16
feature
hot topic
streamlined skills solutions
In light of undeniable skills challenges in construction, James Moore, National Sales solutions can help address labour shortages further down the development chain...
Labour shortages continue to shape the built environment. Project demand remains high, but as the construction sector grapples with an ageing workforce and persistent skills shortages, architects and specifiers are beginning to rethink design choices with buildability in mind. This means making specification choices around materials and methods based not only on performance and aesthetics, but also on their potential to ease pressure on site. According to the Construction Skills Network, an extra 225,000
workers are needed by 2027 in the UK to meet demand. Is it time to seek ways to reduce this pressure, whilst still developing strategies to get more people into the sector? Modern methods of construction One of the key decisions that can influence on-site efficiency and reduce labour requirement is the choice between traditional brickwork and cladding for external building design. The National Housebuilding Council predicts 33,000 more bricklayers are needed to meet the Government’s house building
target of delivering 300,000 new homes per year. That would represent an increase of around 79% on current levels. The 2016 Farmer Report (Modernise or Die) provided a stark warning to the construction sector: Embrace modern methods or risk decline. Traditional trades such as bricklaying require years of training and are heavily reliant on an ageing workforce. Many contractors are struggling to secure experienced bricklayers, which inevitably leads to project delays, overrunning costs and inconsistent workmanship. With bricklayers clearly in short supply, cladding, particularly fibre
cement cladding, offers a cost-efficient, attractive and compliant alternative with lower labour intensity. The benefits on site are evident. Pre-finished systems can reduce
reliance on wet trades and can be installed significantly faster than traditional masonry because they are lightweight, consistent, and designed for ease of installation (albeit still by trained professionals).
Not only does cladding reduce the build time compared to
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
