Time to Face Up to the Challenge of the Construction Sector Deal

Recognising the importance of the construction sector to the UK economy, the Government set the industry a series of stiff challenges – the backdrop to which is stagnant productivity and enduring issues over quality, building performance and carbon emissions.

The challenge came in the form of the Construction Sector Deal. Just how much of a challenge this is can be seen from the summary objectives to be achieved by 2025:

• 33% reduction in the cost of construction and whole life costs of assets
• 50% reduction in build time
• 50% reduction in greenhouse gases

Through these objectives, it is hoped that we will have better homes that are cheaper to build and to run, smarter and safer buildings, lower emissions and cleaner air. By focusing on value and outcomes the aim is also to have a globally competitive construction sector.

As the Government is the largest buyer of construction projects, the industry has to sit up and take notice – and to act! The question is, how?

Time to be Radical

Transformational change on this scale won’t come from taking what we already do and making it a bit better or a bit more efficient. Radical change is called for. Which is why we now also have a presumption in favour of offsite from the Government.

Offsite is the gateway to a more digitally enabled construction sector with a step change in productivity. Offsite is also the most reliable route to greater confidence over quality, timing, cost and energy efficiency. There’s a wide body of evidence from many Innovare projects to support this view.

Technology is only part of the story. There’s also the question of the process that ensures the potential benefits of offsite and modular construction are achieved in practice. We can expect new entrants to the market, and not necessarily from the traditional construction industry.

What many customers and main contractors might find more reassuring than risking a new entrant with little experience, is to work with a specialist. One that can execute the entire offsite project from design, to manufacture, to installation, and has over 10 years’ experience of doing just that. A conversation with Innovaré might be a productive place to start.

Click here to read our precis of the House of Lords report that examines the growing importance of offsite manufacturing solutions for the construction industry.