New construction body begins work to ensure sector delivers on low carbon targets
Elaine Brass
3rd December 2009
The Innovation and Growth Team on Construction (IGT) held its first meeting this week, with Business Secretary, Peter Mandelson, challenging its members to ensure the construction industry is "fit for purpose" to deliver a low carbon future.
The Construction IGT has been launched on the back of findings from the Government’s Low Carbon Industrial Strategy and the Strategy for Sustainable Construction.
It follows the announcement in September by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, that he was commissioning a review into the construction industry and appointing a Chief Construction Advisor.
This week, Mandelson said: “The Construction Industry is a vital part of Britain’s economy, employing 2.5 million workers and contributing around 10 per cent of GDP. The sector will play a crucial part as the UK tackles climate change, as emissions from buildings account for around 44 per cent of Britain’s total end use carbon emissions.”
Over the next year, the construction IGT members will undertake the Low Carbon Construction Review, to identify how the construction industry can best deliver the future carbon reduction commitments for 2020 and beyond, with initial findings due in Spring 2010.
The Chief Construction Advisor is Paul Morrell, who will lead the review. He said the aim of the group was not duplicate what was already being done well, but to produce an action plan and recommendations for industry and Government to ensure a roadmap is in place for the industry to play its part in delivering a low carbon future.
“Meeting the Low Carbon Challenge is one of the biggest issues facing Britain’s construction industry," he said. "I will be working with a strong Innovation and Growth Team, with steering and working group members drawn from Government and industry, covering the full extent of the design, production and construction supply chain. We also intend to reach out far and wide to connect with the many people and organisations doing good work in this field."
The construction IGT is part of a range of Government-initiated and industry led IGTs that look at significant market opportunities for the UK; recent IGTs include automotive, industrial biotechnology and aerospace.
