Opinion
Construction first
With the forthcoming general election the time is ripe for
building services professionals to lobby party candidates
on the value of a strong industry, argues Graham Watts
T
he savage economic downturn of the past 18 this by setting up an innovation and growth review
months has already seen massive cutbacks of the sector to see if it is fit for purpose in delivering
in privately-funded construction across a low carbon economy. But we are not going to get
the board in the UK – in housing and in anywhere near 40 per cent reduction, let alone 80
commercial, retail and industrial buildings. An per cent by 2050, without completely re-engineering
unprecedented period of sustained, steady growth our economy to value carbon more than money. So,
over many years has been replaced by the most carbon-reduction skills must become the primary
dramatic collapse of private investment in the focus; and who will deliver
built environment. The rapid rate of decline and these skills? Bankers?
the predicted length of the recession mean that it Accountants? Lawyers? I
The construction
is likely to take until 2020 to get back to the 2007 think that construction
level of construction activity. professionals – and
industry needs to
The government’s financial stimulus and engineers in particular –
proclaim loud and clear the
continued public spend has prevented the industry are much better placed to
from teetering over the precipice completely – change the world.
vital role it plays
although it may not seem that way for some. It’s The forthcoming general
in the economy
now widely anticipated that next year’s general election provides a timely
election will be followed by draconian cuts in public reminder that construction
expenditure. If this happens before the private is the major hidden employer in every parliamentary
sector is strong enough to recover and before the constituency with thousands of people involved in
banks are able to function as they should, then the designing, building, managing and maintaining
resultant ‘double-dip’ recession will be calamitous. the buildings and infrastructure that sustain the
So this is a time when the industry needs to nation’s economy and living standards. Investing
proclaim loud and clear the vital role it plays in the in the built environment creates jobs, provides a
economy. The business case for construction as a major contribution to the nation’s climate change
quick and effective economic stimulus is immense. commitments and will result in a legacy for
Recent research by the CBI shows that for every £1 generations to come.
spend on construction, up to £5 of other economic These points and many more are pressed in the
activity is stimulated. In an economic system that Construction Industry Council’s ‘Manifesto for the
is short of capital, other countries have done more Built Environment’, which was presented at the
to use construction as a means of creating jobs recent political party conferences and which will be
quickly and boosting generic economic activity, issued to every prospective parliamentary candidate
and seem now to be better placed to come out of for the coming election. Members of CIBSE can play
recession. The significant levels of UK government their part by sending a personal copy direct to their
debt coupled with the arbitrary deadline for the next candidates, both to demonstrate how important
election mean that we in the UK may fail to grasp construction is locally and to seek their support
this opportunity. for the main messages within the manifesto. To
If the nation is to deliver on the UK’s carbon obtain a copy, please contact cmolloy@cic.org.uk
commitments, now enshrined as legally binding or smcdonough@cibse.org l
targets within the Climate Change Act, then it will
be a NEW construction industry and NEW jobs
that will have to achieve these goals. The current
Graham Watts is chief executive of the Construction Industry
Council. CIBSE is a member of the CIC.
Business Secretary, Lord Mandelson, has recognised
www.cibsejournal.com November 2009 CIBSE Journal 23
CIBSEnov09 pp23 opinion.indd 23 23/10/09 13:13:22
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