UKRI’s Transforming Construction challenge (TCC) has released the results of the Impact Evaluation, a report that assesses the achievements, contributions and impact of the TCC on the construction industry
The Impact Evaluation, undertaken by Frontier Economics and BMG Research, uses a combination of data and trend analysis, case studies, expert review and a primary survey of key organisations to create an assessment of TCC’s impact for the construction sector and associated industries.
The results demonstrate significant improvements across industry investment, performance, collaboration and key benefits for buildings.
The Evaluation found that the TCC played an important role in the development of greater collaboration. It also found that it increased R&D funding and that the TCC’s target of applying techniques that improve productivity by 10% or more being applied on real world projects with a value of £10bn.
Construction costs and labour hours
In addition, the Evaluation identified signs that metrics such as build time, construction costs and labour hours had seen improvements and that the adoption of TCC concepts was likely to continue to bring about environmental performance benefits to a number of areas, including energy consumption, waste production and CO2 emissions.
‘Efficient and technologically advanced construction’
Lee Rowley, parliamentary under secretary of state and minister for construction, BEIS commented: “The government wants the UK to have the most efficient and technologically advanced construction sector in the world.
“The Transforming Construction Challenge has accelerated industry modernisation towards this aim, reducing whole life costs whilst increasing productivity.
“The positive findings of the impact evaluation are encouraging for industry and good news for government as it spends £650bn on infrastructure programmes over the next 10 years.”
Modern methods of construction
Indro Mukerjee, chief executive, Innovate UK, said: “The Transforming Construction challenge has established genuine system change and demonstrable impact for our economy and society.
“The Innovate UK team has done an excellent job working across government, industry and academia to accelerate the transition to modern, world-leading methods of construction.”
Sam Stacey, challenge director of UKRI’s Transforming Construction Challenge, said: “It’s fantastic to see the work of the TCC recognised by this evaluation, and that its influence and impact can be seen across so many critical areas.
“We intentionally set some ambitious targets for the TCC at the outset. To have met and exceeded them, and, in doing so, watched as modern methods of construction and innovative new digital technologies have been adopted is not only very rewarding, but demonstrates the justification for the TCC’s creation.
“Throughout the TCC’s lifespan, collaboration and encouraging adoption have been central pillars to success.
“The Evaluation shows just how important this engagement has been, with the benefits of industry stakeholders pulling together clear to see.
“It’s now time for the sector to carry the baton forward and ensure that this important progress continues and develops further.
“Construction will continue to face substantial challenges in the form of housing demands, environmental targets and the need for effective public procurement spending.
“It’s here that the legacy of the concepts and groundwork laid by the TCC, which are already part of new Government policy and strategy in many areas, will continue to be seen in the future.”
A full version of the Impact Evaluation report can be found here.
