New report: Emerging Realities in the Construction Industry

Saint-Gobain UK and Ireland’s report Emerging Realities in the Construction Industry curates statistics and opinion from independent contributors on aspects of construction facing imminent disruption – and what it means for the future of the industry.

The construction industry is facing a time of significant change with a host of challenges and opportunities opening up for the sector. This report covers the trends, technologies and approaches in their infancy which will change our industry now and in the immediate future.

Four key topic areas facing disruption are explored: economic; technological; socio-demographic; and environmental realities.

The report features independent opinion from organisations across the industry including from The Carbon Trust, SNC-Lavalin’s Atkins, The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Mott MacDonald and The Manufacturing Technology Centre.

Recommendations from the report include:

• Embed designing for deconstruction through the supply chain of a building.
• Digitise buildings old and new by digitally documenting materials and completed work.
• Embrace cross-industry collaboration and co-ordinate innovation.
• Investigate disruptive technologies outside traditional partners.

A full rundown of the recommendations of the report can be found at www.saint-gobain.co.uk/emerging-realities.

Mike Chaldecott, CEO of Saint-Gobain UK and Ireland said: “I’d like to thank all of the contributors who took part in the formation of this report. Business thrives on foresight and I hope this report helps spark a debate about the future of our industry.

“Specifically, how we all might prioritise our thinking and activity across our industry to maximise the opportunities at our fingertips and capitalise on the vast potential of our sector.”