The National Federation of Builders’ (NFB) Major Contractors Group has urged the Government to act immediately to address how construction can help the UK to meet the 2050 zero carbon target
The NFB’s Major Contractors Group has today (11 November) called on the construction sector and any future Government, to act now if they are to meet the 2050 zero carbon target. With construction directly influencing 47% of UK carbon emissions and 61% of UK waste, the sector is a critical part of the radical change needed.
The National Federation of Builders’ (NFB) Major Contractors Group launched its ‘Transforming Construction for a Low Carbon Future’ report, warning that the construction industry must be transformed within a generation, otherwise it will have failed the country and Government will fail in its zero carbon ambitions.
NFB’s chairman, Nick Sangwin, said: “This report is not a document to sit on shelves gathering dust, it is designed to galvanise the sector into action, to see the opportunities and to lead the way towards zero carbon by 2050.
“It is critical that those within the construction sector are stepping forward and implementing a real step-change in the way they do business.”
Mark Wakeford, chair of the NFB’s Major Contractors Group, added: “The year 2050 might seem a long time away but it’s really not much time to radically change our industry. We must start now and the government, in whatever guise they return, must lead the way and make this a firm priority post election.
“Anyone still operating the same way as they are today in 20 years’ time will be lucky to still be in business. There are no excuses: Government, contractors, the supply chain, manufacturers, designers and the trades must all embrace the challenge now, as highlighted in our recommendations.
“To make this happen, domestic housing requires a Government spend of £15bn a year, industrial and commercial property and infrastructure requires up to £10bn a year, flood defences £1bn a year, and the power sector £20bn a year.
“But it’s about more than just money: the transformation required in the construction industry is multi-faceted and it is critical that Industry and Government take a joined-up approach to bring together developments in skills, procurement, design, products and materials, transport and more.
“The report we are launching today is a call-to-arms, we’re telling the government and the industry alike to wake up to the reality of zero carbon and act now.”
While the report from the Major Contractors Group warns against the risks of not acting now, it also spells out the huge opportunities that exist across the sector, including domestic, industrial, flood defence, the power sector and transport. It looks at funding streams, the transformation of skills, procurement and design, and innovative approaches to reducing carbon emissions and waste.
The report has contributions from a wide range of organisations with an interest in the sector, including: the CBI, the CITB, Constructing Excellence, the Institution of Civil Engineers, Laing O’Rourke and Nottingham City Council.
Gordon Thomson, director of commercial infrastructure and energy at Nottingham City Council, commented: “Carbon and sustainability needs to be inherent in everything we do. It is much easier to factor in to design, inception and planning stages rather than during retrofit down the line…
“We are embedding carbon implications in everything that we do, in all our decisions: planning, procurement, strategy.”
