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Can modular housing solve the UK’s housing crisis?

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The UK is in the grips of a chronic housing crisis. Rising rent prices, falling wages and a severe labour skills shortage have left housing construction stagnant and properties financially out of reach. Productivity in the construction sector has stalled post-Brexit, and developer focus in recent years has shifted from creating accommodation that is affordable and simple to construct, to complex, luxury projects which often remain unoccupied. With the housing sector contributing to economic inequality in this country, an innovative solution to this crisis is desperately needed.

Modular housing is one solution that has the potential to ease the UK’s housing crisis. Such homes are cost-effective, scalable, sustainable, and efficient to build. However, legislative red tape, local authority dependence on short-term housing solutions, and reluctance by landowners to free up their land have hidebound modular housing’s potential, meaning that the contribution it could make to the easing the housing crisis has not yet been tested.

Currently, housing construction of any type in the UK is being strangled by a severe labour skills shortage. An ageing workforce and a Brexit-induced worker exodus is limiting construction activity, whilst increasing labour costs are making affordable housing financially unattractive for construction companies. Consequently, housing demand is not being met. This is particularly problematic given that the number of new households has exceeded the number of homes built every year since 2008, and estimates suggest there is a need for between 230,000-300,000 additional units per year – a level not reached since the 1970s.

Here, modular could have a significant impact by reinvigorating supply in an affordable and efficient model. Factory, rather than field-based, modular housing can take as little as three days to construct and requires only a semi-skilled workforce who take months, not years, to train. Modular houses also require fewer builders due to being semi mass-produced and standardised, making them appealing to construction companies with diminished workforces and restricted budgets.

The critical shortage of affordable housing in the UK is being exacerbated by legislative red-tape and landowner opposition. Across the country, luxury apartments are plentiful compared to low-cost developments, in part due to landowners who want to achieve the best possible land value, and traditional housebuilders who are perceived as offering the best price. At present off site construction development proposals are less competitive than traditional methods: construction costs are higher than traditional construction meaning a lower land offer for the land, [meaning housebuilders are] less likely to win a competitive bid for land unless the awarding body specifically states the desire to use off-site manufacturing as part of development. Clearly this position may change over time, particularly when site labour becomes more scarce or the demand for offsite manufacturing increases.

However, attitudes could be changing – Wolverhampton City Council is delivering 23,000 modular homes as part of a pilot scheme and a recent decision by the Greater London Authority’s assistant director of housing, to commission a common framework for ‘delivering precision manufactured homes at scale’, suggests that modular, standardised builds are now seen as an acceptable, even attractive, way to work around constrained local authority budgets.

There is, however, a long way to go, and even rising homelessness is currently failing to fuel demand for affordable accommodation. With demand far outstripping supply, local and national government now spend £2 million a day on temporary accommodation, often using the most expensive and least desirable forms of emergency housing, such as B&Bs and hotels, for the over-77,000 homeless households under local authority care. Contrastingly, modular houses can cost as little as £25,000 to build, and offer a permanent or semi-permanent alternative to emergency accommodation which is economically sustainable in the long-run. Some councils are already picking up on modular’s potential to provide stability for those in crisis – in Lewisham, plans for a 25-home modular social rent development are underway; and a collaboration between 16 London boroughs to provide modular housing for use by the homeless has been promised £11m by Sadiq Khan, after a £20,000 seed funding contribution from London Councils’ City Ambition programme kick-started the project.

Creativity, modernisation and efficiency are critical if the UK is ever to solve its housing crisis. The country’s population is unlikely to stop increasing, there is no real answer yet to the severe skills shortage in the country’s construction industry, and the threat of homelessness continues to grow. These are chronic problems for which a solution is needed, and fast. Modular housing could provide just that. Accessible, efficient and sustainable, today’s modular homes are not the prefabs of the past. Instead, they are slick and distinctive; environmentally friendly and architecturally evolved. With the government announcing plans, in March this year to build 100,000 modular homes by 2020, we may finally be waking up to the fact that, in a time of crisis, modular could prove to be just what the country needs.

Written by Ben O’Connor, Development Manager, Kajima

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Road reinforcement could save councils millions in repairs

Local authorities could mitigate the rising cost of highway repair and maintenance by employing simple preventative solutions, according to road reinforcement experts.

The claim comes as the Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey reports total carriageway maintenance expenditure across England and Wales in 2017-18 was around £1.93 billion — an increase on the previous year’s £1.66 billion.

The survey, published by the Asphalt Industry Alliance, also highlights a gap of £3.3 million between the funds that local authority highways teams in England and Wales received in the last 12 months and the amount needed to keep the carriageway in ‘reasonable order’.

One in five of local roads in the UK is now deemed to be structurally poor, meaning it has less than five years of life remaining, reports show.

Taking a longer-term, preventative approach to road maintenance would reduce the need for regular remedial work; a regular drain on local authority budgets.

Jochen Bromen, Application Technology Manager, Asphalt Systems, at pavement reinforcement specialist Tensar, said “anything that represents a more permanent repair (rather than patching) is a good thing; the taxpayer benefits, the local authority can spend money on more road maintenance or infrastructure projects, motorists face fewer repairs to their cars, and the total economic impact is ultimately reduced.

“One pothole is now filled every 21 seconds in the UK, and although the Government’s Pothole Action Fund recently injected an extra £100 million towards the repair of affected road surfaces, following a winter of severe weather conditions, the Local Government Association claims funding “will provide just over 1% of what is needed to tackle our current £9.3 billion local roads repair backlog.”

Combined with rising asphalt costs, innovative approaches are increasingly needed to further safeguard the UK’s highways.

A composite paving grid can effectively mitigate reflective cracking in new pavements caused by joints or cracks in the old structure.

“The technology combines the reinforcing function of a grid with the stress-relief and interlayer barrier function of a paving fabric,” Bromen explained. “This type of maintenance solution is simple and economical and can extend the operating life of a road, reducing whole-life costs.”

The ALARM survey also found a huge disparity between recommended frequency of road resurfacing work and the current reality. It is advised that resurfacing should occur every 10 to 20 years. However, the reporting of such activity has plummeted to once every 92 years in England.

“Without sufficient funding to properly resurface the UK’s roads within the recommended time frame, councils are left facing hefty road repair bills, which add up to more in the long run,” Bromen added. “It’s like re-icing a cake that’s crumbling underneath — an unsustainable solution.

“By taking a whole-life approach to road maintenance and investing in the correct technology to extend their lifespan, local authorities will realise huge long-term savings.”

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Housing crisis: more than 10,000 empty buildings in zones 1-3

The number of empty commercial properties in London’s zones 1-3 has reached more than 10,000 according to new figures out today from Live-in Guardians. The company carried out research among London’s 22 Local Authorities but with many unable to report the data, the current 10,666 figures on record is expected to be thousands higher. The Live-in Guardians Vacant Property Index undertaken by the guardian company, is the first annual report to collect the data with many councils missing the data.

Founder Arthur Duke, a former commercial lawyer, has lambasted the housing department and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan for not doing enough, while there is a crippling housing crisis in the capital. He says the Government will create more red tape for companies like his, despite so many buildings being unused, when they introduce more onerous HMO (House in Multiple Occupation) legislation later this year.

Under the Freedom of Information Act, Live-in Guardians’ research has revealed the empty commercial building figures across the 22 Local Authorities. Of those asked, eight councils were unable to provide the information. “It’s like The Titanic not filling all its lifeboats – thousands of buildings that can create affordable means of living are lying empty,” says Duke, who believes the Government should be looking into its empty building portfolios, when it comes to improving housing availability in the capital.

These empty building figures have grown over the last few years with two buildings a week becoming empty in Zones 1-3 only. The figures reveal the worse offenders – the City of London with 3,409 empty buildings; Hammersmith & Fulham with 1,288 empty buildings and Ealing with 1,147 vacant commercial properties. Interestingly, Kensington & Chelsea and Newham Councils did not respond to the request.

Duke goes on: “This is a reflection of extortionate property prices coupled with ferociously high business rates that push companies further away from the centre of town to the suburbs. Many of the buildings from our research include office buildings, retail premises, police stations, warehouses and factory buildings. We also have former law courts, restaurants, a former go-karting track and even a few banks.”

The HMO rules will see the license requirements change from ‘properties occupied by five or more people, forming two separate households comprises three or more storeys’ to all properties irrespective of how many storeys. These new rules will make it difficult for empty building owners to house guardians living communally in their larger commercial buildings. Duke adds: “I struggle to find the empty building figures acceptable. Especially when there is an increased amount of red tape forecast and fines of up to £20,000, which will mean higher costs to get these buildings in a condition where they are suitable for guardian occupation, when these buildings could be housing Londoners who are struggling to afford quality accommodation in the central London Zones.

“More should be done to make use of these empty spaces, which are, in fact viable temporary homes with a little imagination and effort – that benefit all parties. The Government should see these empty buildings as an alternative temporary form of living and has the added bonus of helping guardians save money they could potentially use to buy their own property in the future. Once guardians are living in commercial spaces, the owners are typically exempt from paying business rates and there’s no requirement for expensive security costs.”

Guardians typically pay less than 50% of the private rental costs, making it more affordable for them to live and work in the capital. Meanwhile, real estate advisor, Altus Group, says the average business rates bill for a commercial property in the City of London last year was £63,234 up 23.4% following last April’s revaluation – empty business rates can be mitigated once guardians occupy a commercial space, while its awaiting for example, planning permission.

House prices in London now weigh in at eight times the average salary, so there is a need for some dramatic action to resolve this growing problem. Duke suggest that the new Housing Minister, Dominic Raab and the Mayor of London consider these figures, and start assembling a true record of empty buildings. Moreover, rather than trying to assist, it seems that local councils are putting additional hurdles in place. “The Government should be supporting guardianship. There’s a real need for these empty buildings to be put to good use, the guardian figures prove this.

“I strongly urge that HMO legislation should not be applicable to Guardian properties or at least with a 12-month exemption, as guardian occupation is always ‘temporary’, unlike ‘pure’ residential buildings, which will be residential indefinitely. There is a housing crisis and thousands of empty buildings, surely this is a feasible temporary solution,” Duke explains.

Live-in Guardians currently manages 70 buildings in London, each home to savvy professionals who are using this as an alternative solution to affordable living. However, with over 2,000 Londoners looking to become a guardian at any given time, the numbers reflect the need for viable housing opportunities.

Arthur adds: “I am consistently astonished at the small number of business owners that are knowledgeable on the subject of putting guardians into their empty commercial spaces to save on business rates. It seems like a no brainer to me. If you have any empty building standing there, it is liable to be vandalized or at risk from squatters – but it doesn’t need to be empty. We have hundreds of vetted people who are desperate to live close to central London without the usual price tag.

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Financial constraints holding up construction workloads

Construction workloads slowed amid financial constraints, which were reported by 80% of respondents to be the most significant impediment to building activity, according to the Q2 2018 RICS UK Construction and Infrastructure Market Survey.

In Q2 2018, 15% more chartered surveyors reported that their workloads had risen rather than fallen, and, although this is still in positive territory, the Q2 figure moderated from a net balance of +23% in Q1. 80% of respondents noted that financial constraints were a limiting factor to building activity – the joint highest reading in five years. Respondents have often cited financial constraints to be causing difficulties in recent reports, and more specifically access to bank finance and credit, cash flow and liquidity challenges or less favourable cyclical market conditions.

Private and industrial housing

The RICS quarterly series indicated growth eased across nearly all sectors in Q2, with private industrial and housing segments observing the sharpest slowdown. While the figures are still positive, the pace has slowed in housing with a net balance of +25% of contributors reporting a rise in private housing activity, compared to +36% in Q1 and an average of +30% over the past two years. Anecdotal evidence suggested that the housing market slowdown, coupled with ongoing ambiguity with the Brexit negotiations, is weighing on investment decisions.

Industrial workloads

Contributors reported a flat reading this quarter which was the weakest reported sentiment over the last five years.

Total workloads are now reported to be slowing across all geographic regions. This was particularly the case in the Midlands and East of England which was led by the first decline in industrial activity in over five years. In contrast, total workloads in the North and South West were the most resilient, supported by solid activity in private housing.

Infrastructure sectors

In infrastructure, 11% more contributors reported a rise rather than a fall in activity (easing from a net balance of +21% in Q1) with respondents expecting the rail, roads and energy subsectors to post the strongest growth over the next twelve months. Meanwhile, results for public sector workloads were mixed with 12% more contributors reporting a modest acceleration of growth in housing, compared to a net balance of +5% in non-housing.

Activity net balance

Despite the uncertain outlook for the economy, 41% more respondents expect activity to rise rather than fall. When asked how business enquiries for new projects or contracts have fared in the past three months, 14% more respondents reported an increase rather than decrease. This is alongside a net balance of +28% foreseeing an increase in hiring compared with an average of +32% over the last four quarters. Ongoing uncertainty driven by Brexit and recent market events are leading businesses to postpone or curtail investments, however, which may negatively affect the industry’s longer-term growth prospects.

Outlook for tender prices

Although tender price expectations over the next twelve months moderated in Q2, +54% and +48% more respondents continue to envisage greater price pressures in the building and civil engineering areas, respectively. The expected rise in tender prices may signal rising input costs and shrinking profit margins for businesses. Indeed, expectations on profit margins eased from a net balance of +15% to +5% in the latest results.

Jeffrey Matsu, RICS Senior Economist said “although growth in the sector has moderated, ongoing capacity constraints have ensured a steady pipeline of work with robust expectations for the year ahead. With businesses continuing to hire to meet this pent up demand, the effects of any uncertainty generated by Brexit or recent market events, including Carillion, may only become more evident in the longer-term.”

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Sun-scorched ground at risk from future flooding

With many areas of the UK not seeing any significant rainfall since the end of May as a result of the exceptionally warm summer, the Know Your Flood Risk campaign is warning people to be prepared for when prolonged rain or thunderstorms arrive; the results of which have the potential to pose a real threat of flooding.

In its newly published edition of the Homeowners Guide to Flood Resilience, which is a free guide designed to support home owners in being ‘flood aware and prepared’, it has sections dedicated to learning about flood risks. This includes surface water flooding, which can occur when heavy downpours are unable to soak away or overcome surrounding drainage or sewerage systems.

The free guide offers assistance on how to protect your home, community-based defence options plus a new section specifically on Sustainable Drainage Solutions (SuDS). In addition, the guide includes helpful hints and tips relating to property-level resilience that encourage appropriate drainage with the aim of reducing surface water flooding.

Mary Dhonau OBE, chief executive of the Know Your Flood Risk and a champion for community-based flood resilience said “We need to take heed from historic events, for example, in 2012 many areas of the country badly were hit by flash flooding, after a series of storms that broke following a long period of dry conditions. Flooding can happen when people least expect it and, with the current hot conditions, the ground simply won’t be able to soak up rainfall and surface water flooding will pose a real threat.

“I am therefore urging the public to be flood aware. If we experience prolonged or exceptionally heavy downpours within the next few weeks, I fear that the hard, dry ground will be unable to absorb the rainfall and the drains and sewers may not be able to cope, leading to potential flooding.”

 

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Chance to solve rural housing crisis ‘severely limited’ by changes to planning rules

Rural landowners have warned that the lack of flexibility in new planning rules which prevent a mix of affordable and market homes from being built on special sites in the countryside will severely limit the chances of solving the rural housing crisis.

The Government has published a revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which claims to help build more homes, more quickly in places where people want to live. But according to the CLA which represents landowners, farmers and rural businesses, changes made to the criteria for Entry Level Exception Sites will now encourage less land being made available for much needed homes in the countryside.

CLA President Tim Breitmeyer said “The new rules now state that all properties on an Entry Level Exception Site must be affordable. While we desperately need affordable homes so people can live and work in the countryside, the reality of the policy means that landowners will not bring land forward because the incentive of including market homes on the site has been removed. Without the benefit of cross subsidy, the decision to release land for housing is not financially viable so fewer homes are likely to be built.

“In the last five years, 13% of CLA members have donated or sold land at a discount for affordable housing. We made a robust case to the Government for greater incentives to help grow this figure but by making it less attractive for landowners, the Entry Level Exception Site policy severely limits the chance to solve the rural housing crisis.”

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Government’s new planning rulebook to deliver more quality, well-designed homes

Building attractive and better-designed homes in areas where they are needed is at the centre of new planning rules published by Secretary of State Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP this week.

The new rules will also make it easier for councils to challenge poor quality and unattractive development, and give communities a greater voice about how developments should look and feel.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework follows a public consultation launched by the Prime Minister earlier this year to provide a comprehensive approach for planners, developers and councils to build more homes, more quickly and in the places where people want to live.

Revised National Planning Policy Framework

The new rule book will focus on:

  • promoting high quality design of new homes and places
  • stronger protection for the environment
  • building the right number of homes in the right places
  • greater responsibility and accountability for housing delivery from councils and developers

Secretary of State for Communities, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP said “Fundamental to building the homes our country needs is ensuring that our planning system is fit for the future.

“This revised planning framework sets out our vision of a planning system that delivers the homes we need. I am clear that quantity must never compromise the quality of what is built, and this is reflected in the new rules.

“We have listened to the tens of thousands of people who told us their views, making this a shared strategy for development in England.”

Ministers have been clear on their ambition to achieve 300,000 new homes a year by the mid-2020s, which follows 217,000 homes built last year, the biggest increase in housing supply in England for almost a decade.

The new rules will see 85 of the proposals set out in the housing white paper and the Budget, implemented in the new National Planning Policy Framework.

Promoting high quality design of new homes and places

Refocusing on the quality and design of proposals which are in line with what local communities want, the framework ensures councils have the confidence and tools to refuse permission for development that does not prioritise design quality and does not complement its surroundings.

With an emphasis on engaging with communities and allowing residents to see proposed development before it’s even built, the new framework encourages councils to make use of innovative new visual tools to promote better design and quality, which will also make sure new homes fit in with their surroundings.

Adopted neighbourhood plans will demonstrate clear local leadership in design quality, with the framework allowing groups seeking such plans to truly reflect the community’s expectations on how new development will visually contribute to their area.

Whilst the framework sets the strategic direction for driving up new build quality, it will remain up to councils to apply these polices in the most appropriate way in their area, recognising that they are well placed to know their area’s unique character and setting.

To maximise the use of land we are promoting more effective use of the land available and giving councils more confidence to refuse applications that don’t provide enough homes.

Stronger protection for the environment

The new framework has also been updated to provide further protection for biodiversity; ensuring wildlife thrives at the same time as addressing the need for new homes.

Changes to the framework see the planning system align more closely with Defra’s 25 Year Environment Plan, which aims to leave the environment in a better state for future generations. This includes more protection for habitats, and places greater importance on air quality when deciding development proposals.

It provides strengthened protection for ancient woodland and ancient and veteran trees across England, ensuring they can be retained for the benefit of future generations.

Whilst giving councils real flexibility to make the most of their existing brownfield land, the revised framework makes sure they exhaust all other reasonable options for development before looking to alter a Green Belt boundary.

The government has more explicitly outlined the protection of the Green Belt in England, explaining the high expectations and considerable evidence that would be needed to alter any boundary.

Building the right number of homes in the right places

To help tackle unaffordable house prices in many areas across the country, the framework sets out a new way for councils to calculate the housing need of their local community (including different forms of housing, such as older people’s retirement homes).

This new methodology aims to deliver more homes in the places where they are most needed, based on factors including the affordability of existing homes for people on lower and medium incomes.

Greater responsibility and accountability for housing delivery from councils and developers

From November 2018 councils will have a Housing Delivery Test focused on driving up the numbers of homes actually delivered in their area, rather than how many are planned for.

In addition, to make sure that the necessary infrastructure and affordable housing is delivered to support communities, clearer guidance for both developers and councils will also be published this week.

Meaning that developers will know what is expected of them up front, even before they submit a planning application and councils have greater power to hold them to these commitments.

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Shifting from traditional construction methods to offsite alternatives

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The UK construction industry is worth nearly £100 billion to the UK economy each year. But tighter restrictions, increasing build costs and a lack of skilled labour are threatening the sector’s future growth.

But where there are challenges, opportunities can also be found, and the sector has seen several innovative solutions come to the fore in recent years. This is particularly true when it comes to prefabrication and offsite construction products.

These “pod” solutions are being deployed across a wide range of new and refurbishment build projects, from hotels and leisure to education and research facilities. And with the backing of the Government, their usage is only set to increase further.

But why are offsite solutions becoming more popular, and why is the Government keen to back them? In short, they deliver quality at scale, and help projects of all sizes complete on time and to budget. Currently the demand being placed on the construction industry continues to rise, but the number of projects completing on time and to budget continues to fall. This is not just due to tighter regulations and labour shortages, but other factors like the weather and delays in the supply of materials.

Factor in housing shortages, an aging population, an increase in speciality housing needs, a lack of suitable student accommodation and an uptick in the number of build to let homes, and it’s clear to see why prefabricated solutions are being more widely used.

Modern pod solutions are therefore becoming more popular as they can be designed, manufactured and pre-assembled off site, and then simply dropped into place for ease and speed in new build projects but still provide the high quality expected. Specialist manufacturers design and build tailored pods, to perfectly meet client specifications and these are simply delivered whole ready for installation and fitments or re-assembled onsite quickly and easily for refurbishment. Installation does not require skilled labour, significantly reducing time and costs.

When it comes to bathrooms and showers; these can be the most complex part of a build and require wet trades and a range of skilled labour, from designers to plumbers, electricians and tilers. Pre-fab pod solutions however, can be completely bespoke and designed to fit into any space – whether a Grade II listed manor house, an office block, a refurbishment or a new-build.

Sectional pods are ideal for limited spaces, and bespoke designs can be completed from concept to delivery much quicker than manual builds, where a whole host of factors can slow down the build, from the late delivery of materials to several contractors having to work together, in confined spaces and reliant on other trades’ staged completions.

Health and safety is another concern for contractors, and moving construction off site into a factory environment significantly decreases the risk of an accident. Purpose built construction lines have been designed specifically for pod manufacture, and are the safest environment.

There are other benefits, too. When pods are manufactured offsite, the on-site assembling process is far quicker and quieter with less people needed, thereby reducing labour costs. Not only is this cleaner and safer, but it keeps disruption to a minimum – there are less materials and vehicles on site, making the site more efficient and easy to manage.

Pod solutions also deliver on quality and efficiency. A traditional building site can be a source of wasted materials because of finishing, fixing and snagging errors. Prefabricated pods eliminate this; bespoke and resourceful design keeps wastage to a minimum, and their longevity (most come with a min 25-year guarantee) means they are a green alternative to traditional build materials.

Often pod materials can be recyclable, reducing the carbon footprint of the build and providing a sustainable, quality assured building solution, for the future. The best quality pods are designed so that they do not even require sealant, yet are still 100% water tight and the materials used greatly reduce bacteria growth and therefore maintenance costs.

The Government have also recognised the benefits of offsite construction. It has said it will support ‘building long term collaborations’ with the industry, ‘exploiting digital technologies such as the adoption of offsite construction techniques’.

In addition, it said it would ‘adopt a presumption in favour of offsite construction by 2019 across suitable capital programmes’. This stands as further evidence of the rising popularity of offsite modular construction.

As more and more projects are completed, construction management will recognise that modular design can be commercially viable alternative to traditional builds.

Sleek designs and high specifications mean they can be used from high-end projects such as hotels, right down to student accommodation, and still deliver a solid ROI.

In fact, the high specification, unrivalled quality, offsite checks and lower maintenance can extend the longevity of the bathroom environment way beyond those offered by traditional builds which often require on-going maintenance.

Hostile environments are no longer such an issue, either. From city centre apartments to rugged surroundings, installations are no longer a logistical nightmare. From oil rigs to research centres in Antarctica, there is nowhere bathroom pods can’t be installed.

Offsite construction currently accounts for less than 10% of total construction output. But this means there is tremendous scope for further expansion in the building sector. The Government is on board, a growing number of construction managers are on board – what are you waiting for?

Written by Jeanette Parker, Sales & Marketing Manager at TAPLANES

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Changing the image of construction

Over the past decade, the construction industry has made significant progress to improve its image – but there’s a long way to go. It’s understandable that an often negative perception of the industry exists, given that the built environment is always changing around us. Building work can be costly, inconvenient and disruptive by its very nature. However, this doesn’t mean that considered steps can’t be taken to minimise the negative impact of a building site and maximise the positive. Joe Bradbury investigates.

The public opinion

One such area of our overall image that needs an overhaul is public opinion. Unfortunately there are many widely held preconceptions of construction workers by the general public, usually formed after witnessing or hearing about a particularly poor example of how a construction firm is conducting their business.

Recent polls and surveys suggest that, according to the general public, the worst habits of construction workers in the UK are as follows:

  1. Revealing ‘builders bums’
  2. Ogling or chatting up passers-by
  3. Dangerous driving habits
  4. Swearing
  5. Playing loud music from vehicles/construction sites

Despite these stereotypes often being completely unfounded, it is still undoubtedly part of how the outside world perceives the construction industry when looking in. Once a negative opinion is formed of a building site, it is very difficult to fix.

…The good news it is much easier to take steps that will prevent the negative opinion from ever forming in the first place.

Attracting new talent

Both the industry and our government need to cooperate and inspire young people to join the construction sector. This can be done through offering apprenticeships, work experience, training academies, factory tours, employer talks and presentations, careers fairs, mentoring and partnerships with local schools.

Attracting new talent isn’t optional; we are currently in the grip of an ever-widening skills gap and we have an ageing workforce. The need for new workers that are capable and innovative cannot be overstated and will determine the success or failure of our industry over the next few decades. As the wider economy emerges from recession, construction firms must be able to recruit, retain and develop skilled, hard-working people in sufficient numbers to meet the increasing demand for construction.

Be considerate!

The Considerate Constructors Scheme is a non-profit making, independent organisation that is working collectively with contractors and specifiers to improve the image of construction.

Formed in 1997, the Scheme is concerned about any area of construction activity that may have a direct or indirect impact on the image of the industry as a whole. The main areas of concern fall into three categories: the general public, the workforce and the environment.

They too are of the opinion that the construction industry has a huge impact on all our lives, with most construction work taking place in sensitive locations. If all construction sites and companies presented an image of competent management, efficiency, awareness of environmental issues and above all neighbourliness, then they would become a positive advertisement, not just for themselves but for the industry as a whole.

Construction sites, companies and suppliers voluntarily register with the Scheme and agree to abide by the Code of Considerate Practice, designed to encourage best practice beyond statutory requirements. For more information on the Code, please visit www.ccscheme.org.uk.

Mike Petter is Chairman of the Considerate Constructors Scheme’s standing Service and Performance Committee, the organisation established by the construction industry to improve its image. Mike is a Chartered Civil Engineer, who has over 30 years working in the construction industry, and has monitored over 1000 construction sites registered with the Scheme.

We speak to Mike about the three key areas that need our attention:

Q) After years of denial, the general consensus within the industry seems to be that we need to reinvigorate the image of the construction sector. This is quite a sweeping statement, but how has this need for change come about and how can the Considerate Constructors Scheme help in achieving this goal?

The challenge for the industry over the next ten years and beyond is developing the capacity to respond to the needs of society. It is recognised that the UK population will grow rapidly over the next ten years, possibly by 10 million. Such an expanding population necessitates an increase and improvement in housing and infrastructure. In order to deliver these demands, the industry needs to attract significantly more people at all skill levels – from the front line skilled trades – through to engineers and architects.

In many respects, the construction industry has been the ‘poor relation’ for years – even though there is a wide range of career opportunities open to everyone. A recent poll revealed that 35% of careers advisors would not recommend the industry to a young person contemplating their future. The industry needs to counter this misconception by improving its reputation and showing that it can be an exciting and rewarding place to work.

As we all know, image is far deeper than appearance. The Considerate Constructors Scheme has developed its Checklist covering the wide range of attributes that go to make up ‘image’. These include the outward impression portrayed, the care of the environment, consideration of the neighbourhood and the care of the workforce. The Scheme monitors over 15,000 sites across the UK every year. Scheme Monitors have many years of experience working within construction and visit registered sites to assess their performance against the Code of Considerate Practice. Monitors also provide advice and guidance and share best practice from across the industry. The site’s performance is rated and can be benchmarked against other registered sites. This tool is vital to a culture of continuous improvement. In 2015, over 15,000 monitoring visits took place.

The unique aspect of the way the Considerate Constructors Scheme works provides the backbone to a wide-ranging suite of tools designed to help the industry improve. In 2015, the Scheme introduced the Best Practice Hub – an online resource which enables the construction industry to share their best practice in terms of considerate construction. It can be used by anyone in the industry including site managers, contractors, suppliers and clients, who are looking to meet and exceed the requirements of the Code, achieve a higher score and ultimately improve the overall image of the construction industry.

Q) With a skills gap widening and threatening future business growth, industry and government must work together now to inspire young people. Construction firms must be able to recruit, retain and develop skilled, hard-working people in sufficient numbers to meet the increasing demand for construction. What do you think needs to change industry-wide to tackle the skills gap head on?

The traditional model of construction where unique projects are contracted on a ‘one-off’ basis has meant that major companies have perhaps been reluctant to invest heavily into training the workforce. This is compounded by the model which sees the majority of major companies no longer employing a direct labour force but relying on a supply chain to deliver these skills. To expect a business to invest in the future, it is imperative that they can see some stability moving forward. The advent of longer term major infrastructure projects, such as Crossrail, has provided that stability. As a result, we are seeing companies take on apprentices in the knowledge that they will see a return on their investment.

Major contractors have a key role to play in supporting their supply chain. The Scheme is seeing large-scale housebuilders taking on apprentices and placing them within their supply chain businesses, which are often SMEs. This wider vision is to be applauded and mainstream construction could learn some valuable lessons from this model.

Similarly, repeat business clients can play a major role in ensuring that there is a model which provides a continuity of training opportunities – even if there is a change in the primary contractor. During a skills crisis, it needs all players within the industry to take responsibility and not just require the SME sector to take the strain whilst working in a paradigm of ‘lowest price’ ‘single project’ procurement. Of course, there are some excellent examples of best practice where alternative models are being used. A large number of contractors and clients have established academies for training the next generation’s workforce – many of which are showcased on the Best Practice Hub.

However, plugging the skills gap cannot be achieved in the timescales required merely by feeding greater numbers in at the lower age range. The industry needs to be attractive to those looking for a career change and should genuinely encourage women to join. Construction is lagging behind many sectors in this respect, including the armed forces, which could easily be described as comparable environment in many ways – yet the services are attracting an increasing proportion of women applicants.

Making the world a better place

The Scheme is concerned about any area of construction activity that may have a direct or indirect impact on the image of the industry as a whole. One such area that commands your attention is that of the environment. The creation of buildings and subsequent infrastructure alters the environment in two ways – by consuming valuable resources and by contributing to pollution and landfills. A recent report by Willmott Dixon Group suggested that the construction industry alone is accountable for around 45-50% of global energy usage, nearly 50% of worldwide water usage, and around 60% of the total usage of raw materials.

Q) The industry also contributes to 23% of air pollution, 50% of climate change gases, 40% of drinking water pollution, and another 50% of landfill wastes. Given these startling figures, how important is it that building firms concentrate more on waste reduction, recycling more and striving to construct sustainable buildings? And how will this improve public perception overall?

The Considerate Constructors Scheme only influences UK construction, so it’s worth noting that these figures are global, and are likely to be different when looking at the UK only. The Scheme monitors the impact of the construction process on the environment. It is important to differentiate this from the impact of the product on the environment – where design and commissioning decisions often have a larger impact than decisions made during the process stage. However, it is vital that the industry improves its practices to minimise the impact on the environment, and this will continue to remain a core tenet of the Scheme’s Checklist.

One of the greatest untold success stories of Scheme registered sites is the avoidance of waste from landfill. Sites are now performing at a level where around 90% or more of material leaving the project is recycled or re-used. This is huge progress, but there is still a large proportion of the industry that does not register with the Scheme – often because there is no client or statutory requirement to do so. If the industry can move to a position where more of those smaller, often domestic projects are registered with the Scheme, then the Monitors will be able to provide guidance and share best practice so that even more improvements can be achieved. A number of Clients Partners who register with the Scheme make registration a condition of contract, and the Scheme would like to see this adopted by more clients, as well as by local authorities ensuring that registration with the Scheme is a planning requirement.

There are numerous examples of measures taken to protect the environment on the Scheme’s Best Practice Hub. Please comment below!

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