The government has pledged to drive change in the construction industry through its actions as a client.
The new National Infrastructure Strategy for 2020-2025, published today, promises: “The government will use its weight as a major construction client to transform and modernise the industry, through the publication and implementation of the Construction Playbook.”
Construction News revealed in July that the Infrastructure and Projects Authority was working on the guidance for the civil servants on how to procure work from the construction sector.
The document, set to be released in the coming weeks, will aim to push government aims including greater use of offsite technology, more collaboration and its desires for training and skills plans.
Construction minister Nadhim Zahawi told the Construction News Summit today: “The playbook will, I hope, help us have a more strategic and collaborative relationship to deliver better buildings and embedding innovation, and increasing the social value, the skills development and environment benefit that construction projects can deliver.
“The playbook has been co-developed with a wide range of industry stakeholders, with more than a 1,000 hours of industry engagement taking place during the policy development and drafting process.”
Yesterday, Department for Education divisional director Paul Mustow said the document will “really drive collaboration in the industry and starts to really promote the government providing the sort of impetus to further collaboration”.
