Construction is a growing and influential industry, which amounted to 6% of the UK’s total economic output in 2017. As such, the developments within it have a direct impact on other industries related to it, like smoke control. More buildings and increased safety mean more business for us, but what is the current situation of the construction industry? Where will it go in the next few years and how can we prepare for it? We explore these questions in our blog post and give you a short outline of what you can expect in the coming years.
Governmental strategies and goals
The Government’s strategy for the construction sector, Construction 2025, if heavily focused on sustainability and sets out ambitious goals for the industry. Cost and building time are to be respectively reduced by 33% and 50%, meaning that new and innovative solutions with sustainability at their core will be at the forefront of the industry.
Greenhouse gas emissions produced by the industry are to be cut by half compared to 1990. This is likely to influence not only the way the construction sector operates, but also the type of work it produces. New builds should be highly energy-efficient and that could have a broader influence on the way the industry operates. The construction industry has so far not managed to achieve this goal, and has seen an increase in the CO2 emissions it has produced between 1990 and 2017. Taking this into consideration, we can assume that the sector will be looking out for innovative sustainable solutions that can help reduce carbon emissions in the near future.
What are the current trends in the construction sector?
According to the Office of National Statistics, the industry’s value is on the rise. Large growth in the public sector is driving the sector’s expansion, with public infrastructure making up 51% of the total building infrastructure in 2018. Although still rising in value, the private sector has seen a recent slowdown in growth. The only decline we have seen in the private sector has been in private commercial new work, which has shrunk by 11.1%.
The future of the construction industry
The sector is seeing a shift towards sustainability, largely due to the government’s strategy. Off-site construction is becoming increasingly favoured by the government option in new buildings and in government infrastructure projects. This is likely to have a large impact on the industry as UK’s national infrastructure programme has a target of £650 billion worth of projects by 2025.
Research and development in the sector are focused on finding cheaper, more efficient ways of construction. They rely heavily on technological innovation for transforming the way the industry currently functions. Projects such as the “Transforming Construction Challenge” and its “Construction Innovation Hub” have been created with the goal of stimulating sustainability practices and taking the construction industry into the future through innovative approaches to building.
What can you do to keep on track with future changes?
As a contractor there are steps you can take now to make sure you’re heading in the right direction. Increased efficiency, off-site construction and cost-cutting are all priorities for the construction industry.
If you are considering expanding your offering to include smoke control, you can benefit from our products and our lean approach to construction. We offer pre-packaged modular solutions and AOV kits that reduce operation costs, as well as lead times significantly. Group SCS offers training and support on our entire range of smoke control solutions through our Approved Installer Network. Download our brochure to find out more about the Network and its benefits.
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