A recent industry survey on construction specification has discovered that lack of awareness of “innovative products” was the second biggest barrier to the UK implementing the changes needed to reach zero, behind cost at number one.
Futurebuild, which positions itself as the leading platform for innovation in the built environment, has invested in industry-wide research to discover the key challenges and issues in the specification process in the context of net zero aims. Entitled ‘Impacting the Specification Process,’ the report “examines the factors shaping the UK’s path to carbon neutrality, highlights opportunities that will influence the industry’s future, and provides an analysis of the critical trends driving the shift towards sustainable and net zero construction,” commented Futurebuild.
The wide-ranging list of 448 survey respondents ranged from multidisciplinary consultants to housebuilders, developers and contractors, to government, trade associations, project managers, manufacturers, and engineering firms. The findings “highlight a strong demand for innovative, low-carbon solutions,” said Futurebuild, but “also underscore significant barriers, particularly related to cost.”
The majority of respondents agreed on the importance of decarbonisation, and 19% expressed enthusiasm for products which “directly contributed to decarbonisation.” However, cost was cited as the number one barrier for specifying innovative lower carbon products (by 54% of respondents) followed by ‘lack of awareness’ at number two (52%).
The report delved into specific challenges around sustainability for specifiers, including the need for improved training, education, and access to relevant information around Biodiversity Net Gain. Respondents also identified the opportunities and challenges in incorporating ‘biomaterials’ in projects, with the primary barrier again being a lack of knowledge and understanding on applications. Resistance to change and the absence of third-party verification also emerged as key issues.
Another prominent takeaway from the report was the need for closer collaboration between the industry and Government. More than 30% of respondents believed that policy reforms were essential for overcoming current industry challenges. The transition to a circular economy was deemed essential by respondents, who called for national take-back programs and circular hubs to enhance material reuse and recyclability.
Martin Hurn, event director at Futurebuild, emphasised the importance of collaboration and innovation in addressing these challenges: “At Futurebuild, we are dedicated to driving sustainable change by equipping the supply chain with the insights and tools to innovate.”
The report produced by Futurebuild aligns with the event’s aims, he said, by delivering “actionable data to help manufacturers position their solutions and sustainability credentials to decision-makers.”