Construction

Sector Overview

Construction sector underpins UK economy and society. Few sectors have such an impact on communities across the UK or have the same potential to provide large numbers of high-skilled, well-paid jobs. The construction sector reaches every corner of the United Kingdom and touches each of our lives. It is fundamental to our economy as we invest in our future: building the homes we live in, the schools and hospitals we rely on, and the offices, factories, and transport and energy infrastructure that keep the wheels of industry turning. We are in the early days of one of the greatest construction programmes in our history, from delivering more homes that people can afford, in the places they want to live, to major infrastructure projects such as Crossrail and the third runway at Heathrow. This infrastructure pipeline represents more than £600 billion of spend over the next decade, including at least £44 billion for housing. The pace of this change, and the size of this opportunity, demands a construction sector that is the best in the world. UK is at the forefront of one of the greatest industrial opportunities of our time: the move to cleaner economic growth. Through the Clean Growth Grand Challenge, the government has set out its determination to maximise the advantages for UK industry from this global shift, including the mission to halve the energy use of new buildings by 2030. Today, we are setting out our vision for a construction sector that more than meets these challenges: a sector that can build new homes in weeks – and even days – rather than months; that can deliver new buildings at a third of the cost; that can provide affordable, energy efficient homes. A transformed sector does not only mean an industry that is more productive, more highly skilled and ready to grasp the opportunities of the global infrastructure market. It means benefits across every sector and every community.

UK Construction expertise

 

  • Strategic advice and analysis • Research and development
  • Climate adaptation
  • Urban planning
  • Public policy advice
  • Demand forecast and modelling
  • Scheme identification
  • Feasibility studies
  • Technical and environmental appraisal
  • Materials technology
  • Routine inspection and maintenance
  • Accessibility
  • Performance and cost management
  • Project management
  • Detail design
  • Procurement
  • Construction management
  • Sustainable Construction
  • BIM / Digitalisation

sector overview 2

UK Construction Exports

  • Makes up less than 2% of total UK exports, providing significant room for improvement
  • Over £6 billion of construction products and materials are exported from the UK annually, further, 75% of construction equipment is exported
  • Contracting is currently trading at a surplus (we sell more than we buy) – but this may change as foreign companies increase their share of the UK construction market
  • Services are currently Trading at a surplus
  • Materials & goods trading at a significant deficit, running at (2/3) of materials market value

The UK is home to first – class construction material producers of

  • Construction steels including: open and closed sections, organic coated, plate, rebar, and aluminium
  • Precast concrete including blocks, bricks, roof tiles, pipes and paving
  • High quality, technically superior paints and varnishes
  • Clay products
  •  Copper tube
  • Energy-efficient heating, power, ventilation and refrigeration products
  •  Innovative fire protection solutions
  • Plastics
  • High-quality safety equipment

We are setting out an ambition for the construction sector to deliver:

  • better-performing buildings that are built more quickly and at lower cost;
  • lower energy use and cheaper bills from homes and workplaces;
  • better jobs, including an increase to 25,000 apprenticeships a year;
  • better value for taxpayers and investors from the £600 billion infrastructure and construction pipeline a globally-competitive sector that exports more, targeting the $2.5 trillion global infrastructure market

Residential properties range from housing, blocks of flats / apartments, residential homes, to larger mixed use developments, mostly found in urban areas, which include commercial and retail units. Projects can range from individual one-off buildings to complex housing estates or residential blocks. Demand for efficient cost effective housing is rising and leading to the development of modular construction.

Lodging Econometrics' (LE) Global Construction Pipeline Trend Report, which compiles the construction pipeline for every country and market in the world, states that the Total Pipeline stands at 12,427 Projects/2,084,940 Rooms, up 8% by projects Year-Over-Year (YOY). There are 5,885 Projects/1,086,966 Rooms Under Construction, up 9% by projects YOY. Projects Scheduled to Start Construction in the Next 12 Months, at 3,723 Projects/538,061 Rooms, are up 6% while projects in Early Planning at 2,819 Projects/459,913 Rooms are up 8% YOY. （https://www.bdcnetwork.com/global-hotel-construction-pipeline-growing)

Offices and commercial buildings covers, standard office complex, high rise and low rise as well as Data Centres, Shopping Malls, Logistic & Storage – Warehouses, hospitality (restaurant's / clubs / cinema’s / theatres / libraries .

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