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Building the Future Commission

The Building the Future Commission is a year-round project looking at radical and challenging ideas that could help transform the built environment. The commission aims to tap into innovative ideas, amplify them and be an agent for change.

It will run over 12 months - as Building celebrates its 180th anniversary - with a report published at the end of 2023. This will be drawn up with the help of a panel of commissioners who are leading figures in the worlds of business, policy, research and education.*

In addition to several commissioner meetings throughout the year, Building the Future will undertake a UK-wide tour of roundtable discussions with experts around the regions. This will form part of the consultation programme and will be delivered in partnership with the regional arms of industry body Constructing Excellence.

With thanks to our headline supporters:

Upcoming in the Building the Future Think Tank

18 June: Building the Future Think Tank North-east roundtable (invite only)

25 June: Building the Future Think Tank North-west roundtablee (invite only)

18 September: Building the Future Conference (open)

26 September: Building the Future Think Tank Midlands roundtable (invite only)

23 October: Building the Future Think Tank Wales roundtable (invite only)

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Long process: How compliance with the new products code will be verified

2023-08-21T06:00:00+01:00

The CPI has been set up to verify manufacturers’ compliance with the Code for Construction Products Information. Chief executive Amanda Long explains how she intends to scale up its activity

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Six years on from Grenfell and real change is finally happening

2023-07-19T06:00:00+01:00

The pace of reforms since Grenfell has been frustratingly slow, but real change is being delivered, writes Andrew Mellor

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Building bridges: how Paul Morrell would fix our broken products testing system

2023-07-18T06:00:00+01:00

Industry veteran Paul Morrell has written a seminal review on overhauling products testing. The man himself explains his thinking in the first of a two-part interview

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Building safety - it’s time for us all to take responsibility

2023-07-10T13:00:00+01:00

With more regulations coming down the line, we need  true collaboration from the industry, writes Suzannah Nichol

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We are entering a new era for building safety - but are we ready for the new regulator?

2023-03-31T05:00:00+01:00

The Building Safety Regulator’s registration process for high-rise buildings starts in a few days’ time. Carl Brown assesses how prepared the new regulator and the industry are for the start of a fresh regime

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Building the Future Commission report: The long-term plan for construction

2024-01-24T07:00:00+00:00

    DOWNLOAD NOW    

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Building takes its report into the English planning system to government

2023-10-06T06:00:00+01:00

Submission makes the case for giving the current system a chance to work after failed attempts at radical reform

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Building the Future Commission: Report into the English planning system

2023-09-28T07:41:00+01:00

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Reforming planning: one way to solve the housing crisis

2023-09-28T06:41:00+01:00

The Building the Future Commission has spent several months analysing the English planning system. Joey Gardiner reports

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Building the Future Commission calls for new strategic planning tier

2023-09-14T10:10:00+01:00

Interim findings released for consultation - plus find out about this month’s conference where you can hear high level debates and put forward your views

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We need politicians with patience and long term vision

2023-10-11T06:00:00+01:00

Construction firms invest for the long term, we need our next government to do the same

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HS2 cuts risk turning railway into ‘shuttle service’ between Acton and Birmingham, says Armitt

2023-09-27T16:30:00+01:00

NIC chair adds chopping and changing flagship project sends ‘incredibly negative message’ to world

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Infrastructure in crisis: ministers must honour commitments so schemes like HS2 can overcome poor perceptions

2023-09-25T06:00:00+01:00

Will the UK’s biggest projects ever be built on time and to budget? Despite recent evidence, it’s not impossible to think that they might – but some things have to change, Dave Rogers reports

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‘Just get on and build the thing.’ John Armitt goes in to bat for HS2

2023-03-10T06:00:00+00:00

The chair of the National Infrastructure Commission on why politics can never be taken out of building and why we should stop dithering

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Meet the commissioners: Kay Hughes

2023-03-07T06:00:00+00:00

Kay Hughes talks about the importance of public purpose behind infrastructure projects, the importance of technology and her love of gardening

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Look north: Pride and frustration in Scotland’s construction market

2023-11-01T07:01:00+00:00

With its strongly devolved government and separate regulatory regime, Scotland is often neglected in conversations about the UK’s built environment. Daniel Gayne took a trip north of the border to see what is going on

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Construction cannot ‘tweak broken model’ to solve productivity puzzle, says MMC boss

2023-09-27T16:09:00+01:00

Merit’s Tony Wells tells conference industry needs radical rethink

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New ‘rules of engagement’ needed to meet AI challenge, says Fosters research chief

2023-09-27T16:00:00+01:00

Machine learning need not replace architects, Martha Tsigkari tells Building the Future Commission conference

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Construction leaders must be ‘futurologists’, says Skanska chief

2023-09-27T15:45:00+01:00

Katy Dowding gave first keynote speech at Building the Future Commission conference

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The stakes are high – so are the rewards: AI and the future of construction

2023-08-16T04:30:00+01:00

In a special long-read comment piece, Martha Tsigkari of Foster + Partners considers how AI will affect our industry

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My route into construction … Damilola Ola, assistant site manager at Mount Anvil

2024-02-27T07:00:00+00:00

The industry includes an impressive range and variety of roles – but unless you are on the inside it can be hard to know how to break in, let alone progress to the top. In this new series, we talk to professionals about their often surprising career twists and turns

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Building the Future Commission: why recruitment is industry’s top priority

2024-02-08T07:00:00+00:00

After a year of consultation and careful consideration, the Building the Future Commission has published its final report. In this final chapter, Dave Rogers considers the challenge of building a skilled workforce to do increasingly complex jobs – and then keeping them happy

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Let’s make 2024 the year we really start improving workplace culture

2024-01-19T07:00:00+00:00

Construction still lags behind in terms of gender diversity. Improving the balance requires more than establishing a DEI group and a decent maternity policy, says Ceri Moyers

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London’s old problems require new solutions

2023-12-13T07:00:00+00:00

The capital is congested, polluted and expensive but, thanks to the insight and ingenuity that its people possess, the way it functions can be mended, writes Sadie Morgan

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My route into construction … Nasrin Sadeghi, structural engineer at Symmetrys

2023-12-04T07:00:00+00:00

The industry includes an impressive range and variety of roles – but unless you are on the inside it can be hard to know how to break in, let alone progress to the top. In this new series, we talk to professionals about their often surprising career twists and turns

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Building Talks Creating Communities podcast: In conversation with Anna Mansfield at Publica

2023-12-05T07:11:00+00:00

Episode 4: Anna Mansfield on the loss of shared spaces after covid and the importance of designing for the needs of women and young people

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It’s time to deliver communities that work for those who live and work in and around them

2023-11-30T07:00:00+00:00

The arrival of thousands of new homes and jobs alongside existing communities can sound daunting to existing residents. But developments such as Waterbeach and Oxford North, which support the thriving knowledge economies of Cambridge and Oxford, can enhance lives across the board, writes Jonathan Kendall of Fletcher Priest, masterplanner for ...

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Building Talks Creating Communities podcast: In conversation with David Rudlin at BDP

2023-11-28T07:00:00+00:00

Episode 3: David Rudlin talks about the importance of urban design and why planning needs to rediscover its capacity to create good quality places

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Building Talks Creating Communities podcast: In conversation with Selina Mason at Lendlease

2023-11-21T07:00:00+00:00

Episode 2: Selina Mason talks about people-focused urbanism and the work she is doing on Birmingham’s Smithfield scheme

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Building Talks Creating Communities podcast: In conversation with Jo Wright at Perkins & Will

2023-11-14T07:09:00+00:00

Episode 1: Jo Wright talks about the impact on her career of working in Berlin before the wall came down and designing for the long term

Building the Future Commission Regional Roundtables

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How Wales can make the most of construction

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Levelling up in the West Midlands: the way forward

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How do we boost construction in the North-west?

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Tackling the east of England’s construction skills challenge

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Addressing net zero in the North-east

  • How Wales can make the most of construction

  • Levelling up in the West Midlands: the way forward

  • How do we boost construction in the North-west?

  • Tackling the east of England’s construction skills challenge

  • Addressing net zero in the North-east

The commission will come up with proposals for change in the following areas:

Covering topics such as vocational pathways, apprenticeships, flexible degree options, and continuous professional development.

For more read: Introducing the skills and education stream

Covering topics such as low carbon tech, retrofitting and adaptation approaches, and regenerative design concepts.

For more read: Introducing the energy and net zero stream

Covering topics such as funding for planning departments, reforming the planning system, and affordable housing incentives.

For more read: Introducing the housing and planning stream

Covering topics such as long-term strategic planning and funding for large projects.

For more read: Introducing the infrastructure and planning stream

Covering topics such as new safety legislation, improving skills competence in the workforce, and factoring new costs and risk.

For more read: Introducing the building safety stream

Covering topics such as procurement routes, risk allocation, new methods and technology, and productivity challenges.

For more read: Introducing the project delivery & digital stream

Covering topics such as diversity & inclusion in the workforce, environmental, social and governance issues, and post covid working patterns and rethinking office space

For more read: Introducing the workplace, culture & leadership stream

Covering topics such as quality and standards, the beauty debate, social value, levelling up, co-design ideas, and reinventing city centres

For more read: Introducing the creating communities stream

Commissioner Q&As

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In pictures: The Building the Future commissioners come together for the first time

Simon Wyatt - Cundall

Meet the commissioners: Simon Wyatt

Rebecca Rees

Meet the commissioners: Rebecca Rees

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Meet the commissioners: Neal Shasore

Nicholas Boys Smith c. Tom Campbell

Meet the commissioners: Nicholas Boys Smith

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Meet the commissioners: Simon Tolson

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Meet the commissioners: Katy Dowding

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Meet the commissioners: Andrew Mellor

Lara Oyedele CIH president (003)

Meet the commissioners: Lara Oyedele

Richard Steer, Chairman, Gleeds lo res

Meet the commissioners: Richard Steer

  • In pictures: The Building the Future commissioners come together for the first time

  • Meet the commissioners: Simon Wyatt

  • Meet the commissioners: Rebecca Rees

  • Meet the commissioners: Neal Shasore

  • Meet the commissioners: Nicholas Boys Smith

  • Meet the commissioners: Simon Tolson

  • Meet the commissioners: Katy Dowding

  • Meet the commissioners: Andrew Mellor

  • Meet the commissioners: Lara Oyedele

  • Meet the commissioners: Richard Steer

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