Building the Future Commission: review of July

Here are some of the highlights from the commission’s coverage in July:

• We looked at T-levels and whether they are likely to deliver for architecture and construction as part of our skills and education stream.
• We continued our series looking at innovations with the potential to change construction by assessing the industry’s progress on digital solutions, including digital twins
• A shocking National Audit Office report in June found 700,000 pupils are now being taught in buildings which require major rebuilding or refurbishment - and the government is spending less than half the money its own assessment says is needed to keep them safe. The commission looked at what can be done to improve the schools estate.
• We interviewed industry veteran Paul Morrell about how he would fix construction’s broken products testing system as part of our building safety stream. 
• We also spoke to Paul Morrell about his time as chief construction adviser to the government. The commission will look at whether a return of this position, or something similar to it, could help government be a better client.
• The boss of M&E consultant FHP Gauri Talathi-Lamb spoke to us for our workplace, culture and leadership stream.
• We continued to accept entries for our Future Thinkers Award, which aims to find the most innovative thinkers aged 35 or under in construction. The deadline for entries is 18 August, full details are here.
• We visited a Project Hack event at the Etihad stadium in Manchester to see construction and engineering professionals compete and collaborate to find innovative solutions to improve project delivery. 

In August we plan to:

• Look at the barriers for small and medium-sized barriers contributing to net zero, and how tier one contractors can help them overcome them
• Assess the entries of our Future Thinkers Awards
• Publish an interview with Amanda Long, boss of the Construction Product Information (CPI), an independently governed organisation set up by the Construction Products Association to adminster the new Code for Construction Product Information, as part of our building safety stream.
• Look at major infrastructure projects ‘do’s and don’ts’ with the help of our commissioners
• Look at materials in the final part of our series on innovations to change construction