Presidential Roundtable Summary: The Construction Playbook, one year on

This roundtable, chaired by ICE’s President Ed McCann, was a discussion with the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) and Construction Industry around the Construction Playbook a year after it was first published.

Background

The relationship between the construction sector and the government was strengthened during the Covid-19 pandemic, showing what can be achieved when the two collaborate.

However, the sector still has a relatively low productivity rate compared to other parts of the economy, partly down to the prevalence of small businesses and organisations as part of the supply chain.

The Construction Playbook, published in December 2020, capitalised on the partnership between the industry and government, aiming to lead the sector to stability and increased productivity.

As well as being intrinsically good for the industry, these positives will help the government meet its ambitions of meeting net zero, 'levelling-up' across the country and creating a built environment on a global scale.

This discussion looked at the progress made since the document's publication a year ago, asked whether it feels like the Playbook is living up to its ambitions, and looked at what needs further refinement.

There was broad agreement that the Playbook is a valuable tool. The blueprint sets out a clear direction, and the aspirations are well received. However, there are still areas where improvements are needed.