The government has launched a new ‘Construction Playbook’ on how it can work better with the industry to deliver public sector works in a more modern and efficient way.
In 2018, public sector works contributed around £117 billion to the UK economy, as well as supporting over two million jobs.
The Construction Playbook outlines what the government expects from these works, from new roads and railway lines to schools, hospitals and prisons.
It also outlines the key role the construction sector will play in both the UK’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and work to bring greenhouse gas emissions down to net zero by 2050.
Green initiatives in the Construction Playbook include promoting the use of carbon assessments to understand and minimise the greenhouse emissions of projects.
Other specific measures include:
- Providing greater certainty to industry through long term plans for key programmes. This includes longer term contracting across a range of areas, which will give industry the certainty required to invest in new technologies, delivering improved productivity and efficiency savings.
- Incentivising the industry to innovate by focusing on the output of what we want a project to achieve, rather than micromanaging how it is done.
- Modernising construction by standardising designs and parts, as well as embedding digital technologies including the UK Building Information Management Framework.
- Greater focus on building positive relationships with robust contract management between project leads and industry.
- Investing more in training and apprenticeships, driving forward innovation in construction, boosting productivity and focusing on value for money in public sector developments.
The Construction Playbook also makes it clear that the construction sector must put safety at the heart of everything it does, following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, while also outlining how the government will strengthen the financial assessment of all the suppliers it works with to make sure projects are delivered on time and to budget.
Lord Agnew, Cabinet Office Minister, said: “As the largest construction sector customer, the government is in an ideal position to ensure that the industry is productive, professional, and delivers value for money for taxpayers.
“By adopting the new Construction Playbook, developed with industry partners, we will help ensure that the sector becomes greener and more innovative.”
The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) collaborated with the Cabinet Office Infrastructure & Projects Authority, with input from across the public sector, to develop and publish the Construction Playbook.
Andy Mitchell, co-chair of the CLC, said: “The government can influence the whole direction that our sector takes with the way it buys new public buildings and infrastructure.
“The CLC is delighted that the government is showing real leadership in this regard. The Construction Playbook commits us all to drive positive change with better, long-term relationships and more efficient ways of working.
“The CLC will give its support to engage the industry to play its part in embedding the Playbook recommendations across our sector.”
Andy continued: “Publishing the Playbook is just the first step in the process. For real change to happen, it is important that both government and the industry embed the principles of the new approach and invest in their capability to deliver this.
“The government will be working to implement this across all central government departments and public bodies and mandating the adoption of this approach, whilst recognising there is no-one-size-fits all approach to delivery. The CLC will work with organisations across the industry to ensure that this effort is matched, and that the public and private sectors can support each other in this shared endeavour.”
