Julia Evans, chief executive, BSRIA
BSRIA welcomes today’s announcement of a new joint government-industry Sector Deal worth £420 million to transform construction through innovative technologies to increase productivity and “build new homes quicker” with “less disruption” with a highly skilled workforce.
Business and Energy Secretary, Greg Clark has 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.
Julia Evans, chief executive, BSRIA, said: “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.
And reducing the cost of retrofitting existing buildings to make them more efficient and more sustainable is at the heart of BSRIA’s continuing strategy.
Indeed: BSRIA and its members lead the way in delivering quality housing. We now look to government to make good on its promise: BSRIA members stand ready.
Only last week in response to the possible creation of a mandatory Industry Ombudsman Scheme – BSRIA proposed measures to lock in quality more strongly during the construction process and before the point of purchase.
As ever – the sector’s health and safety culture is paramount in delivering high quality, safe buildings.
BSRIA works endlessly in this respect with its Soft Landings programme – a building delivery process which runs through the project, from inception to completion and beyond.”
The Construction Sector Deal will deliver:
- 50 per cent reduction in time to deliver new build;
- £420m investment in ‘bytes and mortar Smart Construction’;
- cheaper energy bills for families and businesses;
- 25,000 construction apprenticeships starts and 1,000 Construction T-Level placements by 2020;
- $2.5 trillion of global exports;
- 50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment.