A new joint government-industry ‘Sector Deal’ worth £420 million has been widely welcomed.
The Construction Sector Deal is designed to transform construction through innovative technologies, increase productivity and “build new homes quicker” with “less disruption” with a highly skilled workforce.
Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said the goals within the deal will be met by focusing on three strategic areas:
- Digital techniques deployed at all phases of design that will deliver better, more certain results during the construction and operation of buildings. Clients, design teams, construction teams and the supply chain working more closely together will improve safety, quality and productivity during construction and optimise performance during the life of the building.
- Offsite manufacturing technologies will minimise the wastage, inefficiencies and delays that affect onsite construction and enable production to happen in parallel with site preparation – speeding up construction and reducing disruption.
- Whole life asset performance will shift focus from the costs of construction to the costs of a building across its life cycle, particularly its use of energy.
Reaction from the sector:
Richard Beresford, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Builders (NFB)
“This is a deal that recognizes all parts of the construction industry and how, alongside the Government, can work together to deliver growth and a positive global reputation for UK plc.”
Julia Evans, Chief Executive, BSRIA
“BSRIA welcomes this announcement as part of government’s mission to halve the energy use of new buildings by 2030 through developing innovative energy and low carbon technologies driving lower cost and high quality construction techniques. BSRIA has said time and time again that more quality housing is needed throughout the length and breadth of the UK.”
Rick Hartwig, IET Policy Lead for Built Environment
“We are inspired by the ambition of the sector deal. The IET is looking forward to playing a role in improving the quality of our built environment and making a step change in productivity. We aim to support the digital transformation of the sector.”
Julie Hirigoyen, Chief Executive at UKGBC
“We welcome the long-awaited Construction Sector Deal as an opportunity to transform the capabilities of the industry and deliver more sustainable places. The move towards considering the whole life value of assets will bring into greater focus the importance of balancing the running and maintenance costs of a built asset with the initial investment. It is also good to see a commitment to the development of consistent design and performance benchmarks, which will allow the industry to better understand how well buildings actually operate and provide feedback to improve designs.”
