Making sustainable construction a reality

UK’s sustainable construction goals rely on more than addressing funding challenges alone, warns construction leader

THE success of the UK’s bid to achieve its ambitious sustainable construction goals is going to rely on the Government and industry collaborating to address more than just funding challenges, a construction leader has warned.

Lee Sleight, chief executive officer of sustainable building solutions specialists Holcim UK, has welcomed the announcement of more funding for social housing, roads, and construction skills, but has warned the Government that addressing these challenges individually risks leaving the construction sector trapped in silos.

The call came ahead of yesterday’s Spring Statement and amid recent funding announcements from the Government, including £2 billon to boost affordable and social house building, £4.8 billion for improving roads, and £600 million towards training skilled construction workers. It also comes as planning permission has been granted to National Highways to deliver the Lower Thames Crossing, the organization’s first new generation of net-zero focused projects using low-carbon concrete and steel.

Mr Sleight is highlighting to the Government and wider construction industry that collaborative work to address challenges, such as skills gaps, funding, and supply of materials, must be prioritized to deliver for all projects into the future. He has raised concern that the progress towards developing effective policies, supply chain, and workforce that can make a success of sustainable construction projects may be lost by focusing on short-term goals and specific challenges.

Mr Sleight said: ‘We welcome the announcements supporting the key areas of building and infrastructure, including funding for housing and skills development, alongside progress on landmark sustainable construction projects like the Lower Thames Crossing. These begin to address some of the key challenges and barriers to ensuring sustainable construction can be a reality across the UK. While it is positive to see this funding starting to come through from the Government, we have to wait and see if this brings the desired stimulation of the UK economy.

‘It is important that both the construction industry and central and local governments work together to implement the best policies and strategies to make a success of delivering sustainable construction first time. By focusing on specific areas without addressing the endemic macro challenges in the sector, we risk missing an opportunity to create the policies, supply chain, and workforce needed to deliver construction projects sustainably and at scale.’

To support the industry with addressing these construction challenges, Holcim UK say they have invested significantly in their expert teams and sustainable building solutions to provide the market with the skills and materials needed to deliver sustainable buildings and infrastructure.

Working closely in partnership with developers, building contractors, designers, consultants and specifiers, the company is ensuring that house building, roads, and infrastructure projects like those receiving new funding deliver safe and sustainable places for communities across the UK. 

As part of this, Holcim UK have launched their report ‘Making Sustainable Construction a Reality’, which identifies specific areas where the sector can focus its efforts to overcome the challenges. Exploring the areas of decarbonization, circular economy and waste reduction, smart construction, people and communities, and nature and biodiversity, the report aims to provide a roadmap to progress towards making sustainable construction a reality.

Mr Sleight added: ‘We have a responsibility as a leader in the industry to do what we can to limit our impact as a business on communities and the environment, but also actively make a positive difference to them as well. Not only this, but we also assume the responsibility of supporting our customers, colleagues, communities, the wider industry and the Government with being able to do the same.

‘We hope to set an example for how sustainable construction can be made a reality in the UK and look forward to working closely with our industry and the Government to make a success of it first time.’