Richard Robinson’s Post

A Blueprint for Growth: Boosting the UK’s Growth and Productivity Through the Construction and Infrastructure Industry #ukgrowth #productivity #construction #infrastructure #industry Read More: https://lnkd.in/eAjZZWvn

This may be their second most important project. The first is to sort out how the Cabinet Office adapts to managing cross-departmental projects to get good value and deliver what the economy and electors actually want, ie productive investment, the NHS and not persecuting refugees.

Today, together with UK’s leading infrastructure and construction businesses, BAM shares a Blueprint for Growth. A clear collective ask to the future government to align on 12 key areas, critical to allowing us to create the jobs of tomorrow and building a sustainable and brighter future for the UK.   The construction sector is fundamental to driving economic growth, by creating 100,000s of jobs, driving down our reliance on fossil fuels and delivering the significantly important infrastructure our people and communities need to thrive.   These recommendations sets out a clear roadmap ensuring stability, continuity, certainty, and a steady flow of investment in infrastructure crucial to building a sustainable and brighter future for the UK. 👉Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ezbNrNRf   AtkinsRéalis | Balfour Beatty plc | Costain Group PLC | Galliford Try | Laing O'Rourke | Mace | Mott MacDonald | VINCI Construction | VolkerWessels | WSP in the UK #Construction #Infrastructure #Sustainability #MakingPossible

Exciting times are upon us! As of February 2024, we're witnessing the unfolding of the British government's historic commitment to revolutionising our nation's infrastructure and construction landscape. An eye-watering investment of £775 billion over the next decade marks a defining moment for the UK, with implications far beyond our shores. 🔍 Breaking Down the Investment: 🚄 Transportation and Connectivity: A massive £310 billion is fuelling projects like HS2, reshaping how we move and connect. 💡 Energy and Sustainability: £194 billion dedicated to sustainable energy initiatives, catapulting us towards a greener, more responsible future. 🌐 Digital Infrastructure: Approximately £136 billion aimed at making the UK a digital powerhouse. 🏠 Housing and Urban Development: Addressing the housing crisis head-on with significant investments in building and refurbishing homes. 📈 Economic Impact: This isn't just about physical infrastructure; it's about fuelling growth, creating jobs (217,000 new jobs by 2025!), and driving long-term prosperity. 🔄 Challenges and Resilience: We acknowledge the challenges ahead but remain steadfast in our pursuit of precision and excellence in this transformative journey. As we progress through 2024 and beyond, let's embrace this monumental phase. We're not just building infrastructure; we're crafting a brighter, more connected future for the UK. This is a testament to our nation's resilience, innovation, and commitment to progress. https://lnkd.in/dKxUiFcF

Here’s the UK tier 1 (12 of them) view on a Blueprint for Growth. 🚀 - Stability and momentum are two key pillars and would be very welcome to all those in the construction industry, at every level and in every sector. 🏗️ 🎢 Interesting reference to the appropriate allocation of risk - after decades of building major infrastructure is it not possible to have some sensible guidance on this that government funded organisations follow? - this seems to be an area where we’re constantly reinventing the wheel…. 🛞 🧐

This feels like a good move to create an organisation "capable of marrying strategy and delivery", if Labour are elected. There have been a number of recent decisions (HS2 et al) which undermine confidence that the UK is a stable environment for investment but, done well, NISTA could align the public and private sector on the strategic value of key infrastructure projects. #capitalprojectsandinfrastructure #infrastructureinvestment #enablinginfrastructure #majorprojects #sustainableinfrastructure https://lnkd.in/eJUp_FWs

National businesses are thriving from central government's reallocation of spend onto essential projects supporting our intuitive AECO economy. While sections of HS2 are no longer on the project's ambitions, Kilnbridge is working across several HS2 sections, seeing their turnover with a 25% increase, improved operating margins, and a second profit share for the team. As inflation stabilizes, businesses like this are maintaining strong cost-control measures supported by forward-thinking procurement. Solutions such as CEMAR, KAIRNIAL, and RAMM, here at Thinkproject, manage costs, support multiple stakeholders, and deliver exceptional results for construction partners - no matter the scale! Want to learn more about how we can help your business thrive? Message me to start a conversation. #industrynews #AECO #construction #HS2

The UK #infrastructure sector faces several challenges, including rising material costs, supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and project delays. Inflation and energy price hikes, partly due to global conflicts, have significantly increased construction costs, impacting profitability. Additionally, the sector is dealing with financial strain, leading some companies, like #ISG, to file for administration. To overcome these challenges, companies, investors and clients should prioritize innovation, such as adopting modular construction and #sustainablematerials to lower costs. Collaboration between the public and private sectors can also ensure funding and smoother project execution. Diversifying #supplychains and investing in workforce training to address labor shortages are also crucial. Finally, implementing #riskmanagement strategies to anticipate market volatility will help businesses navigate financial pressures more effectively.

One of the unintended but positive consequences of the economic downturn is the shift towards collaborative contracting by stakeholders in the construction industry as a means to combat macroeconomic headwinds. The article by Lexpert is an interesting read as it discusses the increasing trend of collaborative contracting models being used in large infrastructure projects. Here are the key points: According to Maxime Jacquin, a partner in the corporate group at Stikeman Elliott LLP, debt-burdened governments, labor shortages, supply chain problems, inflation, and ambitious carbon emission reduction targets have created a "perfect storm," while infrastructure development is in high demand. The storm has accelerated the shift to collaborative contracting, he says. Ilan Dunsky, the national co-chair of Dentons' infrastructure and public-private partnership group, outlined three factors contributing to the shift to progressive, collaborative contracting models: 1. The drop in market competition due to the unattractiveness of fixed-price contracts to private-sector project participants as they were losing money. 2. Projects have become increasingly complex, which makes them less conducive to a fixed-price contract. 3. When the private service provider participates to a greater degree in the project's early design, the amount of contingency they must include in their bid is reduced, resulting in a less expensive project. The article also discusses the potential risks and impacts on the construction sector of the unique democratic change in 2024, with 50 countries worldwide, comprising half of the earth's human population, holding national elections—something to pay attention to. My take: The shift towards collaborative contracting models is a positive development for stakeholders in the construction industry. It should expand beyond large infrastructure projects to small- and medium-scale projects. Given the upcoming political risks in 2024 and beyond, stakeholders should prioritize making collaborative models more effective to optimize the opportunity it presents for a sustainable construction industry. #ConstructionIndustry #CollaborativeContracting #CollaborativeProcurement #InfrastructureProjects #InfrastructureTrends #StakeholderCollaboration #MacroHeadwinds #ProgressiveModels #CollaborativeMarket #InfrastructureCollaboration #EconomicDownturn #SustainableConstruction #PublicPrivatePartnerships #ComplexProjects #PoliticalRisks

We are delighted to share that Lisa Boyd has been featured in the Belfast Telegraph, looking into the potential opportunity for Public-Private Partnerships to be used in progressing capital projects in Northern Ireland. Speaking on the benefits and many applications of PPPs, Lisa suggested there is real gain through expedited project delivery, increased efficiency and more. “Throughout the late noughties, we saw the rapid decline of public-private partnerships (PPPs) private finance initiatives. These delivery mechanisms, whereby the public sector enters into partnership with the private sector for the delivery of infrastructure, have fallen out of favour. However, a reintroduction could see more projects break ground sooner rather than later, and PPPs carry with them a number of benefits. PPPs allow the private sector to assume specific risks associated with project delivery, such as construction, operation, and maintenance.” – Lisa Boyd, Partner, Projects Construction & Procurement. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eq2-Qixe