SBF Outlines Recovery Plan for Scottish Construction

The Scottish Building Federation

has today unveiled a seven-point recovery plan for the Scottish construction industry, describing the measures proposed as “vital” to prevent a further loss of skills and capacity from the sector in the course of 2010. Giving a keynote speech to the

2010 Scottish Construction Conference, hosted by Construction News at the SAS Radisson Hotel in Glasgow, SBF Chief Executive Michael Levack described the major damage inflicted on Scotland’s building industry by the economic downturn witnessed in 2009 as “unprecedented”. Mr. Levack noted that Scottish construction output had fallen by 12 % over the year to September 2009, wiping £1.4 billion off the industry’s total annual value to the Scottish economy. Questioning predictions this week from ConstructionSkills that the Scottish industry would grow in 2010, he described the outlook for 2010 as “difficult” predicting that a further £300 million could potentially be wiped off the Scottish industry’s annual output by the end of the year. He then outlined a seven-point recovery plan to set the Scottish

construction industry on course for long-term sustainable growth. Mr. Levack first reiterated

industry calls for further resources to be channelled towards funding major capital projects over the coming year. Acknowledging that budgetary pressures might mean no additional accelerated capital expenditure would be available in the 2010 – 2011 Scottish budget, he called on the Scottish Futures Trust to act now to mobilise additional funding for new schools, hospitals, public sector housing and infrastructure from the private sector. Mr. Levack called for concerted

action to streamline planning and public procurement, setting out a series of practical measures to accelerate planning decisions and cut down on unnecessary red tape currently burdening construction firms bidding for public sector contracts. Highlighting that almost 50 % of modern apprentices in training in Scotland work in the building industry and associated trades, Michael Levack called for targeted government support to help retain apprenticeship places specifically in the construction sector. Mr. Levack contrasted the estimated £1.6 billion-per-year

price tag for cutting carbon emissions from Scotland’s 2.3 million homes to meet the legal requirements of the 2009 Climate Change (Scotland) Act with the current budget of £15 million allocated to the Scottish Government’s flagship Home Insulation Programme. He argued that Scottish Ministers could not possibly hope to meet the target without a much larger financial commitment. He also pointed out the major knock-on benefits a more ambitious energy efficiency programme offered for the Scottish building industry in terms of supporting jobs and skills. Michael Levack highlighted the

industry’s ongoing campaign to cut VAT on home improvement and repair works to 5 %. He recalled to the conference the multiple benefits this policy could bring, supporting construction jobs and skills, driving cowboy builders out of the industry, improving home energy efficiency and actually increasing tax revenues to the Treasury. Finally, despite the ravages of

the recession, Mr. Levack stressed that the construction sector is responsible for around 10 % of Scottish GDP and employs 8% of the country’s working population.

He concluded by arguing that, for an industry of such critical importance to the Scottish economy, the creation of a dedicated Scottish minister to champion its interests is long overdue.

Commenting immediately after making his speech, Michael Levack said, “2009 was a very tough year for our industry. And we face further challenges in 2010. How quickly construction pulls out of the current recession will be largely determined by our politicians. “It’s high time the huge contribution the building industry makes to the Scottish economy, to providing jobs and to supporting Scotland’s skills agenda was properly recognised. “That same industry has an even

greater contribution to make towards achieving long-term sustainable economic growth for Scotland. But only if we get the support we so desperately need. Today, I’m calling on our politicians to take up the industry’s seven-point recovery plan and start working with us to make it happen.”

Housing Industry Could be Revolutionised with the ‘Breathing’ Building

Two Scottish companies believe

they could revolutionise the housebuilding industry after devising a new, greener way to build and insulate homes. Lomond Timber Frame has struck an alliance with Energyflo Construction Technologies to develop the ‘Dynamic Breathing

Building’ concept – compared to conventional building practices, it could significantly save energy, cut carbon emissions, improve air quality, and result in long-term cost savings for homeowners. Energyflo created the cutting-edge insulation system known as the ‘Energyflo Cell’, and joined forces with timber frame experts at Lomond to devise a way of incorporating it into 'open panel' timber frame – most new homes in Scotland and a significant and growing number in the rest of the UK are built using this type of frame. Both companies believe this

innovative system will make a real difference to the housebuilding industry and the future living conditions of residents.

Stuart Rennie, managing

director of Lomond Timber Frame, said, “Through the exciting work we are carrying out with Energyflo Technologies, incorporating their system into timber frame buildings, we are well on the way towards not only minimising energy costs for the home owner, but also to making a meaningful reduction in carbon emissions. “Our company constantly strives

to be more sustainable, and the opportunity to help develop this exciting new technology for housebuilding fits perfectly with these ambitions. We look forward to discovering its full potential.” The Dynamic Breathing Building

system is air-permeable providing fantastic benefits. In winter it can warm ventilation air using heat

from the home which would otherwise be lost, and in summer months the versatile system allows cool air to circulate. At the same time, the air is also filtered providing further benefits to house occupiers in the form of improved indoor air quality. Dr Andrew Peacock, Energyflo's

product development director, said, “Developing the technology for use in open panel timber frames is a great step forward. We believe this system could mean significant reductions in energy consumption compared with conventional thermal insulation. We look forward to further developing the product in partnership with Lomond and rolling the system out across the housebuilding industry.”

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