Construction 'key' to solving social and economic challenges

The UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC) is urging the Government to work closely with the construction industry to help tackle some of the biggest challenges our country faces.

The council’s Building Places that Work for Everyone report offers industry insights into key Government priorities including building more homes more quickly; improving public health; bringing down household bills; stimulating economic productivity; providing skilled jobs; and achieving the UK’s legally binding carbon reduction targets.

With a slew of policy announcements in recent months including the recently-published Industrial Strategy, the Housing White Paper, the Emissions Reduction Plan and the UK Air Quality Plan, the report aims to demonstrate an eagerness to work alongside policy makers to deliver change.

Produced in consultation with industry, Building Places That Work for Everyone sets out key policy principles that government can use to set the right conditions for industry and unlock private sector investment. These include:

• Policy certainly to give businesses the confidence to invest in innovation and skills
• Public sector leadership in creating high quality, sustainable places to drive up standards across the market
• A long-term approach to a development’s contribution to the community
• Allowing industry the flexibility to identify the best approaches to delivery, avoiding unnecessary red tape

The report features a wide range of case studies showcasing best practice from some of the UK’s leading designers, contractors and developers, and includes opinion pieces from the CEOs of Lendlease, E.ON, Kingfisher, WSP and Igloo Regeneration.

UK-GBC’s chief executive Julie Hirigoyen said: “Through publishing this report, we are launching a new conversation with policy-makers in pursuit of a shared vision in which the places we live and work can support multiple economic, social and environmental priorities; ultimately: building places that work for everyone.”