IT IS heartening to learn that the Government sees an efficient, effective and profitable construction industry at the heart of any growing economy.
It has also pledged that a key priority for the year ahead is to boost confidence in the sector to encourage investment and growth.
These comments are contained in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ response to the industry’s Innovation Growth Team report presented by the Government’s chief construction adviser Paul Morrell in November.
The aim is for the Government and the construction sector to work together to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint by 2050. The key points of the Government’s response comprised:
Through strong leadership and co-operation across the private and public sectors, it will demonstrate the benefits and opportunities of low-carbon construction.
It will create greater clarity in a complex landscape, enabling the industry to better understand the opportunities that will be available to them in the future.
It will ensure that we have the right framework of incentives and interventions to enable the market to flourish and the right levels of skills, research and innovation.
It is also welcome news that the Government is planning to reform public procurement. The lack of a clear picture of the scale and type of work which is likely to be put out to tender in the short to medium term seriously hampers the industry’s capacity to invest in making the transition to a low-carbon economy.
The Government is to provide greater clarity about the work it will be purchasing from the industry in the future.
Publishing a two-year forward programme of infrastructure projects on a quarterly basis will give more certainty and confidence to the construction sector investing in low-carbon solutions.
The Prime Minister has also confirmed his commitment to Better Public Building Awards, which will have a new focus on low carbon. These have the potential to stimulate and promote best practice.
The plan to establish a new joint government and industry board will ensure that the carbon-reduction action plan is implemented and that it continues to grow and develop.
This is only the start, but it is reassuring to see that the Government is keen to collaborate with our industry.
The Government and the construction industry needs to work closely together to set clear objectives, identify the means of achieving them and then to track the progress of those plans.
It is also imperative that those representing the sector embrace the opportunity to work with the powers-that-be to drive forward a strategy that not only benefits the industry but is, at the same time, practical to achieve and sustain.
Catriona Lingwood, chief executive of Constructing Excellence in the North East