via the trafficking of drugs namely cocaine. Panos and Vasos are in fact racist Greek drug dealers. Unfortunately they tried to pursue me and organise a riot at South Bank University when I was studying my Masters degree. I had to ignore all of it. How they new I was a student there, I have know idea. They did not want me to pursue a career in construction without taking their drugs and being a drug addict. I cannot do this, I am coloured. The problem is so bad, they will not let me work in the construction industry at all. Odessey International is a global provider working with diverse cultures and languages therefore there is no room for the race hate that the construction industry displays directly or indirectly. We are trying achieve a level of excellence in design, sustainability and cost management within the sectors we work in. The focus will be professionalism and employment stability in a diverse market. We are equal opportunities employer and insist on any equal opportunities policy to achieve our goals. I have been working in the construction industry for over 35 years. Unfortunately I have found that almost 60% of the construction companies/ Architectural practices in the UK and the UAE are in fact racist (they do not like black people at all), taking on a black construction professional is a major undertaking. I include UK consultancies, local authorities/Housing Associations and recruitment agencies. Here are some examples: Most racist construction companies/ Architectural practices in Dubai/UAE The list goes on and on. British and UAE construction/Civil Engineering companies are no good. 75% of construction companies refuse to work with black people, trying to find the 25% that will, is a major undertaking . As a black person working within the industry, there is no job security at all, you will not get a pension. I have found you will not have a long term career with a construction company, construction companies will not allow it. You will find construction companies are just scamming coloured people. Whites and many Asians will simply refuse to work with other blacks. As for Architecture, 70% of white/Asian Architects simply refuse to work with blacks, 70% of white/Asian quantity surveyors will not work with blacks. There is also the issue of black on black racism within the industry for example West Indian construction professionals do not like African professionals. The West Indians will cause absolute mischief if the two ethnic backgrounds work together. They will instigate wrongful dismissal in my experience they will encourage line managers arrest me because my name is African. I am a Project Manager and Quantity Surveyor, I can safely say I will not be welcome in Dubai/UAE. It is a racist region. I applied for work in Dubai for a total of 40 years when there was nothing but sand, in return I received death threats from construction companies there. I can assure you I will be slapped around spat at and put in prison for a very long time if I worked as a Project Manager/Quantity Surveyor in the UAE. Dubai based construction companies simply find my ability offensive, in their view I should
BIM – Building Information Modelling
For Odessey International, BIM is much more than a 3D model. The “I” in BIM is the information acquired, stored, and accessed within the model that will be used collaboratively for analysis and decision making while continually being updated and refined throughout the life of each project. The BIM process improves efficiency during the design phase. It also streamlines communications and data sharing between various entities throughout construction, leading to accelerated schedules and increased cost savings. We are committed to utilizing Building Information Modelling (BIM) to deliver design solutions that reduce risks and lead to more efficient and cost-effective project execution.
Airports, aviation and the climate crisis The Airports and Aviation sector is actively responding to the challenge of mitigating climate change and has made substantial commitments to achieve their ambitious targets. The immediate challenge lies in significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions while retaining the economic benefits, growth and connectivity for aviation facilitates. Odessey International is committed to reducing your own carbon footprint, as well as using our expertise to achieve environmentally sustainable solutions within the aviation sector. The wider stakeholder community also has a crucial role to play. This includes sustainable fuel technology developers, airline and airport operators, investors, local government and international regulatory institutions. Climate change has rightfully emerged as the primary focus of governments and industry policy makers around the world. The recent COP26’s International Aviation Climate Ambition Coalition saw world leaders issue a statement of intent and policy agreement with a coordinated strategy to achieve net zero for international aviation. In support, globally representative industry bodies such as the International Air Travel Association (IATA) and the Airports Council International (ACI) have already published emission reduction targets that are supported by clearly defined milestones and pathways to achieve these agreed objectives. Aircraft and engine manufacturers are in a race against time to propel the development of sustainable fuel technologies that meet net zero carbon emission targets in line with global agreements. Alongside the development of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), significant investment is being made in the advancement of electrical, hybrid and hydrogen energy propulsion systems. This will undoubtedly transform the industry over the next few decades. Commercial aviation is known to contribute to an estimated 2.5% of global carbon emissions and up to 3.5% of all greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere every year. On the other hand it supports approximately 87.7 million jobs globally and $3.5 trillion of global GDP (a third of goods traded around the globe)6. Air connectivity provides access to global markets for developing nations and supports social value and upliftment opportunities through unrivalled access to all corners of the world. Aviation facilitates the development of skills, it enables tourism, provides community lifelines and rapid disaster response. The industry also notably plays a key role as an enabler in meeting many of the universally accepted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals7. The typical legacy design of terminals, landside and airside infrastructure can contain large amounts of embodied carbon. The Odessey International teams know that any new development of airport and terminal facilities should include the following from inception: UK Aviation Strategy The UK alone has the largest aviation network in Europe and the third largest in the world. Our airports and aviation consulting team is an integrated collective of airport planners, airport strategic advisory consultants and airport design engineers. Odessey International has a track record in the airports and aviation sector that is steeped in an ethos of constant innovation, accountability and responsible development principles. We are a group of responsible and accountable technical specialists that actively engages with industry and our clients to improve environmental sustainability and performance for their businesses using cost analysis, design, science, evidence, technology and global best practice as our guides. Airport Strategy We specialise in providing integrated business solutions which bring together our airport sector technical knowledge with broader expertise in business strategy and planning, digital transformation, sustainability, climate change, risk and resilience. We combine our knowledge and experience of the key drivers for business, operational and functional requirements and efficient airport terminal and airport support facilities combined with our client team vision to achieve optimal results. Airport design integration and delivery Our mission is build a world-class reputation for delivering creative and cost-effective solutions working as part of multi-disciplinary team. Where collaboration and teamwork are integral elements for our approach which we believe are fundamental to the successful delivery of proposed projects. Our teams lead the design and integration of complex technical solutions by bringing together a comprehensive delivery strategy, core engineering disciplines and specialist services to unlock real value and efficiency for airport Clients around the world. Our services include Airport planning Airport strategy Airport design integration and delivery Aircraft Hangers Our intension is to design more than 100 wide- and narrow-body aircraft hangars and maintenance facilities for commercial, corporate and military clients in the UK and abroad. Our team includes facility planners, industrial waste specialists, environmental engineers, commissioning professionals and air quality control specialists. We have a detailed understanding of logistical coordination for line maintenance, heavy maintenance, component repairs or engine overhauls. Whether you need to expand, modernize or replace hangars, we provide effective solutions for the planning, design and construction of facilities for any operation, from international airlines to third-party aircraft maintenance providers. Our experienced team includes architects, engineers and builders working together to deliver your project on time and on budget through the project delivery methods you prefer, whether design-build, design-bid-build, construction management, program management or other contracting method. Our design-build/engineer-procure-construct (EPC) delivery goes beyond industry standards. We work with you through all phases of your project, handling all components, from permitting to design, commissioning and startup. As your single point of contact and accountability, we give you access to the appropriate technologies and resources to make your hangar project a success. Our resume includes: Deliverables Odessey International is well placed to support airport clients on their own respective journeys to net zero carbon and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Cost Management: Across the project lifecycle we reduce client risk, improve value and deliver positive outcomes in all sectors of the built environment. Planning & Consulting: We help our clients manage the cost of their projects, navigate the full development cycle and reach advanced levels of sustainability, including LEED and BREEAM ratings. We collaborate with our architects, engineers and landscape architects to create trans-formative urban environments. Architecture & Design: We design a wide range of building types that each excel at their function, provide a high-quality environment for people, strengthen our client’s brand and identity, conserve energy and water, and complement their contexts. We design streets, parks and plazas that sustain people, connect communities and protect
Global Mission
Our expertise amongst others (see link to Specialist services by sector) is airports/aviation. The aviation sector alone contributes to at least £22 billion to the UK economy. We feel that aviation is very important. The airport can be one of the factors in shaping a visitor’s first impression of a country. It is essential to create a positive experience for visitors to encourage them to return. Everything, from the airport design to the efficiency of its procedures and its retail offer, contributes to creating a travel experience that determines the airport’s success. In this sense, architecture and interior design have a crucial role to play in shaping an experience that can improve the passenger’s journey and leave a positive impression. The unseen processes are the cost control methodologies and contracts management procedures which will determine the commercial success of the airports infrastructure. The aviation sector in the UK alone has challenges: an explosion in the demand for passenger air travel is supported by increasing customer expectations for seamless connectivity, improved security, delivered for a reduced cost base with significantly reduced carbon emissions to meet the UK’s decarbonisation targets by 2050. Our global mission is to: We work with clients to globally understand their desired outcomes and then develop specific solutions to deliver those outcomes and add value in an operational environment.
Specialist services by sector
Odessey International Ltd is a UK based company, specialising in: Facilities Management, Cost Management, Quantity Surveying, Architectural/Interior Design, Structural Engineering, general construction this does include Civil Engineering as well as Mechanical and Electrical Engineering design . Our intention is to achieve global operations within specific sectors: Specialist services by sector
International Consultancy Working Remotely
Our international consulting services cover the entire spectrum of the built environment. Our staff include professionals with: engineering, contracting, (this includes contracts administration experience for example NEC, JCT etc) with further extensive experience in design, construction, cost management/quantity surveying, landscaping, structural engineering, facilities management as well mechanical and electrical engineering. This depth of knowledge equips us to take a holistic approach to every project, ensuring our clients achieve the successful outcomes they seek. Our experience across a broad range of schemes, equipment, and systems keeps us focused on maximizing the Clients return on investment. We also value our renewable energy consulting, master planning, designing for 2D, 3D,4D and drafting expertise. Our consultants invariably operate centrally in the UK or possibly abroad . As Director, my purpose would be to monitor the progress of all work activities on line through communications with the Odessey International consultant assigned to a given project also the construction team based in countries that odessey International have won contracts with. The odessey consulting team say Architect/Interior designer, Structural Engineer, Cost Consultants/Quantity Surveyors, Programmers, Mechanical and Electrical engineer will be working from home or at a location suited to them (hybrid). The procured and nominated main contractor and subcontractors will be based in their respective countries on site where contracts have been secured. Odessey International will be creating jobs in the country/region we have won contracts in. All communication will be via email, teams/ zoom or skype call. Construction drawings and further written communication/confirmations will be via a stored central storage system called documentum or similar system that has been agreed with the main contract/subcontractors. Documentum works as a storage systems and acts as an enterprise content management (ECM) program, which is used to store valuable content from all over the enterprise in a safe and secure place called a repository. Along with the storage units, it also provides ease of use for controlling and organizing files. Initial communication/drawing storage will be via drop box, this will be until enough contracts have been won to warrant a central storage system.