MPA welcomes Construction Sector Deal
Government makes the link between construction and the need for mineral extraction
THE Mineral Products Association (MPA) has welcomed the Government’s Construction Sector Deal, which makes the link between construction and the need for mineral extraction/product manufacturing, and acknowledges that the industry can deliver increased benefits through strengthening the construction supply chain across the UK.
The industry has highlighted the sustainability benefits of making full use of indigenous supplies of UK minerals and mineral products to ensure demand for the construction of housing and infrastructure projects, including Highway England’s roads programme, Hinkley Point C and HS2, is supplied.
Typically, for example, a home will require 12 tonnes of mortar and 200 tonnes of aggregates, whilst HS2 will require 25 million tonnes of aggregates/minerals. More than 2,000 active quarries or mineral product production sites produced 360 million tonnes of aggregates or manufactured mineral products in 2015, with a value of £20 billion.
The MPA also supports the Government’s commitment to transform construction through the use of digital building design to increase productivity and its commitment to support digital technologies, including Building Information Modelling (BIM).
Where there are advantages to off-site construction, the Association says concrete off-site elements and solutions are uniquely placed to provide performance benefits, such as fire resistance, thermal mass and resilience to climate change related effects such as flooding and overheating.
MPA chief executive Nigel Jackson said: ‘The mineral products industry is highly productive and looks forward to helping to make a success of the Construction Sector Deal. We also welcome the recognition of the key supply chain value of the minerals products industry and look forward to working with government to strengthen it.’
