Future of Construction

• Iain Fairnington, Technical Director, The A. Proctor Group
• Oliver Novakovic, Technical & Innovation Director, Barratt Developments PLC
• Lucy Black, Impact Director, Construction Scotland Innovation Centre
• Stephen Scaysbrook FCIAT, ACIOB, Visiting Professor of the University of Birmingham
• Sean Smith, Chair of Future Construction at the School of Engineering at University of Edinburgh
• Keira Proctor, Managing Director, A. Proctor Group Ltd (Host)

The Construction Sector Is Facing a Transformational Future

With 38% of global carbon emissions stemming from the construction or built environment sector, we need to better join up what we are doing. We can no longer produce bespoke, one-off singular projects. We need a national retrofit strategy that combines and brings together evidence-based solutions that will allow architects to deliver.

The future will inspire innovation, and the gaps in where we are going will help spur that innovation. The industry has done this before with Robust Details, bringing together 119 committee members from across products, housebuilders, and sectors. In just one year, they built 1,400 homes, all evaluated and tested. We are excited and confident that we will hit net zero, but we will have to step up the game and deliver what is needed in an almost military approach.

A Construction Sector Driven by Net Zero and Decarbonisation

The construction sector will be driven by net zero and decarbonisation, not just because of legislation, but because it is right for the world. Clients are already demanding net zero buildings and net zero working practices. It would be good to see a focus on long-term value rather than the lowest cost, which is still so common. Developing a focus on whole-life cycle costs and value is critical. In decision-making going forward, we need to think about operational carbon, as this is key to driving us towards net zero. We require a shift from a sector driven mainly by economic impact to one driven by environmental, social, and economic impact. We also require a focus on upgrading existing buildings. As 80% of today’s buildings will still exist in 2045, we need a national retrofit programme. With our eye on net zero, a focus on local materials and local supply chains will become crucial.

A Younger and More Diverse Workforce

We also need to bring in a much younger and more diverse workforce. According to the study Building Skills for Net Zero, published by the Construction Industry Training Board, 22,500 new roles need to be created in Scotland alone by 2028. This younger workforce is important because they have the skills, mindset, and ambition needed to help the industry adapt to the demands of net zero, innovation, and future construction methods.

The Demand for More Housing

Net zero is important, but there is also a clear need for more housing. It is encouraging to see the growth in offsite construction and MMC. We also require new legislation to help drive CO₂ emissions down. Regarding housing, it would be good to see people buy houses not just based on price and features, but also on energy efficiency. It would be great to hear people talk more about energy efficiency rather than luxury features such as gold taps.

An Excitingly Complicated Future for Housebuilding

Reducing the carbon footprint of the housebuilding industry, combined with educating customers on how they can reduce carbon, is crucial. It is complicated because we have operational energy to deal with, as well as embodied carbon from buildings that contain cementitious materials and steel. We also have to address biodiversity, with a 40% loss of species since the 1970s. Water reduction is another issue, because it takes energy to bring water to a house. Added to this is the balance between indoor air quality and overheating. In some ways, it can be compared to wrapping a house in a North Face jacket to achieve airtightness. While driving airtightness to a minimum, we still need to ensure homes are healthy to live in.

Adaptive Architecture

The weather is testing the new designs we put up and the older designs already in place. We need to look at the rest of the world in terms of how we plan, detail, and reformat our materials to suit the new world. Carbon reduction is very important, but we are facing a weather system that will keep changing for the next 20, 30, or 40 years. Therefore, we need to focus on adaptive architecture and look at the way we design and bring new materials to the forefront. The future is both exciting and worrying.