How Climate Change Delays Construction

Over 70 per cent of construction managers have experienced delays to their projects over the last year due to major weather events.

850 construction managers were asked about the weather conditions that pose the greatest risk on construction sites. Extreme heat, freezing temperatures, excessive rainfall and flooding, and sleet and snow were named as the most disruptive.

2024 was a year of extreme weather across Europe. The summer was the hottest on record for Europe and globally, alongside wind speeds never seen before in Europe and severe cold spells. Freezing temperatures were cited as the biggest threat in Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, and sleet and snow were the biggest threats in France, Italy and Sweden.

One in three respondents in the UK and Belgium cited extreme heat as the biggest threat to on-site operations. This can lead to damaged materials and equipment and challenges for employee wellbeing.

The report from Aggreko, “Building in Resilience: Weather-proofing European Construction in a Changing Climate” also noted that 39 per cent of construction managers in the UK said that major weather-related delays had led to financial penalties on projects.

Tom Adlington, UK Construction Sector Sales Manager for Construction at Aggreko, said:

“Our report shows how significant an issue changing and severe weather conditions are for the construction sector in the UK and across Europe. The difficulties involved in addressing these issues is compounded by the wide challenges affecting the industry, including skills, equipment and materials shortages, as well as political and economic uncertainty and the need to decarbonise.

“This highlights the importance of effective supplier relationships and being able to source suitable well-maintained equipment to mitigate the impact of severe weather, whether in the form of, power, dehumidification or temperature control solutions that comply with the latest emissions standards.”

Source: Facilities Management