Research and Innovation
Innovation is a key driver of competitive advantage for the sector and of society’s need for an efficient and sustainable sector. We will help the industry develop and implement a shared vision and strategy for innovation, help promulgate this message through the sector and promote its innovation needs to Government and internationally. We will stimulate greater private and public investment to support innovation and assist effective transfer and exploitation of existing knowledge.
In 2002, Sir John Fairclough produced Rethinking Construction innovation and Research, his review of government R&D policies and practices. The full report is available via the link on the right.
The findings of the report led to the development of nCRISP subsequently the National Platform, supported by the Strategic Forum. This body operates as a joint government and industry panel identifying and developing priorities for research funders and helping set the agenda for the Technology Strategy.
BIS is working with the National Platform to develop a future Technology Strategy to frame the research needs for the sector.
The National Platform for the Modern Built Environment
- The industry has major challenges and needs. Innovation needs to be at the heart of the industry’s efforts to improve productivity and develop new capabilities, business and markets
- To compete within the UK and in overseas markets, significant parts of the sector need to raise their spend on research and innovation, as a proportion of output, to a level comparable with overseas competitors. We will work with the UK National Technology Platform to foster innovation across the sector by encouraging this investment and help it secure support to complement its own investment
- The NTP is developing a medium-long term innovation strategy for the UK sector, taking account of the European 2030 Vision, that is demand-led but influenced by the sector’s knowledge-base and owned by all key stakeholder groups
- This strategy, describing the sector’s research and innovation needs, should influence R&D strategy and spend in industry, and public support for innovation including the UK Technology Programme, Research Council and European Framework Programme funds and, importantly, public procurement which should be a key driver for built environment innovation.
Our Role in delivering the programme
- We encourage collaborative technological, economic and social research, development and validation involving key industry players, research organisations and HEIs, and supporting the development of networks and platforms to ensure innovation is implemented
- We will lead co-ordination across Government to identify synergies, gaps and learning opportunities between relevant research platforms
- We expect to influence the Technology Programme, and other sources of public funds, so that there is relevant scope for the construction and allied sectors to bid for funds to support their R&D, including technology validation and demonstration activities
