Brevia

With exports worth over £9bn, the UK construction sector boasts an impressive global reputation for innovation and research, and has the second largest construction output in the EU. While British building standards and codes have been adopted to form the basis of governance in many construction sectors abroad, there are also many successful foreign practices which the UK can learn from and adopt.

Climate change and the impending switch to a low carbon economy will force radical changes onto the industry and bring about dramatic transformations on how the sector operates. An ability to evolve and expand into new markets, such as the waste sector, will be crucial in order to exploit new opportunities, as well as in procuring investment. Although big construction companies are mainly thriving, there are skills shortages, particularly for SMEs, in supervisors, site managers and HVAC trades, despite the fall of employment and output in the industry. Meeting the growing demands for social housing is a priority for the sector, as is taking advantage of the Government’s Green Deal. Indeed, a more integrated industry and collaboration with the Government is essential for the UK construction sector in order to translate challenges into growth, both in the UK and in overseas markets.