Transforming construction

A new £72M Core Innovation Hub is being developed to lead the transformation of the construction industry.

The construction industry has hardly changed in the last 40 years, bringing about efficiency and productivity issues, whilst the industry is also facing a skills shortage with an ageing workforce and lack of technological know-how.

The Core Innovation Hub will help to lead a transformation in construction, make it more productive and importantly create new, high-value jobs at the same time. As the industry develops new techniques, the Industrial Strategy investment will promote access by a diverse pool of candidates and create better homes and public buildings through modernisation. By supporting research and development in digital and offsite manufacturing, the hub will advance new knowledge and approaches in construction, bring forward new jobs and build the supply chain.

Introducing more standardised modular components, construction techniques and processes will remove some of the risks and create safer, more efficient work. However, this will also require a brand new skill set and help to diversify the available workforce.

The investment is through the £170M transforming construction challenge, part of the government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund that is being delivered by UK Research and Innovation.

Sam Stacey, Challenge Director, UK Research and Innovation, said: “We need to transform construction so that we can create affordable places to live and work that are safer, healthier and use less energy.

“By taking a lead in the UK, we can increase our ability to export. Global demand for efficient buildings is rising rapidly, driven by the pressures of urbanisation, affordability and the need to cut emissions.”

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